As the dust settled after the shocking gunshot, Jed rushed to Charlie 's side, his heart pounding like a war drum. He had dragged the boy to the relative safety of a nearby alley, away from the chaos and the noise. Charlie 's limp body lay sprawled on the dirt, the vibrant crimson of blood streaking his pale forehead. Jed dropped to his knees, his hands trembling as they hovered over the boy. For a moment, he couldn't bring himself to touch him. His chest tightened, his breath hitching in his throat.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAeKbTQDBR
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1BnWlHjts
"God damn it," he muttered, his voice raw. "No…not like this. Not now."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1ym1wFd4r
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncGm2LyI2X
Tears welled in his eyes, and he squeezed them shut, biting down on the inside of his cheek until he tasted copper. Memories flooded his mind like a river breaking its dam.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlD45XrK6F
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33Dw20BfKk
Jenny's face shimmered in his thoughts, pale but radiant as she cradled her newborn son. The baby had barely cried, his tiny hand curling instinctively around Jed's calloused finger.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcJsB0DAT2
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA299LAJrL5
"Isn't he beautiful, Jed?" Jenny whispered, her voice fragile as glass. Her dark hair clung to her damp forehead, but her smile was steady.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgQ6QXmltO
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMczeYaWJ5
Jed nodded, his throat too tight to speak. He had never been one for sentiment, but holding that tiny life in his hands had shaken something loose in him. He finally croaked, "Yeah. He sure is. Looks like his pa."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxVvwMTLnT
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBVaUkzcEY
Jenny's lips quirked into a bittersweet smile. "I was thinkin' of namin' him after his father."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPer8cRvMPo
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYqWTEGYVK
Jed shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the baby and then back at her. "That's a good idea, Jenny. A damn fine idea."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZV76b4STg
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6Ebj3CsnS
Her smile faded as her strength ebbed, her breathing growing shallow. "Jed…promise me. Promise me you'll take care of him."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1jh6W6dGO
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlyj55SUwL
"Jenny, don't talk like that—"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdE440bv3fy
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnOf2LPuLg
"Promise me," she insisted, her voice trembling but resolute. "Raise him right. Keep him safe."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIiQnfxAmmX
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfiDnlxOgm
Jed's jaw clenched, and he gave her the only answer he could. "I will. With my life, Jenny. You got my word."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSQFAKK4tf
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90pWfCjREV
Her eyes glistened as she reached up to touch his face. "Thank you, Jed. God bless you…"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabHYWPQsR2
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMYTSUlL5N
Her hand fell limp before she could finish, and Jed felt something inside him shatter. He had buried her behind the barn under the shade of the old oak tree, marking the grave with a simple wooden cross. He stood there for hours that day, cradling the baby she'd left behind.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4ZQ0SDvty
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlPrn4Nf93
The memory shifted. Charlie was six, all wide eyes and gangly limbs, too curious for his own good. It was late one night when Jed was roused by a soft knock on his bedroom door. He swung his legs over the bed and opened it to find Charlie standing there, clutching a threadbare blanket.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiE4pCUUrn
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tQSmtzrkn
"Uncle Jed," the boy whispered, his voice barely above a whimper. "Can I sleep in your bed?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIRwTFDlmo
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpflQB77L57
Jed raised an eyebrow, scratching his beard. "What for? Ain't you got a candle in your room?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrQ6d32jdm
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSVwRv0QET
"Yeah, but it's still scary," Charlie admitted, twisting the blanket nervously in his small hands.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWosgwB1TE
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhX2y2qRNhs
Jed sighed, stepping aside. "Alright, alright. Get in here. Just don't go kickin' me in your sleep, ya hear?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoej24r1lcg
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJg71VVnUI
Charlie grinned, climbing onto the bed and curling up beside him. "Thanks, Uncle Jed."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBvpU2Du4K
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTSdBQbDQF
Jed shook his head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Don't thank me. You're still makin' the damn coffee in the mornin'."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCwMl4QgX8
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQ0jILVL2P
Back in the present, Jed snapped back to the harsh reality of the alley. His chest heaved, and tears streamed freely down his weathered face. He let out a shaky breath, brushing a bloodied hand across Charlie 's brow.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95SHHE2eGu
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qIipXa54y
"You ain't dyin' on me, kid," he growled, his voice breaking. "I made a promise, and I aim to keep it."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Dws6KZ2Q4
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zONrocq9x
Finally, he pressed trembling fingers to Charlie 's neck, searching desperately for a pulse. Relief washed over him like a cold drink on a blistering day when he felt the faint but steady thrum of life. Charlie was alive—barely, but alive.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUP7Mw4httI
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFocTILDsU
"You stubborn little bastard," Jed muttered, his voice gruff with emotion, his dark humor kicking in as tears streaked his weathered face. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, you hear? Or I'll wring your neck myself."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DzVZPv2UO
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKQJzfBGaB
His hands worked with practiced care as he inspected the wound. The bullet had grazed the front of Charlie 's head, tearing through skin and leaving a nasty gash. Jed studied the angle of the injury, his cynical mind piecing together the chaotic sequence of events.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlassN8xKYG
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTj98ekojyj
Damn near too close, he thought grimly. The shot had struck at a glancing angle, sparing Charlie from a fatal blow by sheer luck—or providence, if one believed in such things.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHugPboWwQ
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7E5si7vRy
Jed's mind churned with details as he replayed the scene. George had been standing no more than 20 or 30 feet away when he fired. At that range, with a .44 caliber revolver, the odds of hitting Charlie squarely should've been high. The revolver had an effective range of around 75 yards, more than enough for a clean shot. Yet George's haste and nerves had ruined his aim, causing the bullet to skim past its mark.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXqlaR3gkN
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LGSmSLE3b
"That close, and you still botched it, George," Jed muttered under his breath, half in relief, half in anger. "Good thing for Charlie you're as steady as a rattlesnake in a hailstorm."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMNdPXBvui
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VsvPMUExF
The .44 was a powerful weapon, designed to drop a man in one shot. A direct hit to the head should've been fatal, but the angle saved Charlie . Jed understood just how slim the margin of survival had been. The impact alone could've been enough to fracture his skull or worse, yet somehow it hadn't. The boy's luck—or stubbornness—had kept him alive.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMNRYuA2sY
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVQlrm5QLL
"Hell of a gamble you're playin', kid," Jed muttered, his hands steadying now as he pressed the cloth harder against the wound. "But you're still breathin', and that's what counts."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7hb8PIRrJ
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwG4XiF4rR
The wound bled heavily, but Jed could already see it wasn't as bad as it first looked. Charlie 's pulse was weak but steady. He let out a long breath, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEtZztziQT
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmFbiHifmc
"You're tougher than you look, boy," Jed murmured, his voice softer now. "I'll give you that. Just don't go makin' a habit of testin' my heart like this."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchl2ANQf5n
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoINvVVbfv
Jose groaned as he struggled on the ground, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle, blood pooling beneath him. He spat into the dirt and glared at George with a venom that could curdle milk. "Come out, you *goddamned coward,*" he snarled, his voice a mixture of pain and rage.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbt51BUY2Dx
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQJhQ87CIm
George emerged from the shadows, walking with a deliberate, unhurried stride. He stopped a few feet from Jose and cocked his head, his cold, calculating eyes scanning the pathetic sight before him. "Still alive, I see," he said softly, his voice smooth and dripping with condescension. "I have to admit, I expected you to be… quieter by now."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsEMDVnOmI
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9VfDSk90F
Jose smirked through the pain, his teeth red with blood. "Quiet? You don't know me, George. I don't shut up, not even for the devil himself."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamCt3bnm0n
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMXE6cvYYt
George chuckled, a low, unsettling sound. "Oh, I've come to know you well enough, Jose. Brash. Reckless. And, if I may say, entirely lacking in foresight. Look at you now—your leg's a mangled mess, your stomach's full of holes, and you're lying in the dirt. Tell me, how do you plan to crawl your way out of this one?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqHcmCNc3F
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAMVlrRG9B
Jose sneered, his voice dripping with defiance. "Plan? Who said anything about a plan? I'll get my revenge with or without this busted leg. Hell, take the other one too if you want. I'll drag myself to you and make sure you pay for every damn thing you've done."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9DxIJVsov
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27vvrFEt3Y
George sighed, shaking his head in mock pity. "Jose, you misunderstand. I'm not interested in taking your other leg. I'm merely pointing out that, in your current state, revenge is little more than a fantasy." He crouched down slightly, his tone shifting to something almost compassionate. "You know, if you'd used your brain instead of your temper, this might have gone differently. But now? You're just another loose end."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdbB5bkza4
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZh2JENIpd
Jose tried to push himself up, his hands trembling as he fought against his body's limits. His face twisted in pain, but he managed to spit at George's feet. "You talk too much, George. Just like your ants—always swarming, but never getting the job done."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzvzpcjczk
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYA6vsLhVb
George straightened and aimed his revolver at Jose's head, his expression calm and unbothered. "Well, I suppose it's time to correct that, isn't it?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoD8Gu2xUC
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6D1D8QLtp
Before he could pull the trigger, a voice rang out from behind. "You always were a fancy talker, George."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQ72UNF3St
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Kzv5tCjt2
George froze, his eyes narrowing as he turned to see Jed stepping out of the shadows. The old man's revolver was already drawn, though it hung lazily at his side. His grizzled face bore a dark smirk, and his eyes glinted with cynical amusement.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMeofEKaQd
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikGFqmuoOV
"Jed," George said, straightening himself. "What a surprise. Come to rescue this pitiful excuse for a man?" He gestured toward Jose with his free hand, his tone sharp with disdain.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT9xPiBhh4
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpWUZKaPke
Jed snorted, his voice carrying a mocking edge. "Rescue? Hell no. Jose ain't worth the trouble. I just came to watch you squirm a bit."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOgUgpsEh6
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcb7Gcj74M
"Is that so?" George's lips curled into a faint smile, though his eyes remained cold. "You're always so quick to mock, Jed. But tell me, do you really think you stand a chance without your friends?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQK7Fj72lw
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiGosfOPPx
"Friends?" Jed barked a laugh. "Listen here, George, I wouldn't piss on Jose if they were on fire. But you? You're worse than both of 'em combined, and that's saying something and Charlie is my fucking nephew you just shot."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNteXBvfZlE
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwtXgHNKIc
Jose, still on the ground, groaned and muttered, "Go to hell, Jed."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAdBj4OCt6
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqvk9UZDd0
Jed ignored him, his focus locked on George. "You and me, no ants, no tricks. Let's settle this the old-fashioned way."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC09w5coe1i
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8Sagf1Lqx
George smirked, his demeanor calm and calculating. "And what makes you think you're any match for me, Jed? I've been perfecting my craft and my skills."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLok8yNmKaq
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYPkFWvwpX
Jed's smirk widened, though his eyes darkened. "You might've perfected your little tricks, but I survived the Civil War, George. I've stared death in the face more times than you've changed your shirt. And I ain't scared of some smug bastard who hides behind bugs."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuoWsLuKnZ
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKCz5rRyA3
The air grew tense as the two men sized each other up, their words laced with venom and the promise of violence. Jose, lying in his own blood, managed a bitter laugh. "Kill each other, for all I care. Just make it quick. I've got better things to do than watch you two flap your jaws."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulBh4HTtFC
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHbBqWW4lI
Jed spared him a glance, his voice dry. "Shut up, Jose. You're lucky I don't shoot you myself."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuHDTkQq3R
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeZwKEpphd
George smiled faintly, his confidence unwavering. "Well, Jed, shall we?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjRWcsjt2W
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8NuLoKLCl
Jed raised his revolver slightly, his expression hardening. "Let's."
ns 172.70.131.98da2
