User blog:Gunman for real/The Star Reporter

 This is the story of a man named Michael James, a man who changed his life and became a totally diferent person in less than a month. Here it starts.



 -- CHAPTER 1 --



 Michael was walking towards his office one afternoon, like he did every day. He was a reporter in The Blackwater Ledger, a very important job in Blackwater. He usually was the man who writting the first page. He was young, he was fourty five years old by 1911. Dressed in smarts clothes, he took out a bunch of keys out of his grey suit. - I found it !- he thought. He opened the door and climbed the stairs, to find his boss angry.



 - What's going on with you Mike, you haven't written anything in the last three days !.



 - I'm sorry sir, I was on holidays.



 - Oh, yes, I remember now.- he said.- Now that you're here, I should give this particular job to do.



 Michael took out his glasses and his small curved hat, and put them in a chair nearby, then he proceeded to sit at his boss desk.



 - I want you to write an article about the Mexican revolution. Go there and find anything interesting, politicians, war crimes, anything !.- he said. - But make it fast, you only have one month.



<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - I'll do sir. Will I get a place to live in Mexico?.- he asked.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Yes, a friend of mine, mister Gonzales will be waiting for you. Your train leaves in three hours, so hurry up, go !.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> Michael was stunned with the news. He was happy because it was his first job in Mexico, but everything he had heard about the war, was that true?. He could only answer that question himself. He packed his things in a bag, and went to the train station. He sat in the first sit of the wagon, watching the landscapes of the frontier. He was from New York City. He liked it, living there. He used to work in The Times. But since he wasn't getting enough money, he went here. He wasn't used to dirt. Dirt roads, dirty houses. Despite his age, he didn't even knew how to ride a horse.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> The train left the station. The driver put some coal to the fire. The only modern thing he had seen in the Wild West, he thought. He went to sleep. Hours later, he woke up by the noise of the train's brakes, he was now in Chuparosa. He went to the main plaza, and a man shook his hand.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Hello mister.- he said with a Mexican accent.- My name is Enrique Gonzales, and I work here in Chuparosa. It's been a long journey, how have you been?.- he asked.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Well, fine. This land is beautiful.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Indeed.- he said.- And so are the women. Here, let's spend some time in the saloon.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> The saloon was crowded as usual. A woman offered them a drink while they sat in their chairs.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - What do you want señores ?

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt">- Un vaso de cerveza muchachita.- Gonzales said.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - I'd like a gin with tonic, thank you.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - We don't have that here señor. It's beer or nothing.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - It's ok, I'd rather drink nothing, thank you.- Michael told her.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> Enrique looked at him and asked.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Why are you here? Has my friend Williams send you?.- he asked.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Yes. An important job, he said.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - You don't belive what he says, he is an idiota.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Excuse me? I didn't understand what you said.- Michael said

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Nothing, he is a fool.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> The talk was interrupted by a gunshot. Inmediately, every man in the saloon, took cover behind some walls.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - What's going on?.- Mike asked worried.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Soldiers, don't move, stay quiet.- he said.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> The men took out their weapons, most of them revolvers. They started shooting. The noise filled the room. But the soldiers were more, and were better equiped. Their rifles kept firing, and soon, every man in the saloon were dead. Most of them were banditos or criminals. A soldier aimed the gun at them.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - And you, are you rebeldes too?.- he asked.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - No señor, we were having a drink with my friend the Americano.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - No, I know you. Gonzales!.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - No, you must be mistaking me with a different person. Don't take me .- he shouted while being lifted up and taken to the public plaza, for an execution.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> Michael James ran away, without a choise. After jumping over the walls of Chuparosa, he heard seven shots. He knew Gonzales was dead. He didn't know how to escape, so he asked the stagecoach driver to take him as far as possible.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Come on, make it fast !.- he told him.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> The man did what he was asked. In the middle of the night, the driver stopped the wagon.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - This is as far as I can take you señor.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - It's ok, it's ok.- Michael took five dollars and paid the man. There was a small bed, with some clothes arround it. It was cold there, in the desert. Michael covered himself with that clothes and tried to sleep. Tried, because he couldn't think of anything else than the wolves arround him.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> -- CHAPTER 2

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> He woke up covered in sweat. He looked at his watch. He had slept to midday. He heard a sound. He thought it was a coyote. He checked his trousers, and found what he was looking for. A Colt Peacemaker of 1873, that his father had given to him. He always took it with him, but he didn't really know how to use it, except for some practices. He took out the gun and aimed with his right hand to the bushes.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> The noises stopped for a moment and he cocked the gun, he was terrorized. A figure started to rise up. An old lady looked at him. He was in shock. The old woman shouted and ran away. So did some little girls arround her. Michael James put down his weapon, and then put it back to his trousers. A man on horse carrying a Winchester Repeater came slowly at him, he was angry.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - What are you doing here uh? Apart from scaring my people. Are you working for Allende?.- he asked.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - No sir, I'm not. I was sleeping here and was afraid of the noises among the bushes, that's all.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - So then. Welcome to Mexico my friend. Come to our town to have a rest, you may have not slept well here.- the man climed him to his horse. And took him to his villlage. They lived in a place named Nosalida, where other rebels like him defended themselves from Allende and his men.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> After they arrived, they sat together inside his house.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - What's your name ?.- the Rebel asked.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Michael James. And yours ?.-

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Fernando Naranjo. I'm the leader of this town. I decide what's good and what's wrong. Who should fight and who should stay home.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Interesting.- Michael said while drinking from an almost empty glass of beer. He wasn't used to this. He called himself a civillised man. The people here were different from the folks in Blackwater. Every man or woman, worked for the entire group, for them all to survive. The women fished and cooked while the men took care of hunting. No one had time to rest or have a talk.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - And why are you here?.- Fernando Naranjo asked him. While putting shells to both bandoliers he was wearing.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Well, I'm here to do a report of the war that is happening here. So I would like to start asking you questions about yourself, or about Allende and his men. What are they like?.- he asked. He took a paper and a pencil and began.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - What are they like. Well that's an easy question gringo. They are the worst men in the world. The like to kill rebels just for fun. They call as animals. Out of them, Allende is the worst. When he and his soldiers come, they take our women and rape them outside. They are some pinches cobardes! - he said. Michael's writing was interrupted by Fernando's fist, hitting the table with anger.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Continue.- Michael James told him.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - About us, we live like rats here. We work every day with all our soul just to survive. When soldiers come, they throw our food to the river, and kill our chicken. Just to let us starve to the end. We can't stand this anymore, we need help soon.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> A woman shouted in an alarming voice. - Ahi vienen !.- Fernando Naranjo took two shells out of his bandolier and loaded them to his double-barrelled shotgun. He closed it and cocked it. Dust was seen in the distance.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - It's a big posse, of soldiers, we must be ready.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> By the time he stood up, they were able to be seen, galloping in the distance. Michael James panicked, and ran away. He locked himself in Naranjo's house. Horse steps were louder now. The rebels took their rifles with them. Some of them were already aiming at the batallion. Naranjo climbed the rooftop of a house, and made their men wait for the signal. He finally shouted.- Fuego !. A storm of bullets hit the soldiers, but there were lots of them to kill. Fernando Naranjo shouted again, and the sound of a hundred rifles were heard. But they still couldn't hold them and the soldiers entered the village.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> They fired at the rebels. A single man wiped out three of the Mexicans. He wasn't a soldier, and Naranjo doubted he was even Mexican. Captain Espinoza was among them. Fernando fired a shot and a soldier on horse fell to the ground. Then, he turned back, to shoot at another soldier's head. While screaming with anger, he reloaded the double-barreled. Aimed again. Another soldier was shot.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> Michael hid himself in a closet. The space wasn't a lot, but he kept inside. A group of three soldiers breached the house, throwing the door to the ground. With their guns ready, they looked for rebels.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - No hay nadie aqui.- a soldier told his sargeant.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt">- Entonces, quemenlo todo.- he said.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> Michael wasn't Mexican, but could understand some of the language. That phrase made him chill " Burn everything inside". He reached for his gun and loaded six bullets. He cocked it. Sweat covered his body. He took out his glasses and put them in his pocket. After watching the soldiers leave, he came out of the closet, but was already too late.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> A cowboy threw a fire bottle to the house. The structure was set on fire instantly. Espinoza congratulated him, and they walked to the next house, to burn it too. Michael James was trapped. A part of the wooden roof fell down, and Fernando Naranjo hit the ground hard. He was trapped too, and his body was caught in the burning hell. The heat sorrounded the room. Naranjo knew he would die there.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Kill me Michael, finish this.- he told him.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - No, we must find a way out.- Michael said panicked.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> - Please !.- he begged him.- I don't want to die like this. Arghh!.- he shouted in pain.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> Michael James didn't know what to do. The building was collapsing, he had to act fast. He had never killed a person before. He took aim at the man's head. Naranjo yelled again. Michael's eyes were wide open, with fear.

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt">- Do it !.- Fernando shouted.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> Michael took aim again, and put his finger on the trigger. Maybe, it was the best option. He fired and the man's head exploded in blood. Then, the wall went down above his dead body, leaving Michael James trapped forever. He cocked his gun again, as his body started being set in fire. His face was red, and wet. His eyes filled with tears again, so much that he had to close them. He kneeled and put the gun in his head. He pulled the trigger.