Samhaim Eve
Dark blue eyes opened, as the scent of burning reached his
nostrals. He could hear the flames pop, and feel the beginnings of the
heat that began to warm his flesh. He tried to move, and found himself
held tightly within some structure, made of something like straw. He
could feel its rough texture against his cheek. It was dark and he could
not see anything, except a small amount of flickering light that came
through the weave. How did he get here? Where was he? Did he go out
and get drunk, and not remember, and someone was playing some mean
trick on him? He didn't know. He tried to push out, and the structure
gave a little, but held him for the flames.
"This is not funny! Let me out of here! " The only response to his
demand was a cackling laugh, one that made chill bumps rise,and the hair
on the back of his neck come to attention.
"Let me out! Listen you old witch, let me out of here! You don't
know who you are messing with." His anger began to rise, he could feel it
begin to boil inside his veins.
""It's you who don't know who you are
dealing with. We do not fear your guns. You are
no match for us. You are a worthy sacrifice.
Once, you would have been invited to join us. But
no longer. "
Johnny was determined to gain his release.
He shoved at the sides and the front. He could
hear the flames crackle loudly, and feel the fire
begin to eat at the thing that inclosed him. He
did not know the story about the wickerman. He
heard the chanting outside , he could see the
red,blue and yellow and orange flames eating his
grass coffin. He felt a scream bubble up inside
him, as the flames ate away the wicker and began
to touch the man inside. He felt the flames,
touch his flesh, and melt it, like wax. He could
see now, the druids outside, who danced and
sang, and watched him. His screamed ichoed in
the night, as the moon shone down with a smile on
the lips, and a lone wolf howled.
Johnnys' scream was heard by his brother, who ran towards the
sound. Johnny could feel the skin peeling away from his bones, and he could
not see anymore. The pain was beyond anything he had ever experienced
before. It burned away all thought, with the nerve endings. Where was
death? He felt himself falling, and hoped death would catch him, and end this
suffering.
He hit hard, and opened his eyes, and he could see again, and he looked
into the concerned face of his older brother. His brother reached out, and
touched Johnnys' sweat drenched face.
"Johnny, you alright?" Johnny took a deep breath and glanced around
before turning back to the man beside him. He nodded simply, and tried to
get up, and on to his feet. Scott helped him up, and he stood on shaky legs,
and felt relief that he found himself alive, and in his room. It had been a
dream only. A nightmare.
The next morning Johnny came into the dining room. A little more quiet
than usual. Not just verbally, but physically. He took his seat, and reached
for a bisquit, and took a bite. His eyes met Scotts' over the table, who
nodded at him. Murdock, sat cutting into the steak in front of him. The small
trinkle of blood that flowed from the wound caused by Murdock, ran into his
eggs. Murdock stopped the fork on the way to his mouth, to ask a question of
his youngest.
"Johnny, are you alright? Do you think you could break those four horses
we got yesterday, and get the hay put up before lunch time? " Johnny just
looked at his father, and shrugged. The old man, was always doing that.
Expecting too much and never giving an inch. But as always Johnny would try.
" I could help Johnny out today. Then he could help me out this afternoon,
with the lineshack."
" I think Johnny can handle it. Besides I was thinking you and I could go
into town, need to pick up some things from the mercentile. Stop for a beer,
if you want." Scott, glanced over at his brother, and shared a look. Johnny
picked up his fork and began to eat. No body invited him for a beer.
The horse moved about the corral, it's sides heaving as it jumped up
and came down hard, jarring his riders teeth. It was like coming down on rock
with the bottom of his pants. Up and down he went, he held on, and moved
with the horses movements. The horse ran towards the fence, and stopped
just as it's chest touched. Johnny almost unseated, but sat back, and held on.
The horse turned back and its blood shot eyes, met blue ones with anger, and
defiance. He turned further, and opened his mouth, his teeth coming at his
dark-haired riders leg. Johnny just got his leg out of the way in time. The
horse then whinnied, as though laughing. He jumped up and kicked out, and
turned and decided to fall down. Johnny jumped and landed on his feet. He
looked at the horse, and decided he would take a break.
He got on Barranca, and decided to go on a little ride down to the
stream. Just to cool off a little, and have a little peace. His bottom was a
little sore, even with Barrancas smooth ride. He came upon an area he didn't
often go to. There was a legion about it. Some said they had seen a big hairy
thing, bigger than a man. Walked on two feet. Who was about as fragrant as
a polecat,only ten times stronger. Scott claimed he had seen it. But then he
had a bottle of tequila in his stomach,along with the juicy fat worm. Well if it
existed it was safe from him, unless it wore a gun, and came looking for him.
He looked down at the water, the reflection blinded him for a moment.
Made his eyes water. He thought about the stream that was more a river,
and deep in some areas. He rode Barranca up to the edge. The horse put his
head down and drank. Johnny dismounted and sat down and took off his socks
and boots.He threw his hat down and unbuttoned his shirt. Pulling it off. The
water called to him, he could almost feel it on his hot skin. Oh well. He peeled
off his pants as well. He wore no underwear. He stood there as God made
him. In all his masculine glory. He moved into the water. The water though
refreshing, was slightly warm. He wadded out to a deeper part.
On the way home, feeling better. He whistled a tune. He was riding on
a old seldom used road. One that had weeds gr owing in places as tall as
Barrancas chest in places. He rode along, at peace with himself.
Barranca suddenly stopped, and refused to move any further. Johnny
nudged him. A young woman stepped out of the shade of the large tree on the
left. She looked up at him, and he wondered about what she was doing on this
old road, without a horse, and alone. She was a pretty little thing.
"Miss, can I help you? Are you lost?" A slight smile touched her
lips.
"No, I live over that way, she pointed over her shoulder towards
the east."
"Then we are neighbors." Johnny got down off his horse, and
moved over to her. His bright smile, was answered by hers. "I am Johnny
Lancer, from the Lancer spread."
"Pleasure to meet you Mister Lancer. I am Amy Jenkins."
"Call me Johnny, if I can ever do anything to help you. Are
you going to the dance in town tomorrow night?"
"I didn't know there was one."
"Then I gather you don't have a date? Would you do me
the honor of going with me?"
"I would like that, Johnny. Can I met you here tomorrow night?"
"Well I guess so, but I could come pick you up. Your father
strict?"
"It's just best I meet you here. Till tomorrow Johnny, goodbye."
She turned and walked away, as Johnny remounted and rode towards home. He
had a pretty date for the dance tomorrow. Someone, no one else knew.
Scott stood in front of his mirror, brushing his hair. Trying to get
some of the dust out of it. He looked at the costume laying across a chair.
Jennie would like that one. He couldn't wait to see hers. He walked over to
the dresser, and picked up the locket, with his mothers picture in it. His long
supple fingers caressed it for a few moments. He wished he could have known
her. Not just his grandfathers memories of her. What would it had been like,
had he grown up with a mother? To have felt her arms around him, hearing
her soft voice? To feel a mothers love...
He did not see the swirling mist that had come up from the floor. Swirling
about as though alive. That it moved about as though searching for something
or someone. He became aware as some of it, obscured his view of the mirror.
It was then he looked around, and saw it. He was amazed, fog? Here, in his
room? That didn't make sense at all to him. It began to grow thicker, and
danced around his legs. He felt it touch his skin, it's clammy touch. He heard
a moan, and a reddish light coming from over by the window, from the floor.
It swirled, and boiled red. He moved over and glanced down. His gasp sounded
loud in his ears. His eyes did not believe what he saw.
Hands reached out, hands that were no more than claws, little skin
clung to the bones. Long blackened fingernails scratched at the air. The moans
were louder, moans of agony, and dispair. He saw faces, skin pulled back from
teeth, mouth blackened, forked tongue peaking out. Eyes that looked back at
him, where red, and he saw the oosing sores on the faces. "Help us........"
The voices hissed at him. "Water...." He backed up from the pit, his mind
refusing to accept what he had seen. It could not be. He smelled brimstone,
and his eyes again looked, but from a distance. A head and shoulders came up
over the side. Bright red color. It was shaped like a man. Except for the
horns on the head, and the pointed ears. The pointed teeth that snarled at
him. They eyes, they caught his, beckoned him. His skin crawled, and he felt
such evil touch him. It was like millions of insects crawled on his skin. He felt
his heart racing, and his muscles tighten. There were holes in the skin, and
bugs crawled out. His skin bubbled and smoke came from it. It looked at
Scott.
"Scott Lancer, would you like to join us? I have plenty of room in hell."
Scott turned and rushed from the room, racing down the hall, and practically
falling down the stairs. He rushed into the living room, wide eyed, and gasping.
His father looked up at him.
"What's the matter son?"
"It's.... there."
"Who? Calm down."
"The devil!!!" Murdock looked up at him, shook his head, and got to his
feet.
"This isn't funny, Scott. Tomorrows halloween."
"I am not lying Murdock. I just saw...." His voice trailed off. He
turned and went to the front door. He went in search of the one person who
would believe him. Murdock headed for the stairs, and his sons bedroom. He
would check, and he would have his say later.
Ten minutes later, the brothers' came back in, for lunch. They were
talking, and Scott still seemed reluctant to return to the house. "I don't
know, Scott. Perhaps this house is built over some Indian sacred grounds or
something. Who knows. I can't imagine, the devil coming after you. Me, I can
figure it. But not you. Want me to check it for you?" Scott shook his head
and put his hand on his brothers' shoulder.
"No, probably gone now. Besides little brother, you aren't that bad.
Besides the old bugger man, can't have you, with me too. I tell you, I don't
plan on ever meeting him again." Johnny smiled his bright smile.
"Okay, brother. But I really don't like the holiday. I always feel a
little uneasy. "
"I used to like it, the parties and all. Now I am not so sure. Let's go
have lunch. Then we can go out into the sunshine and work." The two walked
into the kitchen where Teresa had set up the small table with sandwiches, and
coffee, and slices of pie. Smiling the two men, sat down to eat.
