A short vignette… Just seeing Brad again brought back all kinds of memories that Jimmy would have preferred stay buried for the rest of his life. Voice echoed in his head as he tried to fall asleep. Voices of Clara telling him how if he learned to read that between the covers of books he would find new worlds, new adventures and then the Judges loud, condescending voice telling both of them that he had no need for book learning, that everything he needed to know in life he’d be taught by the Judge himself. As Jimmy watched the book that Clara had been telling him about be tossed into the flames of the fireplace, the Judge went on about what a ‘stupid boy’ he was to think he could learn. Just the thought of those words again in his head was driving him crazy. It was that voice that tormented him the most. The man had been his mentor, his ‘father’, someone that he’d looked up to, loved and believed cared for him also. That was until he handed both Brad and himself the Navy Colt that he now wore around his own waist. The Judge was angry that the two boys had been shooting at targets, seeing who was the better shot. He gave the two a new gun from a wooden box and insisted that they pace off and turn to shoot at each other. Jimmy hadn’t wanted to do it. He thought the Judge was crazy but Brad told him to just do it, that they would shoot wide. Jimmy knew that if they continued on with the Judge that thing would only get worse, that one of them would end up dead, probably by the others hand. When they were through with their ‘game’ Jimmy told Brad he wasn’t staying, that he should get away from the Judge before he got hurt or worse too. Turning on his bedroll, Jimmy’s heart was filled with a deep sadness. Sadness for the one person who ever truly cared about his well being, the one person who never thought he was a ‘stupid boy’, the only person he knew that had a pure heart…. Clara who was gone, kidnapped because of the Judge. With a silent promise to find her and save her, Jimmy fell into a fitful sleep. Drop me a note and let me know what you thought!