<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Keele Creative Writing Society]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://keelecreativewriting.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[jb2005]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://keelecreativewriting.wordpress.com/author/jb2005/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[The Old West (An apocryphal tale of Simon William&nbsp;Smith)]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><em>Based on Today&#8217;s Creative Writing Facebook Challenge!</em></p>
<p>Simon William Smith stared along the dusty road. In front of him stood a gunslinger, an evil glint in his eye and two polished pistols at his waist. The gunslinger spat and looked Simon dead in the eye, &#8220;Draw&#8221; he said, pulling his pistols. Simon crouched and grabbed a stone, flinging it towards the his assailant.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, just as you should always remember the phrase &#8216;never bring a knife to a gunfight,&#8217; you should remember the phrase &#8216;never throw rocks at a man with a gun.&#8217; As the stone whizzed through the air, the bullet from the gunslinger&#8217;s revolver struck Simon dead in the chest, he fell to the ground lifeless, the stone flying harmlessly past the gunslinger&#8230;</p>
<p>From out of a saloon, a barmaid came running, &#8216;Nooooo&#8217; she cried, running to Simon&#8217;s lifeless body, her hat falling from her head as she ran. As she reached him and looked into Simon&#8217;s glassy eyes, she wept and sat upon the dusty ground, cradling the head of the fallen hero.</p>
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