Zach's Demise...short story in progress

Night was coming and a storm was on the horizon. Maxwell dug his heels into the horses sides and made tracks for the safety of the town. A long hard day on the trail, after the botched train robbery, had taken a toll on him and his mount. It was time to settle in somewhere dry, and most importantly, safe from prying eyes.

         The wind began to push gently on his back as a precursor of whats to come. "This one was gonna be bad--real bad," he thought. Then suddenly a crack of lightening sheared overhead and lit the dusk ridden surroundings in an eerie black and white snapshot, which burned into his brain.

         Seconds later the rain began to tap lightly on his shoulders. Poor Zachary and Bill. "Poor dumb bastards," he thought as he sped the gallop of his horse. Both had been shot by the lawmen on the train during the attempted robbery but only Zachary was able to mount up and ride hard enough to escape. They had to run, there was nothing they could do for Bill. He bled out and fell off his horse somewhere along the trail, they had supposed. Zachary, poor doomed Zachary was gut shot and rode by Max for several hours until he had begged Max to stop.

          "Damn it all to hell...it hurts...I have to rest a spell. Please Max, just for a minute, under that tree there...I...I'll be fine after I sit a spell." Max had said little as he was sure Zach was done for.....since the blood began to run from the corner of his mouth. "Alright, we'll stop for a moment, just long enough for you to catch your wind, then we must get moving," he said looking over his shoulder.

         After he was sure it was clear, he pulled the reins and brought his horse to a full stop under an Oak tree. Climbing down from his horse he grabbed the reins of Zach's ride and held it steady before reaching up and helping him to the ground. He lowered him to the base of the great oak and moved quickly to his canteen on his saddle horn.

         A Northern was beginning to blow in from the North West and a slight breeze had begun to paw at his face. He could smell rain, he thought, as he turned to Zach with the canteen. "How do you feel Zach? he began," we need to keep moving. I'm sure there will be followers." "I'm gut shot! " Zach hollered,"d...damn it, I am so dead." He was looking at the blood boiling out from the tufts of his shirt, afraid to touch it. "I need a doc...." "I'm afraid there is no hope for ya Zach. Here take the water, I'll leave you with some cartridges.....you know, in case they get to you before...."

         Max's mind drifted off. He did not want to think about it. He tossed the box of ammo to him and walked back to his horse. "Don't leave me here, you bastard!, g...get back here, you son of a bitch! you just can't leave me here li...like this!" Max stopped dead in his tracks and lowered his head into the wind. He thumbed the release on his colt and slowly turned to face Zach. "I knew you would not leave me here M...Max, ya gotta do me...m...make it quick like," Zach said with a look of hopelessness on his face.

         "Well we had some times, didn't we Max? I...I just want ya to kno"....before he could finish Max drew his revolver and squeezed one round off. It met it's mark, right in ol' Zach's forehead. The bullet passed right through and embedded itself into the oak spewing splinters and bone fragments onto Zach's shoulders. "Yeah Zach, we sure did...." Max cooly said. He watched Zach lower his head, chin to his chest, before slowly putting the smoking colt back in its holster.