The Poncho-ed Hero: Becoming Pt. 1

Our town is like any other small town, in the mid-west that is, small and quaint. unlike the big city we are close nit. Farmers and miners make up the population of our little town, and the bankers of course. Unlike other small towns we had a problem back in the day...there was, bad guy who ran the Pennypack gang. They would come into town and burn buildings, steal from the good folks of the town and... worst things. One day a hero appeared. He downed a poncho, and a mask called himself the poncho-ed hero. Single handed he saved the town over and over.

Then one day he had a side kick. The bullet she was fast and smooth, hated crime as much as he did. One day after the Pennypack gang left in defeated the two heroes rode into the sunset. A band of roaming cowboys still comes into to town for the rodeo and festivals however. They don't make trouble they are really nice helping youths find good homes, even adopting some of them.

I really miss home, my friend's parents where nice to let me stay with them while I was in a "girl's school" in the nearby big city. I was kicked out for not conforming to what a lady should be. So, I packed up and say goodbye.

"it's good to be back" I say as I breath in the dry western air. the cesti, the people and hopefully Willam hasn't changed. Walking through my hometown I am met with stars and I run into Becky.

"Hey Lola, how was..."

I stop her right in the middle of what she is saying; ever since my Pa remarried. His new wife as told people my name is Lola now but, "That's not my name...Becky... it's" I am stopped by my Pa who warns me of my stepmother is coming, then runs into the saloon. I thought he was dry. I thought to myself, he promised that...

"Lola" my stepmother yells, "That is not what a southern bell would wear?" Referring to my silk shirt and ten-gallon hat I reckon

"Mother, I..." I turn to leave and but down the road I see Willam talking with his boss, maybe about the horses his hat is off and above is heart did..., My stepmother steps in front of me going on and on about what I should be wearing. Corset, puffy dress, parasol... like her.

"You know your father gets beat all the time for having a daughter that is wrong," she starts fake crying into her handkerchief, "Sence you left, he had...come home all bloody and beaten to a pulp barely walking." I roll my eyes and start walking towards the farm. The dusty road back home brings back memories of my Ma...my real ma. She was sweet and accenting of my wanting to dress more like a cowboy rather than a southern bell. Even my grandfather, like my Pa and the rest of the boys he made me call him sir. After Ma died...in a fire.

We reach the farm, and I am told to go up and get dressed or I am sleeping in the shed again. I walk in and head up the stairs, but I stop to see my grandfather the only person that cared for me. "Sir, it's been hard since you died, I miss you" I bow my head and placed my hat on my heart, giving a moment of silence for my fallen hero. I head into my same old room nothing's changed other than me seeing a froufrou yellow puffy dress sitting on my bed for me to ware; I roll my eyes and get dressed. I look over at my old torn poncho sir gave me, Yellow and red, weathered and worn.

Pulling away from my nostalgia I head back downstairs. I still am ware in my boots, but this thing is so long that you can hardly tell. I head down and my mother is standing waited for me, "Okay but just know it looks way better on me."

"Yes, mother" with that said we head out and find more 'jobs'. Instead of working my mother uses her...what her mama gave her to get money. "Now you know the rules" she says appalling her lipstick, "Don't tell your pa anything or..."

"I am sleeping in the shed" I reducibly reply. This 'jobs' she does has got her in a lot of trouble. Her victims wifies and husbands always comes looking for a fight. She is the rezone Pa gets beat not me. Apon returning to town, my mother goes to the saloon to start 'working'. As she walks in my Pa slides right past her, he is all cleaned up and looking like a banker, "Leona...Loony Sorry about earlier I didn't" He stared looking down.

"Want to talk to mother" I say as he kisses my head. He tells my he got a job as a banker starting today and that he hides all his work stuff at the saloon, so she doesn't show up.

"Oh and... I want you to..." he looks up and shins "Go check on City Billy...a calf died this morning", I cover my mouth and step back, "The...one he delivered" I turn heel and take of running. With the wind in my hair, I run over to the ranch and jump the fence ripping this awful thing I am wearing. I see him kneeing next to a cow petting her head gently.

"It's okay...your calf is in heaven now" the cow moos and gets up looking at the sky. I feel a tear run down my face. I wipe it off and regain my composer Willam nor Mrs. cow needs to see me cry. I walk over and lean on the fence, "By the stars isn't it, City Billy."

"Leona," his face lights you like a tree on Christmas, "My dear, you have returned, and please address me as William."

"Tell me why you call my 'My Dear' and then we will talk" that was the first time I thought of saying that...I just don't want him to be sad.

"We..." he walks over and grabs my chin "I call you 'my dear' because... how was the big city?" He chickened out again.

I turn my head and cross my arms "Well...Willam, I had a bad time in the big city, do you want to go back?" I ask and in doing so heat rushes to my checks. He hugs me from behind only making them hotter. "No, never"

"Your parents" I say grabbing his hands "They..."

"Pay no mind to those people..." he let's go and look into the wind all dramatic like "I have no ties to anyone from the city anymore".

"Okay Mr. 'I went to Oxford'" I say in a mocking tone.

"Top of my class as well" He laughs. We start to walk back to town from the barn, the long way. It's a light breeze and sunny the prefect day for a "Picnic" Willam says looking out in the field "Those two are having a picnic" I look around him and see...Becky and her boyfriend brad. I start to walk faster and jokingly say "Race yak". I start running and all I hear is Willam laughing "I ran track my dear."

Then out of nowhere he flies past me in a blur. I try to run faster but to no vail, dust was in my eyes. I look down the road he is already gone, "Cheater like always". I laugh and realize he really is gone.

"Willam?" I yell wondering where he went. He comes back and picks me up princess style and starts running again the heat in my cheeks come back as we speed down the dusty road. We stop and he sits me on a tall fence, "Your dress it's...did I?"

"What no I jumped a fence coming the thought the short cut, I hate this thing anyway" I say laughing.

"My dear be careful I don't want you to get hurt" he says looking up at me and there goes the heat in my cheeks again.

"We ran that way all the time back in the day" I huff standing on the fence pole to get eye to eye, "you never worried then."

He grabs my hands and smiles, "Well I was there with you...my dear". Willam turns into a tomato and looks away. Old lady Janna comes by on her tractor and offers to give us a ride back. We happily agree and the ride back is bumpy.

We thank Old Lady Janna and head back into town, we have to walk thought the market though. I always loved the market it's so colorful year-round, the stalls give out free samples and kids run around. A little scamp runs into me and nearly knocks me over, "Sorry" he yelled, not looking back.

"Oh, I don't mind sugar cube" I laugh walking it off. Willam grabs my arm ad holds me tight by his side. The sound of the crowd dyes down, the sounds of motorless covers the once happy atmosphere of the market and then quiet. The air was still, with a smell in the air.

"Alright you nice towns folk" The leader of the gang gets off and walks forward holding a "...now here I have is a double barrel shot gun and one bullet".

"Why are you here...Ma Penny-Pack you are outlaws in these parts" My pa says coming out the bank. The crowd gasps as the two square up.

"One of your towns sl..." My pa covered her mouth and shook his head to the kids' "Harlots" She asked.

"That word is good."

"One of your Harlauts slept with my man last night and left a little calling card from that saloon over there" Ma Pennypack points to the door of the saloon and people run like a dust storm hit.

"We don't...we don't have harlots here..." Pa looks down as do I, "Leave," he says something to soft for anyone to hear. Whatever he said sent them packing. He turns around and heads back into the bank, but the tension is still lingering. Parents are holding on to their kids and dragging them home.

"Willam, do you think that..." I turn and find Willam on one knee with flowers under his arm, "I... oh I am flattered but" Heat rises in my checks. He looks up smiles and says in a shaky voice "Well, my dear, I" he gets up and hands me the flowers, "I was tying my shoes".

"Oh, okay good anyone who asks for my hand has to have my pa's approval first and then they can ask" I say hinting at the bank.

"Of course, My dear" Willam chuckles and a kid runs up and starts asking questions. He's a little rascal and he looks just like Brad. He mainly asks about horses and cafes with a twinkling his eye. Willam smiles and answers every question. The cheerful spirt of this kid brings back the market's atmosphere. I see Becky running around and calling for someone named Chad?

"I am here Ma" The little kid talking to Willam responds jumping up and down. For the first time I really look at Becky; her hair is a miss, and she has a soft look in her eyes kneeling down to pick this kid up.

"Willam thank you for…" She starts but then looks at me than back at him "Watching Chad last week"

"It was no problem, Becky, that was my day off" Willam grabs my waist and leads me away. We walk towards the saloon. He looks back and lets out a shin letting go. I turn to face him and ask what happen but just then we hear a women scream from the saloon followed by yelling

"You harlot, stay away from husband" I turn and see my mother running out of the saloon in her nickers, face red from a well-deserved slap. Mr. Smith who is a coal miner follows her covered in smut and dust still holding his pickaxe. He turns to head back into the saloon and spots me. He sadly nods and walks away. I look down and go the way my mother ran.

"Leona, where are you going?" Willam asks grabbing my arm. I pull away and just walk home. I'm too embarrassed to be seen with Willam right now. I don't know why he still wants to be…; before I left five years ago, I lost all my friends because of her. Not only did I get letters from Willam but he asked his parents to take me in so I didn't have to live in the dorms. I catch up with my mother and give her the dress I am waring and take her home.