Jed sighed, eyeing Charlie's ragged expression and the slump of his shoulders, weighed down by more than just the burden of his crimes.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdEHUVY3sM
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjXSUGmAH0
"Charlie," he said softly but firmly, "I'm not gonna shoot you, and I ain't got the strength left in me to even try to stop ya, much as I'd like to."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezDM1JimrZ
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bntbZ2I3m
Charlie met his gaze, unflinching. "Uncle Jed, I'm doing all this… to be remembered. This cancer's gonna take me sooner or later, you know that. And I… I don't want to just die and disappear. I want folks to know my name. Remember me."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKPKkUyUrq
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDKUuz1KDQ
Jed's brows knitted together, a mixture of frustration and sadness. "All for fame? Charlie, you're lettin' this idea of 'bein' known' eat away at you like the cancer itself. Fame ain't nothin' but dust in the wind once you're gone. You think this life—what you're doin'—it's gonna lead you anywhere good? You ain't goin' to heaven with a trail of bodies behind ya, I can tell ya that."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5xMJP98BF
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZbez3Gsay
"Maybe," Charlie muttered, his gaze fixed on the floor. "But what else is left for me? I ain't got much time, Uncle Jed, and if all I'm remembered for is bein' a no-good robber… well, that'll do."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9r8j01Y1sg
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eY0ZZsMPZ
He turned and trudged up the creaking staircase, each step heavy with the weight of his choices. Jed shook his head, the words he'd said echoing hollowly in his own ears as he watched Charlie disappear down the hall.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZ9NcQpjFj
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjy91Bi7X4
Upstairs, Charlie flopped onto his bed, staring up at the peeling ceiling, the old wood above him telling stories of lives lived and lost. A weariness settled over him, deeper than any he'd felt before. For a moment, he let his eyes drift shut, his mind racing, grappling with guilt and ambition.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1YZlFt3Ki
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbJUhFA77S
The morning light seeped through the cracked blinds when he finally blinked awake. He glanced at the clock—nearly eleven. Rubbing his face, he dragged himself to the small, worn-down bathroom, splashed water on his face, and looked up into the dusty mirror. His own reflection stared back—haunted eyes, hollow cheeks. Somewhere in his mind, a whisper spoke up, taunting, relentless: Look at you. Ugly, pitiful son of a bitch. Killing, robbing—maybe Uncle Jed's right. Maybe this whole thing is just wrong…
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡII3HtQ2kc8
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxCjiFfJ5o
But even as the doubt crept in, a stubborn pride surfaced, a voice that bit back at the shame. But I'm in too deep to quit now. There ain't no way to turn back. Besides… I'd rather go down fighting than wait around for this cancer to get me.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiojJWWcf1X
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99TLOq54T4
"Boy!" came a holler from downstairs.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVn3HfH3Wnx
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBWLTQM1vW
Charlie jolted, grabbing his hat and stumbling out of the bathroom. He bounded down the stairs, the rough edges of the railing scraping his hand as he caught himself.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SUXcsiJoq
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9NPqqq9KA
Jed was at the base of the stairs, arms crossed, a look of exasperation fixed on his face. "You ain't thinkin' of runnin' off again to rob no bank, are ya?"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJWGDwbuOc
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszcWDvCCkk
Charlie held his hands up, half in jest, half in defense. "Not right now, I swear! Why'd you think that?"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOjzq5bGyM
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQVe2LCJiS
"Good," Jed said with a gruff nod. "Cuz there's work needs doin' out here. Fences to mend, crops to water. We're still a farm here, boy, even if you've taken to some godforsaken path."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3DoMTuPL0
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxnqS35Nwx
Charlie scratched his head, feeling a strange relief. "Well, if it'll keep ya happy, Uncle Jed, I reckon I can pick up a rake or shovel today. Why not?"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbd8NSbTd3
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74BpJ48UTA
As they stepped out together into the golden light of the morning, Jed tossed him a shovel. "Charlie," he said, his voice a bit softer, "you got choices. Just… think on 'em, before it's too late. This here life—it don't gotta be all fire and ashes, ya know?"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXToETkXwPO
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbB2QXiVANT
Charlie held the shovel, squinting into the horizon, the weight of the earth under his boots a stark contrast to the fleeting thrill of his other life.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzJPg9Lscx
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting a hot, orange glow over the land, Charlie took a deep breath and got to work on his chores. He grabbed a shovel and began digging shallow trenches in the dry soil, beads of sweat forming along his brow. Each trench had to be just so, deep enough to catch the water and keep it from running off, yet shallow enough not to drown the crops. With every strike of the shovel, dirt flew, revealing the roots beneath, tangling and dusty. Once satisfied with the trenches, Charlie moved to transplanting soil, spreading fresh earth over the fields to nourish the crops, checking every inch for pebbles, weeds, and anything that might choke out life.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSCgTXZlaV
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNEUvpUyt7
Next, he moved to the animals—Red junglefowl, sheep, goats, chickens, and pigs, each creature with its own personality and quirks. The sheep were skittish, trotting away the second he got too close, while the goats met him head-on, their hungry eyes fixated on the feed bucket. Charlie herded them with a calm patience, his voice steady, calling each one as if he'd known them all his life. He poured feed in the troughs, chuckling at the pigs jostling for space, snorting and squealing in excitement.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBuLcMwIW5
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eaaevQC4j
After setting the animals to graze, he walked over to the broken fence, picking up his hammer and a handful of nails. He examined each section, testing its sturdiness, replacing broken planks, hammering the nails deep into the wood, making sure it would hold even against the strongest storm. With each nail, a rhythmic sound filled the quiet farm, and somewhere in the distance, a bird chirped, its melody mingling with the hard clang of metal against wood.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPHLhBPKGk
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZERdEkWsv
Once satisfied, Charlie grabbed a bucket and trudged to the river, dipping it in and letting the cool water slosh over the edges. The trip to the crops was long and the sun beat down on him hard, but he didn't complain. He poured the water carefully over the plants, their leaves catching the droplets like precious jewels. Then back to the river he went, filling his bucket again and again, each time feeling the weight strain his shoulders. On the fifth trip, just as he reached the edge of the field, he noticed a figure standing by the path.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2mFs46hqU
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzsDo5xx24
The man was old, with tattered, dirty clothes that looked like they hadn't been washed in years. His skin was sun-weathered, covered in dust, and his gold-yellow teeth gleamed whenever he flashed a crooked grin. Charlie could smell him long before he got within speaking distance—a mix of sweat, earth, and something sour. The man's head was bald, shining under the sunlight, with patches of stubble that made him look wilder than anything Charlie had seen around these parts.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQgDh4vNzK
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jO1FOuJsp
Charlie held up a hand. "Hey, sir, I'm gonna need you to back the hell up. I don't know what you're after, but I ain't got anything for you."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRolMgIm8z
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu80I1V1ZN5
The old man stopped, hands raised in a gesture of peace, and his voice came out raspy yet oddly gentle. "No, no, boy… I don't want nothin' from ya. Only a bit of your time, that's all. You're gonna want to hear what I got to say, trust me."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlflRhdrwdg
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPL3A4SQA3
Charlie shifted his weight, still holding the bucket, not letting his guard down. "Look, I don't have money to spare, if that's what you're after. So whatever you're sellin', you can just keep movin'."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBS8kp2oMV0
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBgSEJenaV
The man chuckled softly, a sound more like a cough. "Boy, I don't want your money. Just want you to listen for a spell, to an old man's tale. Maybe it'll do ya some good." His eyes, despite the dirt and grime covering his face, sparkled with an odd wisdom, as if he held secrets that could change the world.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNsAltDmTe
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8xwxacI5k
Charlie sighed, setting down his bucket. "Fine. Make it quick. What's this story of yours?"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFKouO4WtO
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLqTmtXQw9
The man stepped closer, his voice lowering to a whisper, as if sharing a secret meant only for Charlie's ears. "There's a crystal… a magic one. But it's been broken into fifteen pieces, scattered all across this land. Each piece hidden in a different corner of the country, and beyond. But if you manage to gather 'em all, boy… they say you'll be granted a wish. One wish, for anything your heart desires."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70yvqjNCbS
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMTYTJi3s5
Charlie raised an eyebrow, half-believing, half-doubting. "And how would a man like me go about findin' these pieces?"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSViR39qU9C
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKDRvlliVo
The old man reached into his tattered coat and pulled out a crumpled, faded map, handing it to Charlie. The paper was worn, the ink fading, but clear enough for Charlie to make out locations, landmarks, paths drawn with a shaky hand. He looked back at the man, skeptical. "This map—it shows where they are?"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGhMYJMand
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfneSKhRX2v
"Only one," the man replied, his voice a quiet murmur, almost a sigh. "One's south of here, in Mexico. But others… you'll have to find out as you go. I've told others about it too, so you're not the only one with this knowledge. If you're brave enough, you'll seek it. If not… well, I suppose you can let this ol' tale fade away."
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvG5WDVWIvL
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53oxm3G87E
Charlie glanced down at the map, the promise of the unknown tugging at something deep inside him. When he looked back up, the man had begun to fade, as if he were nothing more than a ghostly mirage.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0beWH230uC
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu714CVPI3o
"Wait!" Charlie called out. "How do you know all this? Why are you tellin' me?"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXxhz5TAol
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGX4zzIrMx
The man's form flickered, his voice echoing softly, "I've lived a long life, boy. Seen things most men only dream of. Go on, now. Good luck…"
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaHfsoLz3f
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx9YIiOiSi
And then, he was gone, vanished as if he had never been there at all. Charlie stood there, map in hand, questions burning in his mind, with nothing but the wind as his answer.
292Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpw0bCStjY
ns216.73.216.197da2
