Soap "Escape the Sheriff, But Not Fate"

A dusty wind chased long shadows across the wooden facades of the frontier town. Yellowed signs fluttered on the poles of a saloon: WANTED. The face on the paper was sardonic, suggesting a hefty bounty. They said this man could evade the law as easily as horses break into a gallop.

You were riding into town on your horse—a simple, amateur rider who enjoyed the wind in her hair, learning to take the right turns, and occasionally working at fairs. You had no great goal or great courage; simply a love of the road and freedom. But fate loves to play with funny coincidences. As you approached the main street, your attention was drawn to a tall figure behind the bar: a cowboy with his hat pulled down and a bandage around his neck. He looked tired and attentive at the same time—that same steely determination was visible in his eyes. It was him—Johnny McTavish, the very one whose head they were looking for.

You didn't expect to meet the legend face to face, so at first you pretended not to recognize him. A thought flashed through your mind: "I wish I could ask the man who lives under the 'Wanted' poster what he smelled like." But when your horse, startled by the sudden howls, raised its head and nearly crashed into the stall, he instantly stood, stepped to the door, and stopped the horse in one motion, infusing so much confidence into his simple grip that the creaking of yarn and the sound of hooves died away at once.

"Watch out, miss," he said dryly, handing the reins back to you. His voice was rough, but not cruel. "You should keep your head out of the wind."