Midnight Writings...

Outside the bar in the small pioneer town of El Paso, a weary, weather-beaten rider ties his horse near a trough of water. Inside the bar was midnight compared to the glaring sun outside. When the rider first stepped in, nothing was visible except for the mirror behind the bartender in the back, which mimicked the rays of the sun outside like a spotlight shining back towards the door. Once he adjusted to what little light there was, he walked towards the bar and sat down. By the time he did, everyone, except for a few too drunk to care, was looking to see who this stranger was. Curious, too, the bartender walked to the bar, “Whadd’le ya have?” he asked the man while picking up a glass and wiping it clean with a bar rag which had been used countless times before for the same purpose and was beginning to show it.

“Shot ‘a whiskey an’ some ‘a whatever meat you got.” Said the man

“We ain’t got no meat,” the bartender said while pouring the man’s whiskey, “but you can get some from tha gen’ral store down tha road there.” He pointed out towards the dirt road the man had just come in from.

            “Thanks” the stranger said, downed his shot, and sat glass down on the bar along with money for the drink. He began to get up…

  Click

“Why you gotta leave so soon? You just got here, why don’t you g’on ‘n sit back down?” said a woman from behind as she pressed the muzzle of a revolver to the back of his head, forcing him to retake his seat.

“I paid you back, Stella, why are you doin’ this?” asked the man

“I know you done paid me back-“ She said while leaning in close enough for him to see her face. The mirror, being the only source of light in the bar, cast harsh shadows across her face, making her long, dark hair, the edge of her tan cheek, and one eye, blue and as cold as Winter herself visible to him, the rest of her face lost in darkness. “-You see, I ain’t here ‘bout your debts an’ you know it.” She said, her lips close enough to caress his ear as she spoke. She considered kissing him- No. Don’t let old feelings get in the way- She thought, her attention reclaimed by the task at hand.

“Where is it?” She asked.

“Where’s what?” He responded, frustration slanting his speech.

“C’mon John, don’t try ‘n play games with me-“ leaning in closer “-you already had your chance at that…”