Snap, crackle, pop!

My eyes shot open, but all I could see was black.

Smoke.

My house was on fire.

There was no oxygen and I coughed as smoke singed my lungs with every breath.

"Get the horse!!" I heard a voice order.

Damn!

I grabbed the pistol I kept underneath my pillow before covering my nose with my sleeve and locating a way out of the house without burning to death. It wasn't easy. The roof was quickly crumbling, pieces of wood falling and burning my skin. I was surrounded by flames on all sides but I could tell that the front door was open, so I did the only thing I could think of, I jumped through the flames.

I landed on the ground with a hard thud before uncontrollably rolling down the hill. I finally managed to stop but it was too late. The thieves had got my horse and they were all the way at the top of the hill. There was no way I could catch up to them now.

Damn!

I had just stolen that horse, and now it had been stolen from me. I wasn't going to let that slide. I needed that horse, and I was going to do whatever it took to get it back.

I shot to my feet and trudged up the hill. My house was like a lighthouse with how much light it was casting into the darkness. Since all my belongings were there I had to replace my items before setting out to steal the horse back. Luckily the nearest village wasn't too far away, and it was still night so all the villagers would be asleep, meaning I wouldn't need to put much effort into stealing what I needed.

I entered the nearest home and it had everything I needed. Riding clothes that would fit me, pistols and gunpowder. I then went to the nearest stable, saddled up a horse and set off into the night.

****

Found them.

The idiots hadn't tried to cover up their tracks left in the sand, and I followed them to the nearest village where I imagined they decided to rest for the night before continuing.

Bad choice.

I hopped off the horse, tied the leash around a pole and stalked toward the village, pistol in hand. I peered into all the homes, searching for what was stolen from me.

Now, you must be wondering why I was so obsessed with the horse. Well, it was because the horse wasn't normal. It was enchanted. When I heard of the horse, I thought it was a hoax, until I saw how just how many thieves were going after it and how many times it kept being stolen. And the fact that these cowboys tried to kill me for it meant it was the real deal. The reason I was so obsessed with the horse was because it was like me, it was different, and I knew what cowboys did to things that were different.

I found it, but it wasn't alone. There were four cowboys surrounding the horse, keeping watch, but the idiots were standing too close together. This would be easy, but I had to be fast. A pistol was in my left hand, and I took out another to hold in my right. I leapt from my hiding spot and shot four times before I hit the ground.

Three of the cowboys collapsed to the ground. One remained standing. Meaning one bullet missed. The man raised his pistol and shot. A searing pain shot up my arm as the bullet penetrated my skin. But I was still alive. I killed him before he got another chance to shoot.

I forced myself to my feet and hurriedly unleashed the horse before saddling it up. I could hear the cowboys indoors, they had heard the shots and were coming out, so there was no time to be careful. I mounted the horse and squeezed my legs together, urging it forward, but it didn't move.

The damn horse wasn't moving.

"Come on," I groaned. "You were fine before."

But that was before I shot four cowboys in front of it. If it didn't move, I was as good as dead, but I wasn't going to flee and leave the horse behind, so instead, I hopped off and hid behind a pile of hay.

Damn, I hated doing this, but I had no choice.

Dozens of cowboys busted into the stable and took in the scene before them. Four cowboys were dead on the ground, but they were more startled to see that the horse was still there. Well, it wouldn't be for long.

I took a deep breath and closed my hands into fists, allowing my power to flow through me. If anyone knew I had abilities, I would be captured and tortured. People like me didn't deserve mercy as good as death.

Ever so slowly, particles of sand rose from the ground, and only when it was thick enough did I direct it to the cowboys, choking them on the grains. I wasn't going to kill them, I didn't need to, I just needed them unconscious, and it didn't take long until they were.

I exhaled when all the cowboys were down and ran toward the horse.

"Hey you," I said softly, gently stroking it. "You have to trust me, okay? I have no doubt more cowboys are coming and if any see me using my abilities—"

"Then what?" asked a voice behind me and I spun on my heels.

There was a cowboy, he looked to be around my age with dirty blond curly hair and blue eyes. He was stunning for a cowboy, but he would turn me in if I didn't kill him. He grabbed his pistol before I managed to grab mine and shot.