There's A Stranger In Town

By John J. Law

He wandered through the badlands with little or no purpose. Most men did not know who he was, or why he did what he did. He was many things to many men. 
Some men viewed him as he was, a man of few words and many mysteries. A wanderer that seemed to be running from something, something even he wasn't sure of. Others saw him as something more than a man, as a spirit that moved through the realms of the living and the dead. The only thing that was sure about him, was that there was nothing sure about him. 
He was a mystery man of the purest sense. 
A stranger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.C. Hulsey Books
• Release date: Dec 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223929192

Book preview

One: The Angry Mob

He wandered through the badlands with little or no purpose. Most men did not know who he was, or why he did what he did. He was many things to many men. Some men viewed him as he was, a man of few words and many mysteries. A wanderer that seemed to be running from something, something even he wasn’t sure of. Others saw him as something more than a man, as a spirit that moved through the realms of the living and the dead. The only thing that was sure about him, was that there was nothing sure about him. He was a mystery man of the purest sense. A stranger.

Most men would never truly know who the stranger was, or why he did, what he did. All they knew was that danger and trouble seemed to follow the stranger wherever he went. There was hardly ever a dull moment for a man like the stranger.

The stranger had been riding long and hard for what seemed like an eternity. He rode his horse tirelessly through the territories wandering and never staying put in one place. When he came upon the small town of Fickle Fates, he was not expecting to stay long. A man like the stranger never settled down anywhere. Fickle Fates was only a short stop from his wanderings, a place where he could hopefully rest and catch his breath, even for a moment. It was a fond desire in his heart to get some respite, but the stranger knew that such a respite would be painfully short. A man like him had grown accustomed to chaos and mayhem dogging him wherever he went. Like some primal animal, the stranger was used to this kind of life, and was perpetually ready for danger.

When he rode into town, the residents immediately noticed him. That was how it was with the stranger wherever he met. He always attracted attention, and many times this was not his intention. There was something about the way he stood and carried himself that people noticed. Something that told them on a primal level that this man could be your best friend, or worst enemy, depending on what you’d done.

The stranger tied his steed to a nearby post beside a watering hole. The animal looked thin and gaunt and gulped at the water like it hadn’t drank for days. The steed’s desperate appearance was in sharp contrast to the stranger as he stepped down from his mount. He stood erect, exposing his broad shoulders and tall frame. He cut a very imposing and intimidating figure as he walked through the main street of the small town of Fickle Fates.

The stranger’s eyes caught a glimpse of the town saloon and he walked deliberately towards the establishment. Just as his steed needed to rest and quench its thirst, so did he. The stranger had been to other saloons in other towns and had a