บท 26: Chapter 26 (Bonus)
Chapter 26: Who is the Pitiful One
The old sheriff sat quietly by the door, a shotgun and a glass of water on the table beside him. He had been sitting there all day, staring at the large tree not far away.
He wondered if he regretted his choices. If he had made different decisions, would he still have a complete family today?
The old sheriff remembered his father's words: once you make a choice, don't regret it.
As a child, when he fell, his mother wanted to comfort him, but to show his father his strength, he refused. When he was older, his father asked him which foal he wanted. Because the girl he liked had a beautiful white horse, he chose the same.
When it was time to marry...
People always asked him if he regretted his decisions. He always said no, even when he knew he had made mistakes that could never be undone.
Now, the old sheriff was too old to ponder these thoughts. He had learned to accept life's consequences. He had learned that every choice comes with a price. Whatever that may be.
Now, the old sheriff dared not drink alcohol, not even a drop. He feared that if he drank too much, his hand would tremble when he held his gun, not out of fear or excitement, but because of his age. At his age, he could no longer steady his hand like he could when he was younger. Alcohol would only make it worse.
On nights like tonight, the rustling of the wind through the branches should be louder, he thought. Watching the moonlight, the shadows of the trees swaying, the old sheriff reflected on how people change as they age. They often find themselves lost in memories of the past, or suddenly feel that the night air carries a childhood scent. They tend to critically examine their lives, questioning their choices.
People often said he was old-fashioned, but he didn't see it that way. He felt that the world had moved on, leaving him and his values behind.
"Grandpa, I can't sleep. I want my mom. She didn't say goodnight to me." The little girl pushed open the door, holding her bunny doll, and came to the old sheriff's side.
The old sheriff gently picked her up and placed her in his lap. He stroked her head and said softly, "Dear, didn't Grandpa say goodnight to you?"
"And look, Bunny is saying goodnight too."
The old sheriff held the bunny doll to his face and used its little paw to stroke the girl's head, his hoarse voice saying, "Goodnight, goodnight, Jenny! Goodnight, goodnight, Jenny!"
Jenny giggled, and after playing for a while, she started to rub her eyes, feeling sleepy. The old sheriff, worried that the night air might make her cold, carried Jenny back to her bedroom. As he did, he avoided looking at the two empty beds. He carefully laid Jenny down, tucked her in, kissed her forehead, and gently closed the door.
As he descended the stairs, the old sheriff suddenly stopped before even leaving the house. He heard the dog barks outside, but they quickly fell silent. His years of experience made him instantly alert.
The old sheriff grabbed the long-barreled shotgun by the stairs and the ammunition beside it. He cautiously aimed at the front door. When he saw the doorknob turn slightly, he pulled the trigger without hesitation. The sudden loud gunshot and flash seemed to startle whoever was outside. The old sheriff saw a figure by the window and fired again. The shot hit the enemy, and a scream echoed outside.
Calmly, the old sheriff ejected the spent shells and reloaded. By the time he finished, the enemies had already burst through the front door. Instead of shooting back, they charged directly at him. The old sheriff felt a bad premonition but had no time to think. He fired twice and then used the butt of his empty gun to knock down the third enemy.
The old sheriff relentlessly bashed the enemy's head with the gun stock until he was sure the man was dead. During the brief lull, he reloaded his gun.
Just as he finished reloading, he heard Jenny's cry.
"Put down your weapons, or I'll kill her!"
The old sheriff froze. Somehow, the enemies had made it upstairs and taken Jenny hostage.
The old sheriff's eyes turned red. He couldn't gamble with his granddaughter's life. He roared, "Don't hurt her! You damned bastards!"
The bandits didn't give the old sheriff a chance to negotiate. They quickly overpowered him. Then, they tied him to the large tree in front of the house. He cursed loudly.
The house was engulfed in flames, thick smoke billowing. The cries from inside grew louder, then fainter, turning into agonizing screams before abruptly ending.
Finally, the bandits untied the old sheriff and said with a laugh, "Greetings from the O'Driscolls."
The old sheriff couldn't hear them. He rushed into the burning house like a madman. Not far away, a young Malloy covered his mouth, too afraid to cry out loud.
***
"Hey, wake up, stop daydreaming. What happened next?"
"By the time you got there, it was too late. What happened to the old sheriff?"
Arthur impatiently looked at Malloy, who finally emerged from his memories and said quietly, "They died in their sleep, burned to death. The O'Driscolls did it."
***
Hi guys,
I really need your help with putting this story out there.
So For every 100 Power Stones, you'll get 1 Bonus Chapter.
For Every 100 Collections, you'll get 1 Bonus Chapter.
Don't be stingy and let there be a rain of stones.
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