COWBOYS vs. KAIJU - PART THREE

-3-

            Lucky makes his way into town on the back of his pony Eugene with F. Thomas sitting in his lap. The first thing that any one sees when entering this town is the good old town welcome sign, which reads ‘Welcome to Prickly Pear, enjoy your stay and be careful, we wouldn’t want you to get stuck.’ The sign also includes a population claim of 1001. Now lucky isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he thinks that number is a little high and I would have to agree with him on this one. I would venture to say it is closer to 101, than 1001. Also on the lower left hand corner of the sign is the word ‘Established’ but the date that usually follows has been weathered off.

            Lucky rides straight through the main street of Prickly Pear until he comes to Pete’s Place, the saloon were the object of his affections, Lucey Lymont, works. Lucky is a man of habit and nothing is going to change that. Each time he enters to his first destination is this old saloon. He then sits patiently on the back of Eugene while he looks in the window to catch a glimpse of Lucey before dismounting and entering the establishment. Today was no different. He sat on Eugene’s back with his eye fixated on the window of Pete’s Place for what seemed like five or ten minutes and in that time no Lucey. Where could she be Lucky’s heart began to sink as he felt a tug on his arm.

            Now I might be a tough guy, but I still know better than to tug on the arm of a cowboy while he is sitting on his horse, or in this case pony. But if you do not know any better take this a fair warning and be prepared for the worst.

            “What in the?!?” Lucky gulps as he draws for his gun, turns his head and aims at whatever might be tugging at his arm.

            “That’s a pretty big pistol you got there cowboy, are you prepared to use it?” a voice with slow southern drawl and just a hint of a lisp says to Lucky.

            Lucky’s eyes light up like a pair of 17-carat diamonds, “Alice!”

            “Ya shoulda known better not to startle a man like that,” Lucky states, as he re-holsters his pistol, “Ya never know what mighta happened.”

            “And just what would you do, you big tough cowboy?” Lucey response to Lucky’s threat, “You’d be mighty sad if you had shot me.” Lucey knows that she has Lucky wrapped around her finger. She knows that this man would do anything for her. She also knows that she is not ready for any of that.

            “Say what’s that smell?” Lucky asks as he dismounts his pony, “Stinks like rotten burnt eggs.”

            “Not sure,” Lucey says as she takes a step toward F. Thomas with her hands outstretched, “could be whatever made that large bang over there beyond town, just before you showed up.” Lucey smiles as she holds the cat to her face, then starts to laugh, “Whatever it was, it sure scared the Duggan Brothers something fierce.”

            “The Duggans,” Lucky’s face turns down, “what did them boys do this time?”

            “Nothing that this girl couldn’t handle,” Lucey sets the cat down and then pats Eugene on his head, “Now let’s get the Sheriff and my father and go find out exactly what that is over there.”