The Magnificent Halloween Trick
"I don't know if J.D'll like it," Vin drawled.
"Of course he won't that's why were doin' it," Buck corrected Vin.
"Seems like its an awfully cruel joke to play," Nathan said, standing up for J.D.
"Its perfect , especially since Halloween is so close," Buck argued.
"I agree with Mr. Wilmington. It would be very humorous seeing Mr. Dunne frightened out of his natural mind," Ezra said, looking up from his hand of poker.
"Ok, now does everyone agree to play a harmful joke on J.D," Buck asked.
"Sure."
"Yeah."
"Ok."
"Delighted."
They all looked at Chris, waiting for their leader's approval. Chris looked back and was silent for a moment. Finally a small grin spread across his face and said, "Why not?"
"I think I have an idea," Vin said, his eyes taking on a mischievous glint.
+ + + + + + +
J.D had just finished brushing his horse's coat down to a smooth sheen when Buck walked into the livery. He had a mean look on his face, probably because him and Molly Havers had another one of their fights. J.D knew it was best to leave him alone when he was in these kinds of moods. J.D didn't really care about that though, he was in a great mood. He loved fall, when all the leaves turned bright colors, the air turned just right, and people began getting ready for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. He strolled out of the livery in search of Chris. Walking to the saloon, he spotted him heading out of the Clarion. As J.D started to approach him, he saw that Chris was carrying something shiny. He wondered what it could be. As he got a little closer, the object came into sight. J.D gasped, it was a bloody knife. No, Chris couldn't have done anything bad with that knife, he thought. He watched as Chris walked right on past him to the saloon like nothing was wrong. J.D felt a slight chill run down his back. He wondered where Mrs. Travis was. J.D trusted Chris, he couldn't and wouldn't have done anything bad to Mrs. Travis. Despite J.D's attempts to comfort the gruesome images, he could not. He slowly walked toward the Clarion office.
"Hello? Mrs. Travis," J.D called, as he knocked on the door before he entered.
Mary was not sitting at the desk as usual.
"Mrs. Travis?"
No one answered. J.D walked around to the small kitchen and bedroom behind the offices that was hooked on. Mary was no where to be found. Why would Chris be there when Mary wasn't, J.D asked himself. He walked out and went to the saloon. He spotted Chris and the others sitting at their usual corner table hidden behind a cloud of cheroot smoke.
"Have you seen Mrs. Travis," J.D asked Chris.
He snorted, "No and why would I care?"
J.D recoiled as if he had been physically punched in the gut. Chris cared about the widow, why would he act like that? J.D stared at Chris who just blew smoke from his cheroot at him.
"Hey, ummm Vin, have you seen Josiah or Nathan," J.D asked, not taking his eyes from Chris.
"No, now go run along and play little boy," Vin said laughing cruelly.
J.D didn't know what had gotten into them. He turned around and walked out of the saloon, J.D saw Buck heading his way. He jogged to meet him.
"Hey Buck do you know what has gotten into Chris and Vin," J.D asked.
Buck seemed to be ignoring J.D when he said, "Look at all the innocent people, wouldn't it be fun to just shoot them all!"
"Buck, what are you talking about, and why are ya'll actin' so funny," J.D said, getting scared.
Instead of answering him Buck just walked off. J.D didn't know what was going on, he jogged to his room in the boarding house and shut the door. Once the door was shut he locked it.
Later that night
J.D had spent the rest of the evening in his room thinking. He finally figured it was best to just go and talked to them. He walked out into the cool night air. He could hear the faint laughs of little kids going trick-or-treating. J.D went straight to the saloon, he knew it wouldn't be closed cause ever since Ezra bought it, it was never closed. He walked in and sat at a table near Vin, Ezra, Chris, and Buck. Nathan and Josiah wasn't around. Oddly no one else was in the saloon, not even the bartender. J.D helped himself to a glass of milk, the guys didn't even notice he was there.
"I want to know whats going on with you guys, I want to know where Nathan and Josiah are, and I want to know what happened to Mrs. Travis," J.D said in the most authoritative voice he could manage.
"Why might we want to even enlighten you Mr. Dunne," Ezra said, looking up from his poker game.
"They might all be dead," Vin said.
"Cut it out! Tell me the truth and stop kiddin' around," J.D said.
None of them said another thing. J.D swallowed, his throat felt thick, as if it were choking him.
"Alright fine, you guys wanna play games like that, I am goin' to wire Judge Travis," J.D said walking quickly to the door.
"Oh you ain't gonna do that," Chris said ruefully.
J.D grabbed the doorknob to the door and tried to run it. It was stuck. J.D turned it harshly and wiggled it. He looked back to see the 4 of them staring at him with evil smiles on their face.
"Told ya'," Chris said, returning to his game.
J.D went and sat back down at his table.
"Calm down. I gotta calm down," J.D mumbled to himself.
Suddenly Vin shouted, "You just cheated me out of my money!"
Both of them jumped up and started cussing and shoving.
"Hey take it in the backroom," Ezra shouted above the noise.
Chris and Vin stalked out of the room. J.D forced himself to stay seated. He jumped when he heard the sudden sound of gunfire.
"Oh my gosh, they just shot each other," J.D said jumping up.
Vin came back to the table and sat down, his carbine laid on the table where he had set it.
"Vin, what in the heck did you just do," J.D shouted incredulously. "I'm going back there!"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ezra said.
Ignoring him J.D stalked into the room and stopped in his tracks. Chris, Josiah and Nathan were all lying on the floor, dead. They all had at least one bullet hole in their chests. He stumbled out of the room.
"You killed them," J.D whispered.
"Now look what you have caused. I told you Vin, you had to get rid of their bodies. Now we have to get rid of our Sheriff, he has seen to much," Ezra said, sighing.
"I didn't shoot Josiah and Nathan I told Buck to take care of them," Vin argued.
"No, you got it all wrong, you killed them," Buck said, shoving his chair back to stand.
"I can't believe it," J.D whispered, still in shock.
"Now listen kid, you have to believe me. I didn't kill them," Buck said, starting towards J.D.
"Stay away, you...you just stay back," J.D stuttered.
J.D turned around and ran up the stairs to the second floor. He had to get away from them, anywhere but here. Buck and Vin both cam bounding up the stairs after him. He tried the doors to the rooms, but they were all locked. J.D tried another one. Locked. He turned around and drew his Colts, both were aimed at Vin and Buck.
"Don't come near me," J.D shouted, stumbling backwards, getting closer and closer to the ledge of the balcony that over looked the first floor of the saloon.
"Aww come on J.D, you wouldn't shoot us would you," Vin asked.
J.D's mouth dropped open, "You killed Chris and Josiah and Nathan!!"
Buck let out one of his genuine good-natured laugh and smiled, "J.D it's a joke-."
"No! Their dead! I saw it," J.D yelled.
Buck and Vin started laughing, somewhere below J.D could hear Ezra joining them to. Suddenly Buck came toward J.D. He jumped back and hit the rail, stumbling he broke through it. J.D felt himself falling as if it were happening slowly. He heard Vin shouting something and saw Buck spring forward with an outreached hand to catch him. J.D landed on his back on a table. A broken table leg came up and ripped his side open.
J.D saw Ezra, Buck, and Vin standing over him, he hears Vin shouting for the others, and all of the sudden Josiah, Nathan, and Chris were there to.
"I must be in Heaven," J.D said through the cloudy haze.
"No your not, and you ain't goin' there anytime soon," Buck said frantically.
"Quick, I need clothes," Nathan barked the orders out.
Ezra jumped up and ran to get some rags.
"I'm cold," J.D stuttered through chattering teeth.
All of his friends shed their coats and laid them on top of him
"Your going to be alright," Chris said, laying a gently hand on one of his shoulders.
He could vaguely feel Nathan trying to patch up his side. That was the last thing he felt before he blacked out.
The next afternoon
"Hey, I think he's comin' to," Vin said, as he leaned closer to J.D's bed.
The others all bustled in around his bed.
"I am sorry J.D, it was my idea. I didn't think you would almost get killed," Vin said after helping J.D sit up and giving him a drink.
"It was working out fine until J.D tried to fly of the balcony," Buck cracked and the others laughed.
"If," J.D started saying but gasped in pain and grabbed his side but continued, "if you hadn't of scared me so bad I wouldn't of tripped."
"Were just glad your not dead," Chris said.
After a lot of explaining and apologizing they all left except for Buck.
"J.D you and me are going to have a talk," Buck said, starting on another gentle lecture.
J.D shut his eyes to sleep, and for the first time in his life he actually looked forward to April Fools Day.
The End