Transformers Legends by David Cian

Author:David Cian [Cian, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Media Tie-In, Fiction, Transformers, anthology, Science Fiction, Action, Action & Adventure, Robots
ISBN: 9780743497916
Google: PulXPQAACAAJ
Amazon: 0743497910
Publisher: ibooks, Incorporated
Published: 2004-11-15T06:00:00+00:00

Lonesome Diesel

by David Bischoff

 I

“Ol' Yeller, I guess this is it,” said the cowboy. “You, me, the moon and this shotgun. Any coyotes come sniffin' round, we sure as shootin' are prepared.”

The old man sat with his back against his rucksack. The campfire crackled. Its light danced on the bore of the ancient 12 gauge, leaning over the old man's knee. The yellow lab retriever lay on the blanket, its eyes shining with mournful love for its Master. The desert smelled of sage, charcoal and the steak Jake Williams and his dog had just shared. Come in a little closer, and you'll smell the whiskey.

In the cooling desert air, there's the lonely but defiant sound of a Waylon Jennings song mumbling from the powerful battery of a 1957 Ford Pickup. In the sky there are stars. Lots and lots of stars, like there wasn't enough room in the universe for so many darned stars, and they had to crowd in, real close like.

Jake picked up the shotgun. He clicked off the safety. The dogs ears pricked up and it barked.

“Sure is lonesome out here. Guess that's what we want though. That's why we came out here. A place to sit and think a while below the stars. A place to just BE,” said Jake. He picked up his fifth of Ol' Grandad, an expensive Kentucky Bourbon. He sipped at it. The sip turned into a gulp. Liquid sloshed. “We're both getting' mighty old, Jake. We gotta treasure every moment. Even so, with your dog's years, you're even more ancient than I am.”

The dog blinked, and stared off at the fire.

“Yeah, yeah, Yeller. Would be a heck of a lot better if I could go first. That's not the way it works on the Planet Earth. It's a Dog Eat Dog place, not a Dog Paradise.”

It had been two years since his son Bobby had gotten blown up by the suicide bomber in Iraq, and Jake had never really recovered. That, after his death of his wife, had pretty much placed the lid on his happy years. But times like this, when he could go out to the desert and just sit and look at the stars — well, it didn't make him happy, and it didn't give him peace — but it damped the pain some, and it kept him going.

And Yeller, his yellow retriever, liked to chase the rabbits.

The shotgun was in the back of his truck anyway. He didn't really think he'd have trouble with coyotes or mountain lions, like he told Yeller. But somehow it made him feel more like a man, a cowboy with his weapon, keeping sentry on the Earth.

He looked up at the stars. Out here in the desert, they filled the sky. You knew that everywhere around, there was Light. Except maybe now — in Jake's heart.

“Okay, Mr. Universe. So I'm sittin' here, drinkin' and thinkin'. So am I just a useless old bag of skin and bones? Or do I still have a purpose, here on this crazy old world? Give me a sign, huh?” He smiled slyly.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.