Sheriff Hansen pressed the nose of his revolver against the furry head of the cowering man-beast.
“STOP!” Charlie and Matt yelled as they burst into the clearing. “Don’t kill him,” Charlie pleaded as he bent over and panted, trying to catch his breath.
Hansen’s eyes narrowed and his trigger finger knuckle whitened. “Why not,” he demanded as he towered over the whining, beaten creature.
“Because. He. Hasn’t. Killed. Anyone. Important.” Matt said in between gulps as he forced air back into his abused lungs as he draped himself over one of the smaller trees.
“That’s not really helping,” Charlie said.