The small city was in silence and the glowing sun was high in the sky. Inside the bar of little to no renown a pale good man was trying to hold on to his life, but the shadow that approached would not allow him to get out of there alive. For he had committed against him a sin that could not be forgiven.
The shadow entered the establishment without fear and remained silent until the doors stopped beating. His black hat covered his eyes and his overcoat was hiding his old body. His mind full of scars was telling him to wait for Jonathan to speak first. He himself had nothing to say yet. Jonathan, the pale man, was standing in front of him, in the middle of the establishment with a gun in hand, but not pointing it to his persecutor. The barrel was directed to the head covered in silk hair of a woman strange to both.
IF I WAS YOU!… — said Jonathan. He said it much louder than he intended. Quickly he reestablished himself and his voice to a much calmer tone. — If I was… I would drop my weapon on the floor. I have said to folk here to call the sheriff, and…
Hahaha… he…hehe… Just so the “unlucky you” know… This town is just too small for something like that… hehehe… — said the old man that has yet not revealed his eyes. When his laugh silenced he started waddling in Jonathan’s direction and pointing his finger at his face. — I BET!… that ya thought I wouldn’t get here in time to see that pretty face of yours one last time, did you? — There was no need to answer a question of such kind — Nevertheless, here I am.
After his speech, he raised the flap of his hat to better see the man in front of him, and such man, after hearing words so true, hid himself behind the body of the woman even more. She could not stand it any longer and was about to scream and kick to try to free herself, for it did not matter what these men were up to, she needed to go back to her family, but stopped as soon as she heard his revolver cocking. The shadow smiled at that.
I kind of like ya in a weird way, you know? Just like… — then he needed a second to find the words — …the “WAY” that you can crawl through the mud and dust to save your sorry ass. — Jonathan gasped after hearing such things — Yes, I know what you have done these times while trying to escape from us. I saw everything with my own eyes!
…
What if I told everything to the few people left that you love, so you can lose them as well?
YOU WOULDN’T DARE!
Wouldn’t I?! — said the shadow while trying to take a step closer.
If you move again I blow her head off!
I know, I know…
STAY AWAY! OR I WILL DO IT!
Yeah… I said that I “know”. You have become the type of man that would do things like that, am I right?
And that was enough for resilient Jonathan. Just the last drop of water in his big cup of regrets, sorrow and offenses that he never had the courage or the power to take revenge for. Neither had he a way of fixing any of his mistakes. The barrel of his revolver left the temple of the innocent woman’s head and turned to the shadow.
However, in the midway, the old man put his overcoat to the side and drew a revolver of his own in a blink of an eye. His move was swift, despite his age. His finger pulled the trigger, releasing the hammer that struck the back of the ammunition and ignited a blaze that subsequently propelled the bullet forward through the barrel. The projectile trespassed the woman’s and Jonathan’s guts before hitting a wooden board.
She was released…and stumbled twice before hitting the floor. The man stood upright on his feet. He knew he had lost although he was still alive. He looked where the bullet hit him and to the woman bleeding on the floor.
The old shadow still had his gun pointed at him. At Jonathan’s poor second attempt to shoot him, he was shot in the chest.
He felt as if he would never rise again. His last sight was of his slayer taking his gun and leaving the bar. Certainly, a fate unworthy for the man that he once was.
João Vitor Trevisan
Estudante do Curso Técnico de Mecânica
Fundação Liberato
1º Lugar
Categoria Short Story in English
Liberarte 2022