The Lone Star Girl

The wind whipped through her hair as her hat was tossed back over her shoulders. Spinning around in the saddle and flipping her pistols from their holsters, she takes aim and starts firing. The mustang’s heavy hooves beat the dry desert ground as they move quickly, kicking up a nice thick dust cover behind them. Stella shoots into the cloud at the sounds of her pursuers.

One by one the thud of a body hits the ground and she laughs as she watches the three horses spread out and run off without riders. She twirls her pistols in her fingers and spins again back into the saddle, her hands giving her horse’s neck a good steady pat. “That’ll teach them boys to mess with a real cowgirl!” She hoots as she enjoys her victory.

As the pace slows the woman and her horse come upon a small camp with only single makeshift tent, more of a lean-to then anything, a small fire pit and a post to tie her horse. It’s a meager set up, but just right for Stella and her pride and joy, a large white mustang named Star.

The two were outlaws, the lone woman and her horse. They would storm into towns, robbing the towns rich and elite and taking off with the goods. She always knew how to make it work, how to sell the jewels and the valuables.

Stella hopped off Star and landed with a light jingle from the golden spurs she wore proudly at the heel of her tan boots. Her long blonde hair curled tightly and each strand seemed to shimmer in the desert sun. She was a beauty to behold and no matter who tried, no one could take Stella away from her set path. She was determined to keep going the way she was, until she found who killed her mother so many years ago.

After tying Star to the post, she would make herself a small fire. Heaving two large bags down to the ground, they would land with a very loud clank. Stella would cower and cover her ears at the noise, Star jostling around nervously as Stella whipped out her pistols and darted around listening out into the darkness, had someone heard the racket.

Feeling confident that no one was around her she went back to dragging the bags to the side of the fire and opening them. Looking inside she would smile and look at Star. “We done did real good this time Star! We might not need to hit again for a long ol’ time!” She laughed as she placed rings and necklaces to herself as if trying them on. “Whadda ya think Star?” She would shake her head in a chuckle as she tossed the jewelry back into the tops of the sacks.

“Someday… we’ll find her again. I just know it…” She says as she drifts off to sleep, one bag under her head and other under her feet. She slept with her hands to her guns and her hat over her face. The horse moved as close as he could to stand near his owner, his soft whinny and hot breath snuffing near her hat as to check her. When he felt satisfied with his post he too would allow himself rest.

The next morning.

The day started out just as any other day in the desert would. It was bright and the cold night air was slowly being sucked away by the bright fiery hot sun. The ground would disappear under the fog as the cold sand heated up slowly. Stella rose with a long stretch and yawn. She loved the peace the morning brought with it, it seemed so calm. The one point in time she had to feel relaxed, soon though that was disrupted by noises in the distance.

She quickly put her hat on and readied her bags and freeing Star from the post. She swung her legs up and expertly grabbed onto the saddle and reins, giving the horse a soft click of her tongue and a gentle nudge of her heels. With that they started off, the next town wasn’t far and they would make it before sundown.

They had just one stop to make in between here and now and the next town. As they rode through the desert they would see the town up ahead, but start to veer to the left and move slowly now spotting a man standing next to his own horse. He had a bandana covering the lower half of his face and his hat down low covering the top. His leather chaps were tight on his muscular legs and his shirt did nothing to hide his strong form underneath. She knew this man, but she didn’t know who he was exactly. It was the same man who always bought her stolen goods. Every time the same man came and met her.

As always, there were no words spoken. And she would hate to admit it, but she was sure sorry there wasn’t. She wanted to know him, and see him finally after so many years of the same silent exchange. Ridding up close and hopping down from her horse she watches the man carefully, but again and again he stays still, unmoving.

“Alright, here it is stranger now give me my money and I’ll just be on my way. This is the last one, I won’t be doing anymore from here on out. Me and star… well we’re gonna have a good steady normal life now ya hear and I don’t want anything or no one getting in the way of that!” She said, confidently to the man. Her crystal blue eyes scanning his hidden face for any sign of emotion or feeling.

The man would give a single nod and reach out his hand, in his fingers grasping several bills of varying amounts. He wouldn’t speak, but she already knew what to do. She unhitched the sacks and tossed them behind him, they hit the ground with an even louder crash then before. Maybe she wanted to see him do something, anything!

To her dismay she was disappointed and gave a light laugh as she took the money and pocketed it. With a tip of her hat she bid him a fine farewell and she turned to leave, taking her first steps slowly and sighing. “Until then… cowboy” She would whisper as the wind blew her words away into the vast desert.

Just as Stella was reaching to mount her horse she felt his hands wrap around her waist and turn her around. She gasped but did not fight it, his strong arms gently letting her slide back down to the ground, her smile and gaze telling all about her feelings.

She would softly grab at his bandana pulling it away from his face, now her hands pushing his hat back to hang at his shoulders. His dark brown eyes glimmering out against the sun’s bright light, his black hair long and rugged as it whipped wildly through the wind. He smiled at her and she knew right then and there who he was.

Stella embraced her husband tightly, jumping up and wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms clenched around his shoulders. They were suddenly lost together in a deep and loving kiss. The strong breeze blowing around them as Star reared back kicking his front legs out and neighing loudly, just as the other horse joined in.

Bradley would hold her up now to look into her face, her golden tresses falling all around him. Her tears streaking her dust covered face. Speaking in a frail whisper of a woman, not as she was first portrayed… “I thought you was long gone dead Bradley…” He would give a reassuring smile and hold her close again, hugging her and running his hand through her hair. “I said I won’t never leave ya and I never will. Them bandits did take me for a time, but I got away and I wasn’t sure if in you had moved on without me Stella.” He said to her.

Stella would nod in understanding, after all life out here wasn’t easy. She was happy finally and now she had someone to help find the people who killed her mother. She wouldn’t be alone anymore and even better then that she was reunited with her husband whom she thought was taken and killed, when they got ambushed by another bandit group, with all the same ideas. Bradley had made it so she could escape, promising her he would find her again someday…. And he did.


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