iaintwildbill (iaintwildbill) wrote in voicesinmyhead, @ 2007-06-14 11:35:00 |
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Current mood: | awake |
Current music: | Cody's snorin'... *throws a pillow at him* |
Prompt 1: Who am I?
Sometimes I can't say as I rightly know. Ya see, I've got a bit of a reputation thanks to a fella by the name of J.D. Marcus. He wrote a book about me and the damn thing's nothin' but a bunch of lies. He made me out to be this killer, see? Said I killed 20 men in 18 years. Until he wrote that book, I'd only ever killed one man in a shootout and I didn't really have much choice in that. But now that everyone thinks that I'm this 'Wild Bill' Hickok? I've had to do my share of killin' just to keep myself and my friends alive. So I can tell ya who I AIN'T, but that ain't what I'm supposed ta be talkin' about, I suppose.
I grew up in Illinois, with my momma and daddy and siblings. My daddy was a famous man as far as abolitionists go, and he stayed famous right up until the day he died, which I guess means that bein' famous didn't do him any good, either. Certainly didn't help my momma out, either. He was mean to her and to us kids, but she always told us it was the frettin' he did over all the slaves he had ta help. He cared more about them than he did about us, but momma swore he loved us. When they both died, my sisters and brother all went ta live with other kin, and I made my way to Missouri. That's where I met the Judge. He took me in under his wing and taught me a lotta things about life and survivin', but not a one of em was good. I wouldn't have this here Colt on my hip if'n it weren't for him, but I'd probably also be dead, so... I guess that's a double edged sword.
Once I got away from the Judge and his crazy idea of preparin' me for the world, I made my way out here to Sweetwater and joined the Pony Express. They've been my family ever since. I think this may be the first place I've ever felt like I belonged. We're a family here and we may do a little bickerin' and carryin' on, but when it comes down to it, we're there for each other. Kid, Cody, Buck, Ike... they are like brothers to me. Teaspoon... we'll I think Teaspoon's crazy half the time, but he's also gotta be the smartest man I ever met. He don't always make sense, but when he does, he's always right. Emma... well, Emma's special to me. I had a lotta confusin' feelings about Emma for a long time, but it was only 'cause she takes such good care of us. I ain't ever had somebody be there like that for me, and I almost ruined our friendship by tryin' ta make it somethin' it wasn't.
*locked from Lou and Kid*
Then... there's Lou. Louise. Don't ya dare tell her I called her that, or she'd likely skin the hell outta me for it. I ain't rightly sure what I think about Lou. Ever since I found out she was a girl, I cain't quite look at her the same. 'Course, I was kinda lookin at her that way before, but I didn't know she was a she then. Which, I ain't rightly sure what that says, but I ain't about to sit and think about it, either. She rides for the Pony Express and she's just as good as any of us on a horse and with a gun. Hell, maybe even better. I guess I understand her better than I do the rest of the boys, on account of her always havin' ta prove herself. I'd go so far as to say that she's probably my best friend among the bunch of us, though Kid would probably punch me in the mouth for sayin' something like that. The boy's seven kinds of crazy about her, and everyone knows it. He just ain't the best at showin' it is all. Gets her right fired up about it, too. Expects her ta be one way, when she just ain't. Kid can't have his woman doin' a man's work and livin' a man's life, ya see. Ain't the way he was brought up. Ain't really how I was brought up, either, but I figure she's got as much right as any of us to make her own way. And she's doin' a pretty good job of it, too.
*unlocked*
Aw hell. I feel like I'm runnin' off at the mouth here, talkin' about all this. Startin' ta sound like Cody.
Who am I?
I'm James Butler Hickok. Friend. Brother. Holy terror. *smirk* And I ain't 'Wild Bill'.
Character: Jimmy Hickok
Fandom: The Young Riders
Words: A lot.