Colt's Vignette - Gruevasion 2010

[Geez3r]

September 24th, 2017

Outside a small house on the edge of West Freedom

"I've got'cha naw, ya dern Injin!" Cried the little girl. Her fingers twitched near her side. They were currently hovered near her thigh. Strapped to the side of her leg was a pocket, within which rested a small Compressed Air powered pellet pistol.

"You've merely cornered a rat, White Devil!" The boy shouted back. He stood about twenty paces away the girl. Currently his hands rested on his neck behind his head. He lightly fingered the piece of wood tucked in the collar of his shirt, hidden by the feathery head dress he wore.

Both children were only about five or six, but there was a fierce determination and stubbornness in their eyes not often seen with children at play. Most people didn't develop that kind of awareness until late in their lives, but these children had learned it early. They'd had to.

The girl wore a blue skirt and black tights with a matching blue blouse, and a pair of knee height leather boots. The boy wore denim shorts, and no shirt save for a feathery collar and head dress of his own construction. He also preferred to play barefoot.

The two were at a standoff. For a few long moments, neither moved. Then suddenly, a newcomer broke the silence. "Naw what'a y'all reckon we gots here?" fake-growled a man in his late twenties. He stood on the third and fourth concrete steps of the front porch with his left and right feet respectively. He wore sneakers on his feet, jeans, a collared shirt, and appropriately enough, a ten gallon hat. A shiny gold star hung from his shirt pocket. Engraved on the star were two words: "Sheriff Colt" "Looks like we gon'n got're selves'a cowgirl fightin'a Injin!"

"That's right, sheriff." The girl replied. "That red-skin savage'n his band of savages attacked the wagons outside of town!"

"Ruth Reynolds!" Colt yelled, his face suddenly stern. "I'll be thankin' ya not ta be usin' comments about the color'a people's skin. I reckon it just ain't nice."

"Yes, sheriff," The girl hung her head in shame, "I mean, yes, Daddy."

"An' what'd I tell ya 'bout attackin' wagon trains, boy?" Colt gave the Indian boy and appraising eye.

"Um...Don't, Pa?" The boy's feathery headdress, collar, and slingshot disappeared in a puff of logic when he was startled by his father's stern words.

"That's right, Zachary. An' see that'cha respect that."

"Daddy?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Will you tell us a story?"

Colt's face softened. He always had been a sucker for kids, especially his own. Being there for his children meant having the chance to be the father he'd never had. "Sure thing, pumpkin." Colt smiled.

"Yaaaaaaay!" The two children cheered in unison, "Wohooo!"

"Why don't y'all come'n side?" Colt waved the two children through their front door.

"Hey, Dad! Tell us the one about the Grue!"

---

"An' there'a was," Colt leaned forward on the couch, facing the two children on the floor. Ruth was sitting with her legs to the side in a lady-like pose. Her twin brother sat next to her Indian style, ironically, in his jean shorts and a t-shirt (which he was only wearing because of his mother's insistence that he would catch his death of cold). "On top'a th'hospital, lookin' down on'a army'a strange alien creatures. Ugly'as all get out, they were." Colt spread his arms dramatically, generating a series of oohs and aahs from his children.

"With 'bout fifteen'a the city's best heroes, we hit'em hard. There weren't nothin' but me'n ma guns tween them'n the hospital. People were startin'ta worry, somethin' powerful, but we set'em right." Colt drew a line across the carpet with a booted foot. "I gave'em'a line'a bullets. An' th'Jack'a all Blades told'em not'a cross't." Colt sat back and folded his arms. "'Fore we knew't, we were routin'em. Even yer dear 'ol Ma was out there. She was tearin' in'ta them aliens somethin' fierce with them claws'n fangs'a hers!" Colt pantomimed a pair of fangs with his fingers.

"Like this, Pa?" Zachary asked, growing a pair of wicked looking vampire fangs, and two inch long dagger like claws from his finger tips. He lunged at his sister, "Hissssss!"

"EEeeeEep!" Ruth cried out.

"Zachary Reynolds!" Something about saying his children's full name was empowering to Colt. He did it every chance he had to scold them. "Quit scarin' yer sister!"

"Yes, Pa." Zachary's fangs retracted with a "flickt!"

"Good impression'a yer Ma, though." Colt smiled, light heartedly.

"I heard that!" Grim's voice echoed from the adjacent room.

"S'only cuz'a love ya!" Colt called back over his shoulder. "Now where was'I? Ah yea, th'hospital. The skies'n streets 'round th'place were teemin' wit' aliens fer hours. Some'a them even made't in'ta the buildin'! We were quick'ta respond, though. Me'n th'other Interceptors took care'a them aliens 'fore they could do any harm." Colt smiled, smugly, remembering their triumphant victory the better part of a decade ago. "I reckon it was one'a them shinin' days'a history fer them other heroes'n me."

"Your the best, Pa!"

"I wanna be just like ya when I grow up, Daddy!"

Colt smiled down at the twins. More than all the battles he'd fought, they were by far his greatest contribution to this world. "One more, Daddy!"

"Yea, Pa, tell us the story 'bout the invasion from Hell!"

Colt paused, recalling the horrifying battles against the legions of hell, and the near death of his best friend. "Oh, I don't think so, kids. That one'll have'ta wait 'till yer older. Besides, I reckon it's past yer bedtime already. An' I'll bet yer Mother's mad enough't me as is fer that comment'a made."

"Awww, Daddy!"

"But, Pa!"

"No buts, kids. Now git!" Colt pointed towards the stairs, and watch as his two children quickly scampered up to the second floor landing.

Colt leaned back on the couch and placed his hands behind his head. It had been a long struggle, but everything had worked out well in the end, for him and for the city.