It was a cold morning. I was sitting on a bench next to my lovely partner, Whitney. She had jet black hair, beautiful eyes, and she wore a fur coat matched with her black dress. She looked beautiful, she always does. She cuddled next to me, clenching my leather jacket.
"Gryffyth?" She said softly. "Yes, dear?" I replied. "Do you have to leave so soon? I mean...I know how much you love gambling, I just don't want to feel alone..." Her face looked blank, but I can tell in her eyes that she wasn't faking the sorrow. "I'm sorry sweetie, I just need to discuss business with a few poeple. I'll be back as soon as I can, alright baby?" I said as assuring as I could. "Okay...Just be back home soon." She said, almost in a whisper. "I will, love." She came in for a kiss, and I greeted it with a long peck on her lips. I could see her cheeks getting redder, and redder with each passing moment. "I love you." I said as I pulled away. "I love you too, cutie." She said. I smiled, and it seemed to have painted a smile on her gorgeous pale face as well. I got up and let go of her hand, looking deeply into her eyes. "Be careful." She said. "I will." I said. As I walked away from the bench, I could feel her dark blue eyes still staring at me. I use the "gambling" excuse to visit my uncles resturant. Though, I do enjoy gambling. I mean, taking risks are a normal thing for everyone, right?
I walked across the street, and around the corner. From there, I walked into an alley way. The ground was wet, and mushy. The concrete beneath my feet was frosted. And it was oddly quite. I turned left into another street. My feet still crunching the frost. Woodstock was a small town, so it was easy to get where I needed to go. I stood next to a lightpost, gandering at a group of at least 6 guys standing on the opposite side from where I was standing. I saw four of them eyeing me. The other two pointing towards my direction. I tried to ignore it, but their eyes seemed to have never left my position. As soon as the street was safe to cross, I lightly jogged across, and into another alley way. I peered out of the corner to see if the group of guys were still looking at me. And they were. But not only did they look pissed off, they had weapons as well. I saw a knife, a club, and an axe. And last time I checked, anger and weapons only mix into each other when violence is involved. And oddly enough, they all looked at each other, and walked into a nearby alley. Very odd. I turned around quickly and ran back into the alley way. When I reached the corner, I reached my destination. I knocked on the door quickly. I peered into the slit of the door, and I heard a rough voice portude from the slit, "Password."
"Said the actress to the bishop!" I whispered loudly. "You may enter, pal." The voice said. When he opened the door, the smell of wine and freshly cooked food filled my nose. I looked back around the alley way,and I didn't see the group of guys. I walked back in and gave the man a pat on the back. The doorman is known as James "Rowdy" O'Roy. He was an alright guy when you positioned yourself on his goodside. But most people meet seem to do the opposite. The only reason I he liked me was because I helped him get a job here, at the pub. My uncle owns this place, and right as soon as Rowdy was hired, my unle and him became very great friends. Almost brotherly in fact. This building is a resturant (Serving various kinds of food. But mostly breakfast and lunch) and headquarters for the gang my uncle runs. I walked through the kitchen where I saw Bowe, the head chef. Bowe was a fantastic cook, and an excellent fighter. The way he uses the knife is matched only by my uncle.
"Gryffyth, follow me to the basement. The others are waiting." I nodded my head, and followed him to the stairway. Bowe followed behind. As I walked up, I saw my friends, Joseph, Roman, Thomas, and Jack. Joseph was a husky guy. He was nice, charming, but somehow, terrible with the ladies. Roman was a Russian immagrant. He barely talked, but when he did he was straight forward with whatever his opinion on the matter was. Thomas was a energetic fellow. He was hard to trust when I first met him, but he grew into a great and loyal friend. Jack was an attractive guy. He was slick, and devious. Always able to impress aquaintances, he was the most ambitious out of our group.
They were all sitting around the oval table. I took a seat between Thomas and Roman. On the table were dice, cards, money, and other gambling trinkets. Roman and Jack were conversing, and Joseph was flirting with a couple of young women. I heard a few pick up lines coming from him. "Aye, is that a mirror in your pocket, 'cause I can see myself in your pants." He gave a girl a wink. She smiled, and he gave a snarky smirk. Looks like he's actually getting somewhere for once. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a hand snatch the dice. I darted my head, and there she was. Kerstyn. She was always either smiling or laughing. She had curly dark hair, lovely eyes, and that smile...If I wasn't already taken, I would be throwing some of Josephs pick up lines at her daily. She began to shake her hand, and throw the dice. "Hot diggity!" She shouted with joy. The pair of dice both landed on four. My uncle, who sat next to her growned, and pulled out a couple of bucks. "Here...last time I'm playig with you, Kersty." He said. He looked at me and smiled. "Gryffyth, my boy, I beleive it's time." He got up from his seat, and shouted, "Everyone, besides the staff, should take your leave!" I saw about 12 people leave the room. Including the two girls Joseph was flirting with.
"Alright, now we may commence the true business of today." My uncle said. "Bring him in." He told Bowe. Bowe got up and went into the storage closet about 12 feet away from the table. "Gryffyth, I beleive it's time you join us." He said with a smirk. When Bowe returned, he had a branding iron, and at the tip was An "R" and "H". He handed it to my uncle. Then, Bowe lit the fireplace next to my uncle. "Take your jacket, and shirt up boy." He said calmly. I took my jacket off, then my shirt, and lastly my tank top. I looked over and he was heating the branding iron. I felt my eye twitch slightly. I sighed, and looked around the room. Joseph and Roman smiled, and Kerstyn and Jack were both surprisingly emotionless. Thomas walked up to me, and handed me a letter. "Recite these words, and you'll then be branded with our mark." I recited the words as if my life depended on it:
"-Freedom is secured not by the fulfilling of men's desires, but by the removal of desire.
-Man is disturbed not by things, but by the views he takes of them.
-The point is, not how long you live, but how nobly you live.
-I am formed by nature for my own good: I am not formed for my own evil
-Virtue is nothing else than right reason."
I took a deep breathe. And I heard my uncle say our pledge:
" 'Open your eyes into the order of The Red Handed Rebels. The ancestors of those who fought back against oppression and indignity will flow through each member. Rebellion is in human nature. Now go do what nature intended you to do.' These words of Tewdr Rhys speak the truth. And now, may you b marked with the emblem of truth."
I then felt the sizzling pain of the iron brand. I yelled in pain, I clenched my fist and hit the floor until the pain stopped...But it never did. My uncle then took the steaming brand off of my skin, which was now burnt to a crisp. Uncle brushed the burnt spot off, and I felt a stinging sensation.
"Welcome to the Red Handed Rebels, my boy." I heard cheers and congratulatory words. But I did not dare look up. I still felt the sting.
Then I heard a familiar voice shot from the crowd, "Hoyt!" Who was it? "Hoyt!" the voice shouted again. And then I saw Rowdy push through the crowd. "Hoyt, the Clanton gang has arrived. They request a brawl. "Hoyt looked at him, almost uncaringly. "Well, Gryffyth, this is your first assignment."
