[Short Story] - Wild West - 5 minute freewrite

“James Wesley? Why would you want to know about James Wesley, boy?” The old man looked away for a second, expecting an answer, then quickly back at Tom. “Don’t answer that. Listen. For a bottle of bourbon I’ll tell you everything I know about James Wesley. What do you say?”

Tom nodded and signaled the bartender, pointing his finger at a bottle of Jack.

“Not much is known of the man you seek, but he did cross our town once. It was 14 years ago today and boy does it feel like yesterday. It was a Sunday afternoon, the mass just finished, and he rode his black horse straight into the saloon. Damn straight inside. Didn’t hesitate one bit and shot the owner right between his eyeballs. Bang! No words, no nothing. Just looked around the place, tipped his stetson at the fine townsfolk and rode back out of the saloon and out of town, same way he came in. Those people still haven’t recovered, I’ll tell you that much. He had a certain aura about him. Like the smell of death in the hospital, you know? There, that’s all I know of James Wesley. Now hand over that bottle!”

Tom slammed a $100 bill on the bar, tipped his Stetson at the old man and left the saloon.