Cowboys and Stars in Big D [closed to the Cowboy]

Everything was different, that was for sure. True, it had been some years since Christopher had been in Texas but it had been longer if he took into account the years he had been asleep. There was concrete, buildings, and people everywhere and none of that appealed to the man in the slightest. Had the distance around the city not been so long he would have simply gone around it all but that would have been at least two more days on foot. On top of that, there was no telling what trouble could be out there in these days and times. All Christopher had on him were the clothes and weapons he had had when the ship had crashed and while that gave him a small arsenal at his disposal it did not give him information on his surroundings. Something that could kill anyone if they took it for granted.

The worst part of this whole place was the people. They were loud and terrible things that he truly would have been quite happy to be done with forever but at the present that was more easily said than done. It was still some time in the spring, not really caring what time of year it was given it was still hot, and the poncho he wore was more for concealing his weapons and keeping the weather off of him rather than keeping him warm. Christopher did not care much though whether his guns were hidden or not. No one would take them from him.

After walking for most of the day and the sun was already well along its downward decent, Christopher came to an open market. It was far less crowded then where he had been and he was glad for that at the very least. People busied themselves, going to and fro buying what they needed and more of what they did not, but they held little interest to the cowboy. Something however did catch his eye, a child being hassled by what looked to be two larger men in black.

Christopher would be the first to admit he was less than a good man, let alone a good person, but if there was one thing he could not stand it was messing with kids. He made his way to the commotion, which it seemed most people in the area were turning a blind eye to, clenching his fist in the process. As the cowboy reached them he placed his hand on the man’s shoulder that seemed to be doing most of the harassing he said in a solemn voice, “Yer gonna wan’ta let th’ kid go.”

Then the man punched the younger boy in the stomach. “Wrong move,” Christopher growled as he made his move. One of the men seemed to be in the middle of saying something when Christopher’s elbow collided with his jaw, breaking several teeth and dropping the man to his knees. Pulling his gun from his holster, Christopher quickly glanced towards what he was firing from the hip at. The bang rang out and the other man screamed as blood streamed down his leg. He had been shot somewhere around his knee. The crowd might not have cared for the child being harassed but they did care about the chance at being in some level of danger themselves as they all began to run screaming.

As would be the norm, things had not been as Christopher had thought they were when he made his first approach to the situation. Three men had quickly moved in to fill the ranks of the two still on the ground around him. One of the men that had arrived, also now holding the boy, made his demand. Christopher had never been one to take kindly to anyone telling him what to do. Taking his gun and placing it firmly to the back of the head of the man with a bullet wound in his knee, he said in return, “Ah don’t take kindly to bein’ told what ta do. Yeh have one chance ta leave or Ah will put everthin’ in’is head on th’ ground.”

Christopher was a simple man. He would do things in the most straightforward manner that was at hand. Giving the men before him time to make any decisions that they may need to consult over, he did not show any sign of deeper emotion nor did he look to the child being held hostage. There was not much to think about on that matter. Christopher would sleep just fine whether he was saved or killed. It made little difference to him what may or may not happen within the next few moments.