Short Story;the ending

"I won't leave without Oscar!"

"Then you will never leave," I heard my abductor say. Then there was the sound of a pistol being cocked and realizing what was happening I jumped up to go to where Oscar was bound. Too late! The sound of the pistol firing completely took my will away. In the background I heard Albert shout.

"You fool!"

The next thing I knew Elsie was throwing me out of the way as the pistol was being turned toward me. There was the horrid sound of the pistols firing yet again, but I felt nothing.

Then there was another shot, and I saw my abductor falling. Struggling to my feet I saw that Elsie was lying next to where she had pushed me down.

"Ruth, I am so sorry. Please forgive me, you were my friend."

"Don't worry. You will always be my friend. We just had a difference of opinion. You will soon be better and we will laugh about this."

"Somehow I don't think so. Just bury me out away from everyone. They didn't think much f me so I don't think I would be happy near all of them."

Tears were streaming down my face as I held my friend. She smiled and then was gone.

Looking around I saw that I was the only one still alive. Gathering myself I went out and rode back to town.

I honored Elsie's wish and buried her out away from everything. I even left the name off of the headstone. I think she would approve. I stayed in Silver Cliff until the town started dying away after the railroad only came as far as WestCliff. I found out that Albert was trying to take over one of the mines and Oscar had found out about it. So much for so little.

Comment: This is how I put together a short story. The only difference is I usually get this first draft (which this is) done in a day or so. When I found I would be telling the story of Elsie and Ruth I looked up the time tables of Silver Cliff and Chicago. The Chicago Fire was 1871 and Silver Cliff came into being around 1879. I also read a bit about the Wet Mountain Valley and the town of Silver Cliff. There was a picture of an unmarked grave out away from everything. When I saw that picture I pretty much knew how the story would end, just not how I would get there.

Over the next couple of weeks I will just let this first draft percolate then I will start in on the rewrites, fixing dialogue, adding informations etc. I thank all of you for following along on this journey. I will let you know when the second draft is done if anyone would like to see it.

Thanks again and I hope this may help some of you write your own first draft. Unlike film the first draft can be fixed in post.