The Walker Colt. Lost Love

Black smoke was beginning to billow from the doors and windows of the ranch house, and soon, I saw the orange flicker of flames. I turned away and could see Drew leading three saddled horses out of the other door. I breathed a sigh of relief; it was all over. I began to hurry over to Drew when he shouted out my name.

I heard a click to my left and turned to see a woman at the bottom of the ladder to the hayloft. Christ, I'd completely forgotten about Davis's sister. I hadn't re-loaded the carbine, so I let it fall from my hands and was reaching for one of my Walkers when she raised her arm and fired a shot.

Pain lanced through the side of my head, and I was falling to the ground. I watched her take a step forward as she thumbed back the hammer again. My vision was going blurry and I desperately tried to raise my hand and fire back.

A second shot and I braced myself for the impact. Instead, she slumped backward, a bright crimson splash appearing on her dress. The pain in my head intensified and the blackness overpowered my senses.

The last thing I recalled was a woman screaming out my name.

My whole body hurt, my ears were ringing, and intense red and blue strobing lights penetrated my closed eyelids. I groaned and someone was touching my arm.

I heard a voice, barely audible over the ringing, asking if I was alright. I almost laughed, how could I be all right, I'd just been shot in the head. I coughed and winced at the sharp stabbing pain that struck me between the eyes.

"I was shot," I managed to say.

"He says he was shot," called out a voice.

"We didn't see any gunshot wounds," a second voice said. "We'll check again."

I felt hands running up and down my body. I slowly opened an eye and winced again at the bright light. The ranch house was really burning brightly, and I wondered what it was that was giving the flames their blue hue.

"He's not need shot, but he's got a bump the size of a hen's egg on the back of his head. He needs to go to County for a scan."

"Bob," a voice said, then repeated the name several more times.

I groaned as reality reasserted itself. Billy was gone again, and for a second time, I had no clue if he'd survived.

"Let me sit up, please," I asked.

A damp cloth wiped both of my eyes, and I was eased up into a half-sitting position. I opened my eyes and saw I was lying on a gurney. The blue and red light was from emergency vehicles.

"Christ, what the hell happened?" I asked.

A sheriff's deputy heard me and gave a dry laugh. "The flashbang in the safe is what happened. It was a bit too big for the confined space."

He pointed to the side, and I saw the back of my SUV, none of the glass remained intact, and there was an ominous bulge in the roofline.

"And the thieves?"

"Feeling very sorry for themselves." He pointed over his shoulder, and there were two more gurneys; only their occupants were handcuffed to the side rail.

I sank back on my gurney. There had to be a better way to communicate with Billy. I wasn't sure how many more head injuries I'd be able to survive. I saw Ricky by the back of the SUV, and I called him over.

"Is the Walker okay?" I asked.

He nodded, "They let me check it. They say they need to log it in as evidence, but the Sheriff said as neither of them touched it; we'll get it back in a few days."

"Ask him if I can check it myself."

Ricky gave me an odd look but did as I asked. The Sheriff looked over at me and then nodded. One of the Sheriff's deputies brought the pistol case over and watched a Ricky opened it for me and then placed it in my outstretched hand.

I closed my eyes as the icy cold metal seemed to burn my flesh. The barn swam into view, and I saw Billy sitting on a bale of hay. Eileen was pressing a wad of cloth to the side of his head and he was smiling at her.

I opened my eyes, and the pistol was no longer cold.

The End.

(Until the spirit of the Colt talks to me again.)