Chereads / The Man On The Run / Chapter 4 - Talbot

Chapter 4 - Talbot

The city of Grande Fortuna was founded by Antonio Manfredi, Alberto Manfredi's great grandfather. The city was huge, many stores were there, many bars and lots of rich people lived there. The city was mainly made up of hotels and factories but there was enough space for people to move around in. Smoke coming from the factory chimneys was filling the air and the sound of metal clinking was surrounding the area. Men were carrying sacks into the factories, and dropping them violently onto the floor. The narrow streets were covered in mud from carriages that came through the forest and the slums. A huge church was located in the middle of the city, which towered over the small residents of Grande Fortuna. In the middle of a hotel building and a doctor's office was a small gun store. Inside of the gun store was a large desk and a glass case next to it which showed off some of the guns which were sold there. Among those guns were repeaters and revolvers and rifles and shotguns. An man in a suit sat behind the desk with his hands locked together. He looked around with a bored expression upon his face, he wanted to leave but couldn't because the store didn't close until nine o'clock at night. Suddenly a man walked in. His face was disguised by an executioner mask. The man wore a black coat and black jeans. He had spurs on his boots and rifleman gloves on his hands. He looked around the store without making a sound, the only sound heard was the sound of his boots on the floor. "Take as long as you need." The shopkeeper politely told him. The man in the mask walked slowly before grabbing a double barrel shotgun from the shelves, he looked at it closely for a minute before walking over to the desk. The man placed the gun on the desk and started to rummage in his pocket with his right hand. "That will be $120.00 but first, you gotta take off the mask." Said the shopkeeper. The man stopped and looked at the shopkeeper.

"Why do I have to take off my mask?" The man asked.

"Well I need to see your face before I sell it to you." The shopkeeper explained.

"Why?"

"Why? Because I need to know who I'm sellin' the gun to."

"Why? Why do you need to know?"

"You know…"

"No I don't."

"Well, it's the rules."

"It's the rules that I have to take off the mask or it's the rules that you need to know who you're selling the gun to?"

"They're the same ain't they?"

"No, they aren't."

"Listen sir, I didn't mean to offend you I'm just following the rules."

"What rules?"

"The rules I just told you."

"Which one? I gave you an option."

"Listen sir, you're startin' to confuse me."

"No I'm confused. Why do I have to take off my mask?"

"Because I could be selling this gun to anybody."

"What do you mean by anybody?"

"You know, like a criminal."

"What? I'm a criminal?"

"No, no. Nothin' like that."

"Then why do you need to see my face?"

"Because I just need to!"

"You need to? Or you want to?"

"What?"

"You want to see my face?"

"Yes I do."

"And is it against the rules to cover my face?"

"Yes, yes it is."

"I don't see a sign anywhere."

"Sir I am in no mood to play games, I just want to run my store. So you can either take off the mask and by a gun or you can get out."

"Listen, I'm just trying to understand what you're telling me. I have to take it off because you need to know who I am? You have to make sure that I ain't a criminal? And you want to see my face because it's the rules?"

"I guess so."

"You guess?"

"I know."

"Know what?"

"Are you making me repeat myself?"

"No I just want you to give me a real reason to see my face."

"Because I need to know who you are and make sure that you ain't gonna do something illegal with the gun and if you do, I could show your face to the authorities and have you arrested and make sure that there ain't no more trouble. That's why I have to see your face. Is that a good reason?"

"It's a reasonable one. But it ain't one I agree with."

"Sir. Just take it off. It ain't hard."

"I know it isn't, I never said it was. But I just want you to know that I am not a criminal. I'm a bounty hunter. I go by Talbot. I have never shown anyone my face because I don't want attention, I just want money from collecting bounties and by know I have been buying weapons from a men named Elmer Clinton who lives in a house near the swamp. But he is closed at the minute so I am here to buy a gun in this store. So I will take off the mask, but this won't change a thing." Talbot then raised his arms and grabbed the mask. He then took the mask off and placed it onto the desk before handing the shopkeeper the money. "Thank you. Have a nice day." Said the shopkeeper. Talbot then snatched the mask off of the desk and put it back over his face. The shopkeeper saw Talbot walk out of the store, never to be seen again.

The time is now nine o'clock. The shopkeeper exited the store and locked the door. He sighed loudly and began to walk home. As he walked home he noticed that the local bar was loud an busy. He didn't want to go in, fearing that he will be harassed in some way by some drunk men. He made a left turn and walked through an alleyway. He saw a man and a woman kissing next to a plant pot, the shopkeeper moved past them quickly before shaking his head in disgust. After a few minutes of walking, the shopkeeper managed to get to his house. He grabbed his keys and placed them into the lock. As he walked into his home, he looked around to see that he was alone. Without hesitation, he walked over to his bedroom and jumped onto the bed, face first. He exhaled happily and snuggled up into his pillow. Suddenly a figure came from the shadows and stuck a knife into the shopkeeper's throat. The shopkeeper struggled and gargled up his blood. The figure stabbed the shopkeeper repeatedly until he was dead. The figure raised the knife and placed it in his pockets. He looked at the body one last time before climbing out of the open window, leaving the shopkeeper in the bed. The figure jumped down onto a wagon carrying hay and ran under a streetlight, revealing that the figure was Talbot. Talbot ran away from the house, with his face still hidden away with a mask. He ran quickly towards the railway station. A train was now leaving the station which meant Talbot had to move faster. "Come on, come on." He muttered as he began to pick up the pace. The train was now moving further away from the station. Talbot was now too far away from the train. "Goddamn it!" He said. He looked around and saw a small office which sold train tickets. He sighed and began to walk over to the office. He saw a few police officers look at him suspiciously but Talbot didn't say anything to them. As he walked in, he saw that the office was empty except for a man who stood behind a desk. Talbot moved towards the desk and said, "One ticket to Appleseed please." The man behind the desk looked at him uneasily before telling Talbot, "That's $1.00 but you have to take off the mask.

End Of Part 1