Chereads / The Man On The Run / Chapter 2 - Appleseed

Chapter 2 - Appleseed

Sheriff Gordon Thompson slouched down in his chair with his legs laying on his desk. He yawned quietly and smacked his lips. His eyes were beginning to shut before a fellow sheriff barged in with a man by his side. Sheriff Thompson looked at the men before standing up to approach them. "What's goin' on here then?" He asked. The sheriff struggled to keep the other man still. "Caught this man beatin' up an innocent lookin' woman behind the hotel down the road. Managed to get him offa her before he could do anythin' else." The sheriff said. He escorted the man over to a cell and threw him in. Thompson sat back down behind his desk and tipped his hat down, covering his eyes. "Another late night, las' night sir?" The sheriff asked him. Thompson didn't respond, he just sat there quietly before snoring. The sheriff chuckled lightly before looking around at the recently arrested man. "Assault. That's notta very pleasant subject for me. I look forward to watchin' you swing." He said to the man. The man then ran towards the bars. "I'll get you one day, I'll come back to haunt you and I'll kill you." The man said. The sheriff chuckled and shook his head. "Good luck with that." He said before leaving the office. As he exited the office, he looked around at the town. He strutted down towards the hotel with his thumbs in the side of his pants. He could see the woman who was assaulted laying down beside it, a man crouched over her and placed a cloth over her face. "She gonna be okay?" The sheriff asked. The man looked at him and back at the woman. He sighed strongly. "It was quite a big beatin' she got. Her face is covered in bruises and her eye is swollen. She may have to be taken to a doctor." The man said to him. The sheriff crouched down beside the woman and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "You ain't a doctor?" The sheriff asked. The man shook his head and wiped his nose and then his eyes. "No, no. I just went to medical school. I'll take her. I know a man in the city that will take care of her." Said the man. The sheriff nodded his head and stood up. He tipped his hat to the man and walked back towards the office. As he headed back to the office, he glanced through the window. He saw Sheriff Thompson staring at a wall. He walked in and approached Thompson. "Everything okay?" He asked him. Thompson looked away from the wall and looked at the sheriff. "I'm fine, Ross. I'm just lookin' at this poster." He said. Sheriff Ross looked at the poster and chuckled. "Wyatt Ellery. $5,000 dollar reward. Wanted dead or alive. D'ya think anyone will find 'im? He's a man who knows how to hide." Ross said. Thompson turned around and walked over to his desk. He sat down again and held his feet up. "I hope someone brings him to me so I can teach him a lesson." Thompson stated. Ross looked at the wanted poster closely before turning to Thompson. "Ain't he the guy who shot and killed Alberto Manfredi?" Ross asked. Thompson checked the poster and looked at Ross. "Yes, he shot 'im in cold blood outside of his mansion. And he killed two lawmen after shooting Manfredi." Said Thompson. Ross then checked the outside of the office. "It's gettin' dark. You gonna head home soon?" Ross asked Thompson. Thompson shook his head. "I'll head to the bar before I head home. I need a drink or two before I see the wife." He told Ross. Then Ross said goodbye to Thompson before exiting the office. Thompson slouched down more and more in his chair. He looked around at the office, his eyes scanned the building and spotted small cracks and cobwebs around the ceiling. "This place is gettin' older than me." Thompson muttered. He then looked over at the door and saw a man approaching the door. "Deputy Allen." Thompson greeted. "Looks like you're staying here for the night. Keep 'n eye on that man in the cell." He told the deputy. The deputy nodded and walked over to the cell. Thompson patted Allen on the shoulder and left the office.

Thompson walked over to the bar. He could hear men laughing and joking in the bar. The smell of whiskey and cigars filled the air. A poker table was placed in the corner next to the window. Six men sat around the table with cards in their hands. Thompson didn't know how to play poker so he never thought to join in. Thompson approached the bartender whilst pulling out a coin out of his pocket. "Gimme a beer." Thompson said to the bartender, passing him the coin. The bartender nodded and walked over to a keg. Thompson turned his back to the bartender and looked around the bar. Prostitutes were approaching men and giggling. Men were approaching other men, scowling. It was only a matter of time before one of them threw a punch. The bartender handed Thompson the whiskey. "Thanks." He told him. Suddenly a man across the bar threw a punch at another drunken man. "Here we go." Thompson muttered. The two men swung punches at each other. One drunk hit the other in the stomach. "Ain't you gonna stop this?" The bartender asked Thompson. Thompson took a large sip of the whiskey. "Sure." He said. Thompson then approached the two men and grabbed them both by the shirt. He headbutted the man who initiated the fight and threw the other man onto the floor. "Get out!" He told the violent man whom he headbutted. The man left whilst holding his head in pain. Thompson then walked back over to the bartender and drank the rest of his whiskey. "This town is gettin' more and more crazier." Said the bartender. Thompson placed the shot of whiskey down. "Yes, yes it is."