By Tatum
By Tatum
The riders spend the day reading a story Cody wrote about himself! (This story makes some references to the episode "The Road Not Taken", and some quotes from that episode are used in here.)
The air was unusually cool that summer morning, and the small town of Willow Springs was alive with its fine citizens. Everybody was busy getting supplies from the local stores, or settling in to the nicely established hotel after just arriving off the morning stage.
The townsfolk were content with the beautiful morning and the soft whispering breeze, not paying heed to anything else until the intriguing stranger paraded in on a stunning chestnut mare. He was an incredibly handsome young man, who's brilliant blue eyes shined with the bravery and knowledge that a normal man did not possess.
His name was William Frederick Cody, but those who ever had the honor of being considered his friend called him Cody. Anyone who had ever met young Cody knew he was a man of many skills.
Young Cody was a true ladies' man. Women were habitually throwing themselves at his feet, and found themselves under a deep spell the instant they look into his breath taking blue eyes. The sweet nothings he whispered to them left butterflies in their stomachs, and aching to hear his comforting voice just one more time.
He dressed in fine clothes that fit his growing reputation as a man of daring feats. Cody was always helping the weak and innocent people, even when the bravest of lawmen were turning their backs in fear, calling it a suicide mission. However, Cody was an impressive marksman, and he could handle even the deadliest of scenarios. In fact, once he had taken on twenty thieves single handily, with only twenty bullets and little coverage at all in order to protect a woman and her children. Amazingly he defeated them in less then fifteen minutes thanks to his incredible reflexes and unwavering courage. No bullet managed to graze the young hero during the whole shoot out.
"Well, I gotta say," Noah began, unafraid of being the first to comment on Cody's story. After all, he was the one who discovered it hidden underneath Cody's bunk. "Cody has a hell of an imagination."
"An egotistical one that's for sure," Buck added quickly. Cody's story had been keeping the riders entertained the entire morning.
"I think it's a great story," Lou replied, partly in sarcasm and partly in the author's behalf. "Real descriptive."
"Too bad we don't know anyone like that." Jimmy stated matter-of-factly. "Sure would be nice have someone else save the day instead of us."
"Could be worse," Kid commented to the other riders.
"How?" Buck questioned. This was the most self -centered story he had ever heard.
" He's not writing about us again, is he?" Kid replied. " I'd take anything over that story he wrote about us in that 'True Tales of the West' magazine!" The other riders were quick to agree with Kid. Cody's former story wasn't very flattering.
"Can't help but noticed how good he makes himself sound," Lou noted. She remembered the statement Cody had written about her. He implied she was the "Runt of the Litter, who could barely lift a mail bag high enough to get it on a horse!" Just thinking about it made her mad at the author all over again.
Cody had also stated that Kid was a fella who talked more to his horse then his girlfriend. His comments about Teaspoon were even less flattering. Cody stated that by the former Texas Ranger's eating habits you'd never guess his name was Teaspoon. Then his tale descibed Rachel's figure, explaining it could "make a blind man blush". The others were not happy with Cody's detailed descriptions of them either.
"Do we dare continue?" Buck asked. The other riders nodded in agreement.
The dashing hero knew fate had brought him to the small town of Willow Springs for a reason. Something was drawing him there, like a moth to a flame. Young Cody sensed danger lingered in the air like cheap perfume, though none of the citizens seemed aware of it. He had a strong feeling that someone in this tiny town needed a savior, and he was just the man for the job.
"The only thing Cody can sense is when works coming," Jimmy stated, interrupting Lou who was the elected narrator.
"That's a skill I wouldn't mind having," Kid said jokingly.
"Shhh..." Lou commanded. "I'm trying to read!" Night had fallen and the town came alive with its less respectable citizens. The gamblers, the ' working girls', and the drunk cowboys thrived on night life. Young Cody moved amongst them in search of the one person who needed his assistance. He found her finally, hiding in an alley behind the saloon.
The young maiden had her strawberry blonde hair done up with only soft whispers of hair framing her beautiful face. She had been weeping softly, when the young hero kneeled beside her. His presence startled her at first, which didn't surprise Cody. Women were delicate creatures, that weren't made to live up to the expectations of a man's life.
Cody still remember the last woman he saved. She was a petite girl, with short auburn hair. She wore men's clothes, trying desperately to fit into a man's world. Cody knew this tomboy well because she hung around his home station. She was like a 'pet' to the express riders. The poor girl was being attacked by several outlaws when Cody wandered upon her. Naturally, being a woman, she was helpless against them. It was up to Cody to protect her, and he did. After he chased the bandits away, he went to the frightened damsel and comforted her. Gratitude shined in her misty brown eyes.
"I had the situation fully under control!" Lou all but shouted. She had wounded two of the gang's members before Cody even arrived. "That egostical..."
"Maybe I should read for a while," Kid suggested as he pulled the story out of Lou's clenched fists.
"I'll show him gratitude!" Lou exclaimed hotly.
"We aren't suppose to be reading this remember?" Noah reminded her. If Lou went after Cody, then their friend would know they were reading his story without his consent.
"Ready?" Kid asked before he straightened out the pages to continue.
The young maiden looked the man over who knelt beside her. Once she gazed into his eyes, she knew immediately that she could put all her faith in him. Without warning, the lass threw herself into his strong arms. Cody rocked her softly, comforting her like he had so many other women in the past.
Suddenly the bunkhouse door swung open, and Kid quickly hid Cody's work behind his back. Rachel stood there looking suspiciously at the them. She immediately knew something was up.
"What's going on here?" Rachel asked curiously.
"Nothing really," Kid informed her.
"Just reading another story Cody wrote!" Lou cried.
"Another story?" Rachel had a bad feeling. "He doesn't know your reading it, does he?"
"Not exactly," Buck admitted.
"Well," Rachel began as she closed the bunk house door behind her. "Don't stop on my account." Rachel wanted to hear what the author was writing. By Lou's tone, she suspected that it wasn't good.
The woman's name was Abigail. Her appearance was very attractive, and the way she filled out a dress was very appealing. In fact, Cody had only met one other woman who filled out a dress as nicely as Abigail, and that was housekeeper Rachel. When he first met Rachel, he could hardly take his eyes off her.....
"Uh.......moving on," Kid mumbled nervously. He hope Rachel didn't suspect what Cody was mentioning, but the cross look on her face suggested otherwise.
"I say we starve him," Lou suggested. The boys were finding the story some what amusing, but the two women weren't. Cody wasn't painting the most flattering picture of them.
"If he even considers sending this off, he won't have to worry about eating!" Rachel declared.
"Maybe we should stop-" Buck began only to have the girls cut him off.
"Start reading!" They yelled in perfect unison at the narrator.
Abigail clung to Cody's arm, and he sensed it wasn't totally because of her emotional state. Not that he could blame her. All women wanted to be wrapped in his strong embrace. In fact, the tomboy Louise followed him around for weeks after he rescued her until he eventually managed to persuade her to stop. Rachel wasn't any different.
"Why in the world would we want to follow him around?!" Rachel cried.
" I just can't wait for Cody to get back from St. Joe," Lou stated, acting as if she missed him. "Then we can kill him!"
"Don't you ladies think your over reacting?" Kid asked teasingly. Unfortunately, the women were not agreeing with his sense of humor. "Why don't you read for a while, Jimmy?" Kid had the feeling the ladies were holding a certain 'attitude' toward the reader.
"What's wrong?" Cody asked her as gently as a spring breeze.
"I'm in so much danger," she cried. "If they find me...."
"No one will hurt you," he reassured her. "Please tell me how I can help."
"It's the Nickleson Gang," she began, seeming frightened to have even uttered the name. "Several months ago, I testified against them. Most of them were sentenced to prison, but a few were hung." The memories sent obvious chills up her spine. "Recently, the survivors broke out and...." The fragile creature burst into tears. "They sent me this." It was a threatening letter.
"Everything is going to be all right." Cody knew he would have to watch over Abigail night and day. This gang wasn't going to be forgiving. Although the brave hero had faced greater challenges then this alone, he decided to call in his friend Wild Bill Hickok.
"Great," Jimmy stated. "You read," he suggested more-or-less to Buck.
Less than four days later, Wild Bill arrived in Willow Springs to assist his friend. Cody was surprised to see his former shadow, Louise, riding beside Hickok. Quickly he called to his friends. "Glad you could make it," Cody stated sincerely to his friend. "Hello Louise." The tomboy blushed, happy to receive his attention. "Louise, this is Abigail. Why don't the two of you go to the restaurant, and get something to eat. Hickok and I will join you ladies in a while." The men watched the women leave.
"I see you brought your sidekick," Cody noted to his friend.
"I like to make her feel useful," Hickok replied. "Besides, it's fun driving Kid crazy by taking her."
"Ohh!" Louise exclaimed heatedly. "Sidekick?! Make her feel useful?" Cody is a dead man. A very dead man!
"That ain't true," Jimmy informed her. "You can hold your own in any fight." Lou smiled at his words, even though she was still furious with Cody. "Neither is the other part," Jimmy said quickly to the Kid. The last thing he need was Kid taking a swing at him because of something Cody wrote.
"Noah's turn," Buck announced as he handed the story to his fellow rider. Noah gave threw an unappreciative look at him before he began to read.
Cody knew that wasn't the only reason Hickok had brought the little lady. Louise was constantly flirting with the gunfighter, and Hickok often returned the favor. In fact, they flirted so much that even a blind and deaf man would know it.
"He has no right saying things like that!" Lou stated as she felt her cheeks grow warm.
"Yeah, well that's never stopped him before," Jimmy reminded her. Now he was equally upset with Cody as the ladies. By Kid's expression, he knew that they were bound to have another 'chat' about Lou later. The only problem with their little heart-to-heart talks is that they usually left them both battered and bruised.
The Kid who was once Lou's man wasn't exactly a prime example of utmost devotion. The day after Louise and him had broken up, Kid was courting the town's new school teacher! Of course, that never stopped him from going after the first man who looked at his former lover.
"That's enough!" Kid all but shouted. "Cody has some nerve writing about us again."
"Kid," Noah stated suddenly. "Calm down."
Just then the door swung open and the most wanted rider wandered in. Cody looked over his fellow riders, and suspected something was terrible wrong. He glanced at the angry faces.
"Cody!" Kid hollered. "You have some nerve writing about us again!" The others were quick to back him up.
"What are you talking about, Kid?" Cody answered innocently.
"Oh I don't know Cody," Lou began sarcastically. "Maybe this?" She took Cody's story and flung it in his face. As he peered at the paper, Cody began to grow angry.
"Where did you get this?" He demanded. "Why were you all going through my stuff?"
"I found part of it sticking out under your bunk," Noah informed him reluctantly. He felt guilty for bringing the story to the others attention.
"You the one who's got some explaining to do," Rachel called to the blonde express rider.
"Thought you said you weren't going to write anymore stories like that about us, Cody!" Lou hissed.
"I haven't written anything about you all since that last story," Cody stated in his defense. "I wrote this story before the other one I sent off."
"What?" Buck cried in confusion. "Then-"
"I finished this tale before I even started the one all of you hated so much," Cody justified to the others. "Believe me, I learned my lesson last time." He could still recall the short descriptions the riders wrote about him for revenge. Lou stated "by the way this fella rides, you'd think he trained on a goat instead of a horse". Hers was mild compared to another one he read. It said, "Cody's mouth is so big, that the rest of the riders could climb inside it, but who'd want to considering his breath". After that experience, Cody knew not to entice his friends' wrath. Unfortunately, he had forgotten all about this tale. Otherwise, he would have destroyed it.
"How come you didn't send this one off then?" Jimmy asked suspiciously.
"Well, the other one was more colorful," Cody answered, trying hard not to smile. The other one WAS a lot more interesting. "Besides, I didn't want to sound too full of myself."
"So you're not sending this off?" Rachel inquired. She was beginning to feel a little bad about snapping at Cody. The others were too. Just a little mind you!
"No," Cody stated sincerely. "Look, I still feel bad for what I said about all of you last time. I wouldn't write another one like it. I'm sorry if I hurt anybody's feelings again," Cody stated sincerely. He had honestly forgotten all about this tale.
"I think we owe you an apology too," Noah began, as the spokesman for the group. "We had no right reading it without your permission." The others nodded their head in agreement before growing quiet.
"How does it end?" Jimmy asked suddenly, breaking the silence. "Do we save the day?"
"Don't we always?" Cody replied with a smile. He could tell by the others reactions that all was forgiven. Pretty soon, the riders started to converse about everyday things. Their anger had faded away, although Cody suspected that the trouble his story stirred up would last for a couple of days.
"Oh well," Cody thought secretly to himself. "Wonder what's for supper?"
Copyright 1998-This work is not to be reproduced without the permission of the author
