Big Bull Tucker

Winner---03/19/10

ID: 896794   (Rated: 13+) Daily Flash Fiction Challenge  Enter your story of 300 words or less. Note new starting time! by arakun the twisted raccoon

BIG BULL TUCKER

         It had been a long day.  Arthur was sitting in the recliner watching a Gunsmoke rerun,  too tired to go to bed.  He knew the Marshall would sort it out and another bad guy would bite the dust before long.  He wasn’t aware of the transition ,  but suddenly he was sitting at a table in the Long Branch.  There were a number of cowboys sitting around or standing at the bar and  somebody was making a tuneless noise with the piano.  The Marshall himself was seated across from Arthur. 

         The swinging doors  opened and Chester limped into the room, all excited. “Mister Dillon, Mister Dillon! Big Bull Tucker is coming to town!”

         A silence fell over the room.  The piano man stopped tickling the ivories and  even Matt himself looked apprehensive.  “Who said so?”  he asked, and finished his beer trying to look nonchalant.

         “Some range riders just rode into town and they told me.”

         Dillon said, “All right, I’ll handle this.”  Arthur was thinking  if they’re all afraid of this Big Bull Tucker maybe I should be, too. 

         The doors  swung open again.  The man who walked in was a stranger .  He was armed with two guns .  He was huge, even taller than the Marshall.  The black hat proclaimed him a bad guy.  His spurs clanked as he  walked to the bar.  The piano man dived for cover.  The saloon girls ran up the stairs.  The newcomer said one word: “Whisky.”

         The bartender served the drink while the room was silent, every eye on the huge broad  back of the newcomer.  In a nervous voice the bartender asked, “Want another?”

         The man wiped his mouth. “Nah, I want to move along before Big Bull Tucker gets here.”