Ain't No Easy Way, chapter 1
Mike listened as the player piano played. It was just another day in the saloon of Green Hills. The typical drunks were playing cards and hooting and hollering and the girls were snuggling up to the poker players who were winning. He finished wiping down the glass and put it back on the shelf.
Yep, just another typical day.
God, he hated his job.
That's when she walked in.
Everyone looked up as the doors swooshed open and a pair of boots clanked the floor. It was a woman none of them had seen before. She wore a black dress that was dusted in dirt at the bottom. Even though it wasn't too revealing, it clung to her features well and made heads turn. Her black hat hung low over her eyes. Mike could see a stream of black and blonde hair coming out the back. The only oter color that was on her was the crocheted emerald green sash tied around her waist. All the men stared and made wolf-whistles but she bypassed them all and made her way to the bar.
Mike all of a sudden got some new interest in his job...
"What can I get you, ma'am?"
"Whisky...just leave the bottle." Her voice was somewhat hushed and she seemed to talk to the bar instead of the bartender. Mike shrugged and placed a glass and the bottle on the bar. She poured out the contents and took a swig.
"Excuse me miss..."
She looked over and a short man was trying to scoot close to her at the bar. Her brown eyes flashed at him in anger. "What do you want?"
The man started edging his hand closer to her leg. "I was just wondering if you would like to go upstairs and slip into something a little more comfortable..."
She smacked his hand away and glared at him. "Thanks, but no thanks." She then turned back to her drink and took another swig.
The man started getting closer to her again. "I'm sorry. I don't think I heard right."
"You heard me."
"Well, aren't you just a sassy one?" He put his hand on her thigh and tried to rub it. She smacked it away again.
"Back off!" Her voice lowered to a growl and her eyes turned steely.
The man gritted his teeth and grabbed her right wrist. "Why you little..."
Bang!
The expression on the man's face froze in shock. His hand grew limp and he fell down off the stool. The saloon fell silent as they looked at him. There was a growing spot of red on the left side of his chest. They all looked up at the woman. She held a smoking pistol in her left hand. She blew the smoke away and spun the gun on her finger, quickly hiding it behind the sash. "I told him to back off..."
Everyone stayed silent as she jumped down from the stool. She pulled out some money and threw it on the bar. "That should be enough to pay for the bottle." She grabbed the bottle and started on her way out.
Mike looked at the money and up at the woman. "Who are you?"
The woman looked over at Mike and smirked. "They call me 80..." and just as quickly as she had entered, she exited the saloon.
Mike looked over the body and the shocked faces of the saloon patrons. He scooped the money and felt a smile grow across his face. "I love my job..."
Yep, just another typical day.
God, he hated his job.
That's when she walked in.
Everyone looked up as the doors swooshed open and a pair of boots clanked the floor. It was a woman none of them had seen before. She wore a black dress that was dusted in dirt at the bottom. Even though it wasn't too revealing, it clung to her features well and made heads turn. Her black hat hung low over her eyes. Mike could see a stream of black and blonde hair coming out the back. The only oter color that was on her was the crocheted emerald green sash tied around her waist. All the men stared and made wolf-whistles but she bypassed them all and made her way to the bar.
Mike all of a sudden got some new interest in his job...
"What can I get you, ma'am?"
"Whisky...just leave the bottle." Her voice was somewhat hushed and she seemed to talk to the bar instead of the bartender. Mike shrugged and placed a glass and the bottle on the bar. She poured out the contents and took a swig.
"Excuse me miss..."
She looked over and a short man was trying to scoot close to her at the bar. Her brown eyes flashed at him in anger. "What do you want?"
The man started edging his hand closer to her leg. "I was just wondering if you would like to go upstairs and slip into something a little more comfortable..."
She smacked his hand away and glared at him. "Thanks, but no thanks." She then turned back to her drink and took another swig.
The man started getting closer to her again. "I'm sorry. I don't think I heard right."
"You heard me."
"Well, aren't you just a sassy one?" He put his hand on her thigh and tried to rub it. She smacked it away again.
"Back off!" Her voice lowered to a growl and her eyes turned steely.
The man gritted his teeth and grabbed her right wrist. "Why you little..."
Bang!
The expression on the man's face froze in shock. His hand grew limp and he fell down off the stool. The saloon fell silent as they looked at him. There was a growing spot of red on the left side of his chest. They all looked up at the woman. She held a smoking pistol in her left hand. She blew the smoke away and spun the gun on her finger, quickly hiding it behind the sash. "I told him to back off..."
Everyone stayed silent as she jumped down from the stool. She pulled out some money and threw it on the bar. "That should be enough to pay for the bottle." She grabbed the bottle and started on her way out.
Mike looked at the money and up at the woman. "Who are you?"
The woman looked over at Mike and smirked. "They call me 80..." and just as quickly as she had entered, she exited the saloon.
Mike looked over the body and the shocked faces of the saloon patrons. He scooped the money and felt a smile grow across his face. "I love my job..."
