The Stagecoach - english version

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 4:57 pm

Teaser:
Jake’s thoughts were interrupted by the shrill "NO! DON'T!" that Claire now let out. And with that, it became clear to him once and for all that words alone wouldn't get him anywhere. His grip tightened, becoming more demanding. Claire tried desperately to pull further away from him—but Jake made sure to stop her.
"Stay right here! The fun is only just beginning. For me, at least!"

-------------------------------------------------------------

The author of this story has read and accepted the rules for posting stories. They guarantee that the following story depicts none of the themes listed in the Forbidden Content section of the rules.

The following story is a work of fiction meant for entertainment purposes only. It depicts nonconsensual sexual acts between adults. It is in no way meant to be understood as an endorsement of nonconsensual sex in real life. Any similarities of the characters in the story to real people are purely coincidental.
-------------------------------------------------------------

Index:

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Stage Coach
Author: Blue

-------------------------------------------------------------

This is the English translation of the German story "The Stagecoach."

The story has many chapters—a result of its structure. However, since the story is already fully written and almost entirely translated, the individual chapters can be posted very quickly.

Spoiler: the final chapter contains a "surprise"

-------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1 – The Stagecoach

Arizona Territory. Just another day in May 1881.
Or was it?

The sun was still relatively low in the morning sky. Even so, it was already clear that another hot spring day lay ahead.

A broad cloud of dust hung over Wickenburg's Main Street as the stagecoach of Gilmer, Salisbury & Co. came to a halt in front of the local station building. The four horses snorted and stamped impatiently while Elias climbed down from the driver's seat.

The old driver was a man of about sixty, with a weather-beaten face and a short gray beard. Beneath the broad brim of his hat, a pair of alert gray eyes watched the world around him. He had spent many years on roads like this one and knew, as an experienced stage driver, that a journey through the Arizona Territory rarely went exactly as planned.

Elias pulled his pocket watch from his vest and opened it.

“Seven ten. For once, we're almost on time,” he muttered gruffly to himself before calling toward the station building, “Everybody aboard. We've still got a good stretch ahead of us.”

Then he reached into the leather bag lying beside him on the driver's bench, pulled out his whiskey flask and took a healthy swallow to warm himself up. He had already been on the road for several hours and considered a little whiskey a perfectly reasonable way to start the morning.

Coffee would have to wait until later, when they changed horses. At the station designated for that purpose, he could also satisfy his hunger and refill his flask.

U.S. Deputy Marshal Samuel Carter was the first to emerge from the station building. At forty, he had already reached a considerable age for such a dangerous profession.

Carter wore his revolvers openly on his gun belt and moved with the calm self-assurance of a man accustomed to having others follow his orders. A seemingly heavy travel bag hung over his right shoulder, and he swung it into the coach's baggage compartment.

Before the swinging doors of the station building had even closed behind him, Jake McCoy appeared.

He wore neither chains nor prison clothes. At first glance, he could have been taken for an ordinary young traveler: dark corduroy trousers worn by riding, a light-colored shirt, a black vest and battered boots.
Only the steel handcuffs around his wrists revealed that he was not traveling voluntarily.

Jake was twenty-five.
And he was smiling.

“After you,” Carter said dryly.

Jake climbed into the stagecoach.
Two women were already sitting inside, apparently having boarded at an earlier station.
The older of the two looked to be in her early forties. Her dress was of good quality without being excessively elegant, and her manner suggested a certain social standing. Her dark hair was carefully pinned up, and she wore little jewelry.

Beside her sat a young woman. Judging by their faces, she was obviously her daughter. She wore a pale blue-gray travel dress with a delicate pattern and held a book on her lap. She had apparently been reading while they waited and now kept one finger between the pages so she would not lose her place.

Jake took the window seat directly opposite the young woman.
She glanced briefly at him, then lowered her eyes back to her book.

Carter sat down beside Jake.

“We've got about twelve hours ahead of us,” the Marshal said. “It's going to be a long journey. But if you behave yourself, it'll be more pleasant for everyone.”

Jake raised his cuffed hands slightly.
“I don't exactly have much choice.”

Carter shot him an angry look but said nothing in response to the young man's obvious provocation.

Elias climbed back onto the driver's bench, released the brake, took up the reins and gave the horses a short command.
A few moments later, the stagecoach lurched into motion.
And the station disappeared behind them.

The road led out into a vast, dry landscape. Dust lay on the shrubs, and in the distance low hills stood out against the pale sky.
Inside the coach, there was silence at first. So far, nobody had seen any need to introduce themselves.

Jake leaned back and looked out the window.
Then his gaze shifted to the young woman, who had returned to her book.
“What is your name?” Jake asked.
She looked up briefly.
“Claire...” came her curt reply.
She was obviously not interested in conversation. And she clearly disliked being addressed so casually as “you.”
“I'm Jake.”
A brief pause followed.

“What are you reading?” Jake pressed.
“A book.”
Jake grinned.
“I can see that.”

Claire's mother gave him a brief but penetrating look.
“Leave my daughter alone.”

Jake looked directly at the woman and began to grin insolently.
“I was only asking politely, ma'am,” he replied.

The Marshal had been watching the exchange carefully. “Jake!”
“All right.”
Jake leaned back.

“Please excuse the young man's behavior. Apparently, he hasn't learned any manners yet.”
And with a meaningful glance at Jake's handcuffs, he continued:
“And I doubt he'll have much opportunity to learn them. By the way, I'm Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel Carter. And I'm responsible for making sure we arrive in Prescott safely.”

The older woman facing him smiled politely.
“I am Miriam Peacemaker. I know, the name sounds rather strange, but my husband, who died only recently, was a gunsmith and arms dealer. Everyone simply called him ‘Peacemaker.’ Eventually, it became natural for people to use the name for me as well.”

The Marshal could not suppress a slight smile. At least the mother seemed more talkative than her daughter. That might prove useful during the long journey ahead.

Elias kept the horses moving at an easy pace.
A few minutes later, the coach settled into a smoother rhythm, and the monotonous rumble of the wheels had an almost soporific effect on the passengers.
None of them knew at that point that three riders were already somewhere behind them.
Three men who had been traveling the country together for years.
And one of them had strikingly light blue eyes.
________________________________________

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 5:02 pm

Chapter 2 – The Prisoner

For quite some time, nobody said anything.

The steady rattle of the wheels and the occasional snorting of the horses were the only sounds inside the coach.
Claire had opened her book again, but she had long since stopped reading.
Her eyes kept drifting toward the young man opposite her, who seemed unusually relaxed for a prisoner. Almost as if the handcuffs around his wrists were nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Eventually, Claire could no longer contain her curiosity.

“Marshal?”

Carter looked at her.

“Yes, ma'am?”

She hesitated briefly.

“Why is he handcuffed?”
Miriam gave her daughter a grateful look. She had been wondering the same thing.

Carter was silent for a moment.
Then he looked over at Jake.

The young man grinned.
“Now I'm curious to hear what you're going to tell them.”

Carter ignored him.
“His name is Jake McCoy. He was arrested a few days ago.”

“For what?” Claire asked.

Carter did not answer immediately.
Then he said:
“Robbery.”

Jake leaned back.
“That makes it sound almost as if I was the only one involved.”

Carter gave him a sharp look.
“No. But you're the one we caught.”

For a moment, the grin disappeared from Jake's face.

Carter continued.
“A man and a woman were killed during the robbery.”

Claire stared at Jake in shock.
And Miriam said quietly:
“Killed?”

Carter nodded.
“Yes.”

Jake looked out the window.
For the first time, he no longer seemed quite so relaxed.

“There are other accusations as well,” Carter said.
The two women looked at him questioningly.

Carter hesitated.
“Accusations that are more serious than an ordinary robbery.”

Claire noticed that her mother had suddenly fallen very quiet.

“What accusations?” she pressed.

Carter glanced briefly at Jake.
“Assaults on women.”

Jake slowly raised his head.
“Accusations,” he said calmly.

Carter nodded.
“Accusations.”

For a moment there was silence.
Then Claire asked:
“And that's why you're taking him to Prescott?”

“That is where his case will be decided.”

“What does that mean?”

Carter looked at her seriously.

“If the accusations are proven, the sentence could be very severe.”

Jake laughed quietly.
It was not a cheerful laugh.
“You don't leave much out, do you, Marshal?”

Carter turned toward him.
“You had your chance.”

Jake met his gaze.
“Maybe I'll get another one.”

Carter said nothing more.

Miriam gently placed a hand on her daughter's arm.
Claire understood the gesture.
She looked at Jake once more.

The young man had leaned back again. His face was calm.
Almost friendly.
But something in his eyes had changed.

And for the first time, Claire wondered whether her mother might have had good reason to be so distrustful of the man.

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 5:06 pm

Chapter 3 – The Three Riders

The sun had climbed noticeably higher, and the heat spreading across the land had increased quickly.

Far behind the stagecoach, a broad cloud of dust suddenly appeared above the road, unnoticed by everyone inside the coach.

Three riders followed at some distance.
Their horses moved at a calm, steady pace. None of the men seemed particularly eager to hurry.

The man in front sat upright in the saddle. His long, dark duster moved slightly in the wind with every step of his black stallion. His broad-brimmed hat was pulled low over his face.
Only occasionally did the light strike his eyes in such a way that the unusually pale, almost blue color of his irises became visible.

Blue.
That was what the others called him.
He had been given the name a long time ago and had never seen any reason to change it.

Several yards behind him rode Caleb, a strongly built man. He was perhaps in his early thirties, weather-beaten and sparing with words. His dark coat was shorter than Blue's, and his eyes kept moving attentively across the surrounding country.

Silas rode directly beside him.
The oldest of the three was almost as old as the stage driver. His head was nearly completely bald, and a broad scar ran down the left side of his face.

As he rode, he constantly chewed slowly on a piece of tobacco.
Silas spat to the side.
“We're losing time.”
Blue did not answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the cloud of dust ahead. The stagecoach was far away, but clearly visible.

Caleb looked ahead as well.

“She's moving pretty fast.”

“For now,” Blue said.

Silas grinned.
“If we keep riding this slowly, she'll soon be out of range.”

Blue raised one hand.

The other two fell silent.

He slowed his horse slightly and pulled a watch from his vest pocket. A brief glance was enough. Then he put it away again.
“We have plenty of time.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow.

“For what?”

Blue looked at him.
A barely perceptible smile appeared on his face.
“For everything.”

Silas shook his head.
“You could just tell us what you're planning.”

“I could.”

“And?”

“I'm not going to.”

Caleb's mouth twitched briefly.
It almost looked like a smile.
Caleb had known Blue long enough to know that he had a plan.

They continued riding.
For a while, the only sounds were the horses' hooves and the soft creaking of leather saddles.
Then Silas pointed ahead.

“There!”

Blue had already seen it.
The stagecoach had slowed and was now easier to make out.

Four wheels, four horses and the dark figure of the driver on the box.
And the horses were obviously tired.

Caleb straightened slightly in the saddle.
“We're getting closer!”

Blue nodded. “Yes.”

“And what if they speed up again before we reach them?”

Blue kept his eyes on the coach. “Then we'll catch them anyway.”

Silas spat into the dust again.
“And if they stop and notice us?”

Blue turned his head toward him.
“They'll stop. It's almost time to change horses. And then we'll wait for them.”

Silas grinned again.
“You like making things complicated.”

“No,” Blue said dryly. “I just like doing things safely.”

The three men continued riding somewhat off the road.
From that distance, nobody in the stagecoach could see them.

Blue pulled his hat a little lower.
His pale blue eyes remained fixed on the coach.
“We wait.”

None of the others objected.

Ahead of them, the stagecoach was now slowly making its way uphill through the dry country.
And still nobody inside realized that their journey was already being watched.

Blue smiled almost imperceptibly.
“There she is.”
He pointed toward the small stage station on the rise. Several horses stood in its corral.

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 5:09 pm

Chapter 4 – Changing Horses

The stagecoach rumbled onward along the dry road.
Elias had long since spotted the approaching stage station as well. They were making good time. And it was definitely time for a break.
The travelers could freshen up and attend to their needs while the stable hand at the station made sure that fresh horses would be ready when the coach departed again.
The company took care of its coaches.
And its passengers.

Inside the coach, the mood had relaxed somewhat.
The initial tension had faded, and Miriam had also become accustomed to the fact that Jake McCoy apparently had no intention of staring silently ahead for the entire journey.

Jake himself seemed to pay little attention to his handcuffs anymore.
He sat half-reclined on the bench, looking alternately at the other passengers and at the landscape outside.
Every now and then he pushed the curtain aside.

Claire had opened her book again.

“You're still reading?” Jake asked.

“What else should I do?”

“Talk to me.”

Claire looked over the top of her book.
“You already talk enough for two.”

Jake grinned.
“That was a compliment.”

“It wasn't.”

“Pity.”
Miriam couldn't help smiling.

Carter noticed.
“You shouldn't encourage him.”

“I haven't done anything, Marshal.”

“I know.”

Jake raised his cuffed hands.
“Besides, I'm at something of a disadvantage.”

Carter looked at the handcuffs.
“What disadvantage?”

“I can't even defend myself properly when the ladies insult me.”

Claire lowered her book.
“So you can defend yourself?”

Jake grinned.
“Very well, actually.”

“I believe that,” Carter said dryly.

Jake looked at him.
“You're almost friendly today, Marshal.”

“Just wait.”

“That is what I'm doing.”
Jake laughed quietly.
Then he pushed the curtain aside again.
This time he left it open longer.
His eyes traveled across the landscape behind the coach.

Nothing.
Only dust.

But ahead of them, the small stage station was now clearly visible.
Jake let the curtain fall again.

About half a mile off the road, the three men continued riding at a slow pace.
The stagecoach was now well ahead of them.
But Blue had reduced their speed nonetheless.
Caleb looked over at him.

“Why are we hanging back?”

Blue did not answer at first.
He looked toward the road.
Then toward the coach.
Then ahead again.
And pointed toward the station.
“Later...” was his only reply.

Elias was the first to entrust his coach to the stable hand. He then disappeared behind the station before heading inside a short while later.
To have a proper cup of coffee. And to refill his now-empty flask.

The passengers also climbed down from the coach.

“Ladies first!”
Grinning, Jake pointed with his cuffed hands toward the bushes behind the station.

The Marshal immediately reprimanded him for it.

Later, everyone was inside the station.
Elias was engaged in an animated conversation with the station's postmaster.
The two women had taken a seat at a small table by the window in the waiting room.
While Miriam enjoyed the strong coffee, Claire had settled for a glass of lemonade.

Jake sat with the Marshal in the darkest corner of the room.
Both seemed lost in thought as they silently drank their coffee and chewed on the dry meal the postmaster had set before them.

Behind the rise, Blue continued watching the coach.

Caleb and Silas had also disappeared behind some bushes.
For the moment, no one could see them.

A little later, the fresh horses were hitched to the coach.
Elias climbed back onto the box, gathered the reins and gave a short command.
Then the stagecoach moved on again.
________________________________________

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 5:13 pm

Chapter 5 – The First Encounter

Two hours later...
Elias slowly brought the stagecoach to a halt.
The horses snorted as he stopped them beside the first trees of a small patch of woodland.
The foliage provided a little shade, and the ground between the trees was noticeably less dusty than the open road.

“A short break. The horses can catch their breath, and you can stretch your legs.”

Carter opened the door.
“Stay here,” he told Jake.

Jake looked at him with feigned surprise.
“I was actually planning to take a little walk myself.”

“Not without me.”

“Pity.”

Carter climbed down.

Jake waited until the Marshal was several steps away. Then he climbed down as well and followed him slowly. The handcuffs jingled softly.

Carter let him.

Miriam and Claire remained in the coach for the moment.
“He's an unusual prisoner,” Miriam said quietly.
Claire looked through the open window.
“He certainly doesn't seem afraid.”
“I noticed that too.”

Suddenly, the sound of hooves came from outside.

Carter turned.
Three riders were coming down the road.
They were still about a hundred yards away.

The Marshal straightened.
His right hand did not reach for his revolver, but remained close to it.

The three men rode slowly closer.
The man in front wore a long dark duster and a broad-brimmed hat.
As he came nearer, Carter could make out his unusually blue eyes.

Two more men rode behind him.
One was strongly built and wore a dark coat as well.
The other was considerably older, nearly bald, with a prominent scar on his face.

Carter studied them carefully. Then he noticed the weapons.
All three carried revolvers.
The older man also had a rifle lying across his saddle, while the Winchesters of the other two remained in their saddle scabbards.

Carter's eyes lingered on the weapons for a moment longer.

The lead rider noticed. He smiled.
“Good afternoon, Marshal.”

Carter returned the greeting.
“Good afternoon.”

Blue brought his horse to a halt a few steps from the coach.
“Nice place for a break.”

“It is,” Carter said.

Blue let his eyes wander briefly over the stagecoach.
“Trouble with the horses?”

“No.”

“Then I suppose you had another reason.”

Carter looked at him.
“The prisoner needed to relieve himself.”

Blue raised his eyebrows slightly.
His gaze now lingered a little longer on the young man and his handcuffs.

Jake had meanwhile disappeared into the bushes without paying any further attention to the three riders.

Blue glanced briefly in his direction.
Only for a moment.
Then he turned back to Carter.

Miriam had now climbed down from the coach as well.
Claire followed her.
“Is everything all right?” Miriam asked.

Carter nodded.
“Three travelers.”

Blue took off his hat.

“Blue.”

He briefly indicated his companions.
“These two gentlemen are traveling with me.”

The strongly built man merely nodded. The older man continued chewing his tobacco.

Miriam returned the greeting.
“Miriam.”
Then she pointed toward her daughter.
“Claire. My daughter.”

Blue smiled politely.
“Pleased to meet you.”

Claire looked at the men's horses.
“Are those your own?”

“Yes.”

“They look fast and strong.”

“They are.”
Blue ran a hand over his horse's mane. “They have to be able to take quite a bit.”

Claire smiled.
“I imagine so.”

Silas shifted the tobacco from one cheek to the other.
“The lady knows horses?”

Claire shook her head.
“Not particularly.”

“Then I suppose you prefer animals to people.”

Miriam gave him a brief look.
Claire seemed unsure how to interpret his tone.

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 5:16 pm

Chapter 6 – A Different Road

The three riders were already out of sight.

Carter was still standing beside the stagecoach, watching the direction in which they had disappeared, while Jake had taken his seat opposite Claire again. His hands, still secured in handcuffs, rested loosely on his knees.

Claire glanced at him.
“You really didn’t know them?”

Jake raised his eyebrows. “Know whom?”

“The three men.”

“No.”

Carter climbed back into the stagecoach.
“Then we’ve cleared that up as well.”

Jake smiled. “Apparently.”

The Marshal sat down directly beside him.
“And now stay put.”

“That was my intention anyway.”

Elias waited another moment until Miriam and Claire had climbed back in as well. Then he gathered the reins.
The horses started moving. The stagecoach rumbled slowly out of the little grove.

Jake pulled back the curtain and looked out through the window. The road was empty. No riders. No dust.
He let the curtain fall.
But Carter had been watching him closely.

“You seem rather interested in this area.”

Jake shrugged. “I have plenty of time.”

“That’s one thing prisoners generally do have.”

Jake grinned.
“But apparently I’m in good company!”

Claire shook her head.
“You make fun of everything.”

“Not everything.”

“What don’t you make fun of?”

Jake thought for a moment.
“I don’t make fun of things that are dangerous.”

Carter looked at him attentively.
“That is probably the most sensible thing you’ve said today.”

Jake leaned back.
“Sometimes I surprise myself.”

Miriam smiled.
“You are a strange man, Mr. McCoy.”

Jake looked at her. For a moment, his face became serious. “Someone told me that once before.”
Then he turned his gaze back toward the window.

The landscape slowly slipped past.
But far ahead of them, the three men continued riding.

Blue had left the direct road. Then he reined in his horse.
Caleb noticed first.
“We’re not riding ahead of the stagecoach anymore.”

“No.”

“Why?”

Blue did not answer.

Silas chewed his tobacco and looked from one to the other.
“I thought we were in a hurry.”

Blue smiled.
“We’re not.”

“You said we had to act soon.”

“I did.”

“And now we’re riding in the wrong direction.”

Blue looked at him.
“Wrong?”

Silas pointed toward the road Elias had taken.
“The stagecoach is going that way.”

“I know.”

“And we’re wasting time here!”

“I know that too.”

Silas snorted.

Caleb said nothing more. He had known Blue long enough to understand that further questions would get him nowhere.

After a few minutes they reached a small rise.
Blue stopped.

From there they could see a long way across the country. The stagecoach was no longer visible.

Blue dismounted. He took off his hat and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief while Silas remained impatiently in the saddle.

“What are we doing here?”

Blue looked out across the plain.
“Waiting.”

“For what?”

Blue put his hat back on.
“For later.”

Silas stared at him.
“Later?”

Blue smiled.
“Maybe.”
Then he mounted again.

Caleb looked at him from the side.
“You have a plan.”

Blue looked at him.
“Of course.”

“And when do we find out what it is?”

“When I know it.”

Then Blue spurred his horse and turned it once more toward the road the stagecoach had to follow to Prescott.
The other two exchanged a brief look. Then they followed him.

The sun was already considerably lower in the sky, and the shadows were slowly growing longer again.
And somewhere ahead of them, the stagecoach continued toward Prescott.

Jake McCoy sat inside and looked out through the curtain one last time.
He smiled.
But no one noticed.
________________________________________

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 7:22 pm

Chapter 7 – The Breakdown

The first sound was hardly more than a faint clicking. Elias heard it without reacting at first. The horses were moving calmly, and the stagecoach rolled steadily along the dusty road.
Then the sound came again.
Click.

Elias gently pulled on the reins.
“Well, what’s that?” He turned his head and looked over his shoulder.
The right rear wheel was no longer running properly. It seemed to wobble slightly.
“Damn.”

He was just about to slow the horses when there was a loud crack.
The wheel broke free and struck the ground with a dry metallic sound.
The stagecoach dropped heavily on the right side.

Miriam and Claire were thrown against the side wall. Carter grabbed the door frame, while Jake tried to keep his balance with his hands still shackled.

Elias swore and pulled hard on the reins with both hands.
The horses shied sideways.
“Easy! Easy!”
After several anxious seconds, the horses finally stood still.
The stagecoach, however, was sitting crookedly on the road.

The Marshal looked around inside.
“Everyone all right?”

Miriam straightened up.
“I think so.”

Claire was still holding on to the seat.
“What happened?”

“A wheel,” Carter said.

Jake had also managed to straighten himself. He looked first at Carter and then toward the door.
His expression was unusually serious.

Elias jumped down from the driver’s bench.
“Stay seated!”

He walked around the stagecoach and stopped beside the damaged wheel.
“Damn it.”
Carter climbed down.
“How bad?”

Elias crouched down.
The wheel lay a short distance from the stagecoach in the dust. The hub had broken, and parts of the fastening had come loose.

Elias picked up the wheel and examined it.
“We’re not going anywhere with this.”

“Can it be repaired?”

Elias slowly shook his head. “Not here.”
He pointed toward the hub.
“This isn’t just a loose bolt. The thing is broken.”

Carter crouched down beside him.
“Have you ever seen anything like this before?”

“Of course.” Elias straightened.
“But not out here without a spare wheel.”

He looked toward the stagecoach.
“First we have to see whether we can get moving at all.”

Miriam and Claire carefully climbed down.
Claire looked at the damaged wheel.
“How long will it take?”

Elias grimaced.
“If we’re lucky, a few hours.”

Carter looked at him.
“And if we’re not lucky?”

Elias looked across the open country.
“Longer.”

Jake had also climbed out by now.
Carter never took his eyes off him.
The young man stood beside the stagecoach and examined the broken wheel.
“Bad luck,” he said.

Carter looked at him.
“Looks that way.”

Jake shrugged.
“Happens.”

Miriam looked up the road.
Nothing could be seen.
No other stagecoach. No riders.
Only dust and shimmering heat.

Elias went to the wagon and opened one of the rear compartments.
“I’ll see what tools and materials we have with us.”

Carter nodded.
“Good.”

Claire looked at her mother.
“So I suppose we’re stuck here for a while.”

“Looks that way.”

Jake suddenly smiled.
“You could also call it an involuntary rest.”

Claire looked at him.
“You really find a positive way of describing everything.”

“That’s one of my few good qualities.”

Carter snorted.
“If you have any.”

Jake grinned.
“Now you’re hurting my feelings, Marshal.”

While the others were occupied with the breakdown, the road behind them lay completely empty.
The three riders who had followed them earlier were long gone.
At least for the moment.
And no one at the stagecoach suspected that the next encounter with them might already be much closer than it seemed.

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 7:48 pm

Chapter 8 – The Unwanted Stop

Elias was still kneeling beside the damaged wheel.
Carter stood next to him, examining the break.

“I don’t like this,” Elias said.

“Why?”

The old driver pointed toward the hub.
“I mean, look at this.”

Carter bent down.
“What do you mean?”

“The connection came loose before the wood finally gave way.”

Carter ran a finger over the damaged metal.
“Can you repair it?”

“Not here. I don’t have the tools for it.”

The two men were so occupied with the damage that they barely noticed the conversation taking place behind the stagecoach.

Miriam had moved a little way off and sat down on a flat stone.
Claire stood beside the stagecoach with her book in her hand.
Jake was leaning against the side.

“You judged me rather quickly earlier.”

Claire looked at him.
“Did I?”

“You said I was impossible.”

“That wasn’t a judgment. It was an observation.”

Jake grinned.
“Then I’m relieved.”

Claire turned back to her book.
“You should be more concerned about what the Marshal will do with you once the stagecoach is repaired.”

“I know.”

“And?”

“I’ll continue on to Prescott.”

Claire looked up.
“That’s not what I meant.”

Jake looked at her for a moment.
“I know.”

Claire shook her head.
“You really are a strange man.”

“You said that already.”

“Then it must be true.”

Jake took half a step closer.

“Perhaps you simply haven’t spent enough time with me yet.”

Claire looked at him over the top of her book.
“That can probably be avoided.”

“Pity.”

“Why?”

Jake smiled.
“You’re more interesting than most people I’ve met so far.”

Claire fell silent for a moment.
“You don’t know me at all.”

“That can be changed.”

“You’re sitting handcuffed in a broken stagecoach.”

Jake looked down at his hands.
“A minor disadvantage.”

Claire couldn't help smiling.

Jake noticed immediately.
“There.”

“What?”

“You smiled.”

“Only at your stupidity.”

“That’s a beginning, too.”

Claire closed her book.
“You really don’t give up.”

“Not when something is worth it.”

For a moment they looked at each other.
Then Claire heard Elias call:

“Marshal! Come over here again. I want to show you something.”
Carter straightened and walked toward the driver.

Claire looked at Jake.
“You’re lucky.”

“How so?”

“That the Marshal is busy right now.”

Jake grinned.
“I’d noticed that too.”

Miriam, who had overheard the last few sentences, gave her daughter a brief look.
Claire answered it with an innocent smile.

Jake, meanwhile, looked back toward the empty road.
His own smile had disappeared.

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 7:54 pm

Chapter 9 – The Three Riders

Elias closed the toolbox he had placed beside the damaged wheel.
Carter was still kneeling beside him.

“Something like this doesn’t just happen,” the old driver said.

Carter looked at him.
“What do you mean?”

Elias pointed toward the hub.
“I mean I’ve seen breaks like this many times. But normally there’s a warning. The wheel runs badly. It makes noises. You notice it.”

“And this time?”

Elias shook his head.
“This time it happened pretty suddenly.”

Carter straightened. His gaze moved back along the road they had come from.
Empty. Only the tracks of the stagecoach ran through the dust.

“Maybe it was simply bad luck.”

“Maybe.”
Elias did not sound convinced.

Behind them, Claire could be heard laughing.

Carter turned around.
And then he saw them.

Three riders were slowly approaching along the road.

The man in front wore the long dark duster.
Beside him rode the strong, silent man.
A little farther behind came the bald man with the scarred face.

Carter straightened.
“Them again.”

Elias looked over.
“Looks like we’re getting company.”

Miriam had already stood up.
“Are those the men from earlier?”

“Yes,” Carter said.

Jake stood beside the stagecoach and looked toward the road.
His face remained completely calm.

The three riders came closer.

Blue briefly raised a hand in greeting.
“Breakdown?”

Carter took a few steps toward him.
“Looks like it.”

Blue glanced toward the stagecoach.
“Doesn’t look good.”

“It isn’t.”

Blue did not dismount.
“We saw that something was wrong and wanted to see if you needed help.”

Carter studied him.
“We can manage.”

Blue smiled. “Of course.”

Caleb looked toward Elias.
“How far to Prescott?”

Elias wiped his hands on a cloth.
“A fair distance.”

“Is there another station before then?”

Elias thought for a moment.
“Not directly on this road.”

Caleb looked west.
“A farm, perhaps? Somewhere between here and Prescott?”

Elias slowly nodded.
“A few miles farther west there’s a ranch. If it’s still occupied.”

“And a station?”

“The next proper station is farther east. On another route.”

Caleb nodded.
“I see.”

Carter watched him carefully.
“Why are you asking?”

“Because we have to get to Prescott ourselves.”

“Then you’d better hurry.”

Caleb shrugged. “We have time.”

Blue gave him a brief glance.
Only for a moment.
Then he turned back to Carter.
“If you like, we could send someone to the ranch. Perhaps they have tools or spare parts.”

Carter considered it.
“How far away is it?”

Elias nodded.
“If you mean the one I know, about three miles.”

Blue nodded.
“Then we could ask there.”

Carter looked at the three men.
Then at the stagecoach.
Then back at Blue.
“That would be kind.”

Blue smiled.
“We help one another on the road.”

Silas had not said a word so far. Now he spat silently into the dust.
His gaze moved briefly toward the damaged stagecoach.
Only briefly. Then he looked up again.

Blue noticed the look.
Carter did not.

Jake, however, did.
For a fraction of a second, his eyes met those of the older man.

Silas did not move a muscle.
Neither did Jake.
Then Jake looked away.

Blue pushed the brim of his hat slightly higher.
“We can ride ahead and ask.”

Carter nodded.
“That would be helpful.”

“Good.”

Blue gave his horse a gentle nudge. The other two followed him.
After a few seconds, they were once again some distance away.

Carter watched them go.
“Strange men.”

Elias nodded.
“That’s what I thought too.”

Jake was still leaning against the stagecoach.

“Perhaps they’re simply helpful.”

Carter turned toward him.
“Since when do you defend strangers?”

Jake grinned.
“I’m not defending anyone, Marshal.”
Then he looked in the direction in which the three riders had disappeared.
“I only said they might be helpful.”

Carter regarded him suspiciously.

Jake smiled.
But this time he said nothing more.
________________________________________

Post by **Blue** » Fri Oct 02, 2026 7:59 pm

Chapter 10 – Hidden

The three riders had long since left the stagecoach behind.
After a while, Blue turned off the road and led the other two between some low rocks. Behind them lay a shallow depression that could not be seen from the road.
“We’ll stay here for now,” he said.

They dismounted. The horses were unsaddled and tied a little farther away. A small fire was lit, barely large enough to make coffee.
Silas sat down on a flat rock and began chewing his tobacco again.
“We could have taken Jake with us right away.”

Blue poured himself some coffee.
“No.”

“The Marshal was alone.”

“He was armed.”

Silas grinned.
“So are we.”

Caleb sat silently by the fire. Blue glanced at him.
“And besides, there were the women.”

Silas laughed quietly.
“You’ve become cautious.”

“I’m always cautious.”

Silas took a sip of coffee.
“You weren’t in the old days.”

Blue smiled.
“I was younger in the old days.”

For a while no one spoke.
Then Silas nodded toward the road.
“Remember the station at Red Rock?”

Caleb looked up.
“Which one?”

“The one with the fat stationmaster.”

Blue's mouth tightened almost imperceptibly.
“That was a long time ago.”

“Seven years, maybe.” Silas grinned.
“The man had a shotgun under the table. He thought we hadn’t seen it.”

“Had you seen it?” Caleb asked.

“Of course.”

“And what did you do?”

Silas looked at him as though the question were unnecessary.
“I waited until he tried to pull it out.”
He grinned.
“Then it was too late for him.”

Caleb fell silent again.

Blue drank his coffee.
“You tell that story differently every time.”

“Because it gets better every time.”

Blue shook his head.

Silas laughed.

“You weren’t any better back then!” Blue admonished him.

“No?”

“You killed the man in cold blood!”
Blue looked at him calmly.

“He wanted to shoot me,” Silas replied.

“And you drew faster?”

“Yes.”
Silas leaned back.
“Those were the days.”
His gaze wandered back toward the road.
“Today we’re supposed to be more careful? Why?”

Blue followed his gaze.
“Today we have more to lose.”

Silas grinned.
“Or more to gain.”

Blue said nothing.

Silas took another sip.
“The two women from the stagecoach…”

Blue looked at him questioningly.

Silas smiled.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Yes.”

“The younger one is interesting.”

Caleb glanced briefly at Silas.
“Leave it.”

Silas laughed.
“I haven’t done anything.”

“Not yet,” Blue said quietly.

Silas looked at him. For a moment his grin disappeared. Then it returned.
“And the Marshal?”

“What about him?” Blue asked.

“He’s standing between us and Jake.”

Blue put his cup down.
“For now.”

Silas nodded slowly.
Then he repeated with a mocking emphasis:
“For now.”

The sun sank lower. The shadows of the rocks grew longer.

Blue looked toward the sky.
“We’ll wait until dusk has fully set in.”

Silas looked at him.
“And then?”

Blue stood up.
“Then we’ll see.”

He walked over to the horses.
Silas watched him.
Then spat into the embers.
“All this waiting.”

Caleb remained silent.
But by now even he knew that quite a bit was going to happen that night.
________________________________________

The Stagecoach - english version

The Stagecoach - english version

Re: The Stagecoach

Re: The Stagecoach

Re: The Stagecoach

Re: The Stagecoach

Re: The Stagecoach

Re: The Stagecoach

Re: The Stagecoach

Re: The Stagecoach

Re: The Stagecoach