Disclaimer: I do not own Hell On Wheels, any of it's characters or places. The events that take place are purely fictional and are not to be confused with the actual storyline.
It hurt to breath. Every movement he made, even as slight as turning his head stretched the tar painfully across his chest and neck. He was imprisoned in his own body and as days passed to bitter cold nights Thor had lost strength to go on but his will compensated, for now. Lighting fires in the few hours it wasn't raining was worse than useless. Staying a safe distance was easy in theory but when the fading sun let the cold creep in and his breath was visible it became impossible. Inching too close was a habit and every time he became considerably warm the tar would burn into him again. This wasn't the railroad tar or it would have washed away, there was something else in this.
Thor had at least managed to get the feathers off and most of the excess but anything touching his skin remained. At times he would try to heat it enough that it could wipe off but the thick goop would start to smell and sear into him again long before it was pliable enough to come off without more pain and damage. Once Thor lost his patience and tried pulling it off after being only briefly warmed. That lapse in judgement was quickly paid for as the tar encased his hands and burned.
The pain was identical to the initial tarring and dragging his hands across the nearby trees, wet grass and mud did nothing to numb it. Hours later when it didn't feel like his hands were being filleted all he had accomplished was recovering an insignificant patch of bare disfigured flesh and a long sticky mess from the strands still attached to his body. Help would be needed to remove that and Thor knew very well he wasn't going to find that at Hell On Wheels.
As the sun rose again he was painfully aware of another sleepless night. Nothing was working to his advantage, nothing edible ran by even bugs, the weather and rain was cold, he was filthy and what he was sure to be the flu kept him up with shakes. It wasn't the worst but he still needed more than he had to survive. Some sleep would go a long way it might give him energy to find a stream.
The mud beneath him was getting dangerously deep and Thor was working up the nerve to roll onto his back when something caught him by the hair. Pain seemed to grant him strength to kneel as his head was yanked up to face an indian. Thor noticed his face was painted and felt the chill of a sharp edge as he pressed a knife against his cheek. Everything started tilting as Thor felt his stomach twist before his arms and legs gave out. The indian must have let go because he fell flat into the mud panting and sweating.
Disoriented as he was Thor could still hear him laughing. Rage flowed through him for a moment before he felt a blunt pain across his abdomen as he was kicked over. Vomit crawled up his throat before he swallowed it back as the indian smiled down at him. Cold rain stung his eyes and face while the world spun and everything felt icy even the air, as Thor saw the indian raise his knife in almost slow motion.
If he was going to put up a fight it would have to be now and as he focused the world appeared more steady and clear. The man was still smirking clearly thinking this would be an easy kill. Thor hoped he was mistaken and waited for the smirking bastard to step forward before acting. The indian began to lean over him when Thor grabbed him by the ankle and pulled as forcefully as he could.
There was a sickening crack as the mans head hit the ground and he curled into a fetal position moaning in pain. Thor didn't waste any time crawling through the mud to grab him around the waist and drag him to the deeper area. The tar strands caught around the indians leg and as he started struggling his skin was horribly pulled and stretched until the threads snapped. The indian was starting to panic and flail as Thor shoved his face into the watery mud.
In the process of shoving his entire head and shoulders under something cold wedged into his leg. Before he could even think a scream tore through his throat and left a feeling that it had been scraped raw and bloody. It had hurt to breath earlier now with blood choking him it was also difficult. He was swinging again before Thor jammed his body's weight between the indians shoulder blades with an elbow and grabbed his arm. Jerks and spasms from pain with the constant wrist movement made it impossible to get the knife away from him as Thor winced at each laceration he endured. A helpless anger overtook him as he pulled the indian up by the arm and bit into it.
Shrieking inhumanely the indian lifted them both out of the mud yanking and thrashing to get free. Thor felt a familiar satisfaction at causing such pain to someone that thought nothing of him and bit deeper. He felt bone in his teeth through the sickeningly strong taste and smell of blood. The indian was trying to push his face off with his other arm as he howled again. Some of the indians fingers slipped into his mouth making him gag and almost unclench his jaw. Thor released his grip on the mans torso to pry his fingers away when he was pommeled over the head from behind and torn off as his entire body went limp.
This was it. He was pulled up and knew he was being restrained though he couldn't feel anything. Thor was aware of the man he had attacked yelling into the face of another indian though all he could hear was a horrible ringing fading and growing. Opening his eyes next he was aware of the angry one tugging his hair and rubbing the short beard that had grown in pointing to make sure they could see. Again he saw the one being yelled at earlier, he appeared to find this amuesing as the other held him by the hair and continued to argue.
Though he was still loudly and clearly making a point the other one stepped forward and pushed him aside as one would an annoying insect and looked down at Thor. It was little comfort to think the pain would be dulled by his weak and flu-like state. This wasn't how he wanted to die. Lowering his head Thor held his breath and closed his eyes knowing whatever it was would happen any second. The sharp pain came as a shock and all Thor could manage through his cracked throat and blood drenched mouth was a pitiful whimper as the tar was tugged upon. Tensing up he could feel them tightening their hold on him and one laughed, the ringing was gone and he could hear again.
They started speaking and to his suprise some of the language was familiar. Raising his head Thor made out a few words implying hunger he could see the one he bit looking very angry as the rest were snickering at him. Small Deer they called him. He pushed his way in front of Thor and once again grabbed him by the hair before exclaiming that he shouldn't have hair and face hair if it was true. Thor really wanted to know what they were speaking of now.
The other one that spoke stepped to his other side and calmly started talking things through. Apparantly his eyes and skin were lighter than white mens, his hair darker, his stature taller and leaner, he was warm, sweating even despite the cold. and most importantly he tried to eat Small Deer and had famine and pestilence on his chest that was killing the greenery. They didn't see many white men clearly but it was not something he wanted to point out. So long as he wasn't being gutted or lit on fire he was content to let them believe what they liked of him.
"What are you called?" Thor managed in Sioux. It was one of the phrases he knew but even while he was saying it Thor could hardly make it out. He had their attention now and after he cleared his throat and spat blood on the ground he repeated it and they understood immediately. They all excitedly introduced themselves, the other one speaking was called Yellow Fox. Small Deer kept to the back with a look strangely close to horror as he observed the others greet him and introduce themselves as though he was a likable distant relative they never had time to visit.
Of the four that were holding him they all somehow let go at the same time and before he was even aware of what was happening he had collapsed and nearly hit the ground. Thor was lifted up again but wasn't being restrained they asked if he could walk and he shook his head. For a moment they looked uncertain until the one called Yellow Fox said something about rolling him in furs. They all found humour in the idea and half guided half dragged him back to their campsite in a haste.
Two were helping him there while the other six to ten were waiting impatiently with the furs ready. It only wrapped to his chest while keeping his feet inside for better movement but it was far warmer than his tattered coat. After satisfying that he could be moved at a moments notice they dropped him in a small tepee with a waterskin he had managed to communicate he needed earlier. After a few quick sips to soothe his burning throat he fell into a deep sleep before he could pull up the furs.
The day after Thor was barely conscience and just sipped water when he did wake up. One of the younger men, probably still a boy by his standards actually spent a lot of time in the tent with him and spoke endlessly while he was awake. Mostly he spoke of how amazed he was to actually see for himself that he existed. Thor was confused by this and it must have shown on his face because the boy burst into laughter and asked if he wanted to hear the stories passed down to him. He did, it would be very helpful for keeping up to whatever they expected of him.
It was very interesting though he occasionally dozed off, but the main point was of a creature called the white spirit arriving at the beginning of the cold season spreading pestilince and famine that fed on human flesh and blood. How lucky he was to be tarred, feathered and desperate enough to resort to biting he thought bitterly. Thor wanted his old life back and dreamt of it when he drifted to sleep.
Early the next morning he needed to relieve himself and though the wound was cleaned and wrapped he was shocked to be able to stand as easy as he did. Still stumbling he took each step carefully and was able to get a good distance away. Coming back he noticed Small Deer shaking violently and clutching tightly at a tree as though afraid to fall. Thor pulled his jacket closed at the front to keep from getting sick again as he watched and others soon gathered. Small Deer was dripping with sweat and heaved before vomiting on the tree.
All of them leapt back as though a gun had been fired including Small Deer. He stumbled in a full circle and almost fell flat before he caught his footing for a moment to fall into Thor and grasp him around the knees sobbing. Small Deer never recovered and they all believed the illness came from the bite that Thor had given him. As Thor recovered over the next few days Red Deer wasted away and eventually died.
None of them knew what to do with the body. Thor was shaving in the small tepee and could hear everything. It was amazing how much he could comprehend in only five days. One he thought was Enapay wanted to go through with the usual funeral customs but Howahkan, the young one that told him stories said the white spirit would want to devour the body. Thor felt his stomach lurch at the notion and almost cut his face open.
All kinds of thoughts and feelings were racing through his head when they called him. As he stepped out he took in their uncertain and grief stricken expressions and the way they averted their gazes from him. Yellow Fox opened his mouth to speak but Enapay moved forward to Small Deer and removed a lock of hair from him.
"He doesn't need Small Deer's spirit" Enapay said looking each one of them in the eye with a stubborn defiance. His gaze rested on Thor. It was an intense and uncomftorable experience but Thor didn't dare break eye contact until Yellow Fox spoke.
"I suppose not" it was a simple statement that sounded like he was tired to still be Feuding and just wanted a finality to it. Yellow Fox and Enapay gently lifted the body of Small Deer, wrapped and tied in furs, under the shoulders and knees and held him out to Thor. Afraid to refuse or even stall to better comprehend Thor reluctantly let them place the body in his arms. It was scary, the way they were looking at him reflected back all the emotions inside that he was struggling to keep hidden. Fear, uncertainty, disgust, anger, humiliation, he swore this wouldn't happen again and now it was and worse he had an audience curious to see. Unless... he thought back Thor was certain this had come up before in a conversation he once had, this precise topic of cannibalism.
Learning some of a language wasn't enough, in his experience customs, traditions, and small quirks in each culture were also very important. Thor could remember that cannibalism was considered sinful in the Sioux nation. Sadly it didn't really apply to this as he was supposed to be some sort of plague spirit and not human. Although it was likely safe to assume they weren't looking forward to seeing their friend torn apart and consumed.
Thor thanked them before turning toward the trees only Howahkan questioned what he was doing. Thor answered that there was a time and place for these things and he had to go out a few days to see it through. When they inquired as to wether he would return he said he would. Not that he wanted to but Thor wasn't foolish enough to believe he could survive more than a short time by himself in this weather.
To make sure he wasn't followed Thor walked all day and to make sure he didn't get lost he walked true north. When he rested for short periods Thor would strain his ears to hear if any had followed him. Hopefully none had but not hearing them didn't guarentee they weren't there. Night eventually fell and after tripping over something unseen enough times that he had lost track along with the exhaustion and sound of a nearby stream Thor decided that he was far enough.
Small Deer's body was placed under the biggest rock Thor could lift while the furs were placed a safe distance up the overlooking tree. Almost as soon as he was up the tree scavengers fell in. They were probably following him all day and were just as relieved to finally stop. There was mostly coyotes and even a bear came by to tear off a leg and quickly dissapear. Instinctively Thor looked around under him and over his shoulder. Bears could climb as well as many other unpleasant creatures.
It wasn't until the next morning when he had to go down and remove the rock and resume sitting in the tree before a good solid meal appeared. A fat racoon waddled up to the mangled torso and began feeding. It did hear him swinging down the tree and did start running away but it didn't move fast enough. A crack over the head with a fair sized rock and the fat racoon turned into a satisfying meal. The only regretable thing was the terrible bloody mess.
As he began to think of his poor state of hygeiene Thor remembered the stream. Dropping the bones he stood up and listened for it. Instantly he heard the trickle of water and moved in that direction taking note of the position of the sun. The stream was almost in sight of the spot where he had Small Deer's body and Thor could see the tree. Reaching in a hand to test the water Thor found it wasn't that cold and quickly stripped down and carefully slipped in. There wasn't a strong current and nothing slippery on the bottom but he was beggining to get chilly.
Not having soap was the worst part and Thor had to just rub off dirt and blood where he found it. The tar wasn't coming off and managed to make his chest exceptionally cold and uncomfortable as the air pockets filled with soon to be freezing water. All he could really do for his hair was go under and vigorouisly rub his fingers through the mess. When his breath ran out and he had to resurface his hair covered his eyes. His hair was too long, he still had half a beard stubble and the tar absolutely refused to come off.
It became too cold too soon and after Thor could no longer put up with the chattering teeth and shivering he ran back to the tree carrying his clothing with him. Upon reaching the tree he threw his clothing at the trunk and very nearly ran up the side in his ruch to reach the furs. When he gripped onto them Thor dropped back down before wrapping in them and pacing around the trunk to dry faster. Only his hair didn't dry after a few minutes so he pulled his clothing back on but remained under the furs. The feeling of filth was almost instantaneous but there was little he could do about that.
When his hair finally did dry and his teeth stopped chattering Thor placed the furs over the messy remains of Small Deer knowing that in a few days it would all be gone. The walk back would likely take until a little after nightfall and he thought on how he was going to keep up the act of being the white spirit. It wasn't something Thor worried about, people were eager to believe in things even if all evidence pointed to their beliefs being false. As he was pulling on his boots he noticed the racoon skin, mostly the tail. Observing it as he stood Thor thought he had done a rather clean job skinning it. Placing it in his pocket before starting his walk back Thor smiled and thought that maybe he could turn it into a nice hat.
Authors Note: So I got into Hell On Wheels a few months ago and after I caught up to a major cliffhanger ending at season three I automatically turned to fanfiction. Except there was very little, so thanks to a New Years Resolution and my initial shock at finding this series fanfiction barren I got to work on writing.