Chapter 5: First Blood.
Roland met the others where they had arranged. The Sheriffs office just on the porch outside. They had arranged to meet here near the beginning of the curfew. The Sheriff had made sure everyone was at home this night and had gone round every house with his deputies and told everyone not to move as there was going to be a fight with the creature tonight.
"'Bout time you showed up 'slinger!" Luthor exclaimed when Roland marched onto the porch.
"Watch your tongue Sheriff." Roland ordered, he was not in the mood for any lip of Luthor or the exiles. The only person who seemed pleased to see him was Imp, who was smiling but trying to hide it.
"I trust you have a plan for us now 'slinger" Abel commented as the Gunslinger made his way to stand next to Imp.
"Oh I do" Roland smiled. "You can all gather round now"
The group came together quickly and the Gunslinger acknowledged to addition of the two deputies to the group.
"These are my best men, Earnshaw and Carlson." Luthor introduced.
He indicated to very thin men who looked as though they'd been through enough work to last them two life times. They had the obvious tell tale signs of the disease known as Whore's Blossom. The cold sores on the edges of there mouths indicated that they were only at the early stages of the disease. They'd probably live another year or so before it killed them but Roland didn't see them lasting that long unless they rested every day. He couldn't help but feel sorry for them.
"They're your only men" Abel mocked.
"Right any way here's the plan, due to the fact that this town is packed in very deeply into the forest it could technically come from any direction it wished. So I'm going to put two teams of two on some high vantage points across the town. Luthor and one of your deputies I would like you both on top of the sword and stone. I'd like Evan and Abel to be on top of the smithy on the opposite side of town. Imp and me are going to stay pretty much in the centre of the town. Where we will wait until the creature makes its presence know and goes to attack the spare deputy."
There was a silence in the group as they all took it in then Evan broke the silence. "Brilliant plan" he said still smiling a look in his eyes revealing more to Roland than he intended.
"Well any volunteer to be the bate?" Roland asked after a few moments.
The two deputies looked at each other for confirmation then eventually the one called Carlson raised his hand slightly.
"Thankee, Carlson, you wait here with us and Luthor and Abel if you can go to your assigned spots then with some torches and I'd like you to light them when your in place."
Luthor nodded and grabbed an unlit torch from outside his office and he led Earnshaw towards the inn. Abel however didn't grab anything and he and able headed towards the smithy any way. All he said as he left was. "I need no torch"
Roland really didn't have time to argue. Besides the pair Abel and Evan were only fuelling his suspicions even more by not doing as he asked.
The three that were left now stood on the porch looking out into the darkness of the town, the only light night provided was the torches along every road casting a yellow blanket over the streets and giving the whole town a pleasant glow. In contrast to this though the forest remained dark and ominous a small fog was slowly leaking through the trees and was enveloping houses on the edge of the town.
In the distant fog Roland saw Luthor light his torch signalling that he was ready and in place. By the light given off Roland could see Luthor and Earnshaw in place and ready to keep a look out for the creature.
After a few more moments he saw a light flash from the direction of the smithy, a disgusting green flash. That signified Abel and Evan were in place, during the green flash Roland saw the pair of them standing ready. Then they were gone after a few moments.
Roland then turned to Carlson, "You can start walking towards the gate on the far side of the town, may Ka guide your steps."
Carlson gulped down his fear then began to walk down the road. Roland and Imp were the only ones left by the Sheriff's office now.
"You think we can catch this thing?" Imp then quietly asked.
"I think we can catch them yes, mayhap not tonight though" Roland replied.
"Them? There's more than one?" Imp asked shocked.
"Yes" Roland replied, "hush a moment Imp"
They could both hear the sound of heavy footsteps, as though whatever it was was running and fast. It was bigger than a human and likely was good several stones heavy than a human as well. Within a few a seconds they heard a man scream it was Carlson. That second Roland and Imp set of running down the street down towards the sound, It had come from around the stables. As they ran Roland drew his guns, they glinted in the torch light seeming to wink at the prospect of going to work so soon, and increased in pace. He however couldn't match the speed of Imp who seemed to rocket forwards, his weapons still in their relevant belts and he had a fixed stare on his face. One that Roland had seen on the battlefield many times. They turned the corner and there they saw it.
It was a creature that looked like it was part man part wolf. It stood at around nine foot tall and was very muscular in appearance. It hands were huge and it currently had it's claws wrapped around Carlson's head and it's jaws were dripping in blood from the huge wound in Carlson's neck. The creature turned to face them casting down Carlson's destroyed body. It then let out a huge wolf howl that hurt Imp's and Roland's eardrums.
Roland broke the howl though with a shot from one of his huge revolvers the shot skimmed through the air and narrowly missed the creatures' head. It shot rippling through it's huge main.
The creature seemed undeterred by the shot though. It advanced quickly. With a lighting flash of his hand Imp threw a knife into one of the creatures' huge biceps. It paused a moment to take the knife out and cast it aside. Roland was already prepared though and his guns unleashed their devastating power. The slugs ripping into the creatures' chest. It stumbled backwards from the power of the blows as it's chest bled and the gore flew across the street. Imp was quick with his own weapon. His gun came swiftly out of it's holster and rallied into the creature once Roland's guns had done their job.
The creature obviously injured by the attack turned and fled. With Imp and Roland in pursuit reloading their weapons and Imp took a moment to gather up his cast knife.
The creature headed in the direction of the forest past the inn. Fortunately Luthor had taken his eyes of Amelia who had decided to come and offer them something to drink and saw the creature run past. Luthor managed to raise the rifle that he kept and fire a shot at it. He missed however but he managed to signal to Roland which direction it was headed in. It was heading towards Evan and Abel.
Roland and Imp sped past the inn not even acknowledging the Sheriff. They turned down another street, then and alley than another street and they were at the smithy.
There they saw Abel heading in the direction of the forest appearing to chase after the creature. Roland and Imp quickly caught up with him. Abel stood at the edge of the woods looking in.
"Which direction did it go Abel" Imp quickly questioned.
"That way" Abel replied in a calm tone point straight into the forest. "Evan is after it."
Roland and Imp then dashed into the darkness.
The fog was quickly around them and they couldn't see to far ahead of themselves. They could hear movement in the forest from the many woodland creatures obviously terrified by the battle. They couldn't however hear a large footstep. The pair stood still trying to use their ears to pin point where it had gone when they heard three guns shots from Evan's revolvers. They saw the light flash as well but they couldn't see it properly due to the fog. The two ran as fast as the fog would let them towards the gunshots. There the forest was deafly silent again.
The two stood in silence again waiting for some sign of Evan of the creature. Then they heard it a crack of a twig behind them. They both span Imp letting fly another knife. They both heard the thump as the knife buried itself into a tree. The two of the marched through the fog and saw Evan held in place to a tree by the knife. The knife had caught the top of his shirt and cloak by his shoulder and had pinned it against the tree.
"Nice going kid" Evan spat. "You could've knifed me."