Message 588 DATE/TIME: 02/13/89 17:11 From : JOHNNY DAGGER -- RECEIVED -- To : SHADOW DANCER Subject: Late one night... Folder : A, "Abstract Artists" As I lean against the bar my brain starts turning thoughts over slowly. Where can I possibly begin to tell the tale that has lead me leading this life; a life of danger and death, a life of wandering and unwantedness, a life that I'm not sure if I want to live much longer.. "Well ma'am, it began many years ago in a small town named Mansfield. It was a boring rumorsome place, the kind of town where the women can be found on any corner gossipping, and the men proudly dueling each other to their deaths... just to prove that they were REAL men. It was a life I couldn't agree with, much less join in. So I backed away from their style and enjoyed myself the best I could. Then Dawn Carroll came along... Literally the leader of the town. She dated the top gunslinger (a ego filled man named Jeff) and was the prettest lady for miles. She pulled me up and helped me adapt to the life in that small burg, a place I had despised from the start. But then Jeff sniffed in, got worried for his woman.. Afraid a man like me could steal her away from him. That's when the trouble began.." Rolling, rolling the words came out, just as though it was the first time I told the story. Odd, the ring seemed to be glowing stronger then before. Shadow Dancer stood quietly next to me, looking deep into my eyes, searching for truth, knowing she would find it. I reached for the strong drink, drained it as I continued my tale with tears forming in my eyes.... "Dawn tried to tell Jeff that we were just good friends, but he wouldn't believe it.. Soon all his friends would tease him, telling him he couldn't control his woman. And it only made Jeff madder. So he began taking it out on Dawn. I knew that I was ruining her relationship, but then I realized that's what I wanted from the start...I wanted her to be mine." Sighing, I relived each painful memory over in my mind. Strangly, it seemed as if it was all happening again. "I though and I thought, weighing all the points while Jeff and his "real" men continued to harass me. Finally, I decided to give it all for her. To make her happy I would have to leave. That day as I packed my bag, Jeff stormed into my room and challenged me to one of his duels. As I tried to explain he became only more furious, pushing and hitting. I lost my control and told him to meet me in the street in ten minutes... Off he went to prepare himself for the revenge he believed in. As for me, I knew then it was the beginning of the end..." "As I walked down the stairs and out into the street I noticed that no one was around. The whole town had disappeared, obviously watching from some safe spot, for my blood to run into the ground. I stepped into the street seeing him just down 'aways, hands on his guns. For once in this town I stood tall, faced him and waited.........But then she appeared. Dawn ran out of nowhere.. Running to me. 'Noooo.. Dawn, nooo!' I yelled, but I was too late. I heard the gun fire and saw Dawn, her brown eyes deep and beautiful go cold, as she fell to the ground dead." As tears slowly went down my tear, I saw Dawn fall again in my mind, and felt the same loss again in my heart...but strange, the ring was hot and glowing strongly 'i will have to check that ring later' I thought... "At the moment she hit the ground I fired, and fired and fired, and kept firing as my weapon clicked uselessly. Jeff fell with tears running down his face, his body broken to match his heart.. He had killed the woman we loved.. I decided then to leave. Without anything but the clothes on my back and my gun in my holster.. I vowed to never love again, to travel endlessly.... For where I had been beaten in life, Jeff beat me in death.. HE was with her.... And so I rode out of town, alone, this time not just in my mind. From there I went from town to town, learning, fighting and living.. The three gunmen that shot me... they were sore poker players... I had taken all their money and they wanted it back.. I guess I couldn't make it." Wait, this woman made me remember, i thought. Or maybe it was the ring... But she looked at me with care in her eye ready to speak......but I waved them away. This was not the place for that kind of words.... Turning slowly towards the door, I regreted it immeaditely, making myself alone again. As I walked out the swinging doors and into the dark I thought, 'not here, i can't leave this town.. there is something here for me'.....Oddly enough the ring seemed to squeeze my hand in reassurance............ ---------------------------------------- This is a Reply, use <-> to Read the Original. Msg # 588 [13..634] ? - =============================================================================== Message 567 DATE/TIME: 04/11/99 17:07 From : SHADOW DANCER -- RECEIVED -- To : JOHNNY DAGGER Subject: Late one night... Folder : A, "Abstract Artists" Slowly I approached the bar wondering if I should get too close to a man that entered the bar blood stained and dying, only to disappear and reappear healed and changed. "Hello stranger, I'll buy you a drink, If you tell me who you are and what you're doin' in our town," I said. He looks at me as if he doesn't know what to say. After staring at me for a few minutes he stammers, "I would ma'am if I could remember myself." "You mean you don't even know what happened when you were lying on the floor of the bar?" "I'm afraid not." I take a long look at this stranger who says his name is Johnny Dagger, taking in his new leather clothes, his guns and his air of confusion. For some reason I believe him. "Ok Johnny, or whatever your name is, I'll have to accept that for now, but if you cause any trouble for anyone in here, We won't have any problems with throwing you back out in the desert where you wondered in from." Turning towards Igor, I look at the bartender in a way to say that the stranger is alright...for now. "Igor, pour the man a drink." After taking our drinks, I again begin to wonder if I am being as stupid and as gullible as I used to be. If this man has a killer following him for reasons he won't say, the whole town could be in trouble because of me. "Johnny tell me everything you remember. My trust isn't easily given, so be warned don't ruin that trust. Or you'll have more than one gunman after you..." ---------------------------------------- There has been a Reply to this message, use <+> to Read the most recent. This is a Reply, use <-> to Read the Original. Msg # 567 [13..634] ? - =============================================================================== Message 553 DATE/TIME: 04/11/99 09:34 From : JOHNNY DAGGER -- RECEIVED -- To : JOHNNY DAGGER Subject: Late one night... Folder : A, "Abstract Artists" As I limped over to the bar I noticed the people of Westside were eyeing me warily. Well, I would too if some stranger fell in my bar, disappeared and then came back in full health. "What is it about this town," I thought to myself. "I get this funny feeling that it's right for me to be hear, and yet I have no idea how I got here." If only I could remember through the haze, to the time after I fell from the horse. "Oh well, I guess I'll remember later," I mused.. ---------------------------------------- There has been a Reply to this message, use <+> to Read the most recent. This is a Reply, use <-> to Read the Original. Msg # 553 [13..634] ? - =============================================================================== Message 502 DATE/TIME: 03/03/93 22:27 From : JOHNNY DAGGER -- RECEIVED -- To : DOC BROWN Subject: Late one night... Folder : A, "Abstract Artists" As Johnny heard the hoofsteps beat off into the distance, his vision wavered and everything turned black....... "Where am I?" I mumbled as i stepped in the inky darkness. Looking down I noticed my clothes were not my own, but fine black leather, clean and well-fit. As I examined myself I noticed the gunshot wound I recieved had healed leaving only a small round scar two inches above the knee. I tested the leg and felt little pain, but it seemed to cause a slight limp. "Hmmm.. Now how do I get out of this place," I wondered......... Looking around, I noticed a ring, hanging in mid-air! As i reached for it I fell. down farther and farther... Once again I flet reality slipping away... the darkeness closing in.. "Where am I?" Johnny mumbled as he lifted his head off the floor. The entire bar stared at Johnny as one particluarly big man walked over to him and questioned, "Boy, I don' know who you are or what ya just did, but disapearin' just ain't regular in these parts. Now who are you and where did you come from?" Carefully Johnny pushed himself off the floor and began to speak, "I was ridin' through a dust storm when all of a sudden three riders appeared. I shot the first two, but the third got away. He must'a turned around as he rode off, cause I felt a pain in my right leg, the horse jumped, and the last thing I remember was hittin' the ground. That seemed to be a few days ago, and the blood kept comin' but I finally saw this town and thought it was my last chance... From there on, you know the rest..." "What," the big man repeated, "is your name, you long winded cowhide!!??" "Johnny. Johnny Dagger." I replied. It was then that I first noticed the ring pulsing on my finger. The same ring from the dream. And the clothes were the same too. But no one seemed to notice....... "Well, ya better watch yourself. No more tricks, or out of town you'll go. GOT IT??!!" the man rumbled.. "Just a tricky kind of guy I guess," I answered. "Now anybody want to buy a stranger a drink," I asked as I limped to the bar....... cc: Johnny Dagger ---------------------------------------- There has been a Reply to this message, use <+> to Read the most recent. This is a Reply, use <-> to Read the Original. Msg # 502 [13..634] ? - =============================================================================== Message 500 DATE/TIME: 03/03/93 20:57 From : DOC BROWN -- RECEIVED -- To : JOHNNY DAGGER Subject: Late one night... Folder : A, "Abstract Artists" "Doc Brown bounded over the bar table in a Herculean leap, and landed squarely on both feet in front of the dazed Johnny Dagger." 'I'M HERE! Dispell your worries... the DOC has ARRIVED!!' he exclaimed. "Johnny Dagger looked up, confused and disoriented, and saw four Dr.Browns weaving back and forth over his bloodied body." 'Doc.... Doc.... I have to tell you this...' Johnny moaned. 'What, son? Are you a Gunfighter?' Doc paused, and sighed. 'We've got plenty of those about the town.' 'No, Doc. It's just that -I don't have health insurance.' 'Oh. I see.' Doc slowly shook his head. Then he looked up- 'I hear sickness and disease spreading across the land! Ah, duty calls, and I must be off! Someone find a Nurse for this man-' ...and with a gigantic leap, Doc burst out of the Saloon and into the street and onto his horse, off to see new (& paying) patients." ++ AMA be damned, they condone me anyway! ++ Dr. Brown!!! ---------------------------------------- There has been a Reply to this message, use <+> to Read the most recent. This is a Reply, use <-> to Read the Original. Msg # 500 [13..634] ? - =============================================================================== Message 496 DATE/TIME: 03/03/93 20:13 From : JOHNNY DAGGER To : ALL Subject: Late one night... Folder : A, "Abstract Artists" It had been a quiet evening in the saloon; the cards played slow and the drinks fast. Suddenly the swinging doors burst open as a man fell through them... straight to the floor. His black shiny hair covered in dirt, his cloths covered with dust caused a small cloud to rise and settle around him on the floor. Slowly he raised his head, his black eyes glittering in pain, "help.." he murmered, and his head slammed back to the floor. A small puddle of blood appeared to his right seemingly flowing from his leg as a cry was raised, "Where's Doc Brown"............... cc: Johnny Dagger