Letter from Snake Johnson - March 1876 Part Six

   As I came down Main Street towards the center of town I heard screams and breaking glass inside O'Ryan's Hotel. I got to the window and looked in. I saw two masked men pulling and tugging on O'Ryan's daughter. She was half naked. The time for surrenders had passed. I spun through the open door and came up with my pistols cocked and aimed. I managed to put a bullet in both their foreheads. They dropped like flour sacks.
  But I had made a mistake. In my haste to save the girl I did not notice the third outlaw. He was off to the side of the room with the girl's mother. "Allright hold it right there!" I heard him shout as I turned to face him. He had his pistol to the woman's head and was using her as a shield. "I'm getting out of here! You just let me go, or this bitch dies!" The woman and her daughter were both screaming. I noticed the body of O'Ryan lying in a pool of blood in the back of the room.
  "Let her go mister." I said, trying to be as cool as I could. "Let her go, and I won't kill you right where you stand." He laughed. "You know who I am. You know I can do it. Now be smart and let her go." I saw the fear in his eyes.
  "You wont shoot me?" His hands were trembling. " I got your word on that?"
  "You got my word, just let go of her." He lowered his pistol and turned the woman loose. "Now drop it." I said, never lowering my gun. His pistol fell to the floor. "Kick it to me and get on your knees." He did as I asked and I holstered my pistol. "Alright then. Now where...."
  His head exploded in a red wet mist that stuck to the wall behind him! I pulled my pistols and turned to see O'Ryan's wife standing in front of her daughter with a smoking shotgun in her hand! "You Son of a Bitch!" she screamed at him as I tore the gun from her hands. She looked at me just daring me to say one word of reproach to her.
  I tuned and went for the door.

  I made my way to Rosie's Saloon. I stepped inside the swinging doors and got shot at. Bullet almost took off my left ear. I spun to the floor and aimed the rifle where I thought the shot had come from.
  "That's right you cowardly fucks! Step inside my bar again and I'll put a hole in you so big your own mother wont know you!" A familiar voice called from behind the bar. My eyes adjusted to the dark inside the bar and I saw the place was a mess. There were at least two bodies on the floor and a hell of alot of blood everywhere.
  "Ruby?" I yelled. "Ruby? It's me, Snake. You all right darlin?"
  "Snake?" I heard he say has she rose from behind the bar. "Oh, Snake!" I stood and she ran to me. She seemed to be wearing just rags. Her dress was torn something awful and she was holding it together. Her hair and face were blood covered. He hands and arms were bleeding. She fell into my arms crying. "Snake! Where the fuck have you been? They killed Gus! I tried to save him, but.." She began to sob hysterically. I looked down and saw Gus, her house manager. He had been gut shot. The other body I guessed had been one of the outlaws, but his face and chest was tore up something fierce and I don't think I woulda recognized him even if I knew him. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what happened here.
  "It's alright Ruby. You're safe now girl." I tried to calm her down. "You're gonna be alright." I heard the doors creak open and I whirled around drawing my pistols. It was Shots.
  "God damn Marshal" he said as he came inside. "I thought you was dead!" What the hell happened to the jail?" I sat Ruby down in a chair and grabbed a blanket from behind the bar to cover her up with. I gave her a whiskey bottle and she popped the cork and drank strait from it.
  "They blew it up." I said turning to Shots. "Finger's is dead. And Holmes is gone. Have you seen him?"
  "No." he replied. "We killed six of his men though. Two of the Circle M boys are dead as well."
  "And John?" I asked.
  "He's alive," he answered, "for now. But he's shot bad. I don't think he'll make it. Mitchellson and a few of his boys rode off chasing a group of Holmes' men who lit out when the shooting got too much for them. But I don't think Holmes was with them. Shit Marshal, you're hit!"
  I had torn open my shirt and exposed the shot in my side. "Yeah, I got a few of the bastards though. Ruby, can I borrow some of that rye honey?"
  She stood and grabbed my wrist."You ready?" She asked. I nodded and she tipped the bottle over my wound. It felt like liquid fire, but I knew I had to take it. I pulled the shirt off of the dead outlaw and made a makeshift bandage. Then I slipped my shirt back on.
  "Shots, we need to sweep the town. Make sure none of these bastards are still here, hiding somewhere. Get some of the citizens to help pull the bodies off the street and get them down to the undertakers. I am sure the Doc is gonna need some help as well. Make sure he gets whatever it is he needs."
  "Ok Marshal." He said, and suddenly we heard a pounding on a door from the back hallway.
  "That's the girl's rooms." said Ruby."Oh God!" She leapt up and ran to the door, with Shots and I right behind her. She reached for the knob and tried to turn it. Shots grabbed her and pulled her back and I kicked open the door. There stood Lily and the rest of the girls unharmed. Lily jumped into Shot's arms has Ruby calmed the rest of them down. Apparently when he first heard the shots in the streets, Gus had locked the girls in the room to protect them. Smart man.
   I sent Shots out and took a long pull from the whiskey bottle. Ruby and the girls were fine. I stepped back out into the street and searched for Holmes and any of his remaining men.
  The streets were quiet. And empty. I was just about convinced that Holmes had fled. And then I heard my name being called. I followed the sound of it. As I came around the corner of the dry goods store I saw who was calling me. And my heart sank.
  The man had his arms tied behind his back and had been beaten pretty bad. It was Johnny. As I got to him he fell on the street.


  "Marshal," he croaked, his face full of bruises and cuts. "Marshal, it's Holmes."

  "He's got Prissy!"

Priscilla's Diary - February 14th 1876

   It was only 15, maybe 20 minutes after Snake left the house when I heard the explosion. I took Joshua and hid in the back room. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew it was bad. The minutes seemed like hours. I was so scared. I could hear the gunshots here and there. My mind was everywhere. What was going to happen tomorrow? Would they still hang Johnny? Why had I kissed Snake? I felt so ashamed. I cried and clutched Joshua to my chest. All I had wanted was a safe, normal place to raise my son. And this is where I ended up. Hiding in the back room while the town was being shot up, my husband about to be hung, and my baby's father probably dead out in the street. Lord.
  The front door of the house opened and I felt like the end was here. I might deserve to be killed by some outlaw, but my boy did not! I tried to hide Joshua under the bed. I was in a panic. Then the intruder came into the bedroom. He was covered in dust and blood and held a rifle in his hand. I froze and just looked at him. it took a few seconds to set in. Then I leapt into his arms. It was my Johnny!

   The build up of fear and worries over the last weeks just seemed to burst over me at that point and I completely lost control. I fell into Johnny's arms and had a breakdown. He held me tight and whispered that everything would be alright. I looked up and for the first time in a long time I saw life in his eyes. The man I fell in love with was back! I could just see it. He told me what had happened at the jailhouse and that Holmes had escaped.
  "Let's go Johnny" I pleaded. "Let's just get on the wagon and ride out of here right now!" I was half out of my mind with both relief and fear. "This may be our only chance to escape! They're still gonna hang you! We have to leave! We'll take our son and just go, somewhere where they'll never know us! Something bad is gonna happen if we stay here, I just know it! Please Johnny, let's go!"
  "Calm down Prissy." He said. "It's too dangerous out there. The Marshal said we should just stay here. I'll protect you. And Joshua." He had a determined look about him that I did not recognize. My heart said to argue and make him go. But something held me back. I agreed. 
 
  We bunkered down in the bedroom. The gunshots seemed to slow and then stop. We might have been there an hour. When no one came my fears began to get the better of me again. A dread grew in my stomach. I pleaded with Johnny to leave Red Creek once and for all, but he still refused. "I'm not gonna run Prissy!" he said. "I am through with being a coward! I am gonna go see what's happening outside. Stay here with Joshua."
  "No Johnny!" I said, trying to hold him back. "Don't leave us!" I was shouting "I can't lose you again!"
  He stopped and turned back. A smile seemed to float across his face. Seeing that smile warmed my heart. For the first time in what felt like forever, I had an idea that things just might work out alright for us."Alright Prissy. I'll stay. I promised the Marshal I would keep you safe."

  A voice from the doorway surprised both of us with a small laugh. "Well, I reckon that's a promise you just might have a hard time keeping Johnny Boy."

  There in the door frame, with his pistols drawn and aimed right us, stood Kid Homes!

Picture

(Barry - Just thought this was kinda appropriate. Haha!)

Ruby's Letter's - February 1876 (Battle of Red Creek - Part 3)

   When I hit the floor I felt something that I hadn't felt in quite some time. I felt like I was in real trouble. He was a big mean bastard and I had already played my hole card. He flipped the table out of the way and pulled me up by my hair. "You little bitch! You tried to shoot me!" He threw me hard into the bar and I heard bottles breaking behind me. I tasted blood in my mouth. Panic started to well up inside of me but I forced it down. I knew if I was gonna get out of this I had to think clear. I started to rise up when his boot caught me right in the head. The world swam and I fell back to the floor.

  Now you may think it's crazy Margo, but at that moment I swear I heard Ma's voice. "Get up girl!" she was saying."Get up Ruby! You didn't work so hard your whole life to give it to this drunken bastard! You're a fighter Ruby. You always have been! So fight! Get up off of your arse and fight!" I know. The boot to the head probably stirred a few rocks loose, but I swear I heard her. So I forced myself up to my hands and knees. The big son of a bitch was poring a bottle down his throat behind me. I looked at Gus and saw his pistol lying beside him. It was too far. I could never get to it before the bastard stopped me. My heart sank.

   But then I saw it. Not 2 feet from me on the ground. It must have come from the table I fell over. I reached for it thinking my salvation was at hand. But just then he reached down and yanked my hair back hard, pulling me to my feet. He turned me around and tore what was left of my dress off. "Now then bitch," he said, pulling me into him and stabbing his rough hand between my legs. "Now you are gonna play nice, or I'm gonna half to hurt you. And trust me me whore," His fingers were hard and callused." you wont like it." He laughed and forced his tongue into my mouth. I remember he tasted like whiskey and dirt. I heard mama's voice again telling me to fight. I knew I had one chance. When he pulled his hand away and started to fumble with his own trousers I bit down hard on his lip. My mouth filled with blood as he screamed. Then he punched me in the stomach with all his force and I felt the breath fly out of my body. I fell to the ground and quickly scrambled to find what I had seen.
  "You fucking cunt!!" He bellowed as I felt my hand close around what I was looking for."I am gonna cut your tits off!" He reached down for me as I turned and leapt up at him with all the force I could, my right hand shooting towards his neck. I saw the fear in his eyes as I struck. He screamed and fell back, but I fell right with him, plunging my hand again and again into his neck and chest. I remember screaming and seeing the blood fly. He stopped fighting and just laid there, but I still went on. Finally the rage subsided and I stopped. I sat still for a moment. Naked, covered in blood and sweat and piss. I opened my clenched right hand and let the weapon fall to the floor.

   It was the handle of a busted beer mug. I fell off the dead man and began to cry.

Letter from Snake Johnson - March 1876 (Part Five)

  I turned and looked at your husband. "Johnny," I said as I pulled my pistols and checked that they were alright."I ain't got time to guard you right now, I am going after Holmes. I need you to do something for me." I could see the fear in his eyes, but I had no choice. Time was running out.
  "Uh, I ain't no good to nobody Marshal." He replied looking away. I reached out and slapped him hard.
  "God Damn it Cardwell! Pull yourself together!" I shouted. "People are dying here and I need your help!" That seemed to get his attention. "I don't know what's happening out there or where Holmes is and I have got to find out! By the sounds of it, there is fighting all over town." I reached out and grabbed one of the rifles and handed it to him. "Take this and go home. Prissy and my," I barely caught myself, "...and the boy are there. Go to them, and shoot anyone that tries to come in the house!" He looked confused so I slapped him again. "Do understand me you son of a bitch?!?"
  He took the rifle and turned. "Yeah, I understand." he said as he ran out the door.  I took a deep breath and tried to push everything out of my head. I holstered both my pistols and grabbed one of the Winchester rifles. I picked up my hat and pulled it tight over my head. With one look back at Fingers, I stepped out into the street.

  As soon as I did I heard a shot and the dirt next to my right boot exploded. I looked up and saw a shape on the roof in front of me. I brought up the rifle as I heard a second shot from my left. I pulled the trigger and heard the man on the roof scream as I jumped to my right and rolled behind the water trough. The water splashed from a third shot as I came up and put two shots from the rifle into a man across the street standing behind a post. As he fell back I heard the thud of the body from the roof hit the street. I didn't hear the shot that hit me. I just felt the bullet slam through my waist and spin me to the ground. I rolled back behind the trough for cover. "Whoo Hoo!" I heard a man yell. "I got the son of a whore!" I surely did!"  I quickly looked down and saw the bullet had passed right through my side. I reached for my pistols as I heard running footsteps. A big bearded face appeared over the top of the trough with a wild smile showing a gap of missing teeth. The smile quickly dissappeared as he saw my pistols pointed strait at him. The he dissapeared as I pulled both triggers. 
 
  I stood up and looked around. A quiet seemed to have fallen over the town. Then I heard shouts and gunfire from down the street. I took off at a run.

Letter from Sally Roberts - April 1876

 Dear Prissy -

   How are you my friend. I hope you and Joshua are well. I pray things are getting better. I wish I was able to be there. I know there is alot of healing and work to be done in Red Creek right now. God will see us through my friend.
   John is healing. Slowly that is for sure, but he is strong. The ride to Santa Fe was hard, but we made it. John's family can help us here while he rests. The boys are doing well. They miss you as their teacher. I told them we will be back once their dad is well enough.
  Oh Prissy I still have trouble getting that evil day out of my mind. I imagine it's worse for you. I am sorry I am not there to talk to you about it. It helps to talk. I have been talking to Jesus quite a bit lately. Asking how He could allow such hurt and pain to happen. But it is His to understand Prissy, not ours.

   I remember I was inside Miss Daisy's when I first heard the shots. Seconds later a masker rider came riding by and shot out the large window in the front of the store. Miss Daisy screamed and we ducked behind the counter for protection. More shots came from the end of town. I remember looking up and seeing Shots run past heading towards the gunfire. I heard yelling and headed towards the door. Miss Daisy grabbed my arm and shouted "No Sally! You'll be killed!" I knew in my gut that John was in trouble and I just couldn't help myself. I had to see him and make sure he was alright. I had to go. I left the boys with Miss Daisy and stepped out into the boardwalk. I saw a few figures running around down where the gun shots were coming from. Little Pearl Miltch came running by and said Bandits were shooting up the Livery. A great hole grew in the pit of my stomach and I ran to find John.
  Smoke filled the street. The gunshots were so loud and the air smelt like fire and soot. I looked and saw that a house was burning. There were men darting back and forth behind wagons and fences. There were dead horses and men in the road. I heard someone shout my name as I ran toward the livery. And there I found John. He was slumped against the barn door covered in blood. He had been shot in the chest. I remember putting my hand on the wound and trying to hold back the blood. A bullet struck the door just inches above my head, but at the time I did not notice. My world was crashing down around me. I called God's name and pleaded with him to save John. Just then I felt some one grab me and try to pull me away from my husband. I struggled and fought, but to no avail. I turned in his arms and started to claw for his eyes, but then I realized he was shouting my name. It was Shots.
  "God damn it Sally! Are you trying to get killed?" he said as he threw me back behind the door. "Get the hell out of the way. I ain't got time for this!" I started to get up and go back to John but Shots pushed me back down. "He's gone Sally, You can't save him! Now stay the fuck down or your boys are gonna lose both their parents today!" I just looked at him. I couldn't understand what he was saying. He was wrong. He had to be. John was not dead. I couldn't believe that.
   Well Shots must have taken my contemplation for compliance because he left. He ran back out the door with his bright silver pistols blazing. I went back to John. He was still breathing, but he was exposed to more gunshots where he was. I had to pull him back out of harms way. Sweet Jesus why did I have to marry such a large man? I grabbed him and pulled with all the strength I could muster and barely got him inside the barn.He grunted and groaned and I took that as a sign from Heaven that he wasn't ready to give up. I fell to the floor beside him, covered in blood, sweat, and hay. I prayed as I tore open his shirt and tried to clean the wound best that I could. I vaguely remember hearing the explosion of the jailhouse.
    The shouts outside continued along with the gunshots. A figure appeared in the doorway and I looked up expecting to see Shots. It wasn't him. It was one of the outlaws. The man had been shot at least once and had a desperate, scared look about him. He also did not have a gun. He looked down and saw John's rifle still in his hand and rushed to grab it. I thought he was going after John and threw myself at him to try to stop him. He struck me hard across the face and I fell back. He grabbed the rifle and looked back out the door. He fired into the street.
   Prissy, may The Lord forgive me for what I did next. If I had thought about it, i am not sure I would have done it, but there was no thinking at that point. A rage came over me and I willingly followed it. John's pistol was still in his holster. I scrambled to it and pulled it out. The outlaw turned and saw what I was doing as I cleared the holster. A look of alarm crossed his face and he raised the rifle towards me and John. I fired the pistol and the man's face exploded. Sweet Jesus please forgive me.

Red Creek Tribune - February 15th, 1876 Part Two

(Barry - We return to Silas's article about the 13th of February)

 
   Wyatt Mitchellson, owner of the Circle M Ranch, had this to say about the attack. "Those no good cowards have gone to far! Well, we damn sure gave them more than they were looking for I can tell ya that. The streets of Red Creek are running red tonight with the blood of brave heroes who were not afraid to stand up for their own rights and freedoms! We have lost several good men today, and I mourn for them, I truly do. But tyranny will not stand in this day and age! Not while brave honest men have the courage and the strength to stand against it. Men like Kid Holmes deserve what they get. And I for one am not afraid to say it, by God!"
   Four of Mr Mitchelson's cowhands were wounded in the shootings today. Only one, Bill McKinndry, lost his life. Also among the dead are recently deputized Furgus "Fingers" O'Mally. Deputy O'Mally was killed in the destruction of the jailhouse. Dynamite, placed outside the cell wall seems to have been the cause of the explosion that leveled the brick building. Two other men were killed in the explosion, both captured members of the outlaw gang led by Kid Holmes. The dynamite is believed to have been a desperate attempt to free Holmes from Marshal Johnson's custody. Johnson himself was wounded in the blast, but quickly recovered his wits and set about recapturing the notorious outlaw.
    During both the raid at the south of town, and the attack of the jail house to the north, several of Holmes' murderous thugs set to terrorizing other places of interest throughout Red Creek. Both the Harlequin Honey Pot, and Rosie's Saloon were attacked by these vile men. Three girls at The Honey Pot were beaten'd and abused by the marauders. Miss Scarlet Preston was unharmed, but her negro employee Chancy was killed.
 

(Barry - Decided to skip this next part until we hear Ruby's version of the story)



Ruby's Letters's - February 1876 - (Battle of Red Creek - Part 2)

 "Gus!" I yelled. "Gus. Get in here!" The bastard with the gun kept waking towards me.
  "Don't look like anyone is here to help ya pretty lady. Looks like it's just me and you." He smiled and I saw that half his teeth were gone and the ones he still had didn't look like they were in it for the long haul. He smelled bad as well.  Now I wasn't too scared Margo. You know this wasn't the first time some dirty son of a bitch had come at me, but I was concerned that Gus wasn't in the bar. He's always here this time of day. Just then the door to the men's room burst open and out ran Gus with one hand on his pistol and the other holding up his pants. He took a shot at the big bastard, but it sailed high. The outlaw cleared leather and shot Gus in the belly. He yelled and fell to the floor.
  "Gus!" I screamed as I saw the blood spread out beneath him. I started towards him but the thug grabbed my arm and pulled me in close to him. I smelt the rot and the whiskey on him.
  "Come here bitch! " He snarled as he groped at my dress. "Let's see what you got under here!" He pulled the top of my dress and it ripped. Now you know that I never leave my room without protection, so while he let out a whoop and pawed my breasts I reached down to the little Remington that I always keep stashed in my garter. I bought it up and pressed it against the bastard's belly as he grabbed my face and tried to kiss me.
  "Go to Hell you Fuck!" I said as I pulled the trigger.

  Nothing happened. Misfire.

  He slapped me hard and I fell across the table.

  And then I heard the explosion from down the street.