The Last Ride

Title: “The Last Ride of Black Hollow Gang”

In the shadowed hills of Black Hollow, a notorious group of bandits ruled the dusty trails between towns. They were led by Cain Mercer, a ruthless man with cold eyes and a revolver faster than thunder. The gang struck stagecoaches, robbed wealthy travelers, and vanished into the canyons before the law could blink.

For years, Cain and his men—Jeb, Silas, and the young and eager Noah—lived free. But Cain had a secret. He’d been planning one final heist that would let him disappear forever: a government gold shipment passing through Carson Pass under light guard.

The night before the ambush, the gang camped near the edge of a cliff. Around the fire, laughter echoed. Noah, the youngest, looked up to Cain like a father. Jeb and Silas sharpened blades and played cards. But Cain stayed silent, staring into the flames.

The next morning, they struck. Bullets rained down like hail. The guards were outnumbered, and the gold was theirs in minutes. But as they loaded the loot, Cain turned his gun on Jeb and Silas, shooting them both in the back.

Noah froze in horror.

“I told you, kid,” Cain said coldly, “I ride alone from here.”

But Noah wasn’t a boy anymore. With trembling hands, he drew his pistol. “You taught me better than to trust a snake.”

The shot echoed across the mountains.

Cain fell, gold spilling from the bags like blood.

Noah stood over his former hero, heart pounding. He didn’t want the gold anymore. He buried it beneath a sycamore tree and rode off, leaving the legend of the Black Hollow Gang behind him—where it belonged.

Some say the gold’s still there.

Others say Noah never made it far.

But every outlaw in the west knows: trust among thieves dies faster than a loaded gun.