#john marsten

John stopped and did a double take when he saw the familiar horse tied up outside Strawberry’s livery. He whistled his call signal to make sure, and the horse immediately perked up and looked his way, whinnying a greeting. 

It was his old horse. It was Old Boy. 

John dismounted and went over to the stallion which had carried him for so many years. Old Boy whinnied softly again, and John could do nothing but smile. “Hello, old friend. How’ve you been? I thought I’d never see you again.”

He’d lost Old Boy when he finally fled his old gang with Abigail and Jack. There had been no time to go back for the horse, and John had been sure that Old Boy had died a long time ago. The horse was a bit skinny, and he was definitely older, but he seemed to be at good health. His current owner seemed to be taking good care of him. 

“Kindly step away from my horse, sir.”

John turned around and found himself eye to eye with an old and grizzled trapper. He was dressed in skins and had a big, graying beard and long hair underneath his fox skin hat. The man was holding a hand on the gun in his holster, a warning that he would shoot if necessary, so John slowly backed away. 

“I didn’t mean no harm, sir”, he said. “You see, this used to be my horse. I lost him years ago, and I never thought I’d see him again.”

The old man gave John a searching look. “Is that so? Well, it’s a fine horse.”

“That he is.” John hesitated for a moment. “Would you mind selling him to me? I’d pay good money to have him back.”

The old man spat on the ground. “Don’t know if I can do that. Good and reliable horses are hard to come by, and this one has carried me  through thick and thin the past couple of years. Doesn’t spook easily.”

John knew that all too well. “No, he doesn’t. He’s the best horse I’ve ever had. I can offer you $2000 for him, and you can have my horse in exchange.” John pointed to his thoroughbred. “If you aren’t happy with her you can buy basically any horse you want, but I promise you that she’s just as steady as Old Boy. Please, sir. I just want my Old Boy back.” 

If the man said no John reckoned he could always sneak after him and steal Old Boy in the dark of night, but he didn’t want it to come to that if it wasn’t necessary. He’d promised Abigail to keep on the straight and narrow, after all. 

The old man looked surprised at the offered sum. It was a lot of money, but to John his horse was worth every penny if the man accepted. Besides, with all the money he and Sadie found when going after Micah he could spare it. John wasn’t usually this sentimental, but this was Old Boy. He wasn’t just any horse.

The trapper looked at John’s thoroughbred for a moment and then back at John again. “2000? And your mare? This horse must be really special.”

“He is, sir. Do you accept my offer?”

“I do know what it’s like to have that one horse you’d give anything to ride again. I accept.”

John smiled warmly and reached for his money to count out the bills. “Thank you, sir.” He gave the trapper his promised money and shortly after his saddle was placed on Old Boy’s back again. He untied the reins and mounted up, giving Old Boy a pat on the neck. “Good to have you back, boy. Come on, Let’s go home.”

---

With a strange sense of everything being right in  the world, John stopped outside of the barn on his ranch and dismounted. He gave Old Boy a friendly pat on the neck and led him into the pen to remove the saddle and brush him down. Jack, who’d been playing with his dog, came over to him and climbed up on the fence. 

“Hi, Pa. Who’s this horse? Where’s Rachel?”

“I traded her away for Old Boy, here”, John said simply. “Don’t you remember him?”

Jack studied the horse for a moment and nodded. “I think so. You used to ride him when we lived with Uncle Dutch, didn’t you? Where did you find him?”

“Outside of Strawberry. I almost got a chock when I saw him. I thought he was dead.”

Jack jumped off the fence and walked over to stroke Old Boy’s nose. “Does he remember you?”

“He does. He perked right up when he heard my whistle.”

“I’m glad you got him back, Pa. I’ll see you inside.”

Easy Boah, digital illustration

Artist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duskwalk/

the cowboy cleans up well

John got off his horse and slowly approached the grave. He sat down on the ground with a sigh and looked solemnly at the cross marking Arthur Morgan’s last resting place. He hadn’t been there since he’d dug the grave to bury his friend all those years ago. The cross looked worn, but it was nice to see flowers blooming around it. 

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, old friend?” John finally said. “I think you’ll be glad to hear  that I made it. We made it. Abigail, the boy and I... Even Uncle. That old bastard is harder to get rid of than fleas on a dog.” He let out a short, dry laugh. “I think Uncle will stay with me until the day he dies. We’re the last remnant of the old gang: Uncle, Abigail, Jack and I. Sadie comes by once in a while, too. She’s a bounty hunter now. Charles stayed with us for some time, as well, but he moved up north to find a good woman to settle down with.

I’m a ranch owner, now. Can you believe it? I bought a piece of land outside of Blackwater. It isn’t much, but it’s mine. I even managed to get a loan, thanks to a rancher I worked for for some time. He put in a good word for me so. Did you know that houses can be bought pre-cut now? I ordered one from a catalogue. Uncle and Charles helped me build it. Well, Charles and I build it. Uncle helped in his own way, but you know how he is.

I think you’ll be glad to know that Micah is dead. Sadie found him holed up at Mount Hagen with his new gang. We went there, Sadie, Charles and I. and we killed them all. Dutch was there, too. He actually helped us kill Micah. I let him go. I don’t think we’ll ever see him again. At least I hope we won’t. We found a huge stash of money, so we’re all set for a while. I could pay off my loan in full and still have plenty left.

Abigail and I are married now. She managed to make an honest man out of me. I’m trying my best to keep it on the straight and narrow for her, and for Jack. I do slip up once in a while, but I am trying. Old habits die hard, you know. I don’t steal or rob anymore, but killing is another matter. I try to tell myself that I only do it if I’m provoked or attacked, but it’s not good enough for Abigail. Well, what she doesn’t know can’t hurt her, right?”

John let his eyes drift to look at the view. He’d chosen a good spot for Arthur’s grave. It was beautiful here. He sighed heavily and stood up, brushing himself off.  “I guess this is my final good-bye. I miss you, Arthur. I hope I’ll see you in the next life, God willing.”

finding john