A Prisoner of the Wasteland
By Jason Borrego
Well past his prime, gunslinger Antonio Chapman never expected to square off against a man he once considered a brother; a man whose death he mourned long ago. It’s a pity he was wrong.
It’s easy to write off an old soldier damaged over the years, especially when his skills are suffering extensively with each passing day. Dragging his boots to what he prays is his final mission; Antonio inadvertently loses an ancient scroll that refuses to be ignored. Yet in doing so, saves the life of Tyler, a timid boy. Antonio doesn’t believe in fate, but the boy is tied into the mysterious fortune of the scroll. However, Tyler dies at the hands of a mysterious, yet familiar, enemy and Antonio’s age bears the blame. As Antonio is left with his vexing thoughts, he realizes that he isn’t the legendary hero of past. He’s a shadow of his former self driven by pride.
After many sleepless nights, Antonio comes to the realization that Tyler isn’t completely dead—he’s become a walking corpse and prisoner to a dear friend thought dead. Antonio doesn’t have the strength. He doesn’t have the mental fortified. But he must find a way to lay the boy’s corpse to rest before his mental demons devour what’s left. In doing so, new fears will emerge within him, when he is faced with the frightening reality that his enemy was once an honored friend.