“Where are my manners?” said Mike Barker. “Here I am eating this delicious chocolate candy bar without offering you any. I do apologize. Kid, would you like one? We’ve got a couple of cases of candy. Do you like milk chocolate or dark chocolate? I’m partial to the milk chocolate myself.”
“Uh, thanks, but I really shouldn’t, what with it being stolen,” said Kid Czarcasm.
“What?” asked one of the younger Barker Brothers. “You think you’re too high and mighty to eat stolen candy, but that lowly outlaws such as we Barker Brothers can?”
“Let it go, Pete,” said Mike Barker. “The Kid has his principles. Even I do, but not about the candy.”
One of the Barker Brothers walked over to the Kid. He held out a candy bar.
“Here, Kid. This one isn’t part of the stolen loot. I paid cash for this one, so go ahead and take it.”
Mike gave a puzzled look at his brother. “Keith, that’s unusually nice of you. I’ve never known you to part with your stuff.”
Keith shrugged. “We can’t have the Kid torn between drooling for chocolate and thinking of his principles, can we?”
Kid Czarcasm accepted the candy bar.
“Thanks,” he said as he unwrapped it.
“You’re welcome.”
Keith smiled as he watched the Kid bite into the candy. He waited until the boy finished chewing and swallowing before he spoke again.
“Oh, did I forget to mention that I doctored that candy bar with something? I don’t think we’ll be seeing a demonstration of your amazing shooting abilities and fighting skills today, Kid Czarcasm.”
The Kid stared at Keith. Then he stared at the candy bar.
“Keith, what the hell are you talking about?” said Mike.
Keith didn’t answer Mike. Instead he spoke to the Kid.
“Kid, didn’t your folks ever tell you not to accept candy from strangers?” said Keith.
Kid Czarcasm felt dizzy. He staggered and tried to keep from falling.
Lucas Carter watched helplessly from behind the tree. He was outnumbered, so he couldn’t show himself just yet. Lucas wondered where his father was.
He should be here by now, thought Lucas. He remembered when he was eight years old seeing his father grab his weapons and march out the door to help Kid Czarcasm face the Barker Brothers.
Kid Czarcasm fell to the ground. He couldn’t see clearly and his arms and legs felt like heavy weights.
“Don’t worry, Kid,” said Keith. “It’s not fatal. It’ll just temporarily slow you down. That gives us plenty of time to head over to Strate Dohpe and tear apart that little town without any intereference from you.”
“Keith, I wish you hadn’t done that,” said Mike. “What if he’s allergic to whatever it was you put in that candy?”
“What do you care? He’s out of our hair either way.”
“Keith,” said Mike coldly, “Remember I said I have my own principles? One of those principles is that we do not hurt children.”
Keith glared at Mike. “Does that mean you have no intention of going up against this Kid in a real shoot-out? Maybe you’re way too soft-hearted to be leading our group! Just because you’re the oldest, we’ve been following what you say. Maybe that needs to be changed!”
Keith turned to the other Barker Brothers. “How do the rest of you feel about this? Are you going to follow what Mike says or do you want to vote for a new leader?”
The others didn’t say anything for a moment. Then one of them spoke up.
“Mike’s doing just fine as our leader, so we don’t need to change a thing.”
“Hal, are you blind?” said Keith. “If I was leader, Kid Czarcasm would have a bullet from my gun plugged into his skull within seconds of riding into our camp! Instead, Mike is acting like a namby-pamby hostess and being all nice to the boy!”
Hal stared back at Keith. “Well, Keith, I happen to feel the same way about going up against a boy. It’s one thing to engage in a shoot-out with grown men, but come on. He’s just a little kid with his whole life ahead of him. Leave him alone.”
“You’re too soft! I can’t believe I’m hearing this!”
“Let’s have a show of hands,” said Mike. “All of those in favor of me still being your leader raise your hands.”
All the Barker Brothers except for Keith raised their hands.
“All of those who want Keith as your new leader raise your hands.”
Keith glared when he saw he was the only one with his hand raised.
“It’s settled,” said Mike. “Now saddle up. We’ve got a town to tear apart.”
He turned to Kid Czarcasm. “I’m real sorry about this, Kid. I’ll check back to make sure you’re okay after we’re done looting the town. The least I can do is make you as comfortable as possible.”
Mike picked up the Kid and carried him over to where a sleeping bag was spread under a tree. Then he gently placed the boy down onto the sleeping bag.
Kid Czarcasm stared upward as he listened to Mike leave and ride off with the other Barker Brothers. His vision was still blurry and he still could not move.
Lucas watched the Barker Brothers ride away. Then he emerged from behind the tree and approached his brother.
“Kid, it’s okay. You probably don’t recognize me and this may sound incredible, but I’m your brother Lucas.”
The Kid shook his head. “Lucas? No. You don’t sound like Lucas. I can’t see anything.”
“I’m twenty years older. I’m from the future and I’m here to stop you from getting killed.”
Lucas did not hear the tall mysterious stranger quietly sneak up behind him. But he did feel it when the stranger hit him on the back of his head, thus knocking him unconscious.
“Sorry, Lucas,” said the stranger. “I can’t have you interfering in what’s meant to be.”
“What’s happening? Who’s there? I can’t see anything!” cried the Kid.
The stranger did not answer Kid Czarcasm’s questions. He grabbed Lucas and dragged him over behind a group of trees.
So where was the sheriff? Well, back at the ranch:
The sheriff was locked in his own stable. He had gone inside to get his horse when the mysterious stranger slammed the door shut and placed the bar across it to lock him inside.
“Sorry, Sheriff,” said the stranger. “Can’t have you interfering in what’s meant to be.”
“Open this door, you bastard!”
“No can do. I’ve got to go now and see about stopping an intruder from the future.”
“Go to hell!”
“Been there. Done that,” replied the stranger as he mounted his horse and rode off.
We now go to where the Barker Brothers are riding toward the town of Strate Dohpe. Keith carefully slowed down so that he was at the rear of the group. Then he discreetly turned around and headed back to the camp. The others continued riding toward the town.
The mysterious stranger stood hidden behind the group of trees. Lucas lay unconcious at his feet. Kid Czarcasm was still drugged and lying on the sleeping bag.
The Kid heard a rider on horseback approaching. The horse came to a halt, the rider dismounted and walked over toward the Kid.
“Now it’s just you and me, Kid,” said the rider.
Kid Czarcasm recognized Keith’s voice.
“Mike and the others will come back to find you dead,” said Keith. “But first you and me are going to have our own private little party.”
Well, now, I didn’t see that coming at all, thought the mysterious stranger observing Keith.
Kid Czarcasm tried in vain to push Keith off of him.
“Don’t bother struggling, Kid,” said Keith. “You and I are going to get to know each other real well.”
He removed the Kid’s gun belt and threw it a few yards away where it landed on the edge of a cliff.
“You won’t be needing those,” he said.
But before Keith could accomplish what he wanted to do, a shot rang out. Keith gasped and cried out when he felt the hot lead bullet penetrate and land into his back.
“Damn you, Keith!” yelled Mike holding his gun. “I warned you what I’d do to you if I ever caught you trying to violate another child!”
Mike got off of his horse and rushed over. He pushed Keith away from the Kid.
“You’re a disgrace to our name! I’m ashamed to call you my brother! Oh, what the hell am I bothering to yell at you for? You can’t hear me anymore, can you?” Mike peered into the eyes of his now motionless brother Keith.
Then he turned to Kid Czarcasm.
“I am so sorry, Kid,” he said sincerely. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“No. You stopped him in time.”
“I rushed back when I noticed he was no longer with us. Knowing some of the sick stuff he’s done in the past, and with you lying here all helpless, I figured it best to come back here pronto.”
Another shot rang out. Kid Czarcasm’s vision was beginning to clear. He stared up at Mike and saw the surprised look on the face of the oldest Barker Brother. Then he turned in the direction of where he heard the shot. Keith was holding a gun that was still smoking. Mike slumped down and fell over.
“I heard you just fine, Mike. Damn you,” whispered Keith. Then he stared at the Kid. “You’re next.”
Kid Czarcasm couldn’t believe what he saw. Keith pointed the gun at Kid Czarcasm. The look in his eyes was that of pure evil. Keith aimed at the Kid and fired, but nothing happened.
“Damn!” Keith muttered.
He’s out of bullets, thought the Kid.
The Kid found his strength slowly coming back. He didn’t know how. Maybe being endowed with those magical abilities three years ago allowed him to recover from the drugged candy quicker than he normally would. Maybe it was because he ate only one bite of the drugged candy instead of the whole bar. He didn’t know and he didn’t care. The Kid got up and moved toward where his gun belt had been thrown. Keith struggled to follow the Kid.
“You runt! I’ll kill you with my own bare hands!” shouted Keith.
Kid Czarcasm picked up his own gun belt, but he had not completely recovered from the effects of the drug, and so the gun belt slipped from his hands and fell. The Kid was standing on the edge of a cliff. His gun belt had fallen far below.
“Damn!” muttered the Kid.
Lucas Carter had woken up a moment ago. He looked up and instantly recognized the mysterious stranger. He kicked the mysterious stranger’s legs out from under him. Then he punched him hard in the face and knocked him out cold.
Lucas looked at his watch. Only seconds before the twelfth hour of the twelfth day of the twelfth month. He looked and saw Keith Barker moving toward the Kid.
Keith charged toward Kid Czarcasm. The Kid tried to elude him, but his footing gave way and he fell over the edge.
Lucas rushed over toward the edge of the cliff and sped past the angry Barker Brother.
I’m falling, thought Kid Czarcasm. I’m going to be crushed on the sharp rocks below and die!
The Kid could not believe what he saw as he looked upward. A tall wiry young man was falling down toward him. Lucas grabbed the Kid and held on tightly.
“Trust me, Kid!” shouted Lucas as the two brothers continued falling. “We’re going home to see Ma and Pa!”
Suddenly a blast of light appeared. They landed on something very soft. Lucas made sure to tuck and roll as they hit the soft surface.
Kid Czarcasm opened his eyes and looked around.
“We made it! We’re both alive!” said Lucas grinning.
“Good job,” said the time traveler who had given Lucas the chance to go back in time to save Kid Czarcasm.
“And as you can see, you managed to accomplish your mission without tampering with events, so you’ve avoided causing your world to be taken over by damn dirty apes.”
Lucas smiled at the time traveler. “I still don’t understand you when you say that. One of these days you’re going to have to explain what that means.”
“Of course. But later. Right now we should welcome your legendary brother to this time and place. Kid Czarcasm, I’m sure you have a million questions to ask, don’t you?”
The Kid nodded and smiled.
Afterward the time traveler returned to his own time way off in the future. He told Lucas and the others that he would not be coming back. They bid him farewell.
A week later Kid Czarcasm was settled into his new home with his family. His parents were twenty years older, so it was quite an adjustment for them to see their first born son still so young at the age of fourteen.
The Kid’s father told his family something he had not revealed before.
“Son, do you remember Chief Flaming Arrow and his son Eagle Feather?”
“Yes, Pa.”
Kid Czarcasm had saved the son of Chief Flaming Arrow from drowning. The Chief was so grateful that he made the Kid an honorary member of his tribe.
“Twenty years ago after you disappeared from falling over the edge of that cliff, he said something to me that at the time I thought was just his way of trying to comfort me over your death.”
They waited for him to continue. The sheriff leaned back in his chair.
“He told me not to despair because one day we would be reunited with you. I thought he meant in the afterlife. But now I think he somehow was able to foresee this incredible event where Lucas would be able to go back in time and bring you here to be with us.”
There was a knock at the door. Lucas went to answer it.
“Come in. We were just talking about you.”
Chief Flaming Arrow and his son Eagle Feather came in. They smiled when they saw Kid Czarcasm.
“So you finally made it here!” said Eagle Feather as he embraced the Kid and hugged him.
They stayed for dinner and had a very pleasant evening.
And what happened to that mysterious stranger who was supposed to witness Kid Czarcasm’s death and record it for the archives?
After he woke up from being knocked out cold from Lucas’ punch, he looked around. He saw the Kid’s gunbelt and hat lying on the sharp rocks below the cliff. He assumed the Kid’s body had been washed away in the river below.
He couldn’t ask anyone there if they’d seen anything because by that time Keith Barker had died of the bullet wound that Mike gave him.
Mike Barker died from Keith’s gun shot. The other Barker Brothers drifted apart and no one heard of them again.
Lucas married Daisy. Fourteen year old Kid Czarcasm was there as his best man.
“Lucas, if you had saved my life back then so that somehow I’d stayed in the past instead of being brought here into the future, maybe Daisy would be marrying me and you’d be the best man at our wedding.”
“Guess we’ll never know,” said Lucas.
THE END
