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#1 Old 28th Jul 2010 at 9:02 PM
Default Gabriel and Mae - Morgan's Creek Closed Offshoot RP



Due to the untimely and premature death of the Morgan's Creek roleplay quite some time ago, and lingering ideas and inspiration for our characters, myself and Psyche decided to do a slow-paced offshoot centered on Gabriel Callahan and Mae Starr .

It is a closed roleplay, but anyone who's interested in reading it is of course more than welcome to do so. If you do, we hope you'll enjoy it.


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~ * ~ Volition ~ * ~
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Field Researcher
#2 Old 30th Jul 2010 at 12:46 AM Last edited by Psyche_SC : 2nd Aug 2010 at 12:01 PM.
Default Mae Starr & Gabriel Callahan


Mae Starr - The Saloon, later with Gabriel Callahan, at Morgan's Ranch

# 14

After dark, the poker game in the Saloon became more serious, the stakes got higher and the participants drunker. Five men sat around a table, glaring at each other as if to try and spot a cheater among them. Mae enjoyed watching them, when there was no clients to lure. For though Mae could appeal to any man, not all men appealed to her. So while there were a few men that she could make some money off of, she wouldn't be the one to bring it about. One was so drunk he was just one glass away from not being able to get to the outhose in time, another one just had a foul smell about him and a third one was just a nightmare to listen to. He was so tedious, it felt like time itself would get tired and just stop. So when said man spotted her and started to walk her way, she felt as if she wanted to just vanish off the face of the earth. God no, she would rather have the drunken man fall asleep on the floor, next to her bed, instead.

"Evenin' honey", he said, quite a bit drunk aswell.

Mae managed to muster a smile, standing by the bar with her hands on her hips. He was, after all, a costumer, and as such he had to be kept happy. It wouldn't be the first time she'd had a big, sweaty man all over her, seriously wondering why she was a saloon girl. It was the worst thing about the job, it was not like having someone like Gabriel Callahan in your bed. Now that was a man, thinking of him was really what fueled that smile of hers. He could set her body on fire, like no other. This man was not even worth the dirt on Callahan's shoes.

So, after a quick and boring conversation, Mae found herself being escorted upstairs to her room. She had to do it, and she had to look like she enjoyed it. It was, after all, one of her many talents, to look like she was having the time of her life every single time. Sometimes she did, other times she just put on a good show. Whatever was the case, it added to her reputation as a great girl to be with.
The man was joking and kidding around with a bottle of cheap liquor in his hand, in Mae's room, she was standing on the other side of the bed, laughing right along with him. He grabbed her and pressed her against the wall, while doing some combination of kissing and licking her neck and cheek. Mae let out an amused laugh, trying her best to play her part. Then the man let out a burp, which was followed by a smell that Mae couldn't help but frown at. Unfortunately for her, the man noticed her grimace and took it badly. His eyebrows narrowed and his teeth became visible in an angry snarl, as he pushed her on to the bed. Maybe he knew he wasn't exactly the cat's meow and decided to take it out on Mae, for reminding him of that fact. He started to tear at her clothes, which really frightened Mae. She might be bold and brave, cocky and cunny, but she was no match for a man twice her size, if not more. Words and conniving looks were her forte, not picking an actual fight. She might be able to take another girl in a brawl, but not a man. And she had been there, humiliated and crying on the floor, when she had failed to please a man. She had promised herself it wouldn't happen again, thus perfecting her act, but that wouldn't save her now.

Though she was a sure thing as a saloon girl, it didn't mean she was up for anything. To be taken by force was not an option for any man - be it a handsome one or the hunchback of Notre Dame that currently raised his hand and slapped her across the face when she didn't lay still while he ruined her dress to get to her. She kicked him and tried to hit him back to defend herself, but that only made things worse. Before landing on the floor, Mae got slammed into one of her bedposts, right into the side of her chest. Almost out of breath, sitting on the floor in the shreds that was left of her dress, Mae reached under the matress and felt the cold steel of a knife she kept there in case of situations like this one.

It only took seconds, a moment of time that Mae couldn't really recall, before the man was laying over her, with the knife buried deep within his chest. This was real, the blood that soaked her corset was just as real as the panic that started to spread in her body. The man was heavy, more so when dead, and she had to toss and turn before she managed to get out from under him. Though she was scared, she managed to think clearly, to realize it was better to have him on his back to not stain the wooden floor. That took all the strength she had, to turn him over, then she fell on her knees beside him and hid her face in her hands.
This couldn't be happening. She shook her head, as if that would make it all a dream, a horrible dream she would wake up from. There was no way out, she was stuck with the body of a big sweaty man. No one would care that he had tried to violate her, in the eyes of the law, of the town, she was just a saloon girl in the end of the day.

In contradiction to what a Sheriff in a town far away suspected, Mae had never killed anyone. She had no experience of such crimes, which meant she had no idea what to do next. She sat still for a while, silently crying, feeling more alone than she had ever felt in her life. Slowly, when she didn't have the energy for any more tears, she got up on her feet to drink in the situation. Her dress was torn and bloody, she had a slight red mark across her face from being hit and her makeup was ruined. At first, she just stood still to think, then she began to do something instead of just giving up. She took off her dress, whiped herself clean from blood and messy makeup. Then she found herself a brand new dress, sat down infront of the mirror and fixed her hair and gave herself a new makeup that hid the mark on her cheek and her red eyes. Now, nothing in her appearance gave her away. The only thing left was the body. Mae had tried to not look at it, while getting herself cleaned up, but now she turned around on her stool and looked at it. A quick gasp came over her lips, as she still couldn't believe the mess she was in.

Then it dawned on her; Gabriel Callahan. She really didn't have any friends, but that man was the only one she felt any kind of connection to. He was like the male version of herself, though in the light of the new situation, she imagined he had more guts and would know what to do. Though why would he help her? Granted, she liked him for real, but he might just think she played him. And whether he did or not, he might play her too, into thinking he really thought she was someone special among all the girls. He was just as good as making her feel like the choosen one, as she was to make men feel the same way. Though when it came to Gabriel, he really was one of a kind, he really did set himself apart from the others. And what choices did she have? She could turn herself in - fat chance of that ever happening. She could take what she could carry and run - but she was tired of running. Or she could go to Gabriel - he might help her for some reason she had yet to find out.

It was decided then; she would try her luck with Gabriel Callahan, a thought that was both scary and strangely comforting. He was a strong and intimidating man, she just hoped it would be to her advantage. The man that now laid dead was of no importance to Morgan or Callahan, that much she knew, and was grateful for. Otherwise, she would be better of on the run.
Mae used all the strength she could muster and pushed the man halfway under her bed. The upper half of his body was till exposed, but from the door it was not that obvious. She took a blanket and placed it over him, put her chair next to him and hung a dress over it. It might look a bit weird, but she prefered messy over a crime scene.
Then she locked the door behind her, as she put on her best smile and seductively walked down the stairs. The Saloon was noisy, both from the men playing poker, other guests and the piano player in the corner. No one would wonder why they hadn't seen the man leaving her room, no one was paying attention to much more than what they themselves were doing. And since it was late, no one payed more attention to Mae than usual. She had had a good night, brought in money to their Madam and so when she said she wanted to take a walk, no one argued.

Mae had done so before, taken a stroll late in the evening. She had even been to Morgan's ranch a few times, though mostly in daylight. But all in all, it wasn't such a weird occurrance when she came walking, in all her glory. For Mae did sway her hips, smile like she knew all the secrets of the men she passed by and replied seductively when someone gave her a compliment. Though behind that mysterious smile, a scared young woman resided, lost at what to do if Gabriel Callahan would turn his back at her.

When she entered through the entrance to the ranch, the men working for Morgan were happy to see her, it was a nice break from watching the place. And Mae played along, claiming she was there to get them all, since the Saloon was so boring without them. Yes, she knew what to say and to whom, it was so easy she almost forgot why she was there. Or she wanted to forget, more likely.

She didn't have to wonder how she would manage to have a private conversation with Gabriel, because when she finally spotted him sitting on the front porch to the main building, all the other men left her alone and went back to what they were doing. It had little to do with her, and more to do with the fact that they didn't want to bother him.
He had probably seen her, but he remained seated, with his feet up on the railing, when she approached him. Even now, in her troubled state, she couldn't help but notice how manly he was, how handsome. He was picture perfect for the kind of man that could resolve her situation and make it like it had never happened. If he chosed to.
It was now, with only a few feet left, that she realized how her ribs on her left side still hurt. Though she couldn't think about that now, or she would probably notice that she would be better off resting than out and about. However, since she was going to tell Gabriel the truth, she didn't have to put on an act infront of him. Her smile slowly faded and the sparkle in her eyes vanished.

"Mr Callahan...", she said, to get his attention. "May I speak with you?"

She tried to be calm, to not jump the gun, but to let him decide if she was worth his time before blurting it all out. He was not a man that you disturbed without showing respect, that much she knew. And it really was one of the things that added to his appeal. This was not pillow talk, so she was about to find out if he was the kind of man she thought he was. Or hoped.
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#3 Old 3rd Aug 2010 at 11:54 AM Last edited by AtropaMandragora : 8th Aug 2010 at 5:05 PM. Reason: Added lovely banner by Ghani :D
Default Gabriel and Mae - Morgan's ranch


As a supervisor of Edward Morgan's sizable ranch, Gabriel was never really what one would consider off duty. He didn't have days off, when it would be up to someone else to deal with his responsibilities and he could just lounge about and do nothing. Even during the late evenings when the daily chores were done and over with and the men had the closest thing to free time that they would get, even in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping, should something happen, Gabriel would be among the first to be woken up and informed, regardless of where he was; somewhere on the ranch, in the bunk house, drinking and playing poker at the Saloon, or upstairs being "entertained" by one of the Saloon girls. It didn't matter where he was; if something happened at the ranch and he wasn't there, someone would be sent to get him. It was the way he wanted it, because to him, that was how a ranch hand lived his life. It was how any man lived his life, because it was exactly what it was; his life, and one didn't just take breaks from it.

However, that did not mean that Gabriel was always busy looking after the ranch. With the daily chores dealt with until the next day, the pace around the ranch tended to slow down, and there was time for leisure for those who desired it. Those who wanted to could treat themselves to a trip to the Saloon, or stick around the ranch for the usual boisterous bragging and storytelling that usually went on around the fire outside the bunk house each night, sometimes mixed with a game of cards or dice for those feeling lucky enough to risk part or in some cases all of their hard-earned money.

Though Gabriel wasn't often part of that particular gathering. He would always sit down for supper with the rest of the men, yes, but once it was over, he tended to favour either the more challenging poker opponents playing in the Saloon, a good roll in the hay with one of the girls, or his solitude, plain and simple.
This evening, he'd chosen to start with the latter, with possible plans of venturing over to the Saloon a little later, for a drink and a game of cards. Whether or not he'd spend the night with one of the wh*res, he had yet to decide. For now, he was perfectly comfortable sitting on the front porch of the main house, weighing back on his chair, with his legs casually crossed and boots resting on the wooden railing, while he went about filing down the sight of the gun he'd "acquired" a couple of days before, when one of the passers through had been stupid enough to pull it on him, apparently unaware that it was the fastest way of getting yourself shot in Morgan's Creek.

From his vantage point, he had a good view of the dusty front yard of the ranch, as it was kept fairly well lit during the night, with lanterns placed on either side of the wooden archway, and in the hands of a couple of the men who were standing guard nearby. Thus, Gabriel saw her at a distance, as she emerged into the circle of light cast out onto the street beyond the archway, before she passed under it. Mae. Even if he'd seen only her silhouette, he would have known that it was her by the way that she moved, sashaying up to the house with that ever alluring sway of her hips, and the seduction in her voice as she called out her response to the appreciation she drew from the other men. However, when they saw where she was heading - towards Gabriel - they soon quieted down and reluctantly resumed their duties, knowing that with him, they were all better off minding their own business. Though it was plain to see that they were wondering just what Mae was doing there; the Saloon girls didn't really do house calls, so whatever it was, it had to be personal. Either that, or she was simply there to ask Gabriel to take care of another drunken brawler at the Saloon. Unlike the girls making house calls, that wasn't entirely unheard of.

They, however, didn't see what Gabriel saw, when as she approached, he cast a brief glance up at her, and caught the increasingly distressed look on her face as the smile she had reserved for her former audience started to fade. It would seem her being here was indeed due to a personal matter, and one of fairly big importance too, or else uncertainty wouldn't have claimed her pretty features like that, and her coquettish mien would have remained intact. Yet his attention still remained where it was, on the filing of the gun, even as she begun to speak;

"Mr Callahan...", came her almost hesitant voice. "May I speak with you?"

With those words, and her tone in particular, came even further indication that whatever it was, she considered it most serious, because even though her tone was both calm and polite, there stirred an undercurrent of emotional turmoil, audible to him in the ever so faint shiver in her voice.
That was... unusual.

"I'm listenin'", he said, as he held up the gun in front of him to evaluate his work with critical eyes, before lowering it to his lap, and finally turning his dark gaze on her from underneath the brim of his hat, in signal for her to continue.

~ * ~ Volition ~ * ~
Field Researcher
#4 Old 26th Aug 2010 at 10:51 AM
Default Mae Starr & Gabriel Callahan - Morgan's Ranch


Mae Starr & Gabriel Callahan - Morgan's Ranch

# 15

"I'm listenin'".

With his gaze upon her, Mae could almost feel a shiver down her spine. For many reasons. It was mostly due to the dark event that had taken place tonight, but also because of his eyes, piercing through her like he could read her every thought. She hoped to find some comfort in his eyes, something that told her she was on the right track. What if he turned a cold shoulder, or worse; what if he handed her over to the law. She would surely hang if he did. He might not be law abiding himself, but that didn't mean he would assist others who did dirty deeds.

"I've done something...", Mae begun, so unsure of how to convey why she was there in the first place. "I can't get out of it on my own."

So far so good. How she would go about to tell the tale of her misfortune was another matter. The gruesome details, the violence, the heavy body and the blood. She was confident he had heard it all before, that he had seen worse, but that was not her biggest concern. No one could scare Gabriel, but many people would find themselves out of luck when it came to receiving his help.

"You know the man they call 'Dumb George' behind his back?", she said and placed her hand on the railing, as she felt faint. "He became violent because he noticed I didn't quite enjoy his company. He started hitting me and tried to..."

Her words trailed off, she felt weak as it was, totally exposed. To put into words what he had done to her, had she not stopped him, was too painful. And she was pretty sure Gabriel could fill in the blanks himself.
In the meantime, she could see herself hanging between two horse thieves while a crowd cried out for justice. No matter how filthy and cruel 'Dumb George' had been, she was nothing but a saloon girl and not worth much by the end of the day. The otherwise so tough Mae Starr was a shadow of her former self, as if all of her sins had caught up with her right then and there. And no one would believe this was her first time, if the news reached a certain sheriff who wanted her for an old murder.

"I have a knife in my room... He is dead and I don't know what to do."

She could feel the desperation boiling in her body, the tears were threatening to appear in her eyes, but she fought to keep them back. She was out on a limb as it was, not sure what would happen next. A woman crying was probably not Gabriel's cup of tea. Though pride was the last thing on her mind, when faced with the possibility of a hanging.

"Please. Help me."

She came around the railing and fell to her knees beside him, placed a hand on his knee and looked up at him. No matter how hesitant she had been, she was now determined and didn't look away. She had been shaken, yes, but she could pull herself together. No tears, no visible fear, she had to show him that if he agreed to help her she wouldn't be a problem.
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#5 Old 6th Sep 2010 at 4:46 PM
Default Gabriel and Mae - the porch of Morgan's ranch


There were few people in Morgan's Creek, that would have dared to ask Gabriel Callahan for help. There were perhaps even fewer that would have deemed it a good idea. The general feeling among the townspeople, was that the less you had to do with that man, the better. And frankly, Gabriel himself was perfectly fine with that. It was how he preferred it. He wasn't the friendly type of sucker that would just help someone out of the kindness of his heart, nor did it bother him to know someone was toiling all by their lonesome, or that some cattle had gone missing from someone's ranch, or that someone was ill. He really wasn't the neighbourly kind of person that came bearing chicken soup the moment someone happened to sneeze. If someone wanted his help, they'd have to ask for it, and better be prepared to make it worth his while somehow. And since there were other people in town that were far more considerate and generous, if maybe a little less capable, few came to Gabriel for help.

Yet, the moment that Mae next opened her mouth to present her business, it was clear to him that help was exactly what she was about to ask him for.

"I've done something...", she started tentatively. "I can't get out of it on my own."

Now see, despite what he had just said, usually, this would be where Gabriel would stop listening. Other people's problems were other people's problems. They didn't concern him, and he didn't give a hoot.
Usually.
To say that he had a soft spot for Mae would be an overstatement of vast proportions, but at the same time, he did enjoy her company, and figured it would be quite a shame if for some reason he didn't get to do that anymore. So, he kept listening.

"You know the man they call 'Dumb George' behind his back?", Mae went on to elaborate, and earned herself a scrutinizing look when she leaned on the railing as if to steady herself. "He became violent because he noticed I didn't quite enjoy his company. He started hitting me and tried to..."

... do what he'd paid her for? Yeah yeah, the Saloon girls shouldn't have to get beaten up, or have someone force themselves on them, but it was an occupational hazard. Especially if she didn't do what was expected of her, and played along, no matter how foul her customer might be. That's what the prostitutes were there for, wasn't it? So that even the poor bastards that had fallen out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on their way down, would be able to feel a woman's legs wrapped around their waist. And so to be rejected by a wh*re was an insult some men just couldn't take. Obviously.

"I have a knife in my room...", Mae kept going. He is dead and I don't know what to do."

That rather abrupt end of her tale saw Gabriel quirking a brow. How was that for making a long story short? But alright. She'd killed a guy, and by the sounds of it, left him where he was. Gabriel could see her dilemma.

"Please", she said, as she started coming around to where he was sitting, and the desperate plea in her eyes met with the deadpan deliberation in his. "Help me."

And as though she was afraid her words might not be enough to persuade him, she kneeled beside him, with a hand on his leg, and gazed up at him with her big doe eyes. Yet, never one to get involved in anything not concerning him without first thinking it through, Gabriel took a moment to deliberate, while keeping his unwavering gaze on her. At the same time, he pushed up the brim of his hat ever so slightly, as though in amused interest, and smirked as though she'd just said exactly what one would expect a saloon girl to say. All for the benefit of anyone who might be watching, because while right now, her gesture might seem innocent enough, if a bit unusual, if anyone was to dig into all this, and the current scene unfolding was recalled, it might turn from innocent to suspicious. And if Gabriel was to help her with this, he intended to cover their tracks from the get-go.

"So", he then said, "you're askin' me to make a body disappear, s'at it?"

~ * ~ Volition ~ * ~
Field Researcher
#6 Old 14th Oct 2010 at 2:04 AM
Default Mae Starr & Gabriel Callahan - Morgan's Ranch


Mae Starr & Gabriel Callahan - Morgan's Ranch

# 16

This was unknown territory for Mae. She didn't like it, she was used to being in control. To place her life in the hands of someone else was unthinkable, though it was exactly what she was doing. She had no other choice, she was tired of running. Besides, Morgan's Creek had been so much fun, and Gabriel was a big part of that. However, murder was no laughing matter. Even if it hadn't been planned, Mae doubted the other people in town would see it as an accident.

After having said what she came there to say, Mae feared Gabriel's reaction. At first, he smirked like she had said something entirely different, but she knew why. They could not be seen talking about something more vital than whiskey and rolling around in the sack, so she tried to soften her own facial experession a tad, though she could not come up with a convincing smile just yet. She had to find out what was on his mind first.

She needed to know and searched his unyielding gaze for a hint, something that would reveal his intent. Would he be mad, would he be so angry with her that the next words over his lips would have her tremble in fear? Would he tell her to get off Morgan's property right away or he'd shoot her himself for what she had done? Or would it be worse, would he just inform her that he would take her to the gallows himself, plain and simple. To have those rugged hands, yet capable of soft touch, handle her abruptly was not something Mae was eager to experience. Maybe she had just done a very very bad thing - worse than the killing itself.

"So", Gabriel began, "you're askin' me to make a body disappear, s'at it?"

He was going to hold her in suspense then, not revealing how he felt about her wishes. Atleast, it did not contain a threat or pain, so it was so far so good. Though Mae wouldn't relax just yet, however, she did manage to bring a little smile onto her lips. Both for the small relief of not being shunned and to play her part as a sultry temptress.

"Yes", she said slowly, emphasising every word. "Would you please?"

Oh, how those words felt lame. Like she was asking him for something alot simpler, alot less dangerous. Though words were not her forte right now, she wasn't there to seduce him to feel his warm body against hers, she was there to convey him to help her have her crime wiped from the face of the earth.

"I will do everything you say, when you say it", she promised firmly. "I won't question anything and I will do anything you ask in return."

Mae was not too proud to beg or submit herself to his command. After all, this was Gabriel Callahan, you did not just walz in there and take him for granted or treat him like he did charity work for a living. He owed her nothing, she didn't have much to offer and she didn't have a clue what she really meant to him. Was she just a pretty little girl to have fun with? Maybe he liked her catty remarks to the other girls, that she was a fighter and not a push over like Scarlett. Or he just pretended he did. Mae wished she could read his mind, for this was the point of no return. Either he would help her or she would get caught. Letting her go back to where she came from was probably not an option.

"Gabriel", she said with an unsteady breath. "They will hang me."

Then she collected herself for a few seconds, all of her fear and uncertainty, and brought another soft but wicked smile to her lips, even if her eyes told another tale for the only one who could see them up close.
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