User blog:Sam samurai/Red Dead Redemption: Legends of the West - Another Day in Paradise

It's been too long since I've written a Red Dead Redemption story. I know a lot of people have wanted one, so here it is. I apologize for the wait.

DEDICATED TO SPAWNY

Red Dead Redemption: Legends of the West - The Raid of Armadillo


 * The dust kicked up from the wagon wheels drifted high as the vehicle came to a rolling hault. Jumping down, John Marston waved the dust out of his face and off of his clothing, where it had settled from the long journey and had caked the material. Walking around to help his wife, Abigail, down, John glanced in every direction, looking for familiar faces.
 * It had been some time since he had visited Armadillo. John had been focusing on getting his ranch up and running that he hadn't even thought about returning. However, there was little work that needed to be done on the farm, and John had thought it would be nice to go somewhere with his family.
 * Out of the back of the wagon, Jack Marston jumped. "Is this Armadillo, pa?"
 * "Yep," John said, holding his wife's hand as she stepped down from the wagon. "Why do you sound disappointed, boy?"
 * "I don't know...I just imagined a little more." Jack shrugged and looked around. The building next to where John had parked the wagon read, "Sheriff."
 * "It ain't quite Manhattan, but it's got everything a person could need. The people is friendly, too."
 * "Where're we goin', pa?"
 * "I thought I'd introduce you to some people I know. People that helped me catch Bill." With that, John led his wife and son into the Sheriff's Office.

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 * Expecting to find Marshal Johnson inside, John felt slight disappointment at finding only the two Deputies, Jonah and Eli, loafing around. Jonah slept inside a cell, just as he had when the two had first met, and Eli slept at the Marshal's desk, his feet propped up on the wooden table and an empty whiskey bottle lying on the floor directly underneath his hand, which dangled in the air.
 * John sighed and walked over to the desk. He firmly kicked it, causing Eli to tumble out of his chair and onto the ground. Jonah awoke from the noise. Jonah was immediately on his feet, revolver drawn. John was faster, however, and he grinned as he pointed it at Jonah. "Some things never change, eh, old boy?" John chuckled.
 * "Marston? What're ya' doin' here? I thought we was done wit' you a long time ago." The two men holstered their weapons.
 * "Yeah. It's a shame I had to see you again, too, Jonah. Can one of you tell me where the Marshal is? I brought my family here to meet 'im."
 * "He's out, Mr. Marston, sir," Eli said. "Can I get ya' anything?" He offered a chair to John, who declined.
 * "Any idea when he'll be back?"
 * "He's just in town, checking up on the residents. Keeping a good reputation, you know. With all the trouble Walton's Gang's been givin' us, he's got to keep friendly relations with folks."
 * "Walton's Gang still giving you grief?"
 * "Yes, sir."
 * John had the odd feeling that he would somehow get caught up in the small town's troubles. That's how things usually ended up for him. Nonetheless, John sauntered out the door, leading his family toward out into the street.
 * "Is there really gang trouble around here, pa?" Jack asked his father. The boy wasn't nervous, simply curious.
 * "Walton Lowe and his boys have been known to cause trouble around these parts. But, we won't be here long. I doubt anything'll happen while we're here."
 * As if on cue, there was a shout from down the dusty road. John turned to find Marshal Johnson pushing a member of Walton's Gang out of the saloon. Drawing his revolver, Johnson took aim. Before he could put the outlaw down, another gang member appeared in the doorway, lifting a chair high above his head and shattering it across Johnson's back.
 * The Marshal dropped his gun and fell to the ground. Without hesitation, John rushed toward the fight. The two Walton's Gang members hogtied the Marshal and packed him on top of one of their horses rumps. With a wild shout, the two outlaws rode out of Armadillo with Johnson held captive.
 * John cursed and drew his own revolver. He could have shot, but he couldn't risk hitting the Marshal. He holstered his gun and quickly walked back to the Sheriff's Office. Jack and Abigail had followed him the entire way.
 * "Jonah, Eli, get your guns," John ordered.
 * "What's happened?" Eli looked dumbfounded. Jonah simply squinted curiously at Marston.
 * "The Marshal's been kidnapped by some of Walton's boys."
 * Eli gasped. "Well we gotta get 'im back!"
 * "Yeah, that's why I need you to get your guns."
 * "Anything to save the Marshal!" Eli and Jonah jumped into action, grabbing weapons and ammunition.
 * "Pa, what about me?" Jack asked. "I wanna help, too!"
 * "Uh-uh, boy. I ain't havin' it. You stick to shootin' elk, I'll stick to shootin' criminals."
 * "I agree, John. He can't go. He's got too much of a life ahead of him," Abigail said. "You won't stop me from goin', though." She walked to the gun rack and slung a holstered Cattleman around her wait. She then removed a Winchester repeater and loaded it with bullets.
 * "Darlin', no." John's tone was almost pleading.
 * "This man helped you catch Bill, which in turn brought you home to us. I owe this Marshal Johnson as much a debt as you do."
 * Jonah and Eli had stopped preparing for battle and stood in silence, awaiting the amusing argument that would enfold between the husband and wife. But there wasn't one. At this time, John couldn't think of a response to what his wife had said. "Fine," was all he said. Jonah seemed disappointed that John had given in so easily.
 * John, Abigail, Jonah, and Eli had mounted their horses and took off toward Twin Rocks - the known hideout of Walton Lowe and his gang. Jack stood on the porch of the Sheriff's Office, kicking pebbles off of the wood. "I'm always too young..." he muttered.

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 * The four left their horses a short distance from Twin Rocks and climbed on foot up the hills around the gang hideout. John and Abigail kept moving as Jonah and Eli stayed in one position. The two groups would attack simultaneously and try to ambush the gang.
 * Down below, gang members were loafing around as the evening sun began to fade away over the horizon. Some sat around the fire drinking, and others played cars. Still others stood by themselves and enjoyed a cigarette.
 * Jonah and Eli watched as John gave the signal to fire. The volley of bullets rained down on top of the gang members. Several of them were hit and lay bleeding in the dust. The gang members seemed perplexed as they tried to locate where the attack was coming from.
 * This was the effect John had hoped for, and it gave them a little more time to take out a few of the Walton's Gang. It wasn't long, however, before the outlaws located their positions and returned the barrage.
 * "Jonah, Eli, go!" John shouted as he and Abigail provided cover for the two deputies.
 * They stumbled down the hill, sending rocks and dust flying through the air. If the outlaws hadn't known where they were before, they did now. Still, the gang members kept falling as they were hit.
 * With the outlaws' attention on the deputies, John led the way down the hill, Abigail not far behind. She was holding her own, using everything she had learned in her outlaw days to stay alive in the battle - which was definitely not her first.
 * John and Abigail ducked behind the low wall that ran alongside the buildings of Twin Rocks. On the other side were Jonah and Eli. The courtyard was clear, and the four met up in front of the main building, where they suspected Marshal Johnson would be kept. John drew his revolver and cautiously approached the door. Abigail, Jonah, and Eli all stood guard outside, and also watched John to make sure he was covered.
 * John took a deep breathe as he stood in front of the door. Pointing his revolver, he kicked open the door. His eyes quickly scanned the room, gun following where his eyes did. He began to move forward, when, from behind the door, a knife flashed and cut the back of John's hand.
 * John dropped his revolver and caught the attackers arm as he sliced with the knife a second time. John wrenched the knife from his hand, and then threw the outlaw out of the door and into the dirt. John could see it was one of the two outlaws that had kidnapped Johnson.
 * Focused on the outlaw on the ground, John was oblivious to another who appeared in the doorway, holding a shotgun to John's back. Without thinking, Abigail reacted, drawing her revolver and letting off a shot, killing the outlaw with one bullet.
 * John turned to find the dead outlaw hitting the floor as Jonah and Eli hogtied the one on the ground. Picking up his gun, John continued through the house. He found Marshal Johnson lying in the floor, tied with rope.
 * John freed the Marshal, and the man untied the cloth that had been around his mouth, not allowing him to speak. "I've never been happier to see you, boy."
 * "It seems you may be having problems with Walton's Gang, Marshal," John said.
 * Marshal Johnson grinned. "Just another day in paradise, John."

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Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this. I really liked this one. Let me know what you thought in the comments section.