[center][b][h1][color=green]Charles Starrett[/color][/h1][/b][/center]

The sun began to peek over the horizon and shot a single ray of light directly into Charles' closed eye. He closed his eye tighter and rolled over in his small bed, but it was too late. His eyes popped open and he yawned loudly. "Definitely not gonna miss these wake ups." He slung his legs over the bed, stretched and wiped the sleep from his eyes. He wandered over to the foot of his bed, disrobed from his long johns, picked up his clothes that laid over the foot board and got dressed. He stepped into his boots and grabbed his hat, gun belt and rifle from the door as he left his small bedroom over the Sheriff's office that he had called home for many years.

As he plodded down the steps, the smell of coffee permeated the air. As he reached the lower landing he saw the sheriff already at his desk enjoying what was no doubt his second cup of coffee. Charles poured himself a cup and plopped down in the chair that sat at the other side of the desk. "I'll never know how you always get up so early and don't look like death warmed over." Charles shook his head as he slowly sipped from the cup.

"Old age'll do that to you." The sheriff replied, finished off the last remaining drops of coffee that remained in his cup. "So, you sure about this?"

Charles nodded slightly as he sat his cup down. "Bag's by the door." The two men sat and simply nodded at each other. Charles got up from his chair and headed to the door. "Guess I need to get going if I want to get there before it gets too late." 

"Hold on a second son." The sheriff said, putting his hand on Charles' shoulder. "I've got something you should have."

Charles turned and watched as the Sheriff pulled out a folded piece of paper from his front pocket. He held it out to Charles and Charles could see a concerned look form on his face. "I fought with myself on givin' it to ya since I found it a few years ago." The Sheriff forced it into Charles' hand. "It's the bounty poster for the men that robbed and killed your parents. I never stopped looking for them once I found you. Never found out where they went to or anything other than who they were. You don't have to open it, and I think you shouldn't. Vengeance'll only eat you up inside, but, you need to have the option to know."

Charles looked at the folded up paper and then back at the Sheriff. So many emotions swam through his head and he processed what he was just told. Charles smiled weakly as she shoved it into his pocket. "Thank you. For everything." Charles said extending his hand out to the Sheriff. The Sheriff looked at Charles' outstretched hand and gripped it firmly. He then pulled Charles in close and hugged him tightly for a few seconds.

"Take care of yourself out there." The Sheriff said releasing his grip on Charles.

Charles grabbed his satchel from the front door as he headed out to the stables. "You know it." Charles shot back as he shouldered the satchel, turned and waved and briskly walked to the stables to get his horse. Within a few minutes he was at the barn and retrieved his horse. He slung his satchel onto the back of her and holstered his rifle on the saddle and jumped onto the horse. Before he took off he pulled the bounty poster from his pocket and unfolded it and scanned the names and faces of the gang that was printed on the paper. A solemn look crawled across Charles' face as he folded it back up and put it in his pocket. "I'm coming for every last one of you bastards." He took off towards Armadillo, now with a different objective.