Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
A war was going on in Four Corners.
No one quite knew what had started it. Some heard it was caused by an offhand comment. Others said it was a challenge. Regardless of how the altercation started, it had developed into an all out conflict. One side was led by the fiery blond newsletter editor. The other, by the tall gunslinger in black.
No one could escape it. There was no neutral ground. Everyone picked a side. As many wars before this one, it pitted friend against friend, family member against family member. It even affected the seven — they weren't together anymore. They were split. Vin, Josiah, and Nathan on one side; JD, Buck, and Ezra on the other. When the three had come to Chris to tell him of their decision, he was saddened but shook each of their hands and told them he understood that they had to follow their beliefs.
The squirmishes in the bginning were fast and furious. Soon, however, each had lost enough men to cause them to retreat slightly to rethink their strategies.
For days, the battle raged. Innocent bystanders, people meaning to just pass through town, die hard patriots, all were swept into the tide.
One the final day, Mary looked down onto the battlefield. Inside she knew the end was near. She had lost too many men. Soon Chris would either charge with a direct frontal assault or flank her. Either way, it would be the end of her. Raising her chin, she wouldn't give up. She would fight to the end. Who knows, he might slip and give me the edge I've been looking for.
On the other side, Chris knew victory was his. It was only a matter of time now. A strategic charge could crush her force. A fleeting feeling of remorse passed through him. She had held on far, far longer than he thought she would when it had all began. He respected that. He no longer wanted to annihilate his opponent. Now he only wanted to bring it to an end so that life could return to some resemblance of normal.
Watching the battle, outsiders too could tell things would soon be over. Afterall, the lady had barely one eighth of her force left. The man had lost three fourths of his troops. It was only a matter of time.
Then it happened. Mary saw Chris' final moves seconds before he made them. There was nothing she could do but wait for fatal blow. The outsiders, sensing the end, pressed closer to hear the final words be drawled by the gunslinger.
"Queen to king's level three. Checkmate. You owe me supper."
The end.
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