Drena Hills
“A wise man avoids evil by anticipating it.”
-Publilius
Syrus
October 31,
1861
The house.
That was all anyone ever referred to it as and then they tried to avoid even saying that much.
It sat at the end of the town on a large weed begotten plot protected by a rusting ornate fence attached to the obligatory one hinged squeaking gate.
The house itself was a massive thing, 3 stories along with an attic, all laced in gingerbread trim that now badly needed a dose of paint. It had been boarded up, but still enough windows remained available to tempt the passing schoolboy to find a rock and test his aim, though few did. Perhaps it was the house was too far back, perhaps it was not worth the challenge or perhaps it was the faces seen sometimes peering out from those windows.
Twice there was talk of people moving in. Once a group of squatters took over on the quiet, but they barely lasted a full night before disappearing without a word and leaving most of their belongings behind.
The Jensons, led by the sober and religious Mr. Nathaniel Jenson had once considered moving their brood in, but after a closer examination, and pale exit one moonless night, they abandoned the idea for a nice ‘normal’ house at the other end of town.
At one point some of the more civic minded ladies talked of tearing it down and words like ‘eye sore’ and ‘blight to the community’ were circulated. But nothing ever came of it, except maybe their husbands sharply telling them to hush for fear the job would fall to them.
Thus it sat, abandoned and ignored by the community, well least wise, most of the community.
The perfect bait.
And hidden deep down in the lengthening shadows something old and knowing stretched and licked its bloated lips in… anticipation.
********************
“Admit it your afraid,” Jimmy Franklin said with a sneer as the small group of children stood huddled near the gate to ‘the house’. There were 6 of them, 2 girls and four boys, Jimmy being the oldest at 11, but far from the leader.
On that the task fell to Hannibal Heyes. He was just nine, but tall for his age and exuded a confidence that easily convinced a body he had spent a longer number of years breathing than was actually true.
Even now he was the only one leaning on the fence, his back to the house in a defiant show of bravery that was not lost on any of them.
His cousin Jedediah Curry stood the next closest. He was two years younger, but ever the practical one he stood at an angle watching the house watch his cousin and clenching his fists at where he knew this was all leading.
Two boys less alike physically could not be imagined. Hannibal was slight, with straight dark hair that slipped into his eyes until he noticed it and brushed it back uninterested. His eyes were his fathers, brown and rich and full of the devil when a smile lit them.
His smile however, was pure Curry and his grandfathers.
The dimple he got from his father’s mother, with her husband supplying his deep rich laugh.
But that clever, canny mind, that was God’s gift to him, the family traits on both sides just providing the imagination and courage to accentuate it.
Jedediah had taken his mother’s golden coloring, but kept the Curry blue for his eyes. In fact so distinct was the color, it was called such back in the old country and used when one wanted to describe something stormy and changeable.
He had his father’s practical streak and his mother’s heart a combination that had led his grandmother to refer to him as her ‘white knight’.
An odd pair that became magic when united. True, they fought, as brothers will, but let any one come against one or the other and the two were bound iron.
“I ain’t afraid of nothin’,” Hannibal said faking a bored yawn and crossing one foot in front of the other. The rail he was leaning against was uncomfortable and to be honest it was rather disconcerting keeping his back to the house, but there were girls present and he had to keep up appearances.
“Han’s been up on the porch haven’t you Han,” Jed said pointing and Hannibal turned relieved his cousin had given him an excuse to look back and change position.
“That I have Jed,” he grinned and knew his cousin had realized his dilemma and done it on purpose. There were times they really could read each others minds.
“Then you gonna do it?” Horace, the butcher’s rotund son asked in awe.
“Oh Han it does look dangerous,” Lori Lynn said putting her hand to her mouth worriedly.
“They say that devils meet in there on Halloween,” her younger friend Marie whispered.
“I ain’t afraid of no devils,” Han said calmly.
“Then prove it!” Jimmy said pushing a finger into his chest. “Tonight, you go inside and bring out that ledger that old man Jenson said he left on the upstairs bedroom table.”
If such a dare terrified him the boy made no indication.
His cousin was less the actor and looked over worriedly at the house.
“Something like that, gotta make it worth my while,” Han said calmly.
“Nickel.”
“Not enough.”
“Kiss from my sister,” Jimmy said pointing to Lori Lynn.
“You can’t give her kisses away,” Jed said disgusted. “Only she can.”
“She’ll do what I tell her to do,” Jimmy said moving up on the smaller boy. “If she knows what’s good for her and so will you.”
“I ain’t afraid of you Jimmy Franklin,” Jed said. “And only cowards hit girls, my pa says so.”
“Your Pa is Irish refuse…”
Jimmy never finished, Jed was on top of him toppling him to the ground and pounding him as he went.
“Why you little runt I oughta…” Jimmy said trying to get up and in the position to punch the boy.
“Cut it out both of you,” Hannibal said pulling Jed off of him and standing between the two as Jimmy got to his feet.
“Get out of the way Heyes I’m gonna teach your cousin his place.”
“And your gonna get us all grounded on Halloween night if were caught fighting,” Han said holding the boy back with a hand to his chest.
Jimmy looked over and caught the disapproving glances of two matrons hurrying past and pulled back.
“All right Curry this ain’t over though.”
“Never said it was Franklin,” Jed said angrily and Hannibal found himself using his other hand to hold back his cousin.
“Tomorrow at school, show us the ledger and then we’ll find out if you’re all talk Heyes,” Jimmy said brushing off his hand.
“All right, but when I do your gonna owe me a favor, a big one to go along with that nickel,” Heyes said as everyone began talking excitedly. “And Jimmy?” Hannibal added quietly so only he heard.
“You reckon with Jed you reckon with me, remember that.”
The boy suddenly went a shade paler at the younger boy’s quiet promise and then hurried off pulling his sister along with him.
“I wouldn’t mind kissing him Jimmy,” she said breathless as she was pulled along.
“Shut up and come on!” her brother growled.
“Well,” Han said as everyone hurried off and the two stood staring at the house. “Go ahead and say it.”
“Ain’t saying nothing,” Jed sighed and began walking back to where the wagon was parked.
“Yea, but your thinking it, I can hear it from here.”
“Ain’t thinking nothing either,” Jed said with a heavier sigh.
Hannibal caught his arm and whirled him to face him, “Yea you are.”
“Your Pa is gonna kill you if you go in that house, he said it isn’t safe.”
“Won’t take me but a minute to run in there grab that old book and run back out.”
“Minute is about all it takes you to get into trouble my Ma says,” Jed said starting to walk again with another sigh.
Once more Han stopped him, “You gonna tell on me? I’ll split the nickel with you if you don’t”
The young boy turned and there was both hurt and anger in his eyes. “I ain’t never told on you Hannibal Heyes and I never will, were partners. And you don’t have to give me nuthin’ either, insulting to suggest you do.”
And with that the young boy stomped off furious.
Hannibal stood there a half smile on his face. Jed sure was funny, but he was loyal and Hannibal couldn’t think of anyone he would rather have at his back than him.
Reaching in he pulled out the cinnamon drop he’d been saving and started to run after him, “Jed hold up.”
The boy stopped and kept his back to him, arms folded, Hannibal could feel the glare of those icy blue eyes. “You apologizing for insulting me?”
“Yea I’m apologizing, I know you’d never snitch. Here,” he handed the boy his favorite candy.
“I like sarsaparilla better.”
“Well I ain’t got sarsaparilla,” he said slightly exasperated
“I know,” Jed smiled. “So I guess you better keep it.”
The two looked at each other and grinned glad to have things right once more.
Then spotting their grandfather sitting on the bench outside the grain store they began to run each wanting to reach him first.
Doyle Josiah Curry pretended not to notice and continued his scrutiny of the list of supplies his daughter had asked them to pick up for the church as his son loaded up the wagon.
He was a tall man and still fit with a hard square jar and dark unruly hair that had never gone white. He had labored hard and long all his life as everything from a lay preacher to a seaman and having laid to rest the only woman he had ever loved he was just waiting for God to run out of uses for him.
“Ah the terror of Kansas and his infamous partner, where have you two lads been?” he said as Han reached him first and slid breathless onto the seat at his right side.
“Us grandpa?” Han asked innocently leaning over his arm to see what he was reading.
“I thought so, what’s that you eating?”
“Cinnamon drop you gave me.”
“Where’s yours Jedediah?”
“Oh he ate the sarsaparilla one you gave him hours ago, he can never wait,” Han explained.
“Yes I can,” Jed said taking the seat on the other side and swinging his legs back and forth. “Just don’t want to.”
“You lads have plans for Halloween?” he asked surveying the innocent faces.
“Party tonight church social hall,” Han said absently. “Can’t go out about cause the war, momma is all worried, says the roads aren’t safe after dark no more.”
“Your momma is a good woman Hannibal, she loves you.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think you do, way you scare her sometimes.”
“I don’t mean to, I just get ideas and then, well, stuff happens.”
“I’m gonna be a sheriff,” Jed said jumping in as always to save his friend. “Pa even got me a badge!”
“You’ll make a grand sheriff you will Jed, fast on the draw your are, I’ve seen you with that wooden gun I carved you.”
“I’m a musketeer, momma even made me a sword,” Han said eager not to be ignored. Grandpa Curry’s approval was very important.
“Well you’ve read that book enough times,” his grandfather laughed. “Which are you D’Artagnan?”
“Athos,” Han said with certainty. “I’m the leader.”
“Aye that you are lad.”
“You boys ready to go?” Jed’s father called from the wagon. “Your mothers are at church expecting you to help them with the preparations.”
“Coming Pa,” Jed said jumping up.
“Han?” his grandfather said catching his hand as he moved to follow. “I know you are up to something, no don’t try that smile on me, I see it every morning in the mirror and I know what it can hide. You just remember a wise man doesn’t walk into danger just because a fool orders him.”
The boy shuffled nervously, “I know that.”
“Good, keep remembering, tonight is not the time to be taking on the darkness.”
He nodded and quickly escaped to the wagon.
With a sigh the older man looked up and felt the cold whisper of a wind down his back.
It never changed. Oh they might scoff at it in this new land and brush aside the old worlds warnings with American bravo, but this night and what it held would never change.
Evil would always need to feed.
************************
ATONEMENT, NEW MEXICO
October 31, 1881
The wind picked up just as the sun began to set.
Hannibal Heyes stretched atop his horse and used the opportunity to look back and check on his partner.
Worriedly he realized he had fallen even further behind. He frowned at the way he was slumped in his saddle as if he hadn’t an ounce of energy left.
It didn’t make sense. Kid had been dragging for a week and fearing he was coming down with something they had holed up in a small town of Atonement to let him sleep it off. Two days of bed rest had done nothing to stop whatever was wasting away at him and he looked even worse now than before he’d had the respite.
“Heyes quit worrying,” his cousin said still alert enough to read his partner, even in the fading light.
“Maybe we should have stayed another night.”
“You know as well as I do that stranger at the restaurant eye balled us like he knew us, had no choice,” Kid said softly.
Heyes pulled his collar up as the wind picked up around them. It was going to be a wicked cold one tonight if this was any indication and the way they were progressing they had little chance of reaching the next town before nightfall.
They had been hugging a rocky cliff in the hope of eluding anyone who might have recognized them and as they cleared a corner Heyes stopped surprised.
The hole in the cliff seemed almost unnatural and at first he suspected it was an old mine. Upon closer scrutiny he realized it wasn’t man made and decided to seize the opportunity.
“We’ll camp here tonight,” he said simply and got off his horse to check it out.
“I thought you wanted to try and make Brinkman?”
“Weather, not worth chancing it,” Heyes lied.
Kid forced his eyes to focus and considered the cave his horse was shying away from.
“Not the place I want to spend the night,” Kid said with great certainty.
It was at the point the wind began to pick up and howl cutting through them with its intensity.
“I don’t think we have a choice,” Heyes said noting the way it nearly toppled his cousin from his horse.
“Don’t feel right Heyes,” Kid said stubbornly despite his weariness.
“I’ll check it out, wait here.”
His partner looked at him like he had lost his mind, but with a sigh dismounted and followed him to the mouth of the cave, exhausted, but still prepared to back him should the need arise.
Heyes peered into the cave and noted it ran down deep after leaving the entrance, but seemed unoccupied. Grateful he holstered his gun and turned back to find his partner behind him.
“All clear Kid,” he smiled hiding the concern his cousin’s stance was causing him. “Why don’t you go and start a fire,” Heyes said pointing to the brush and kindling available at their feet. “I’ll see to the horses.”
“No, no you did it last.”
“So when did we ever keep count?” he smiled and patted him on the shoulder, “Go on, it’s no problem.”
Grateful Kid Curry wearily made his way further into the cave collecting what he needed to begin a fire. The wood was dry, but even then it took him three tries to start it. It was if his hands no longer had the strength to obey him.
This accomplished he knew he should move to go help his partner bed down the horses and bring in the gear, but for the life of him he couldn’t find the energy to move.
Feeling like he had run a race he fell back against the wall and let his head drop for just a moment. He was so tired.
***************************
It took Heyes longer than normal to bed down the animals. The wind had made them skittish and they wanted nothing to do with the cave forcing him to find them shelter in a small circle of trees off the path. Disgusted with their stubbornness, he unsaddled them, made sure they were fed and then carried the two sets of gear back to the cave.
With a little luck they might be able to camp here a few days and let Kid finally beat whatever was ailing him. They had enough supplies and they didn’t have to be in Brinkman for another week.
Yea this would be all right he decided feeling much more optimistic as he dropped the saddles at the entrance and carried the gear in. All ready he could feel the warmth of the fire. Some food, a little rest and Kid would be good as new. He froze in the opening, his gun leaping into his hand.
His cousin was slumped against the wall, motionless, the man leaning over him seemed distorted and misshaped in the dancing firelight, but it looked like he was running his hand across his cousin’s chest searching for something.
“Back up NOW!”
Few men would have disobeyed the command in that voice. It had stopped the worse of outlaws and the largest of trains.
The figure merely hesitated a moment and then straightened and turned, an amused smirk on his pudgy fleshy face.
He wasn’t tall, almost hunchbacked in form and his eyes were unusually large and absent of color, just large black holes sunk into his head.
His clothes were expensive, a charcoal gray suit, but they did nothing for him, hanging from his frame like they might on a badly made scarecrow.
“Mr. Heyes I am unarmed, besides it wouldn’t do any
good anyway. Why Mr. Curry still with
us?” the man said surprised as out of the corner of his eye Heyes saw Kid had
found enough energy to push himself up on one elbow and draw his gun to back
Heyes up. “Such devotion, still trying
to protect your cousin? Well you only
have less than an hour to concern yourself with that,” he smiled checking his
pocket watch.
“What are you talking about?”
Heyes said angry now.
“I’ve come for your cousin, per
our agreement.”
“What are you some kind of
bounty hunter?” Heyes asked his eyes growing darker as his temper began to turn
into a cold rage.
“Well yes I suppose in a way I
am, though not for money, my reward is a bit more…personal.”
“What are you talking about?”
Heyes said quietly.
“I’ve come for his soul.”
Kid suddenly coughed, seeming to
gasp for air and worried Heyes motioned the man away from him and moved over to
crouch next to him, his gun never leaving the stranger.
“Kid? You all right?”
“Of course he’s not all right,
he’s dying,” the man said rolling his eyes.
“You know I had thought you clever, but I can see I will have to
re-evaluate my opinion of the great Hannibal Heyes.”
“Who are you? What are you talking about?” Heyes said motioning for the man to sit and
keep his hands up. This accomplished he
pulled off his jacket and placed it over his cousin. The room had suddenly gotten so cold.
“Your cousin knows, don’t you Mr.
Curry? Surely you remember that night
all those Halloweens ago and what you promised me? He saved your life he did, brought you back from the dead, but
now its time to pay the piper.”
“You’re doing this to him, how?”
Heyes said desperate. “Talk or I’ll
shoot you where you stand.”
“Oh excellent we’ve moved you up
to murder, about time, you were always so wishy washy concerning human life,
such a disappointment, I almost regretted saving you.”
“What are you talking about!”
Heyes yelled moving to grab the man and force him to explain.
The blow came from nowhere, but
the force knocked him to the ground and he fell hard.
Gasping for breath he looked up
and stared in horror at the spectacle evolving before his eyes.
The man seemed to have transformed
into something featureless and monstrous.
Lurching across the floor he reached over as if to pick Kid’s now
unconscious form up and take it.
“NO!” Heyes yelled diving between the two and using his body to block
the creature as best he could.
“Get away child of dust, he
belongs to me!”
Heyes fought to think
clearly. This was insane, this was
madness, but if it wasn’t…. think, there had to be some way to stall until he
could sort this out…
“Wait you said midnight, its not
midnight, he isn’t yours until midnight!”
Instantly the creature was
suddenly a man again.
“Mr. Heyes you are the most
annoying son of Adam.”
“Ah ha! I was right! You can’t take him until midnight…and maybe if you’re in such a
hurry you can’t take him at all!”
“Oh please such dramatics.”
“You said, you saved my life,
prove it, tell me what happened,” Heyes said talking quickly and hoping he was
buying time.
“Oh if I must, I suppose it does
add something…waiting, knowing the outcome, watching you realize it.” He waved his hand and Kid blinked his eyes
open. “Stay with us Mr. Curry, I want
you to watch this, I wouldn’t miss your reaction for the world. Now where was I? Oh yes… It was twenty
years ago on this very night…”
And slowly the scene began to
emerge in the fire.
*****************************
“There! The
finest Musketeer in the King’s service…or would ya be wanting to look after the
Queen?” Bridget Heyes smiled at her son as his grandfather looked on amused
from the basket of food he was packing.
“Aw mom,” Hannibal said rolling his eyes, but smiling
pleased at his reflection in the makeshift mirror. The tunic his mother had made him went well with his sword, wait
till Jed saw.
“Just don’t be running your cousin through,” his
grandfather smiled.
“No sir, just the Cardinals men.”
“Aye well that makes me feel a way sight better,” he
sighed.
“Excuse me folks, I was wondering if the Parson was
around?”
All three looked up to see the stranger in the
doorway. He was young, no more than
twenty and raggedly dressed with a hungry wolf like stare that raked across the
woman causing both her son and father to move in front of her instinctively.
“He’ll be around the back setting up the chairs,”
Bridget said.
“I was hoping for a hot meal,” the man said and Han
stared at his rifle.
“Are you a soldier?” Han asked interested.
“Han don’t be asking such things,” his mother said
pulling him to her.
“No concern there ma’am, why yes I am boy, or I was,
got me wounded and heading home.”
“You kill anyone?” Han continued deciding he didn’t
like the man and wanting to know why.
“Why yes I did, usually people who asked too many
questions,” the man grinned wickedly, but if he hoped to scare him, the boy
disappointed him.
“Kitchen round back, they’ll see to you,” Grandpa
Curry said and it was clear it was a dismissal.
“Thank you folks,” the man tipped his hat mockingly
and moved away from the door.
“He’s a bad man,” Han said simply and then seemed to
forget him. “I’m going to go show Jed
my costume.”
“Remember no duels before supper,” his grandfather
called after him and stood watching him go concerned. “I fear for that one Bridget, both God and the Devil could use a
man like that.”
“Now father,” Bridget said coming up and laying a
comforting hand on his arm. “Enough
with your worrying. He’s just a little
boy and he and Jedediah have been looking forward to this night all summer.”
“I doubt Mrs. Winston is after last year.”
The woman laughed pushing back a stray lock of dark
hair absently reminding him of her son.
“Now father that was not completely their fault and they couldn’t have
done it alone.”
“Oh they didn’t, but it was your son who organized
every child for ten miles into helping them.
No it was Hannibal’s idea and Jedediah’s plan on how to do it.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“Bridget, lass they put her privy on the town hall
roof.”
“Well she had been terribly mean to Jed’s mother,
can’t blame them for wantin’ to play a wee prank.”
“Woman, soaping windows is a wee prank, that was an
engineering marvel!” He stopped and
looked out the door something in the wind catching his attention and making him
frown worriedly.
“You feel it too,” his daughter said tightening her
grip on her shawl.
“Aye, do me a favor lass, take your sister in law into
the church and pray a hedge of protection around this town tonight, just to
ease an old man’s heart.”
“Your not old,” she said kissing him on the
cheek. “But I will, I feel it too. If I
had my way this town would be locked up in their homes safe and sound on this devil’s
night and not be tempting things.” She
looked at her father and tried to shake the gloom with a smile. “And what will
you be doing milord while your daughters are speaking to the Almighty Himself
on your behalf?”
“Working for him, lass,” he smiled back picking up the
basket. Working for him.”
**************************
It was after seven before Hannibal was able to sneak
away from the church. It had turned
into a grand affair with a huge bonfire lighting the night and the social hall
laden down with food and drink in between the games and dancing. But despite all the distractions it seemed
that every pair of grownup eyes was intent on thwarting him on his mission to
sneak away and make his way back to the house.
Then there had been the other children, especially
Jed, to get past unseen, but finally he had done it and breaking into a run he
raced the short distance to where the house was waiting.
He didn’t pause as he reached the back fence, merely
vaulted it. He had little time and worrying
wouldn’t make it all be over any quicker.
He rounded the house heading for the back door and
skidded to a stop.
There Jed sat.
His cowboy hat pushed back, head in hands, looking almost bored.
“Jedediah Curry what do you think you are doing!” he sputtered
amazed.
“Waitin’ for you,” the littler boy said getting up.
“You get back right this instance, your Pa finds you
here…”
“No.”
Hannibal Heyes stopped and stared at the boy
confused. Jed had never sounded so
grown up before.
“We’re partners, you go in, I go in.”
He considered this and a shy smile broke across his
face at the realization of what his friend was offering to do for him.
“Okay, partners,” Hannibal said offering his hand.
Jed shook it firmly and pushed back his size too big
hat again. “But let’s hurry or were gonna miss the ice cream.”
Grinning Hannibal moved to the door suddenly feeling
braver and surer now he wasn’t alone.
Why this was gonna be a snap.
And neither boy noticed the shadow that followed them
in.
*****************************
“Han you think there are demons
in here on Halloween?” Jed asked calmly as they climbed the stairs.
“What?” his cousin said trying
to listen for anything out of the ordinary.
“Could be fiends,” Jed went on
considering. “Grandpa talks a lot
about them, usually when he burns himself cooking something at the stove. What’s the difference between a fiend and a
demon Han?”
“Jed can you not ask a question
for just five minutes?”
“Why?”
“Because I’m gonna flatten you
if you do, how’s that?”
“Okay,” Jed said accepting that
as a reasonable answer.
The scream startled them
both. It had come from above them, in
the hallway at the top of the stairs.
One of the bedrooms and its echo even after it ended chilled them to the
bone.
“It’s devils Han!” Jed said
frozen in fear.
“Let’s get out of here,” Han
said grabbing his hand.
“Help me please, no!”
The voice stopped them both.
It was a woman, and she was
afraid and she needed help.
It said much that they both
didn’t flee, but turned and looked at each other, neither one sure what to
do. Clearly the wise thing to do was to
run while they could, but something in the cry had rooted them.
“Please don’t hurt momma!” came
a little boy’s voice.
Making a decision, Hannibal
pointed for Jed to stay put. Climbing
the final two steps he reached the landing.
Moving cautiously over to the wall he edged against it towards the
voices.
Reaching the door he peered around cautiously. There was a single candle, but it gave him
enough light to see clearly the contents of the room.
It was vacant except for a few mattresses and some
bedding and a little table near the door.
Huddled in one corner was a young Negro woman clutching a baby to her
and a little boy no more than two.
Lying sprawled on the floor next to her was a man
Hannibal took to be her husband. He was
breathing, but his head was cut and bleeding.
Center stage to the whole drama was the soldier who
had come seeking food earlier. He
looked more desperate than he had earlier and in his hand he held the biggest
knife Hannibal had ever seen.
He looked down and saw Jed at his side and felt his
friend stiffen at the scene.
Nudging him to follow they pulled back.
“He’s gonna hurt her,” Jed said
horrified.
“Yea…” Han said his mind running
through a dozen different ideas and dismissing each one as taking too long to
save the woman.
“We gotta do something,” Jed
said anxiously.
“I know…hang on give me your
badge and your gun.”
“What we gonna do Han?” Jed
asked and Han didn’t miss the emphasis on we.
“Scare him into leaving,” Han
said a light in his eyes that usually meant trouble for whoever it was directed
at.
“Shut up girl,” the man yelled
making them jump. “Ain’t no one gonna
hear you and the way I see it a woman’s a woman in the dark. Now you pleasure me or I’ll cut your
babies.”
The two looked at each and his
words drove any doubts from their mind.
“Get up on my shoulders, if we
can get the light to reflect that badge and get a shadow off that gun,” Han
said.
Jed nodded understanding and
quickly they got into position on the far side of the door leaving the man a
clear path to the stairs.
“Soon as he runs, we get them
down the back stairway,” Han ordered.
“Ready,” Jed whispered.
“Sheriff! Freeze mister!” Han said in his best grown
up voice sticking the badge around the door frame so it was clearly visible,
but they weren’t. Jed then brought the
gun up enough so its shadow silhouetted against the far wall.
The result was instantaneous.
The man let out a yell and dived
out the door past him.
“Hurry!” Han yelled at the woman as Jed ran in and
pulled the small child to his feet.
“Come one we can get you
out!” Jed said.
They had made it to the hallway
when the man turned half way down the stairs and realized he had been tricked.
“Why you little brats!” he
yelled charging back up.
“Get them out Jed,” Han said
standing his ground and drawing his sword.
“Han! He’s too big!”
“Just do it!”
Jed looked at the baby in the
woman’s arms and down at the small little boy looking up at him with a tear
stained face and with a groan made his decision and began pulling them both
down the hall to where he knew the back stairs to outside were waiting.
Twice the child fell and he had
to practically drag him along. Finally
he reached the door and yanked open.
“Go, it leads out, head for the
church, ask for the Curry’s or the Heyes’s,” he said and turning back began to
run.
Han meanwhile knew he was no
match for the man and his knife physically, but he hoped he could delay them
long enough for Jed and the others to get outside and sound the alarm.
Dodging back and force he used
his wood sword as a tool to trip the man.
He was quick and determined and the man was angry and reckless and it
bought him time, but eventually the odds were just against him and the man
caught hold of him.
He made it back in time to see
them fall. The old banister they fell
against simply could not take the strain and gave way with a horrible cracking
sound.
Jed heard a scream and realized it was his as he
watched his cousin and the man drop to the ground below and lay there
motionless.
Flying down the steps he reached
the tangled bodies and pulled his cousin off the man.
“Han, Han don’t be dead, please
wake up, oh please don’t die,” the little boy sobbed over the still form of his
friend.
“I’m afraid its too late
Jedediah,” the creature from the cave said stepping out of the darkness “Han is dead, dead and gone straight to Hell
because you disobeyed your parents.”
“He can’t be!” the little boy
choked, the horrible stories he had heard of that place rising up out of the
shadows to dance around him.
“Nothing can save him, nothing
can help him….unless.”
“Unless what?” the small little
face said looking and sniffling.
“Unless you want to give me
something to bring him back?”
The big blue eyes on the child
grew wider, “But I ain’t got nothing, nothing of value.”
“Of course you do, you have the
one thing only you can give, you have your soul.”
“My soul, you mean that thing
grandpa always talks about?”
“Yes Jedediah you give me your
soul and I’ll bring your cousin back to life.
In fact because you are doing such a noble thing I won’t even ask for it
now, I’ll let you keep it for twenty whole years first.”
Jed sniffed and wiped his sleeve
across his face as he considered this.
He wasn’t quite sure what a soul was but momma and grandpa sure thought
it was important to hang on to. But
still anything was worth giving up to save Han and twenty years, heck he’d be
so old he’d probably be dead by then and not even miss it.
“Sure mister, you save my cousin
and you can have my soul.”
There was a clap of lightning
and a horrible scream of laughter.
Terrified Jed threw himself over
his cousin’s body and hid against it.
Suddenly all was quiet and the
room was black again.
“Jed? Geez get off of me! You trying to smother me? What did you do fall on me?” Han said trying to sit up.
“It worked! Han your alive!” Jed cried overjoyed hugging him
“I won’t be if you squeeze any
harder, geez Jed get off me!”
Suddenly the doors of the house
burst open in a barrage of light and men.
“Jedediah? Hannibal!”
“Here sir!” Han said weakly.
Quickly the two boys were
scooped up by their fathers and the group of men from the church began to laugh
and relax relieved.
“The lady did she?” Jed
asked.
“Yes, yes she did Jedediah,” his
grandfather said quietly checking the solider.
“He’s dead’,” he told the other men.
“He was going to hurt her,” the
boy added quietly.
“Yes she told us,” the old man
said giving the father’s of the boys a look to say a scolding could wait.
“See to Jacob and him. I’ll get
the boys back to their mothers,” Grandfather Curry said calmly picking up both
boys and carrying them out.
He didn’t set them down until
they reached the gate, almost as if he was afraid to let go of them.
“It’s an underground railway
station isn’t it,” Han said looking at the house. “That’s why you didn’t want us going in there, that’s why you and
Mr. Jenson said it was haunted.”
“You are too smart for your own
good,” his grandfather said, but his eyes were on Jed. “Jedediah what happened in there?”
“Han fell.”
“After that?”
“I don’t remember…” he said
looking at the ground. “Can we go home
now?”
“Yes, yes we can go home now.”
Suddenly the little boy wrapped
his arms around him overwhelmed by it all.
“Grandpa you’ll always be there
when I need you, always, right?”
The old man crouched down and
put both hands on the boy’s shoulders.
“Aye lad, I always will.”
**************************
“Kid?” Heyes said running his
tongue over his dry lips as the scene disappeared in the fire. “You did that
for me?” he said turning to stare startled at his cousin who had never once
mentioned that night and what had happened.
“He most certainly did and as it
is now 5 till midnight I think this nonsense should cease and I be allowed to
take my rightful prize.”
“No,” Heyes said firmly moving
to stand in front of Kid. “It was me
you had originally and that’s who you can take now, not him, deals off.”
“Afraid not Mr. Heyes, I figure
to have your soul without having to give up his. You see the minute I leave with him I fully expect you to live up
to all the expectations I saw in you as a child. And without your cousin to keep you going this amnesty nonsense
will be a thing of the past and we can make you live up to your full
potential. No I need him out of the
way.
“No, “
“Then I’ll just have to kill you
to get him.”
“No!” Everyone turned surprised to find Kid on his feet, some last
vestige of energy surfacing and allowing him to push past his partner and stand
between him and the collector. “Don’t
hurt him its me you want.”
“Kid stop being so dang
stubborn, I’m the one who died,” Heyes said facing him.
“Yea well I made a deal so just
for once in your life keep you moth shut and let someone do something for you.”
“What give up your soul?”
“What you don’t think it’s a
fair swap?” Kid said determined to make him angry enough to let him save him.
“Uh huh, not gonna work, I’m not
gonna get mad so I’ll let you go,” Heyes said firmly. “Besides who do you think taught you that trick!”
“Heyes you are the most
stubborn, pig headed, mule minded…” Kid yelled back.
“Oh that’s a fine way to talk! I’m the one who died!”
The laughter froze them
both. It danced into the room like a
piper’s tune and swirled around them
familiar and comforting.
It was Heyes who mouthed the
word, and they both looked up not daring to hope.
The figure didn’t so much step
out of the shadows as the shadows formed into a shape and he appeared.
“Grandfather!” Kid said finally
for both of them.
And as everyone watched he
continued to laugh so hard he had to bend over to put his hands on his knees to
catch his breath.
“You see demon what chance have
you against a bond like that, they’ll fight each other to the death to die for
the other!”
“Grandpa?” Heyes said taking a
step forward, his voice breaking in fear it wasn’t real.
“Aye Hannibal tis me. A promise is a promise.”
Heyes stared at him, he hadn’t
changed, but he didn’t seem as tall as he remembered and he grinned a silly
grin at that.
“Now what’s all this I hear
about the devil coming after your soul Jedediah? Never been a Curry yet who lost one to this creature and I’ll not
start with my grandson.”