Outlaw Trail

She tossed a few more sticks on the fire and placed the rolled-up shirt behind her head. “There’s one more thing,” Josie reminded the mule. “We don’t know who stretched that rope across the path back there. Whoever it was, I owe them one. It was a mighty fine trap, whether it was meant to be or not.”
She let her weary eyes skim over the parchment once more. The trail will be long, her pa had said. Will I have the courage and strength to follow it? Will I be able to fulfill his last wish and make my own dreams come true?
For the first time in her life, she felt hopeful about the future as she clutched the map tightly in her fist.
Though excited, she was dog-tired, both mentally and physically. Her eyes started to drift shut.
She had barely nodded off when the sound of snapping branches roused her. Her head jerked and her eyes flew open.
Josie’s spine went rigid when a low voice addressed her. “I’ll take that map now.”
Josie fished around in her pants pocket for the Derringer. Her hand touched the cold metal, and she squeezed her finger around the trigger of the gun and stumbled to her feet.
“Stay right where you are, and take your hand out of your pocket,” the voice ordered. “You won’t get hurt if you do as you’re told. Do it!”
She squinted at the tall figure standing in the shadows at the mouth of the cave and heard the click of a revolver. Ragged breaths escaped her throat. “Are you going to kill me?” she asked in a throaty whisper, as she showed him one empty hand.
“That depends on how much trouble you decide to cause. Just hand over that map and I’ll be on my way.”
Inhaling deeply, her eyes roamed over the parchment still clutched in her fist. The trail will be long. Don’t give up. Her pa’s words rang in her ears. Nothing was going to stop her from going after whatever lay at the end of that trail. Her pa had died so she could have a better life. No one was going to take that from her.
“If you want it, you’ll have to pry it from my cold dead fingers.”