Mission Statement:
To endeavor to bring to all residents of the Five States the most current and important news from across the entire Five States region. Never yellow, the Five States Herald vows to serve only the people of the Five States, from New Austin to Lemoyne, free of charge now and forever.
Assassin Felled Alongside Innocence
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
I took a trip to the market early yesterday morning. I hadn’t heard from my investigator in a while, and I am concerned for her, yet I felt safe. Nobody had done anything to me in the longest time; the shadows that crept behind me mattered less and less. The name Hindley was beginning to fade; perhaps all the stories had been false. Maybe I had been paranoid; maybe my previous writings, presumptuous. I felt silly being so ready to die.
That morning, as I bought some apples and oranges, a man tapped me on the shoulder and called out my name. “Sofia Fairfax?”
I turned around to see a large man in a fancy coat and hat. He looked for a second before putting his hand in his vest pocket. I instinctively pulled out a Navy revolver and fired twice. The man looked at me in a way I shall never forget, almost quizzical, like he was surprised and a bit ashamed. He then crumpled to the ground as blood pooled. Police were called, I had already dropped the gun out of shock. They at first assumed I was a murderer, before they looked at the body. The man was carrying a shotgun, with the barrel sawed off so completely, it was hard to identify it as a shotgun. The police let me go soon after.
I was both happy that my instinct was correct, and sorrowful that I had to do it. How does the common soldier live with himself? How do the outlaws I profiled sleep soundly? How does life go on, after you have ended one, even if justly? Who can say, who makes such decisions, that I should live, and others should die.
Archery skill event disrupted with murder
By Jose Chavez
An event to test the archery skill had to be ended early when several participants began killing the competition, literally. While the exact number is unknown, it is believed that nearly a quarter of the participants turned to murder just a minute into the contest. The goal of the contest was to travel around and hit as many targets as possible with a bow and arrow. Chaos spread quickly however after the first contestant fell over dead, an arrow sticking out of his head.
While many contestants fled, others continued on, and still others turned their aim on the contestants. Organizers were not prepared and had no security at the event. One man rode off to get help but by the time they arrived with Tumbleweed deputies the contest was ended. Several people dead and many more were injured with arrows protruding from their bodies. The killers fled and escaped arrest. Several survivors said they will never take part in an archery contest again.
Special Agent Rice Philips found at the cabin he was taken from
By Jane Duran
Weeks ago Special Agent Rice Philips was abducted. Authorities believed he was abducted by The Executioner or someone they are working with. Agent Philips was using a cabin that was confiscated as part of a moonshine operation when he was abducted. He has been missing for several weeks but was found when smoke was seen coming from the building by another agent passing through the area. “I assumed it was a squatter,” said the agent, “but when I walked in I found Agent Philips, resting and appearing to be healthy.”
Agent Philips had no visible wounds but was described as “overly groggy.” It took a full day for Agent Philips to start to recover his mental faculties. The Bureau is not commenting on Agent Philips’ abduction or recovery, but an anonymous source did say that Philips described only a single person as his abductor. Though he was unable to see them, he did describe their voice as belonging to a woman. She confirmed to him that she was The Executioner but denied being a bad person. It is believed that she drugged Agent Philips to keep him docile. We will bring more information to you as we obtain it.
Woman shows up in Blackwater saying she was starting a new life
By Odell Clifton
A woman rode into Blackwater this week and traveled around the town with the familiarity of a local, despite being new to the area. She said she had seen it all before, not in photographs but in person. She said she was recently reborn in a new body, a new life. “I’ve been in the Five States for ages,” she said, “lived here as a man though, and well, got tired of it.” She said that with a bit of concentration she erased her consciousness before being reborn into the Five States as a woman. A full grown woman.
The story seems very outlandish but she never changed her story. She remained insistent, even after getting completely drunk at the Blackwater Saloon. She also provided details about her former life, details few could have known. She said everyone should be reborn at least once. “The Five States is a whole new place again,” she said, “the world dangerous and for the first time in years, I feel alive!”
Outlaws escape due to bounty hunters’ hubris
By Emery Cosberry
A posse of bounty hunters arrived in Valentine to deliver a few freshly captured outlaws. Only, instead of delivering them to the sheriff, the bounty hunters laid them out on the ground nearby. Two of the bounty hunters posed with the hogtied outlaws while the third readied his camera to take a photograph. Then the gunfire started. The bounty hunter holding the camera fell dead, shot in the head. The other two quickly moved behind cover. Shots continued to be fired on the bounty hunters from multiple positions. Witnesses say it was a chaotic situation. Most took cover in buildings as the town deputies began firing back on the attackers.
After several intense moments the gunshots stopped. Deputies scanned the area to see where the attackers fled to. The surviving bounty hunters then realized their targets broken free from their restraints and fled. “Had those fools just delivered those outlaws to us, they’d have been secured and not escaped,” said one deputy. The remaining bounty hunters took their friend’s dead body for burial.
Masked vigilante brought down by Saint Denis police
By Emeline Vickroy
A masked man who went by the name of a bird, Robin, was shot by the Saint Denis police. Though the man survived, locals are upset. Robin was known as a vigilante by locals. He often patrolled the Saint Denis streets at night. According to locals, Robin fought muggers, thieves, night folk, and even a vampire. Witnesses say that Robin had just saved a woman from an attacker when the police responded. “The woman screamed, but the masked man arrived first,” the witness said, “the attacker ran away.” A Saint Denis policeman arrived shortly after and assumed the masked man was the attacker and fired on him.
The vigilante was taken to the city doctor, who managed to remove the bullet and stop the bleeding. He was then taken to the Saint Denis Police Station. He denied any wrong doing. The police have agreed to keep his identity secret for the time being.
Cult hides from the ‘Devil’s Day’
By Nick McCrary
A group of cowpokes came together this 29th day of February to hide from what they said was an unnatural event. “February is a month with 28 days, it is simply not natural for it to have an extra day from time to time,” said Otis Oney, “the only explanation is that this is a day for the Devil and his thralls to spread havoc, like a second Halloween, only it comes first.” The cult leader when on to explain that the extra day of the month represented a celebration of idle hands. “This day exists for people can avoid working hard,” said Mr. Oney, “they want an extra day off to rest and this makes them vulnerable to devils and possession!” To avoid the risk of running into a possessed person, the cult took refuge in an undisclosed location. “We didn’t just hide and do nothing!” Mr. Oney was sure to clarify, “we kept busy, crafting jewelry.”
When I mentioned to Mr. Oney that most people were still working on the 29th and that it was not celebrated as a day off from work, he simply ignored me. Mr. Oney was spotted two days later traveling by wagon selling hand crafted jewelry. When asked about the rest of the cult members, he said, “cult members? I know of no cult.”
The Five States Herald 