Gunshots

 by Lizzy B.

Ages 9-12 Runner Up

Fall 2023 Writing Contest

Boom!

The gunshots echoed through the night.

Boom!  

Andi hid under the covers. This had been going on every night for the past week. You’d think as a twelve year old ranch girl Andi would hear this often. She didn’t. Nobody on the entire Circle C ranch knew where the gunshots came from. Everybody knew they were there.

Andi wandered down the hall, the hall that secretly always scared her. As she went down the stairway she ran into someone. Before she could scream the figure held it’s hand over her mouth. The hand felt rough and calloused; she knew it couldn’t be her mother or sister. As her eyes adjusted to the light the figure came into sight.

“Chad!” Andi exclaimed as quietly as she could, a wave of relief coming over her as she realized it was only her brother. “What are you doing here?” She was still quite confused at what her brother was doing up and dressed.

“Come with me,” Chad said, not giving her near the amount of information as she wanted.

As she walked down the hard stairs, bright rays hit her face nearly blinding her. Sitting at the table was Andi’s whole family. Andi had a million questions going on inside her head but before she could ask any of them Chad practically answered all of them.

 “I’m going to find out where the gunshots are coming from, " said Chad, reading Andi’s mind. “Then I’ll come back and we can finally sleep peacefully.”.” Anyone could tell that Chad was as tired of the gunshots as everyone at Circle C was. As Chad opened the door a gust of cold winter air blew in.

“Now, said Andi’s mom, “it looks like the gunshots are finally done, we’d better get to bed.” 

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When Andi woke the next morning she was immediately filled with fear, the night before Mother said she would wake her when Chad returned. Though she still knew, it was a weekend after all.  She pulled on her overalls and, just like any other Saturday, her family was all seated at the table…except for Chad.

Though Andi and Chad had their disagreements, he was her brother after all, she had to help him.  So after she was dismissed from the table she got to work. e She had gotten caught without food one too many times, so why not pack that first? Once Andi was finished packing, she realized she might have packed a little too much stuff, meaning her room looked like a robber came and took absolutely everything.

Andi was not too happy about that, so she had to take everything out of the bag and just pack the necessities, horse supplies, and jerky. Now it was the challenge of actually sneaking out of the house.

Now, Andi didn’t want to lie to her mother but she certainly wasn’t going to tell her where she was going. Andi only had one choice, she had to sneak out… through the window.

 Andi discovered that sneaking out through a balcony window was a lot harder than she thought, but she made it anyway. Andi ran to the stable, tacked up Taffi and rode off. Since she had no actual idea of where she was going she decided to get some licorice from town and stay there until dark then she’d actually find Chad.

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It seemed like forever until it was dark in town but finally she heard the first gunshot, she was off. Riding towards the sound was one of the scariest things Andi had ever done, but finally she saw a sign that she was close, a black stallion was riding in the dark and misty hills – but, wait, Andi saw that someone was riding the  horse, could that be Chad?

Andi’s heart filled with joy as she galloped over to the hills, but as she rode it seemed the gunshots were getting closer and closer. Andi stopped. She felt like someone was behind her… but who?

As she slowly turned around, Andi saw the shadowy black figure right behind her, but it wasn’t her brother. Andi rode and she rode like she never had ridden before, but it was too late, she heard the ear piercing sound of the gunshot and she was out.

As Andi came to she opened her eyes and, to her surprise,  she was on a couch.  snuggled in deeper. She didn’t feel like getting up… until she realized that she wasn’t lying on her couch. She looked around to see if she could escape. That's when she noticed the blood on the back of her neck.

She stood up groggily and felt a bit faint. She chose the wrong time to stand up though, because right then a man came limping through the door.

Chad!

Andi ran into Chad’s arms, but to her surprise, was pushed away.

“Go,” Chad said, with a worried expression on his face. “Taffy’s outside. They took her saddle and reins, but if you leave now you may be able to bareback ride her home.”

“B-but,” Andi was breaking into tears. “I don’t want to leave you.”

Chad looked at her then started crying himself. “I can’t! My leg is too hurt from the gunshot. I will be okay. Andi, trust me.”

As Andi left the small cabin she was carried into she burst into sobs,

I can’t leave him here, she thought.

Then the idea hit her. She had a plan.

Andi hid behind the cabin until the mysterious rider came, which is when she sprang into action.

Once the figure went inside, she reached into her bag, took out jerky, and tossed it at the door, then she ran to the back of the cabin. She heard rustling, then the front door opened.

A man looked out and started shouting words And couldn’t quite make out. As the man came around the house she tossed a trail of jerky in the opposite direction. The man fell for it. Andi bolted. Andi ran toward the cabin, ran in, and started pulling Chad off of the old chair in the corner of the room.

Chad resisted the urge to come with Andi.

“I can’t, Andi,” Chad said, raising his voice. “I told you once and I’m not telling you again! My leg is too hurt.”

Chad shouldn’t have said that but when he did it reminded Andi of her own wound. That was it. She fainted.

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Andi’s eyes fluttered open, she heard Justin’s voice in the distance. It sounded very faint. Had it been a dream? No, she could still feel the wound on her neck.

She heard Mitch’s voice and Chad’s, and she felt herself being lifted slowly by strong, sturdy hands. She opened her eyes.

 As she was being lifted onto Taffy, she looked up and saw Mitch holding her. By him was Chad, still limping, and in the background she saw Justin and Sheriff Tate talking to a guy dressed in black with a cowboy hat.

What happened? Andi thought, as she was being strapped onto Taffy.

Mitch hopped on behind her. “Well, hello there, little sister,” he started, “did you have good dreams?”

Andi was confused. Had it all been a dream?

But before Andi could ask, she fell asleep.

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When Andi woke the next morning she was amazed to see that she was in her own bedroom. She turned her head and was startled to see her mother sitting in the corner of the room calmly sewing. She looked at Andi and smiled.

“Wh-what happened?” Andi asked her mother. Her mother smiled as she told the story,

“We noticed you were missing and Justin and Mich went looking for you and Chad.” Her mother started, “They  came right when the man was carrying you away. Them, and Sheriff Tate, caught the man red handed and arrested him.” Andi’s mother straightened up. “But I’m just glad you and Chad are alright.”

“Me too,” replied Andi. “Me too.”