Billy followed Melquiades to the nearest pawn shop.
"Hello, my friend here is in need of a gun," Melquiades greeted the pawn shop owner.
The man nodded and brought out a gun. Billy studied it and tested the trigger.
"Can you loosen the trigger?" Billy asked.
"Normally, folks don't usually ask for that. It's more for... Specialists."
"Well, I'm asking," Billy said, putting the gun back on the table.
The man chuckled and nodded. He loosened the trigger for Billy who then purchased the gun. The two men heading out and to the shooting range.
Billy aimed and fired, missing.
"Aw, shit," he said, looking at the gun.
"Blame the gun...get out of my way," Melquiades said, pushing his shoulder, drawing his gun and shooting hitting the target.
"All right," Billy nodded. "I'll wager you two pesos you can't hit that can."
Melquiades nodded and took two pesos out of his pocket, aiming and firing. Missed.
"Hmm. Too bad," Billy said, stepping up, aiming, and firing.
He hit the can sending it in the air, firing again three more times each time hitting the can.
"Huh," Billy said, holding out his hand for the pesos.
Melquiades handed him the pesos, staring at him.
"Thank you, old man."
Billy started walking back as Melquiades followed him.
"Hey, you told me you play poker."
"Uh-huh."
"How well do you play poker?"
"Pretty well."
"As good as you shoot?"
Billy just chuckled as he continued to walk.
"Look, there's a big game in town. The dealer is this man called Don Ortiz."
"Okay."
"I'm a pretty good player, but I lost a lot of money."
"Maybe you're not as good as you think you are, then."
"No, no, no, hey! Hey!" Melquiades said, stopping, making Billy turn. "He cheats. I'm not sure how he cheats, but I'm pretty sure he does it. I wanna win my money back. And in the process break Don Ortiz."
Billy nodded. "That's a tall order."
"Never had a good poker player to play with me."
"So you wanna double-team him?"
"I think you can do it. You're not scared. Ortiz is a dangerous man, but from what I've seen, so are you. It's your choice."
Melquiades tapped his chest and walked off as Billy watched him.
~
Billy knocked on the door to his room at the inn, slowly opening it as Missie was sewing.
"What are you working on?" Billy asked, leaning on the door frame.
Missie looked up and smiled. "I'm fixing a dress for a lady here at the inn. It's not much money, but it's a little something for us."
Billy nodded as she slowly got up and checked his face were a bruise was forming on his jaw.
"I'm alright," he assured her. "Melquiades invited me to a poker game."
"Yeah? Are you going to go?"
Billy sighed. "It's a dangerous man that is hosting the game... Melquiades suspects he's cheating, I may lose everything."
"You two want to try to take this man down though."
Billy didn't have to say anything.
Missie sighed and sat back down. "I can't stop you Billy."
"I want you to know I'm doing this for us."
Missie slowly nodded. "I know, but at what cost, Billy? We don't need a lot money."
"I'll be careful, I promise."
Missie stood up and kissed him. "That's all I ask, at the end of the day, you come back to me."
Billy nodded. "I promise."
YOU ARE READING
Matters To Me
Fanfiction"In a new world of hopes and dreams, met with disappointments and darkness of the real world, Billy held onto the hope that life would get better. It had to, as he looked at the stars, he made a wish, he knew that it had to get better." ~ Billy met...
