Sheriff Eagle and Sheriff Hawk eyed each other down the dusty street. Their irons were strapped to their hips, hands hovering above like vultures over a kill.
"They said you were dead, Eagle."
"Well I'm no ghost, Hawk. Livin' an' breathin' an' come back to reclaim my town."
"It ain't yours no more, Eagle an' this town ain't big enough for the both of us."
"Rumour has it you saved Black Mulligan's life. He went on to kill the Blacksmith. I have proof."
"Yeah, well, um…you…you didn't return all the stolen money to the bank like you said you did! Liar!"
"Looks like we're gonna have to settle this with a duel then, Hawk. Back to back. Ten paces."
"But Vinnie, I'm gonna bump into the treehouse again!"
"Alright, make it eight. Now get back in character!"
The two boys stood back to back in the cramped space between Vincent's apartment block and the building behind the café. Vinnie was almost eleven, Vaughn his cousin was eight. They counted out their steps, swivelled and fired their cap guns.
Vinnie looked up to the fire escape where his Pop was watching…and listening.
"Who won that time, Poppa?"
Michael Hudson grinned. "You're both gonners," he said, coming down the stairs to steal Vinnie's cowboy hat and balance it on his larger head. "That was si-mul-taneous, pardners. Looks like I'm the new Sheriff in these here parts. Call me… Sheriff Crow! Squaaawwk! Hehe. Come on boys, dinner time."
Young Vaughn Zander (Vonnie) is @radioactive-synth 's Fallout 4 OC, young Vincent Nathaniel Hudson (Vinnie) is mine. Thanks, Blue for the game idea!