Halloween Pt 2
The bed felt good to his aching body, he knew he would feel sore the next day. He lain the dark his thoughts going back to the fight earlier. He had been lucky to win that one. His gun had been useless against the mountain. What about the woman he had seen? Did he see her? Or was it his pain? He had thought he had seen someone in the room downstairs when Scott had gone into the kitchen.
He looked at his window. He again felt the little boy he once was shiver. He had been
very afraid of the dark and the monsters. He heard the tree branches hitting the window. The
little Johnny wonted to hide his head from the monsters. Cause moma had never tried to save him from the monsters. She had laughed as his childish fears. She had not seen what he had.
A knock at the door and his brothers head looked in. "Johnny, just wonted to see if
you needed anything." He came in and sat on the bed.
"I'm fine Scott. Thanks for the doctorin earlier. But you sure waste good whisky."
"I guess you would have prefered the cognac?"
"Yeah, since it taste bad. Should be good for something."
Johnny grew silent and Scott knew something wasnt right. So he decided to be the big
brother and help his younger brother.
"Anything wrong?"
"Did you like Halloween, as a kid?"
"Sure did. Use to have costume parties. It was great."He watched his brothers face.
"You didnt?"
"No. Cant say I did. Tonight, out there.....I thought I saw,..... no never mind."
"Now you got me interested brother. What did you think you saw?"
"Nothing, just shadows."Johnny turned and looked at the window. Scott followed his
look and remembered his look earlier. But he knew his brother well enough to know he
wouldnt talk unless he wonted to.
"Well you get some sleep." He stood up and smiled at his brother. Johnny stretched
out in his bed as Scott reached the door.
"Goodnight Scott."
Dark shadows were everywhere. Horrid faces flashed by his face. Skeletons
danced in the night. Blood curdling screams filled his ears. He was running through the night, trying to escape the monsters. He felt something grab his shoulder, he looked up. Into the bloody eyes of a monster, as he screamed and pulled away the arm came away too. Still
holding his arm. He pulled it away and ran. He saw something tall with horns coming at him. It laughed, and reached out his hand to him. In it was a head. He saw it in the light of the moon.It was his He screamed and fell to the ground covering his head.
He felt hands grabbing him,a voice calling to him, and he faught the hands that
tried to take his soul. His eyes opened wide, and he looked into the concerned eyes of his
brother Scott. "Johnny, are you all right?"Johnny relaxed,and sat back. Scott sat beside
him.His breathing was ragged, he hurt all over. His mind still filled with the visions in his
dreams.
"Yeah. Just a bad dream."
Scott just looked at him, he didnt think all was okay. He knew something had rattled his brother he just didnt know what.
"You wont to talk ,I'm here .I might be able to help."
"You wouldnt believe me if I told you."Johnny looked down at his blanket.
"Never know I might."He sat down on the bed by his brother.
"I had a nightmare. I guess it had to do with halloween when I was a kid."
"Not fun huh? I guess for kids it can be scary."
"Tonight at the woods. I thought I saw something. It was a woman in white. She was floating in the trees. Pain made me see things I guess."
"Maybe not Johnny." Johnny turned and looked into his brothers eyes. He saw no laughter or mocking there."Perhaps you did see something. Guardian angel, or something."
"I just don't know. Perhaps it's a warning. My past catching up with me?"
"I wouldnt worry about it. Perhaps she was watching over you."
"Could be Scott. But do I deserve a guardian angel? " Scott put a hand on his brothers shoulder and squeezed.
"More than most brother. You have had someone watching over you. Just look at the times, you beat impossible odds." He stood up. "Get some sleep, Johnny, goodnight."
"Goodnight Scott." Johnny lay back down as his brother left.
The sun was just rising when Scott went over to the barn to get his horse for the days work. He had already sent some men to the woods. He walked in and saw his brother already there saddling his horse. He moved slowly, stiffly.
"Morning brother." He turned to Scott and smiled. He took the reins and started to lead Barranca outside.
"You don't have to go out today. You need to rest up."Scott quickly saddled his horse.His brother stopped and waited.
"I can work. I hate staying in bed. If you wont I'll let you do the hard work ,roping, digging post .Cutting wood. "
"Oh thanks a lot. I was thinking you could do the bronc busting today."He smiled over at his brother."Perhaps you could just keep up with that old bag of bones we found last week."
"You think so? That old horse might be too much for me. He's been resting in that same spot since yesterday." The two men rode out to do a days work.
The cantena was full and loud .A old man was in the corner playing a guitar.He played sad songs as the cowpokes drank and told tall tales ,played cards ,and flirted with the girls.It was a Saturday night. The swinging doors parted and in walked one of the Lancer boys. Handsome dark haired man. His eyes took in the room ,his hand near his gun. He moved over to the bar. The bartender smiled.
"Good to see ya Johnny. The usual?"
"Yeah Jose." The man put a bottle of tequila in front of him. He picked it up and looked inside at the worm. Opening it ,he poured a drink Doing it with his left hand .He drank it down, and poured another. Held it in his hand and turned to once again look over the room .No one he knew.
"Where you been handsome?"He turned and looked at the girl. He smiled at her.
"I've been busy at the ranch."She smiled back. Listening to his velvety voice that was like sweet honey. It washed over her, and she wished not for the first time, that he'd give her some of his time. But he was polite but nothing more. Bought her a few drinks and that was it. Well a girl could dream couldnt she? He poured her a drink .She watched him, and then went back to work. This was her reality. A game of cards were being played in one corner and as a man left the table, Johnny walked over, he felt a winning streak coming.
Several hours later as he walked down the near deserted street, he felt eyes on him. He could feel almost a touch on his neck. He turned but saw nothing. He walked on, his spurs jinggling..He walked on down to the stable to collect his horse .The sudden appearence of a woman in white startled him. He stopped, She stood ,a foot off the ground not three feet away from him. Flowing hair the color of moonbeams. Light blue eyes that were looking at him.
"Johnny my boy. Beware. Trouble is coming.They will come in a few minutes".He heard the brogue ,though he couldnt place it .
"Who are you?" He said his voice cracking. He felt the chill around him.
"Your grandmother, Murdocks my son. Dont let them harm you my boy.Tell your father I love him. I love you and your brother Scott. " she reached up and touched his face, her hand cold as ice. Then she slowly disolved away. He moved then,as he heard a sound behind him and he turned. Seeing a gun pointed at him, he drew and fired as he rolled to one side. The man dropped backwards into the water trough. Johnny rolled and came up on one knee. Just as another shot hit the dust beside him. Johnny made a move to the left, and fired at the second man who had fired again. The man yelled to his friends as he fell grabbing his leg. More bullets came his way. He staying low ran to the right and the dark. Away from the light of the stable. His eyes ajusted to the dark. He saw movement across the street, and another one coming from down the street ,on his side of the street. When one of them fired, he returned fire. Twice he fired ,hearing a window break as the man fell into it across the street. That still left one more ,that he knew of.
"Madrid! Can you hear me?" The voice was familiar ,but he couldnt place it right off.
"Yeah I hear you!"
"Its Manning, lets you and me settle this our way .I always wondered which of us was the fastest.
"Why don't you just ride out of here Manning. I got nothing to prove."
"I think you do. You always liked a gunfight, never ran that I remember."
"I'm not the same man. I never liked killing. Don't ruin my night, or yours. Don't be in a hurry to get your name on a tombstone."
" Manning walked out into the street. He had holstered his gun. He faced the dark where Johnny stood .Johnny sighed and stepped out to face him. Would it never end?
They faced each other four feet away. Manning stood facing his fellow gunslinger. He felt lucky today. He looked into the eyes and saw sorrow. Why Madrid felt sorry for him. Well hed be going to Madrid funeral tomorrow. Johnny stood looking him straight in the eye, he stance easy ,relaxed.
Manning twitched ever so slightly and drew, Johnny had already drawn and fired before Mannings' bullet left his gun.Manning watched it seemingly in slow motion. It grew bigger as it came nearer to him. He saw it hit his chest, and the blood spurt. He never felt the pain as his heart stopped beating before he hit the ground.
Johnny closed his eyes for a moment and felt a hollowness inside him, fill with ice.He had again had to use his gun. He looked at Mannings calm face before turning away to collect his horse.
The end
The bed felt good to his aching body, he knew he would feel sore the next day. He lain the dark his thoughts going back to the fight earlier. He had been lucky to win that one. His gun had been useless against the mountain. What about the woman he had seen? Did he see her? Or was it his pain? He had thought he had seen someone in the room downstairs when Scott had gone into the kitchen.
He looked at his window. He again felt the little boy he once was shiver. He had been
very afraid of the dark and the monsters. He heard the tree branches hitting the window. The
little Johnny wonted to hide his head from the monsters. Cause moma had never tried to save him from the monsters. She had laughed as his childish fears. She had not seen what he had.
A knock at the door and his brothers head looked in. "Johnny, just wonted to see if
you needed anything." He came in and sat on the bed.
"I'm fine Scott. Thanks for the doctorin earlier. But you sure waste good whisky."
"I guess you would have prefered the cognac?"
"Yeah, since it taste bad. Should be good for something."
Johnny grew silent and Scott knew something wasnt right. So he decided to be the big
brother and help his younger brother.
"Anything wrong?"
"Did you like Halloween, as a kid?"
"Sure did. Use to have costume parties. It was great."He watched his brothers face.
"You didnt?"
"No. Cant say I did. Tonight, out there.....I thought I saw,..... no never mind."
"Now you got me interested brother. What did you think you saw?"
"Nothing, just shadows."Johnny turned and looked at the window. Scott followed his
look and remembered his look earlier. But he knew his brother well enough to know he
wouldnt talk unless he wonted to.
"Well you get some sleep." He stood up and smiled at his brother. Johnny stretched
out in his bed as Scott reached the door.
"Goodnight Scott."
Dark shadows were everywhere. Horrid faces flashed by his face. Skeletons
danced in the night. Blood curdling screams filled his ears. He was running through the night, trying to escape the monsters. He felt something grab his shoulder, he looked up. Into the bloody eyes of a monster, as he screamed and pulled away the arm came away too. Still
holding his arm. He pulled it away and ran. He saw something tall with horns coming at him. It laughed, and reached out his hand to him. In it was a head. He saw it in the light of the moon.It was his He screamed and fell to the ground covering his head.
He felt hands grabbing him,a voice calling to him, and he faught the hands that
tried to take his soul. His eyes opened wide, and he looked into the concerned eyes of his
brother Scott. "Johnny, are you all right?"Johnny relaxed,and sat back. Scott sat beside
him.His breathing was ragged, he hurt all over. His mind still filled with the visions in his
dreams.
"Yeah. Just a bad dream."
Scott just looked at him, he didnt think all was okay. He knew something had rattled his brother he just didnt know what.
"You wont to talk ,I'm here .I might be able to help."
"You wouldnt believe me if I told you."Johnny looked down at his blanket.
"Never know I might."He sat down on the bed by his brother.
"I had a nightmare. I guess it had to do with halloween when I was a kid."
"Not fun huh? I guess for kids it can be scary."
"Tonight at the woods. I thought I saw something. It was a woman in white. She was floating in the trees. Pain made me see things I guess."
"Maybe not Johnny." Johnny turned and looked into his brothers eyes. He saw no laughter or mocking there."Perhaps you did see something. Guardian angel, or something."
"I just don't know. Perhaps it's a warning. My past catching up with me?"
"I wouldnt worry about it. Perhaps she was watching over you."
"Could be Scott. But do I deserve a guardian angel? " Scott put a hand on his brothers shoulder and squeezed.
"More than most brother. You have had someone watching over you. Just look at the times, you beat impossible odds." He stood up. "Get some sleep, Johnny, goodnight."
"Goodnight Scott." Johnny lay back down as his brother left.
The sun was just rising when Scott went over to the barn to get his horse for the days work. He had already sent some men to the woods. He walked in and saw his brother already there saddling his horse. He moved slowly, stiffly.
"Morning brother." He turned to Scott and smiled. He took the reins and started to lead Barranca outside.
"You don't have to go out today. You need to rest up."Scott quickly saddled his horse.His brother stopped and waited.
"I can work. I hate staying in bed. If you wont I'll let you do the hard work ,roping, digging post .Cutting wood. "
"Oh thanks a lot. I was thinking you could do the bronc busting today."He smiled over at his brother."Perhaps you could just keep up with that old bag of bones we found last week."
"You think so? That old horse might be too much for me. He's been resting in that same spot since yesterday." The two men rode out to do a days work.
The cantena was full and loud .A old man was in the corner playing a guitar.He played sad songs as the cowpokes drank and told tall tales ,played cards ,and flirted with the girls.It was a Saturday night. The swinging doors parted and in walked one of the Lancer boys. Handsome dark haired man. His eyes took in the room ,his hand near his gun. He moved over to the bar. The bartender smiled.
"Good to see ya Johnny. The usual?"
"Yeah Jose." The man put a bottle of tequila in front of him. He picked it up and looked inside at the worm. Opening it ,he poured a drink Doing it with his left hand .He drank it down, and poured another. Held it in his hand and turned to once again look over the room .No one he knew.
"Where you been handsome?"He turned and looked at the girl. He smiled at her.
"I've been busy at the ranch."She smiled back. Listening to his velvety voice that was like sweet honey. It washed over her, and she wished not for the first time, that he'd give her some of his time. But he was polite but nothing more. Bought her a few drinks and that was it. Well a girl could dream couldnt she? He poured her a drink .She watched him, and then went back to work. This was her reality. A game of cards were being played in one corner and as a man left the table, Johnny walked over, he felt a winning streak coming.
Several hours later as he walked down the near deserted street, he felt eyes on him. He could feel almost a touch on his neck. He turned but saw nothing. He walked on, his spurs jinggling..He walked on down to the stable to collect his horse .The sudden appearence of a woman in white startled him. He stopped, She stood ,a foot off the ground not three feet away from him. Flowing hair the color of moonbeams. Light blue eyes that were looking at him.
"Johnny my boy. Beware. Trouble is coming.They will come in a few minutes".He heard the brogue ,though he couldnt place it .
"Who are you?" He said his voice cracking. He felt the chill around him.
"Your grandmother, Murdocks my son. Dont let them harm you my boy.Tell your father I love him. I love you and your brother Scott. " she reached up and touched his face, her hand cold as ice. Then she slowly disolved away. He moved then,as he heard a sound behind him and he turned. Seeing a gun pointed at him, he drew and fired as he rolled to one side. The man dropped backwards into the water trough. Johnny rolled and came up on one knee. Just as another shot hit the dust beside him. Johnny made a move to the left, and fired at the second man who had fired again. The man yelled to his friends as he fell grabbing his leg. More bullets came his way. He staying low ran to the right and the dark. Away from the light of the stable. His eyes ajusted to the dark. He saw movement across the street, and another one coming from down the street ,on his side of the street. When one of them fired, he returned fire. Twice he fired ,hearing a window break as the man fell into it across the street. That still left one more ,that he knew of.
"Madrid! Can you hear me?" The voice was familiar ,but he couldnt place it right off.
"Yeah I hear you!"
"Its Manning, lets you and me settle this our way .I always wondered which of us was the fastest.
"Why don't you just ride out of here Manning. I got nothing to prove."
"I think you do. You always liked a gunfight, never ran that I remember."
"I'm not the same man. I never liked killing. Don't ruin my night, or yours. Don't be in a hurry to get your name on a tombstone."
" Manning walked out into the street. He had holstered his gun. He faced the dark where Johnny stood .Johnny sighed and stepped out to face him. Would it never end?
They faced each other four feet away. Manning stood facing his fellow gunslinger. He felt lucky today. He looked into the eyes and saw sorrow. Why Madrid felt sorry for him. Well hed be going to Madrid funeral tomorrow. Johnny stood looking him straight in the eye, he stance easy ,relaxed.
Manning twitched ever so slightly and drew, Johnny had already drawn and fired before Mannings' bullet left his gun.Manning watched it seemingly in slow motion. It grew bigger as it came nearer to him. He saw it hit his chest, and the blood spurt. He never felt the pain as his heart stopped beating before he hit the ground.
Johnny closed his eyes for a moment and felt a hollowness inside him, fill with ice.He had again had to use his gun. He looked at Mannings calm face before turning away to collect his horse.
The end