by Catlee
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program
"Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and
have been used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.
Despite the heat from the orange ball of the midday sun
hanging directly overhead Heath Barkley was cold. He had lost track of how long he’d been lying here among the
rocks, a sharpshooter hidden somewhere among the trees further up the
slope. His right leg hurt, the
slightest movement sending fingers of excruciating pain crawling up and down
the appendage. At least it had stopped
bleeding but the bullet was still lodge somewhere deep in his thigh. Probably in the bone with my luck he thought
ruefully.
He wondered how long it would be before anyone bothered to
come looking for him. If Nick Barkley
had his way probably never. It was no
secret to anybody that Nick didn’t like him, didn’t like what he represented to
the rest of the family. Heath shook his
head, as much to keep himself awake as to deny his brother’s logic. Well Nick looks like you’re about to get
your wish, don’t reckon I can last much longer unless I get some help, he
yelled silently to the sky.
Heath looked back over the past few weeks since he came to
live on the ranch and claim his fair share of what was rightfully his. His decision to stand by his brother’s
against the railroad at the Semple farm had just come back to haunt him. Hell it wasn’t even his fight, but some
part of him argued that if he wanted to be accepted by them, by Nick he needed
to stand beside them. If he could have
he would have laughed. The thought that
the railroad thought him to be as big a threat to them as the great Tom Barkley
had been six years ago amused him.
That the railroad was so scared of his shooting abilities
that they had actually hired a sharp shooter of their own to hunt him down
worried him. It just showed how
desperate they were to get their own way and win at any cost. He couldn’t let them win this time like they
did six years ago or the valley would be lost.
He took a swig from his canteen and checked the rifle lying beside him.
The railroads hired gun was good, very good. Heath had no idea that he was being watched
until he felt the bullet tear into his leg.
Whoever this shooter was though he wasn’t your regular
sharpshooter. If he was Heath realized
he would be dead now. This man was in
it for more than the kill. He was in it
for the thrill of the hunt, the chase and then the kill. That Heath hoped, was the edge he needed to
stay alive.
“Nick, I thought Heath was joining us for lunch today. Do you know where he is?”
“No Mother, I haven’t seen him since he left this
morning. You know how he is, probably
forgot the time is all.”
Nick gave his mother a smile that didn’t quite reach his
eyes as he strode to the front door to rescue it from who ever was pounding on
it. Wrenching it open he was surprised
to find the ranch foreman Duke McCall standing there obviously agitated over
something.
“Nick do you know where Heath is? I think we’ve got trouble.”
Before Nick could speak his mother passed him looking
concerned. “Duke I think you had better
come in and tell us what’s wrong.”
“Thank you Victoria.
Jeb Monroe just came to see me.
Said it was the first chance he had to get away from Barrett.”
“Barrett! What’s
Barrett got to do with anything?” growled Nick not liking the way this
conversation was already going.
Duke looked from mother to son not sure who to speak to.
Finally he looked at Nick.
“Those rumours about the railroad hiring a sharp shooter to track down Heath aren’t rumours any more. Jeb and Barrett were in town this morning and Jeb overheard Barrett telling a man where he could find Heath today.”
“What!” roared Nick, face set and eyes blazing? “When I get my hand on Barrett I’ll”
“Nicholas, don’t worry about Barrett now, we’ll deal with
him later. Right now your brother is
out there somewhere and he needs your help,” admonished Victoria, face paling
at the thought of someone hunting one of her sons. Thoughts of six years ago coming back to haunt her.
“I’m sorry Mother, I’ll go and find him. Duke have someone”
“Coco’s already saddled and we’re hitching up a wagon now.”
Nick nodded to Duke and then gathered his Mother in his
arms. “Don’t worry I’ll find him.” He kissed the top of her head and strode
from the house. He was mounted and
tearing out of the yard headed towards Heath’s location before Duke had left
the house.
This couldn’t be happening, not again. The railroad had shot and killed his father
six years ago and now they were after his brother. HIS BROTHER, the words hit him like a thunderbolt. Heath was his brother he knew that, it was
just his stubborn pride that wouldn’t allow him to acknowledge it
publicly. To acknowledge that his
father was just a man, a man prone to mistakes like any mortal person. Spurring Coco faster he streaked across the
range. He had to make it; he had to get
there in time. He wanted another
chance.
Blood loss and the heat was making Heath light headed and
dizzy. He had to draw this shooter out
while he still had the strength to pull the trigger. He looked down the slope to where his little Modoc Gal
grazed. He knew if he whistled she would
come to him but her wasn’t going to risk her life, not yet anyway. Gritting his teeth against the pain he tried
to pull himself to his feet. In reality
all he succeeded in doing was crashing with a thud to the hard baked earth as
the ground rushed up to meet him.
Nick slowed Coco’s pace as he spied Heath’s little Modoc
grazing quietly about one hundred yards from the rocky out crop, but there was
no sign of his brother. Nick studied
the rock outcrop and the woods beyond.
If Heath was anywhere, he had to be in those rocks. Pulling his rifle from its scabbard he
continued on towards the rocks keeping a close eye on the woods.
He missed the glint of the suns reflection of the rifle
lying in wait in the woods, but he didn’t miss the unmistakable sound of its
report. Spurring Coco into a dead run
he raced towards the rocks and relative safety. Leaping from Coco’s back he ran the last few yards crouched down
as low as possible, coming to rest behind the safety of a particularly large
rock. Breathing hard he looked around
for any sign of his brother. What he
saw made his heart skip a beat.
Heath lay motionless about twenty feet behind him and to the
right. He could see the makeshift
bandage wrapped around his brother’s leg.
“Please god, don’t let me be too late.” Keeping low he scrabbled over to
his brother.
Heath felt a hand on his shoulder shaking him
vigorously. He could hear a voice
calling him, but not any voice, his brother’s voice, Nick’s voice. His lids felt so heavy he didn’t think he
could open them.
“Come on Heath, open those baby blues for me boy. I know ya can do it.”
Nick shook him again harder. “Dammit Heath don’t you give up on me now, do ya hear me?”
“Not goin to give up on ya yet,” whispered Heath forcing his
eyes to open and focus on his brother’s face.
Nick’s face broke into a smile, “glad to hear it little
brother.”
Heath saw the smile and heard the words LITTLE BROTHER. He fought to sit up but the movement caused
him to gasp in pain. Instantly Nick was
behind him supporting his weight. “Easy
Heath, don’t try an move. How bad is
it?”
“Bullets still in there, hurts like hell. Need a drink.”
Nick handed his brother the canteen still supporting his
upper body.
“Any idea where the shooter is?”
Heath shook his head, “somewhere in the trees. I’m surprised
he didn’t come down here ta finish me off.
Wouldn’t have had any opposition.
Nick ya know we’re not going to get outta here unless he’s dead.”
“Yeah I figured that much out Heath.” Nicked eyed his brother “do you think ya can
make the shot if I draw him out?”
“You draw him out and I’ll make the shot don’t worry about
that. I ain’t planning on dying to
today if I can help it.”
“Glad to hear it little brother. We’re goin to have to hurry though Duke should be here soon with a wagon.”
When Heath didn’t answer Nick looked down and saw that his
eyes were closed again.
“Heath,” he asked gently shaking his shoulder.
“Still here, help me up and over to those rocks will
ya. You’ll have to draw him out so I
can locate him first. Just don’t get
shot. I reckon one Barkley a days enough.”
Nick smiled, at least his little brother had some fight left
him. He just hoped he had enough. Putting Heath’s right arm over his shoulder
Nick lifted his brother to his feet.
His brothers cry of pain tearing at his heart. If only he had taken the rumours more seriously he thought. Now the railroad had two Barkley’s in their
sights. He wasn’t going to let them
win. Not today, not ever.
With Nick’s help Heath managed to stumble over to the
rocks. Wiping the sweat from his eyes
with his shirtsleeve he sighted his rifle in the general direction he believed
the shooter to be hiding. Keeping his
eyes focused ahead of him he whispered over his shoulder, “ready Nick.”
“Ready.”
“Now”
Nick darted into the open and then dived behind some rocks as a bullet plowed into the ground beside him.
“Got him. Ok Nick
once more.”
“Ready.”
“Make it a good one little brother, here comes Duke.”
“Now.”
Nick heard nothing except the report of Heath’s rifle as he
dived for cover once more. Nick looked
over at his brother who had slumped back to the ground. Heath smiled and nodded before closing his
eyes again. Leaving Heath where he lay,
Nick ventured out from behind the rocks and headed towards the body he could
just see lying amongst the trees.
Keeping his gun trained on the man he walked up to him and whistled
softly at what he saw. “Damn that boy’s
good. One shot right between the
eyes.” Picking up the man’s rifle and
gun he headed back to his brother.
They’d send the sheriff out to retrieve the body later. First thing was to get Heath home and to the
doctor.
Duke McCall pulled the wagon to a halt at the base of the
rocks and looked around worriedly before he spied Nick coming from the
direction of the woods.
“Nick where’s Heath?
I heard shooting.”
“He’s here Duke, we gotta get him home, he’s got a bullet in
his leg.”
“What about the shooter?”
“Dead, Heath got him, right between the eyes. Damnest thing I ever saw.”
Duke looked carefully at Nick, he had heard the pride in his
voice as he spoke those last words.
Gently the two men lifted the blond into the back of the
wagon. Duke went and retrieved the two horses as Nick settled into back of the
wagon with Heath.
“Easy little brother,” he was saying as Duke tied the horses
to the back of the wagon. “We’re going
home, you hang on ya hear. We’ve got a
lot of catching up to do.”
Heath opened his eyes just long enough to get out, “anything you say big brother,” before he allowed his body to slip back into the peaceful blackness, safe in the knowledge that he was finally home with his family.