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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Sidewinder - 2. Chapter 2 Fool's Gold

Proverbs 18:24
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

                                                                                                                                                                                     *****

Fool's Gold

 

Daylight's arrival found Boone wide awake. He hadn’t slept much at all, and the hard floor wasn’t the only reason for it. His stubborn mind had refused to empty, all caught up in the decision he didn’t want to make. Listening to steady breathing from the bed above, he thought more on what he was going to do with his life now that Will could no longer lead his brother astray.

He didn’t have to concern himself as much with his friend getting beat up, robbed, or shot dead—but there’d been safety in having each other’s back. Boone would surely fret once he left, unless Coy smartened up and took his own trail out of Red Bluff.

Two different times, men had come looking for Will while he was alive, angry men looking to settle scores. For Coy’s sake, and the man’s too, he’d drawn his gun on one of them as a way to convince him he couldn’t stick around and wait. Will was hiding somewhere close at the time, having spotted the rider coming, and Boone didn’t put nothing past him.

To this very day, Boone had no idea what happened to either of them after they left the camp in search of their target, but he did know Will had tried and failed to convince his brother to help him ambush one of them. Boone had his suspicions he’d figured out a different way to do the deed—seeing as how he never saw either man again.

Coy had always showed a confusing need to believe his brother wasn’t bad. As clever as he was, he’d let that sidewinder control him… especially when Boone wasn’t close by. Will, for sure, had hated him, and even warned him to never touch his brother, but Boone was no slouch with a gun, faster than Will by far, and the man had been wary of that fact.

He’d threatened him, though, and called him things like sinful, unnatural… even immoral, but it never carried weight with Boone. Might be he was those things in others’ eyes, but he’d rather be hisself than a cold-hearted killer like Will Diamond had been.

Panning for gold, in an area other miners had given up on and moved on from, had worn Boone down. There’d never been much gold in these parts to begin with—just enough washing down river to keep fools hoping—and it hadn’t taken more than a few months to figure it out. But, he’d stayed because his friend needed him, and for the longest time, he couldn’t imagine being somewhere Coy wasn’t.

Sure, they’d found enough to cash in and keep their stake going, and they’d even managed to save their own little pile of gold, but they were never going to get rich. Boone could have made just as much working cattle for some big outfit and he wouldn’t have had to put up with wrinkly, waterlogged hands, wet feet, and ripped fingertips most every day. They’d been at it almost two years, and he was done. He’d never liked it in the first place, but at least they would each have enough to get a leg up on a new start somewhere else.

Coy had held onto dreams of a big strike, and they did have some good days where they could crow a little, but much of his share of the gold they’d eked out had gone to Will. The man never bought any supplies, and he’d bailed him out of jail too many times to count.

Nasty snake that he was when he was liquored up, Will usually ended up behind bars after causing damages of one sort or another. Mostly it was just tables or chairs, or windows, but once he’d shot a man’s horse dead just because he’d lost at cards. That had cost Coy seventy dollars, money he’d never gotten back from his brother.

Sighing, he sat up. Coy was on his back with his head turned towards him. Boone never felt guilty for staring at him when he was sleeping. He was prettier than any woman or horse he’d ever seen—and handsomer than any man he’d laid eyes on—and it was his only chance to look at him and not hide his feelings. He didn’t pine for him like he used to because he’d finally figured out it was never going to happen. He wanted someone made like he was, but that didn’t change the fact he loved the man deep as any well.

For near five years he’d loved him, and so many times he’d thought Coy might care more than he let on… but Boone had got it wrong… terrible wrong. Yep, it was past time to move on. He wasn’t sure he had enough gold stashed to buy any land outright, but he’d heard the government would accept payments over time, and there was only one way to find out the truth of it.

Some men had been talking at the general store a few weeks back when he was waiting for his supply order to be filled, and they’d mentioned cheap land available about four full weeks' ride to the northeast, up in higher country. It was too far north of the railway line to be valuable to most, and too hilly and wooded to be good for running herds of cattle, but one fella said there was lots and lots of water and the land was fertile enough if you were willing to clear it.

He’d engaged in friendly conversation with the men, and learned game too was plentiful, and Indians were no longer a big threat thereabouts. The man doing most of the talking had a brother-in-law who’d purchased sixty acres there and he was doing well enough to support his family… so he was considering joining him before prices went up. Apparently, the government kept raising the cost of land. It wasn’t the first time Boone had heard that, and it spurred him on.

So the information had been playing on his mind ever since. He’d also learned there was an official land agent in a town called Larkspur who dealt with the sale of the available properties. The only other thing he knew about the place was it had a bank. Must be a good-sized town if there was one of those.

It wouldn’t be an easy life, and if he did it, it would have to be soon so he could build a cabin before winter—but it would be a good one for a young man with a strong back and a strong will who’d never had a home of his own. Boone’s ma, a dancehall girl, had died of fever before his tenth birthday, and he’d fended for himself ever since.

It hadn’t been all that different from when his ma was alive—she had a good heart and he knew she’d loved him, but she weren’t real motherly. She worked every day of her life giving any man with a little money exactly what they wanted. That left no time for him, but he was fortunate the other ladies had taken a liking to him as a young’un.

He didn’t know who his father was, and his ma never said it, but he suspected she hadn’t known either. He’d asked her once if his pa had yellow hair and green eyes same as his since he looked nothing like her, but she’d just looked confused for a spell, and never did answer him.

Quietly he got up and pulled his boots on, staring out the window as he did. The small town was beginning to come alive, with a couple of hitched wagons already in the street. The doors to the livery were open, and so were the Mercantile’s.

It wasn’t full on daylight yet but it was close, and it promised to be another hot one. He didn’t care much for this town—it was always dusty and usually noisy, especially when the train arrived. He imagined living in a quieter place in higher elevation that saw snow in the winter months… a place where you weren’t always chewing grit. This Larkspur area sounded like heaven.

His gaze settled on the spot in the street where his friend Dan had lain, still alive enough to shoot Will as he turned his back on him. Bloody fool deserved to go that way after what he’d done. Boone had arrived only minutes after Wes’s son had taken his last breath.

Dan was made like him, and he hadn’t been shy about telling Boone what he wanted after they’d known each other a short time. Boone wasn’t surprised because he’d felt the heated looks the minute the man arrived back in camp… the place he’d pretty much grown up in. They’d been talking about Dan’s pa and Lee at the time, and how they’d managed to stay together for more than twenty years, being parents to him since he was about four.

If only he’d taken him up on his offer to start a life together somewhere else, they’d have been long gone from here and a good man would still be alive. He could have learned to love Dan in time, but the trouble was he couldn’t leave Coy to the life Will had planned for him.

Now, though, things had changed and he could go his own way. There might still be trouble from people Will had messed with, but Coy was smart, and the resemblance to his brother was slight. Anyways, he had to stop worrying about him. Boone hoped he would move on too, but he was a grown man who had to make his own decisions.

“Where you going?”

Boone turned from the window. “Just put my boots on and was about to rouse you. Time to head back to camp… make some breakfast, and I expect you could use some strong coffee. The livery might charge us more money for leaving the horses overnight.”

Coy stretched and blinked a few times as he stared at Boone. “Sorry.”

“For what?” he asked as he strapped his holster on.

“For getting skunk drunk.”

“Not the first time you did that and I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

“No, I guess not, but it’s not like I make a habit of it.” He swung his feet to the floor before grabbing his head. “A man never learns, does he?”

“Some do. Some don’t.”

Coy met his gaze speculatively. “What you said about Will… you sure?”

“You already asked me that. Told you the truth. We can head up to the ridge when we get back and you can see for yourself.”

Coy mumbled something as he reached down to the floor for his boots.

“What did you say?”

“I said it’s hard to believe he would shoot Wes and Lee.”

“For serious?” Boone asked with sudden disgust, and that got him a shamed look.

“No… I do believe it… I know how he….”

“How he what?”

Coy hung his head. “He had a lot of hate in him for sure, and I know he had no trouble taking what didn't belong to him… but why couldn’t he just let them be?”

“Because he was a killer. I know you don’t want to hear it, but some men take a liking to it. They enjoy seeing the life leave a man’s body, and your brother never cared about anything or anyone but hisself.”

“He cared about me,” Coy insisted meekly.

“Maybe so, but from what I saw he more wanted another gun at his side. He was always trying to drag you into trouble, like when he wanted you to wait in a gulley with your gun drawn while he lured that fellow looking to challenge him. Will knew he was a faster draw and he was too much of a coward to face him like a man.”

“But I didn’t.”

“No, and that yellow belly had the gall to call you a coward!”

“He said brothers should back each other up.”

“In some cases for sure they should, but not when we’re talking about killing a man unawares. Wrong is wrong.” He sighed loudly. “Would you have wanted that on your conscience?”

“No, of course not! I’m no killer.”

“I know that and so did Will, but it meant nothing to him. Remember his plan to rob that bank?”

“I remember… but he didn’t do it.”

“He would have if you’d gone along with it, and you can bet he would have robbed a bank sooner or later. You might not like me saying this, but Will deserved to die, and you can be mad at me if’n you want, but he don’t deserve no kind words.”

“You hated him.”

“Yep, I did, and I admitted to that, but mostly I had hate for him because I cared about you. I was wise to him and it’s time you were too. Face it, with all the trouble he got up to, you’re lucky to have reached the ripe old age of twenty-one. Do you get that?”

Coy nodded as he rose and lifted his holster off the bedpost, strapping it on with his head down.

“Good… I hope you do. You’re a decent man, a good man for sure, and now you can stop worrying about trying to please Will. You can live your life without looking over your shoulder. I know that’s what I’m going to do.”

Coy nodded again, meeting Boone’s gaze once more, with an uncertain expression on his unshaved face. “You still care about me?”

“Course I do.”

“No, I mean like what Will said about—”

“I’m not going to talk about that again, you understand? We already had the conversation… now, are you ready?

Coy blew out a long breath, his disappointment clear. “You seem in an awful hurry, but I reckon I’m ready.”

“Don’t forget your hat.”

 

Heading past the last few buildings, Boone began to relax. When trouble happened, it was usually in towns. Out at camp you could at least see riders approach—not so in a lively place like Red Bluff where it could be around any corner. He’d learned to be as cautious as a chased wolf from years of being around Will, and supposed it would stick with him no matter where he went.

He’d met Coy on a cattle drive, the second one for both of them. They were the same age, sixteen, but growed enough and strong enough to handle the hard work, and it was only natural they would attach to each other given all the other hands were much older. It hadn’t taken long to grow close, and it seemed right to follow him once the job ended.

Coy had struck out on his own a year before they'd met, having no interest in a small family farm what barely supported itself, but was now returning home after getting a letter from his mother. She’d fallen ill and was badly in need of help. Her life had been a tough one, losing her husband and Coy’s younger brother to the same sickness, and then the twins, the oldest of the brothers, who’d both drowned in an unexpected flash flood. Coy’s uncle, her brother, had taken over and eked out a living on the farm for years, but had up and dropped dead while hauling water to the cows.

Suddenly alone, she desperately needed someone to care for her and the farm. Coy was distressed when he got the letter, and Boone wanted to help, but when they arrived two weeks later, it didn’t take but a few days to see the dirt was no good and the pasture poor and parched because the land was dry. Even so, for the first six months he enjoyed farming with Coy, despite working sunup to sundown… but then Will had shown up.

Maysie Diamond was frail but she was a force too, and she’d taken a liking to Boone from the get go. Will had set about to change that. He was a perceptive man, always watchful, and soon figured out his strong feelings for Coy. It hadn’t taken Boone long either, to figure out Will was pure trouble and if left unchallenged, would take his only remaining brother down a bad path.

He could count the days the man had put in a full day’s work. There wasn’t a lick of interest in the farm other than three square meals and a place to hide out… no, his main interest had become getting rid of Boone.

By the time Maysie passed, a little more than a year later, she was no longer supportive of his friendship with Coy. She was still kind, but there was no missing the change in her words for him, or her occasional sermons to her son on the sins of the flesh, and how the Lord wanted him to have a good woman in his life… one to keep him from the influences of the devil.

Further, towards the end he was no longer welcome to share Coy’s room, Maysie insisting he bunk in the twin’s old bedroom alongside Will, with no explanation for it. Boone, knowing full well the reason, chose to move out to the barn.

“Did you see how Sheriff Willard was staring at us… at me, when we rode by his office?”

Coy’s question tore Boone from his memories. “He stares at everyone.”

“Yeah, but this was different.”

“Maybe so. You know he does suspect Will for those murders, so I’ll bet he’s wondering if we know anything.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” Coy rode up closer to Boone. “You think he’s going to try to pin them on us?”

Boone stared into the concerned face, seeing his friend’s fear. “No… no I don’t, but he’s a smart man. Like I said, he’s thinking we might know something, and for sure we do, so I reckon we should consider telling him the truth.”

“What? Are you loco? You want to tell him Will did it, now that he’s dead?”

“I’m thinking on it.”

“But—”

“Coy, you think on it too and then we’ll talk. Can you do that?”

“I don’t know, Boone.”

“I’m just asking you to think a spell.”

Coy sighed and stared straight ahead. “I need to take down his tent.”

“I’ll help you when we get back.”

“No need. I’ll do it.”

“Fine and dandy. I’ll leave you be.”

“You could take down Wes and Lee’s, though. I reckon it’s time.”

“Suppose it is. And Dan’s.”

“Yep, his too,” Coy muttered before dropping back behind him. Other than the sound of the horses’ footfalls and the creak of worn leather needing oiling, the rest of the ride was in silence.

 

 

*

  

Thanks for reading. Two chapters in... how are you feeling about the story... about Boone, Coy, and the sidewinder, Will? Are we seeing the end of a good and solid friendship? Please share your thoughts if you can... I look forward to hearing them. :)  Thanks, as always to Timothy M., my editor. 
Copyright © 2020 Headstall; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

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3 minutes ago, centexhairysub said:

Honestly, there are people that just truly don't deserve to live; it is strange but they usually have good families or friends.  I believe some are just born bad...  Will was one of them.

That's exactly right. Will's family were decent, hardworking folk, so it makes a person wonder what made him such a snake. I agree with you... he was just born bad. He got what he deserved, but he caused a lot of damage in his short life. We never get to see him alive in this story, but in my mind, he is a main character. Hence the name of the story. :)  Thanks for continuing to read, and share your thoughts... it is appreciated. Cheers... Gary.... :hug: 

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I think (hope) that once Boone grows a pair and decides to move on, Coy will wake up and realize he really does have feelings for, and cares for, his longtime friend/buddy/caretaker/etc, and go with him to a new and fulfilling life!!  The punch after their kiss was probably an instinctual automatic reaction fueled by his evil brother's and religious mother's influence!!  The trick will be convincing Boone he is sincere!!  Love the story G!!! 😉

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22 minutes ago, KayDeeMac said:

I think (hope) that once Boone grows a pair and decides to move on, Coy will wake up and realize he really does have feelings for, and cares for, his longtime friend/buddy/caretaker/etc, and go with him to a new and fulfilling life!!  The punch after their kiss was probably an instinctual automatic reaction fueled by his evil brother's and religious mother's influence!!  The trick will be convincing Boone he is sincere!!  Love the story G!!! 😉

I expected it, but reaction to this story has been slower than usual. It's not a popular genre, so I'm very pleased to hear you're loving the story so far. You're right that Boone needs to grow a pair for his own good. It's going to be hard to ride away. Whatever the reason for that punch, I think it woke Boone up to the realization he was spinning his wheels. We can waste a lot of time hoping for something... or we can break the ties and move forward. We know Coy cares for Boone, even enough to participate in a kiss, but it doesn't look like it's the kind of caring Boone was hoping for. He already passed on Dan's offer to build a life, and there is no second chance there. He might be regretting that. 

You keyed on something important about Coy, David... religion... he was raised with a certain belief structure, and it is important to him. How that has affected him remains to be seen. 

I make no promises, but I tried to make the journey worthwhile. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, buddy... cheers... G. :hug: 

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I hope things work out for Coy and Boone, but it seems they've had this discussion before and it doesn't sound like it went well.  Even so, Coy seems to be sending out conflicting signals.
If Boone goes off to seek land, I hope he's savvy enough to be wary of the rife land speculation that went on back then....

On to the next chapter!

:read:  🐈

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13 minutes ago, ColumbusGuy said:

I hope things work out for Coy and Boone, but it seems they've had this discussion before and it doesn't sound like it went well.  Even so, Coy seems to be sending out conflicting signals.
If Boone goes off to seek land, I hope he's savvy enough to be wary of the rife land speculation that went on back then....

On to the next chapter!

:read:  🐈

Hey, Buddy! I think Boone is tired of his life. He's finding no satisfaction in it, and the love he feels for Coy has only gotten him one kiss and a broken nose. These guys are the very best of friends, but it's been too confusing... for both of them, and that's where Boone is. Will's death is giving him an escape, and he is at war with himself over whether he wants to take it. 

But, Boone wants to find a real home... will he find the land he's hoping to? We shall see. :) 

Thanks, CG... lots of story left... cheers... Gary.... :hug:  xoxoxo

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From a sentence or two in chapters 1 & 2 I find that I'm strangely drawn to who was Wes and Lee's killer and it wasn't Will, but I want to read the story for as Gary says it's going to be a long journey. I'm in it for the long haul.

Cheers Gary, hooked in two chapters, now reel me in.🤐

Edited by Peter J. Gee
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7 hours ago, Peter J. Gee said:

From a sentence or two in chapters 1 & 2 I find that I'm strangely drawn to who was Wes and Lee's killer and it wasn't Will, but I want to read the story for as Gary says it's going to be a long journey. I'm in it for the long haul.

Cheers Gary, hooked in two chapters, now reel me in.🤐

Hey, Peter! I believe it's a writer's job to have readers guessing about things. ;)  Glad to hear you're in for the long haul... I'll for sure do my best to reel y'all in. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with a great comment... cheers... Gary.... :hug: 

Edited by Headstall
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Well, we know now Will did his best to destroy Coy's friendship with Boone, and he and his mother made sure Coy never dared to take it further than friendship. :pissed: Also, it's pretty obvious Will killed Wes and Lee not just for their gold, but because he hated them for being a couple.

Is Boone a fool for having stuck around, for not taking Dan up on his offer ? Maybe, but I think he preferred the gold of his friendship and love for Coy, rather than pretending his liking for Dan could be a substitute, even if he thought he might have come to love Dan eventually.

But Coy was definitely a fool to pretend his brother had a heart of gold beneath his nasty behavior. I'm glad Boone confronted him with the falsity of that belief. Maybe Coy will finally learn to distinguish between the fool's gold of caring about the opinion of people who hate without reason, and the real gold of someone who cares about his happiness. But maybe it's too late. :( 

Edited by Timothy M.
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1 hour ago, Timothy M. said:

Well, we know now Will did his best to destroy Coy's friendship with Boone, and he and his mother made sure Coy never dared to take it further than friendship. :pissed: Also, it's pretty obvious Will killed Wes and Lee not just for their gold, but because he hated them for being a couple.

Is Boone a fool for having struck around, for not taking Dan up on his offer ? Maybe, but I think he preferred the gold of his friendship and love for Coy, rather than pretending his liking for Dan could be a substitute, even if he thought he might have come to love Dan eventually.

But Coy was definitely a fool to pretend his brother had a heart of gold beneath his nasty behavior. I'm glad Boone confronted him with the falsity of that belief. Maybe Coy will finally learn to distinguish between the fool's gold of caring about the opinion of people who hate without reason, and the real gold of someone who cares about his happiness. But maybe it's too late. :( 

I don't think we can underestimate the religious influences in Coy's life, nor the bad influences of Will. His ma was god-fearing, and Coy carries that within him, and Will was his last brother. Of course he's been torn. Whatever Will's reasons were for Killing Wes and Lee, it was an evil thing to do, and Coy is carrying that as well. 

That old saying about the heart wants what the heart wants applies here. Maybe Boone could have learned to love Dan, but Coy has his heart... and his concern. The timing was all wrong... and now that things are different, Dan is no more. 

I'm glad you don't see Boone as being cruel in his directness about calling Will as he saw him. He believes it's what Coy needs. He can't make Will some kind of martyr in his mind... he needs to be thankful Will didn't drag him down... he needs to learn that lesson. 

I'd say it's working. Coy is coming to terms, now that Will is no longer there to bend his ear. Will obviously had some persuasive abilities where Coy was concerned, and yes, he was a fool, but losing his entire family probably contributed to that. It's going to take some time to sort through his grief, though. Meanwhile, Boone has to make decisions for himself. That's not an easy thing for him either. 

Appreciate the great comment, Tim... cheers... G. :hug:  

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Interesting story so far. I think that Will was a bigger sinner for being a killer than Boone is for loving another man, twisted thinking of people who read the book of fairytales 

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5 hours ago, Bft said:

Interesting story so far. I think that Will was a bigger sinner for being a killer than Boone is for loving another man, twisted thinking of people who read the book of fairytales 

Hey, Bft! Without a doubt, Will is, but people who read that book find what they want in there. What matters is that Boone, who believes in God, accepts the man he is. Boone is the type to listen, but comes to his own conclusions about right and wrong. :)  Thanks, buddy... happy to hear you're finding the story interesting so far. I hope it feels authentic to you. Cheers... Gary.... :hug:  

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I've read Zane Grey, Luke Short, Bret Harte, Louis L'Amour, and some others. You've captured the flavor nicely here. This is going to be a fun read!

Of course none of those writers covered the dynamic you have going here, between Will and Coy. I'm familiar with people who cannot see when troublesome family or friends are a liability to support. You can't blame them for caring, but at the same time it can be frustrating. I'm glad you resolved the issue with Will, but it seems to be bringing new questions to light. I'm interested to see if Boone goes after that little plot of land he can call his own. And what becomes of Coy in the process...

Edited by Geron Kees
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11 minutes ago, Geron Kees said:

I've read Zane Grey, Luke Short, Bret Harte, Louis L'Amour, and some others. You've captured the flavor nicely here. This is going to be a fun read!

Of course none of those writers covered the dynamic you have going here, between Will and Coy. I'm familiar with people who cannot see when troublesome family or friends are a liability to support. You can't blame them for caring, but at the same time it can be frustrating. I'm glad you resolved the issue with Will, but it seems to be bringing new questions to light. I'm interested to see if Will goes after that little plot of land he can call his own. And what becomes of Coy in the process...

Thanks, Geron. I've read those authors too, many years ago now, and it's nice you think I've captured some of that flavor. This chapter had a lot of narration, and I really don't like that as a rule, but I guess there was enough dialogue to balance it out by the end. :) 

We tend to be blind to who family members are sometimes. I'm familiar with those people too... and no, you can't blame them for caring, but it was time Coy took his blinders off. Boone was kind of harsh on the subject, but I think it's what Coy needed. His millstone is gone, and he has to recognize what that means... grief is okay, but making Will some sort of martyr is not. 

Boone has been a great friend, but he's had enough of being unhappy. He knows what he wants... will he go after it? I think so. He wants to live a good life, and sees that as his best bet. As far as where Coy goes... that remains to be seen... cheers, buddy... hope you are well and staying safe... G. :hug: 

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Not all that glitters is gold. They did find real gold in the river, but Boone still thinks they were fools to do this for so long. But I think the actual fool's gold here is Coy trying to insist his brother cared about him. And their mother saw the heart of gold in Boone at first, but she was a fool to listen to her nasty son and to the bigotry of religion. Religion can be fool's gold for the stupid and the weak, compared to the real gold of love and understanding and compassion. Boone kept Coy from following his wishful idea of brotherly love, by holding the real gold of friendship as a shield, but he no longer needs to do that. But three good men payed with their lives because Coy was too much of a fool and a coward to tell Will to get lost. It's hard to forgive him for that.

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2 hours ago, Timothy M. said:

Not all that glitters is gold. They did find real gold in the river, but Boone still thinks they were fools to do this for so long. But I think the actual fool's gold here is Coy trying to insist his brother cared about him. And their mother saw the heart of gold in Boone at first, but she was a fool to listen to her nasty son and to the bigotry of religion. Religion can be fool's gold for the stupid and the weak, compared to the real gold of love and understanding and compassion. Boone kept Coy from following his wishful idea of brotherly love, by holding the real gold of friendship as a shield, but he no longer needs to do that. But three good men payed with their lives because Coy was too much of a fool and a coward to tell Will to get lost. It's hard to forgive him for that.

Hi, Tim. First, two things. Seeing Coy as a fool is understandable, but Will was the last of his four brothers, and in fact, the very last of his entire family. So yeah, he had blinders on for his brother... but I don't think Coy telling Will to get lost would have worked. Will did what he wanted, and hated Boone so much I doubt he would have left without trying to kill Boone. I suspect Coy would know that. He walked a fine line... for those two years.

You did understand the title, obviously. As far as religion, it had a powerful hold on some folks. Unfortunately it is used for the wrong reasons sometimes. In such a vast and lonely land, it gave comfort, but it could also have it's dark side, especially for folks who weren't 'worldly,' and took its words literally, forgetting that it was written by men. So yeah, Coy does have something to learn. 

Thanks for the perceptive comment. Cheers! :hug: 

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Yeah, Will was a bad one. He wasn't above manipulating anyone to get his way. He was very lucky Boone is innately good. He might not have lived as long as he did.

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4 hours ago, drpaladin said:

Yeah, Will was a bad one. He wasn't above manipulating anyone to get his way. He was very lucky Boone is innately good. He might not have lived as long as he did.

Will is a sidewinder, and you could never count on which direction he would come from. We'll learn more of him as the story progresses, but we have the gist of him already. Boone would never have killed Coy's brother without it being a necessity, and therein was the struggle. It might have been the best thing all round to call him out in a gunfight, but that would have hurt Coy. You know what they say... give a man enough rope....

So will is dead and gone, and life goes on. We'll see what that means for our two heroes. :unsure:  

Thanks for the support, DP. Cheers! :hug: 

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6 minutes ago, Sherye said:

I am really loving this story! Great chapter! On to the next one to see how the 'West Was Won' lol couldn't resist!

That's great to hear, Sherye. I don't know if the West is exactly Won in this story, but I think you'll find the journey satisfying in the end. :)  Read on, my friend! Cheers... Gary.... :hug: 

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“As clever as he was, he’d let that sidewinder control him”

Roll credits.

Speaking of roll, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes each time Coy defended his brother’s actions, or whenever he failed to grasp the idea that his brother was just pure evil. Poor guy was so naive, he probably wouldn’t last long once Boone goes his own way. It was also tiring to hear him ask the same questions over and over again. I especially hate whenever a person reopens a topic or a conversation that is supposedly over and done already, so if I was in Boone’s place that morning I would have snapped at Coy lol. 

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6 hours ago, nix said:

“As clever as he was, he’d let that sidewinder control him”

Roll credits.

Speaking of roll, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes each time Coy defended his brother’s actions, or whenever he failed to grasp the idea that his brother was just pure evil. Poor guy was so naive, he probably wouldn’t last long once Boone goes his own way. It was also tiring to hear him ask the same questions over and over again. I especially hate whenever a person reopens a topic or a conversation that is supposedly over and done already, so if I was in Boone’s place that morning I would have snapped at Coy lol. 

Thanks, nix. This is a really interesting comment for me. You're seeing the whole point of Coy's struggle, and what it has been for a while. Will was his last surviving brother of four who have passed, and the very last of his kin. He grew up with Will, and Will had all that time to exert his influence over his younger brother. Sometimes, we just refuse to believe what's right in front of us, especially when it's family. I used to excuse things my stepfather did, because I needed a dad. Looking back, I sometimes shake my head, but I'd already grown up without a father before he came along, and having a dad meant something really deep to me. My rambling point is, Coy saw, but refused to accept his brother was evil, that he was to his core( and no, was stepdad wasn't evil... just a typical man of the sixties and a screwed up veteran).

In many ways, I agree Coy is naive, but in this case, it's not naivety, not in my opinion. He had a blindspot, because for him not to, he had to accept he had no family left in this world.

I think, if you stick with the story, you'll see both these men are thoughtful... they're thinkers, sometimes to their own detriment, and you will also see that upbringing and faith play a part. Rehashing is commonplace for humans... well... for a lot of humans... I know I do it, especially when I'm trying to come to grips with something. :unsure: 

Thanks for the thoughtful comment, nix... much appreciated. Cheers! :hug: 

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6 hours ago, Headstall said:

In many ways, I agree Coy is naive, but in this case, it's not naivety, not in my opinion. He had a blindspot, because for him not to, he had to accept he had no family left in this world.

After reading the next few chapters I totally agree that my initial read on Coy was wrong. He was a man who lost so much already and was simply trying to hold on to the last family member he had. He knew Will wasn’t the nicest person, but he had to ignore it or else he would lose Will as well.

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32 minutes ago, nix said:

After reading the next few chapters I totally agree that my initial read on Coy was wrong. He was a man who lost so much already and was simply trying to hold on to the last family member he had. He knew Will wasn’t the nicest person, but he had to ignore it or else he would lose Will as well.

Exactly, and you really weren't supposed to get that until father into the story. My reveals tend to be slow, and pieces come mostly in conversations, sometimes subtly, but once you get the whole picture, you will find you know my characters, and you won't see them act out of character without good reason. :)  I hate reading about people who don't make sense after I've invested my time. Just saying... cheers, and much thanks, buddy. :hug: 

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23 minutes ago, Headstall said:

 I hate reading about people who don't make sense after I've invested my time. Just saying... 

Lol I totally agree. 

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1 hour ago, nix said:

Lol I totally agree. 

I know my characters inside out, and sure they can do something irrational or stupid, but it will always fit with who they are. I instantly know when something is jarring. A reader might not understand it at the time, but they will within a few chapters. I call it character integrity. How can we care about someone we don't know. :) 

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