"You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of the imagination. Next stop: THE TWILIGHT ZONE."--Rod Serling

***

Marlene was a unscrupulous woman that had made very poor decisions all throughout her life; decisions that for one reason or another would continue to haunt her until the day she would die. A day quite possibly determined on the mean streets of a dusty little town located inside...THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

***

She grew up in the rough and tumble south side of the decaying urban landscape, running with street gangs and associating with the punks clinging to the underbelly of society. Maybe under a normal upbringing she might have fared better, got an education, married and raised a quiet family. But Marlene hated anything that seemed normal, or feminine.

She was no better than the thugs she ran with, at twelve, had killed her first person in a random incident of pure evil. A young girl just past eleven, crushed under a cinder-block hurled from a fourth story window. Marlene used her young age to get away with a lesser sentence, and then laughed right into the face of the young girl's grieving family.

By sixteen, she added her younger sister to her list of victims when she had set fire to her own home after a dispute with her mother. Jennifer, her sister, wasn't really the intended target, but with the way it caused her grieving mother to fall completely apart, satisfied Marlene in a strange and sinister way.

After being released from a woman's prison for the arson and death of Jennifer, Marlene was eighteen. Only having to spend four years incarcerated for her crime, being let go after confusion with paperwork had erroneously erred in her favor. The reluctant judge allowed her to go free, but swore that one day she would get herself in too deep and pay for the crimes she had gotten away with.

Again, Marlene laughed in the face of the old judge and strode from the courthouse a free woman. Staying one step ahead of the law, using petty robberies and mugging as her source of income. She never did try to get along with anyone, preferring to do her own thing as opposed to something that may or may not be considered proper. Marlene was evil, the personification of pure hate, the image of the devil himself.

Only with this one, it would seem that the devil himself, paled before her sinister profile. Marlene was hated by the people she knew, hated by her enemies and loathed by any who knew her name. And that suited her just fine.

***

A shadowy figure crept just below the window ledge, with a sudden movement the glass burst and was scattered in great shards across the floor. A silhouette blocked the light streaming into the window for only a second as the figure dropped lightly to its feet. Silently it moved across the room to a glass case, with one quick strike it too was rendered into crushed glass and wood. A gloved hand reached into the broken pile and pulled out a single object, pushed it into a slender jean pocket and silently faded into the dark recesses of the shadows outside. Marlene had struck again.

Back inside her filthy apartment, Marlene pulled off the dark ski mask and gloves, she threw them onto the lone chair in the room. Digging deep into her pocket for the coin that she had overheard ... worth thousands. She leaned against the counter and rolled the ancient coin in her fingers and smiled a wicked grin. She opened the worn book with her left hand and flipped to the page she had marked, her cold blue eyes read again the words that cast her into her latest bout with crime.

She was holding a fabled wish coin, she knew the great power it possessed. A power that could help as well as hinder the person making the wishes. She closed her eyes and began to seek out the strange magic within the coin.

She knew right away what she would wish for ... the old west. She knew that the law was few and far between back then, and she wanted to live a life free from the potential of being thrown back into prison. She tightened the grip on the coin, "I wish I was back in the old west!" The words came slow and deliberate.

She heard music being played and slowly opened her eyes, before her was a family dancing around a camp fire while one round man played a fiddle and another was picking away at a juice harp. She studied those before her as she took in the smell of stew as it simmered upon the fire.

Marlene rose slowly to her feet and started toward the glowing and crackling fire, those around it seemed to not notice her as she approached. She paused next to the flame when one large man laughed and quickly grabbed her hand only to spin her like a top to the beat of the music. As they spun, her lacy bonnet fell off her head and came to rest on her shoulder, suspended by its long strings. The man continued to dance and clap in time to the strange song being played by the musicians. Marlene looked around at the spinning world, the others laughing and clapping, encouraging her to dance more.

The song mercifully ended with Marlene gasping for breath, the big man tossed his hat into the air and closed the distance between the two of them with only one step. He pulled her in close and planted his thick bushy mustache upon her soft skin, she struggled under the weight of his kiss. When he broke, she almost fell only to be caught in his arms and be pulled in again.

From behind her someone shouted, "Oh go on and give him a kiss!" Marlene scowled at the speaker. Then, another shouted from somewhere else, "That's right, give your husband a kiss!" As the big man stepped close, Marlene pushed away from him and fell to the grass below. She wanted no part of this life, desperately seeking the coin buried within the folds of her long lacy white gown.

The man stepped close and laughing, not with a touch of meanness, but rather from the enjoyment of this, his wedding day. Marlene scooted across the ground quickly and scrambled to put distance between her and the large man. This isn't what she intended when she made her wish.

Suddenly, she heard a hissing ... she looked back. Nothing behind her voice that silent sound of impending death. She looked back toward the large man towering over her. His smile slowly being ebbed from his expression, his eyes seemingly void of life. Slowly he sank to his knees as someone near the fire screamed. Marlene watched in horror as he slowly fell toward her like a great Oak, tipping in a stiff wind. Slowly he dropped, face first into the stiff grass ... the arrow buried in his chest, protruding out the back even more from the weight of his fall.

All around her were people screaming and running as the little shafts flung through the dark sky, light hinting along their smooth surfaces. Not caring whether they hit man or woman, they only knew one thing ... to kill.

Marlene clutched the coin and closed her eyes as one huge Indian closed near to her, his knife reflecting the light from the fire. "I wish I was back in my apartment!" She struggled with her breathing as she swallowed hard, afraid to open her eyes.

One eye opened slowly, she was seated at the base of the counter facing the opposite wall. Clutching the wish coin so tight, that it left marks upon her slim hand. She blew air out slowly and hung her head, she wanted to go back to the old west but being a new bride to some large overweight slob was the last thing she wanted.

She pulled down a towel from the counter and wiped the sweat that had beaded on her face, No ... that wasn't the wish she had intended. Slowly, stood up and staggered into the bathroom, turning on the faucet she splashed more cool water onto her face. Looking up at her reflection in the mirror she pulled down a towel and wiped the water away.

She walked back into the living room and sat down upon a tattered couch, she wasn't sure on how many wishes she could get with the coin but was determined to not waste another wish, having already used two. Marlene waited for her heart to stop racing, then closed her eyes. This time she would word the wish more carefully. "I wish to live in the old west, in a city, surrounded by great stacks of money!" A slow smile crossed her evil lips. Knowing that with money comes great power ...

***

Upon opening her eyes, she faced a small man wearing a bowler hat, he was eying five cards in his hand. She turned slowly and to her immediate left was a young pock-faced boy with a scraggly mustache and beard, the man tossed a silver coin into the center of the table and sniffed grossly. He turned toward Marlene and smiled, his blackened and rotting teeth making her stomach roll.

Looking down into the pot of golden coin and paper denominations of the day, Marlene smiled to herself knowing that this time the wish was on track. "With great wealth, came great power." She recalled to herself. "There's the wealth ... where's the power?" She wondered.

From her right another frumpy old man growled at the pock-faced boy, "If you gonna make that damn noise ... use a stinking rag and blow yer freaking nose!" The youth eyed him sullenly and scowled. Then the old man looked Marlene's way, "You in?"

Even before Marlene could muster an answer, a voice spoke directly behind her ear, causing her to jump. "I'm in and I'll raise you two bits!" The coins were hurled by a scarred hand with dirt wedged under the nails. Marlene slowly turned her head back, "Let me finish this hand darlin, then we'll go on upstairs and have us a little party." His off hand resting upon her large pendulous breast.

Marlene swallowed hard, she could feel her own hand resting on the stiff crotch of the cowboy she was sitting on. His hand slid down, clutching her about the waist, she shook with fright, this definitely wasn't what she had in mind when she made her wish!

Marlene looked down into the vast expanse of her full bosom, the deep descending cleavage disappearing into the recesses of her gown. Long blonde ringlets bounced and swayed from her head as she moved ever so slightly. She was in the old west, but as a saloon trollop ... rather than the wealthy westerner she had hoped to be.

She watched in stunned disbelief as the cowboy she was seated upon played his cards, one by one slowly he tossed them into the center and pulled her into a kiss. Rough whiskers scratched at the smooth skin of her face. Under one hand, the increasing bulge signaled what he intended to do with her as soon as he took her to his room, in her other was the wish coin she stole. She knew what she had to do, to remain here ... like this, wasn't an option.

"Hey you damn asshole, how'd you get that card?" The old man spit toward the floor and pointed at the Queen the cowboy tossed into the pile.

"Yeah, mister ... where DID you come up with that card?" There were five Queens laying on the table. The youth suddenly stood up and went for the long Colt tied low on his hip. There was a thunderous blast behind everyone, causing all to turn. The bartender held his shotgun level on the table and scowled at Marlene.

"What the heck you doing just sitting there, Don't you have a job to do?" He then turned toward the other three, staring intently down the business end of the double barrel shotgun. "I still have one shot left, and I don't give a shit if you blow holes into each other at all ... but if you do ... DO IT OUTSIDE!" He motioned to the door with the barrel, "Now Get!"

Softly, under her trembling breath Marlene closed her eyes and muttered ... "Wish coin, I wish to return to the safety of my apartment.

***

Marlene sneered with contempt as she opened her eyes, the familiar room she was in was enough to signify that her wish had been fulfilled. She dropped the coin onto the end table and frowned at it, both times she had used the coin it had worked but left her weakened and helpless as a female of the old west.

The first time she was the young wife of an overgrown ox who met his fate at the shaft end of an Apache arrow. She stood up and walked into the kitchen, pulling out a beer from the refrigerator even though she was still too young to drink. She pulled the tab and kept bending until it broke free of the can, then threw it against the counter.

Thinking back to the second real wish, she swallowed the bitter liquid and wiped her mouth against her sleeve. That wish landed her in the lap of an aroused cowboy in the middle of a card game. Only making her some frail saloon whore who's job was to let the patrons of the place screw the hell out of her. She sneered at the coin and took another swallow from the can, she was slowly learning to word the wishes more carefully with each time she used it.

She retrieved the coin and took another long swallow, the liquid spilling down her cheek and running into the collar of her shirt. She decided to try again, this time being careful to word the wish the way she wanted.

"Okay you freaking little coin, I wish to be in a city of the old west, clothed in the finest MALE clothes and crisp dollars folded neatly in my pocket! I want to be a powerful man who is quick on the draw, and even quicker with the ladies." A slow menacing grin crossed her smooth face as she once again closed her eyes, "Okay coin ... I wish it so!"

***

Slowly the eyes were opened, they squinted across the wide empty street under a blazing hot sun. Tobacco juice was spit, landing in a heap in the powdery dust just beyond polished boots.

The eyes surveyed from right to left, the passerby's casting furtive glances their way as they moved past. Slowly the eyes caught a glimpse of their reflection in a store window. Marlene had gotten her wish.

The rugged face was handsome and chiseled, piercing gray eyes looked back from under the shelter of the dark hat. The weight of the Colt tied low on a leg told the wearer that this person was very proficient with a gun.

A tap on the shoulder caused the cowboy to turn, "Hi Marney ... you going to be up later?" It was a beautiful woman ... the woman he had been during his second wish, a quite lovely saloon girl. That meant, Marney's eyes shot back into the reflection ... it was him, the cowboy playing cards. He smiled and stood taller, well over 6' in height. He said nothing to the small petite woman standing next to him gently resting her small hand on his arm. He smiled down at her, feeling compelled to tip his hat and slowly amble away.

He could feel her watching him as he strode across the street, he would have to make it a point and test out his new equipment the first chance he could get. But for now, he had something pressing ... an unfulfilled issue to contend with.

"MARNEY!" A voice shouted from behind. The big man slowly turned, "You and me are gonna finish this one right here and right now! You stinking dirty cheat!"

Marney spat, "Go home boy!" He drawled slowly, taking the leather thong from the hammer on his holstered gun.

"You don't scare me!" The young man shouted, "I ain't afraid of you!"

Marney sensed the weight of his Colt, his callused fingers hovered close to it's bone handle. A single bead of sweat rolled down his cold and calculating features. Marney was reader of people, knowing his victim's by the way they hold themselves ... and ... a killer is always ready. What did he have to fear from a tenderfoot, like the one that faced him now?

Marney turned slightly sideways and gave a slimmer target to the youth, "Go on back home kid, afore you get yourself killed!"

The boy only braced himself and stepped away from the stores and into the street, "I ain't afraid of you Marney! You tried cheating me and I aim to settle!" The boy repeated.

Marney watched into the brown eyes of the kid, slowly people began to filter away from behind them. He felt the coin in his left hand ... what should he do? Slowly he ran his thumb across the coin's smooth surface, rotating it once between his thumb and index finger. Twice ... the coin slipped, Marney's eyes for the briefest of moments were drawn toward his hand. The youth saw the movement and mistook it for an escalation of action, his trembling hands flew to the big revolver strapped to his hip. Marney knew it was put up or shut up time, his right hand dropped to the handle of his Colt.

The sound from two loud shots, barked in unison as they bounced from store front to store front ... sound echoed between them. Marney smiled slowly as the smoke began to dissipate between them, the boy had fired ... but Marney had as well. The youth stood steadfast in the dusty street as Marney scanned him for the bloody hole that was sure to be. His eye was drawn to the ground only inches from the young man's feet. Marney smiled, the boy hadn't even cleared his holster, the divot where his slug had penetrated the ground was the only evidence he would need. Marney began to raise his arm and take aim again, only ... the pain wouldn't let him.

Marney looked down, his shirt was red and seeping with blood ... his blood. The revolver spun against his index finger, upside down and hung there as Marney dropped to his knees. The coin lay just below him, Marney felt himself grow light headed as he sought to reach the coin. The thud of the great Colt hitting the ground seemed to reverberate within his head as he fell forward, catching himself with one hand. Coughing, the blood flecked the ground with the white bubbles of a lung shot. Marney was dying.

He struggled and grasped the coin in his left hand, his eyes looking at the boots of the black toothed boy ... the boy who had shot him. Slowly his vision blurred and became foggy. Marney coughed and swallowed hard, the boy leaned over and pulled the coin from Marney's trembling hand. "I'll take that ..." Marney coughed with spasms, his eyes glazed, with one great sigh... he breathed no more.

***

Justice has its own terrible way of dealing with evil, Marlene thought she could escape into the west where 'law' was nothing more than a word spoken between lawyers. She thought she would be at one with the times and be able to take from weaker people, those items that she felt was needed. Only, Marlene found out the hard way, that there's someone who is always faster, even on the dusty little streets of...the TWILIGHT ZONE.