The Devil's Hole War of 1879

By Hanna Heyes

Hannibal Heyes was getting cabin fever. And when that happened, a weird idea that caused trouble usually followed. Kid was going to try and prevent that from happening. "Wanna go play some poker with the boys?"

"Maybe in a bit."

Five minutes later, Heyes suddenly got up and walked briskly toward the front door without a word.

Kid stood up. "Where're you goin' in such a hurry?"

"I'm going to go start a war." Heyes grabbed his coat from the hook beside the door.

Curry's eyes widened and he ran over to block his cousin from leaving. "What?!"

The grey coat was put on. "I'm going to go start a war." Heyes reached for his hat on its hook.

His cousin slapped his hand back down. "What's that s'posed to mean?"

Once again, a hand reached for the black hat. And once again, said hand was slapped back down.

"Quit that!"

"I might when you tell me exactly what kinda weirdness is goin' through that brain of yours! Now you explain what you mean by 'startin' a war."

"We're going to have ourselves a good, old-fashioned snowball fight!"

Curry just stared for a few seconds as a hand attempted to retrieve the black hat once more. It was slapped down again.

"I said quit that!"

Kid continued to stare in unbelief. "You think that bunch will be interested in havin' a snowball fight? What's wrong with you?"

"I'm bored." With that, Heyes turned and hurried to the back door.

"Get back here, Heyes!" Kid tried to catch his partner but he was already outside. Momentarily, he heard the front door open. He ran to it just in time to see a hand enter, grab a black hat, and leave.

*****************

Heyes was molding a handful of snow into a sphere when Kid ran up. "I don't think this is a good idea. Even if the boys agree to this, you know how competitive Wheat is. If he don't beat you, we'll hear him complainin' about it all winter."

"No we won't." Heyes examined his snowball. "The boys in the bunkhouse will."

"You're crazy." Kid stood with his arms crossed.

"You worry too much." Heyes slapped his shoulder and smiled. "C'mon."

Curry sighed and reluctantly followed his partner to the bunkhouse. He watched as Heyes opened the door, said, "Howdy boys!", then nailed Wheat in the chest with the snowball.

The whole gang was stunned. Wheat looked down at his now wet shirt then back up at his leader. "What the heck, Heyes?!"

Once everyone was over their shock, they started howling in laughter.

"It ain't funny!" Wheat yelled as he stood up and wiped white remnants off his chest. He stared angrily. "I'm gonna give you the same treatment!" He started to the door but was stopped by a glacial blue stare.

Heyes had a huge grin which just irritated Wheat more. "See, Kid? I told you they'd want to do it."

"Do what?" Preacher asked.

"We're going to have ourselves a snowball war!"

Once again, the gang was shocked into silence. Then Kyle grinned wide. "Now I like the sound of that! I used ta do that back home with my brothers!"

"Who else wants to join?" Heyes looked around.

The rest were quiet for a minute before Hank spoke up. "Well, if I have a chance to nail Wheat like you did then count me in." That started a chorus of agreement throughout the bunkhouse.

"Well, I ain't gonna be on your side, Heyes. I want a chance to repay you." Wheat said with annoyance.

Kid gave him a look. "Now, Wheat. This is just for fun."

Wheat snorted softly. "Well, what does the winning side get?"

"Why the glory of being the winners of the first Devil's Hole Snowball War." A huge dimpled grin appeared.

"And..." Wheat waited.

"And nothing. Like Kid said, it's just for fun. Let's split into teams."

"How you gonna determine that, Heyes?" Kid was curious.

"Well, me and you will lead one team..."

"But you two can't be on the same team, Heyes." Kyle objected. "Rest of us won't have a chance."

Wheat frowned. "What're you trying to say, Kyle? That I couldn't lead a team to victory over Heyes? Why I could beat him with one arm..."

Curry purposely cleared his throat. Wheat decided he should stop that sentence before he got himself in trouble.

"I just think I could outsmart him in a snowball fight."

Heyes looked at him. "You do, huh? How about a bet then?"

Wheat started to look a little uncomfortable. "What kind?"

"If you beat me, then I'll do your chores for a week while you lounge in the cabin."

"And if you win?"

"You have to clean the outhouse this month."

"What?! That ain't a good bet!"

"What's wrong, Wheat? You afraid you actually 'can't' beat me?" Heyes grinned.

Wheat bristled. "Alright. You got a bet! But only if Kid is on my team. Ain't fair for you two to be on the same team."

"I just said that...," Kyle trailed off. He was ignored.

"Kid? What do you say? Want to lose under Wheat's lead?"

Curry rolled his eyes. "Fine. But Wheat, I don't like to lose."

Wheat averted his eyes.

"Boys, all of you are witnesses to that bet," Heyes said. He walked to the table and grabbed the poker cards. "The rest of you draw a card. Since there's only seven of us, the first three to draw a red card will be on my team."

The drawing commenced with Preacher, Hank, and Lobo ending up on Heyes' side.

Kid moved to his cousin to speak softly. "I think we should give them more than just the glory of winnin'. Winners do usually get some kind of prize."

Heyes nodded his head in agreement. He looked at his gang to address them again. "Besides the glory, the winners will get an extra present of their choosing on Christmas day. Now, let's get outside and start some snow fort construction!"

That brought smiles all around and they all hurried to grab coats and hats.

**************

Pretty soon, two snow forts were built in the area between the leader's cabin and the bunkhouse, each containing a pile of snowballs. Heyes strolled into the center. "Listen up. This is going to be like a game of capture the flag. First team to get the other's bandana on the stick wins. If you get hit outside your fort, you have to go back and start your run over. I gotta go in the cabin for a minute. When I return, we'll start. Good luck!"

Heyes hurried inside, changed into his white shirt, and returned to his team.

"Why'd you go change shirts?" Preacher asked.

"Camouflage," Heyes grinned impishly. His team smiled back. "READY? GO!"

Wheat immediately launched a snowball straight at the place where Heyes was standing. By the time it arrived, however, its intended target had jumped out of the way and returned fire. Wheat was once again hit in the chest. Curse words were yelled as he ducked down.

"That t'weren't very smart, Wheat. He was lookin' right at ya," Kyle observed.

"I...was testing his reflexes."

"Well, Wheat, what's your plan?" Kid asked loading his arms with as many snowballs as he could hold.

Wheat thought a minute. "Kid, you distract them and give me and Kyle cover to go get their bandana."

Kid's eyebrows rose. "That's it?"

"Well, yeah," Wheat huffed. "This ain't no bank robbery."

"Okay. Whatever you say." Kid moved to one end of the fort.

Heyes was busy coordinating the placing of ammunition around his fort and giving instructions. "Preacher, think we all agree you're the best at long distance shots on our side. You stay at the front and look for anyone leaving over there. Lobo, you go get next to the bandana and protect it while making extra snowballs. Hank, take an end and start trying to knock pieces off their fort so they have less to hide behind. I'm going to go after their flag. If I get hit, I'm going to cause a distraction on my way back. Then you head out, Hank. I don't have to tell you to watch out for Kid." Everyone nodded and got into place.

Kid had already started launching his attack. He was quickly and consistently hitting one spot in the center of Heyes' stronghold. Preacher started to try and deflect the snowballs but it was a useless endeavor. So he joined Hank in trying to knock off pieces of the other wall.

"Go on that side, Kyle and I'll go this way," Wheat instructed as they carefully peaked around the edge and started sneaking out. Preacher saw them and started firing. "Go to the other side, Kyle!"

"Change of plan, Hank. They'll probably be expecting me to go after their flag. So I'll stay here for now and you go after it," Heyes instructed. Hank nodded and moved back behind their own flag to start over in a roundabout way.

Wheat and Kyle were now peaking around the other side of their fortification. "Okay. Let's go. Head that way, Kyle." The short outlaw nodded and headed out.

Heyes popped his head up over the top just in time to see Wheat leave. He threw a white rocket which smacked Wheat in the side of his head. More cussing was heard and Heyes couldn't help but laugh. Wheat retreated but Kyle had made it out of sight.

It wasn't five seconds later that Heyes took a blow right in the forehead that knocked his hat off. He shook his head and looked to see Kid smiling at him. Heyes smirked and returned fire just to miss and get struck in the forehead again. "QUIT AIMING AT MY HEAD!"

"But it's such a big target," Kid said nonchalantly as he kept up his barrage.

"At least he hasn't saw Hank y..."

Heyes' sentence didn't even get finished before Kid struck a blow to Hank's side, sending him back to the fort. He then continued his attack on the center spot he'd been focused on.

"Okay, Kid. This won't stand." Heyes took off his coat before he looked out to plot his best route. Kid was the only one staying behind the fort but that was all his team needed for defense. He'd have to be at his best to get around his cousin. With a smile, he lay close to the ground and basically belly crawled to get right next to the porch of the leaders' cabin. The snow they'd swept off the top made a small hill just big enough for him to hide behind if he crawled.

Meanwhile, Wheat had once again tried to maneuver his way out without being seen. This time he made it a few feet before Preacher got him. He stood straight up. "SON OF A... DANG IT!" Preacher let another fly that sent Wheat running for cover. During that whole thing, Kyle had been slowly moving toward the blue bandana. He stopped every few feet and lay low.

Heyes had crawled on his elbows half the length of the cabin's porch. If he could just catch Kid looking off or Wheat blocking his view, he could leave his cover and quietly move to get the red bandana. He just had to wait for the right moment.

Wheat begrudgingly returned to squat behind his own fortress, resting a minute before he looked up and over to try and see Heyes. "I know he's going to try for it, Kid. And I'm going to be the one to stop him."

"If you say so." At that moment, Curry accomplished his goal and had drilled a big enough hole right through the center of the opposing wall causing it to collapse in the middle. Preacher and Hank threw themselves to each side.

"How'd he do that?!" Hank yelled.

Preacher replied with two simple words, "It's Kid."

"Bring me some more snowballs, Wheat."

"We ain't got no more made."

"Well, start makin' some," Kid ordered as he started scooping snow.

"I'm in charge here. Remember?" Wheat said, his voice wavering a touch.

That earned him an icy look. "Well then, I strongly 'suggest' you start makin' some."

Lobo started tossing snowballs up to Preacher and Hank as they continued their attack, trying to get a hit on Kid to no avail.

Kyle had steadily been moving, inching closer to his prize.

Wheat tried again to leave the same time as Hank did from the opposing side. They saw each other and started having their own little war on the sidelines.

Preacher had starting wondering where Kyle was and in between throws, was looking around. Lobo moved up to help. Kid saw them and tossed one bigger snowball up in the air, then hit it with a smaller one when it was overtop the other two gang members, causing a small blizzard to fall down on their faces.

"This ain't fair!" Lobo yelled.

Wheat and Hank kept thumping each other with hastily made snowballs as they'd retreat then move forward again.

Heyes had made it to the end of the cabin. All he had to do was raise up and sprint to the bandana to win.

At the same time, Kyle was closing in on the other. He noticed that Lobo was no longer kneeling beside it so decided it was time to move.

Heyes got up enough to kneel on his knees, watching Kid and preparing himself for the run. He glanced back to time his departure with his partner dodging, and slinging, snowballs. But he also saw something else. Kyle was within a few feet of grabbing their bandana. Heyes couldn't wait. He had to go. He launched himself into action, trying to watch for snowballs coming his way.

Kyle was going unseen by both Preacher and Lobo. Hank and Wheat were still having their own civil war, neither wanting to be outdone.

Heyes saw Kid's head turn towards him and he slung himself through the air in an effort to get victory before Kyle. But he was hit three times before he smacked back down in the snow, fingers within reach of the stick.

As soon as he hit, he heard Kyle yell. "YAAAHOOO! I WON! I mean, WE WON!"

Curry laughed at the happiness in Kyle's voice and reached a hand down to help his cousin up.

"I almost had it you know. You might want to brush up on your observation skills, Kid."

"Nah. I saw you come out from under the porch. I just wanted to let you think you could get by me," Curry grinned.

Heyes frowned.

Wheat came over, hiking his pants up and smirking in triumph. "Well, Heyes. Guess I'll be watching you do my chores for a week."

"Nope."

"Whaddoya mean 'nope'?! We won!"

"Yeah. But if you remember, I said 'you' had to beat me. You were nowhere to be seen. Kid stopped me."

"Why that's the dirtiest, sneakiest,..."

"Isn't that what I said, Kid."

"Yep."

"But look on the bright side, Wheat. I didn't win either. So you don't have to clean the outhouse. Unless your name gets pulled from the hat."

Wheat grumbled as he stomped his way back to the bunkhouse.

Kyle was getting congratulatory slaps on the back as he walked over holding the blue bandana. "Never thought I'da beat ya, Heyes. But I had a lotta practice with my brothers. They was always tryin' ta hit each other and I'd just sneak off."

"Well, it certainly worked here too, Kyle. Congratulations! You get first pick at the extra presents at Christmas. Now, how about we all go get into some dry clothes and have a nice dinner and some poker."

Agreements were heard all around as they all headed inside. Another strange Heyes idea had worked after all.