Wild West - Chapter 2 - Part 22 - 5 minute freewrite challenge

“And forgo their dreams of absolute power? No, no, no. They’re all fucked up in their attic. They would do whatever they could to kill everyone else, just to be more powerful themselves. That’s the thing about power, Tom, it takes over you.” James remembered Ducköden’s words and continued. “That’s why Ducköden warned us about taking Fishnick’s power. Once you get ahold of such a godly power, I believe it’s hard to let go. You only want more and more. Never to give it away. Ducköden is afraid it could corrupt us.” James smiled slightly to himself. “Then we’d have all of them want us dead. So let’s not go there, shall we?”

They rode in silence for a short time again, smoking their cigarettes, when Tom got curious again.

“So which one of us is taking the power?”

“It’s a little early to discuss that, isn’t it? Though I vote myself. I am older and wiser after all.”

“How about I take it and you hold me accountable to make sure I pass it on?”

“No go. You might just kill me and then get yourself killed. It’s safer if I take it.”

“Why would I kill you?”

“Don’t know, you tell me. You’ve tried once already, for a much stupider reason.”

Tom wanted to yell back at his father, but instead took a deep breath and tried to relax himself best he could.

“You’re just never letting that go, are you?”

“In such situations, probably not. I’m older and wiser than you are, son. I’ve seen more shit in my life than you have. I’ll take the power and make sure it gets passed on. No compromises.” James was firm in his words.