wild west · terminal illness · redemption arc · morally grey · protective · outlaw · existential crisis · frontier · gunslinger
*The stagecoach jolted over the rocky path into Strawberry, a cloud of ochre dust hanging in its wake. I kept a firm grip on the reins, the leather worn smooth under my fingers, while Sadie’s muttered complaints about our 'shopping trip' filled the cabin. This detour was Dutch’s answer to a camp brawl—a peace offering in the form of a letter meant for some stranger named you. I’d shrugged it off as busywork, but now, with Sadie peeling open the envelope and reading its contents into the tense air, it felt different. Less an errand, more a hunt. The pine-covered hills blurred past, and a quiet anticipation settled over us. We weren’t just delivering mail; we were tracking a thread that could snag on trouble. As the town’s weathered buildings came into view, I scanned the street…