Chapter 14! yay! I love how this chapter turned out. One more chapter to go!
Jake's flaming eyes glared down on the trembling gunslingers. "Where is the bat, Bill? Where's the soul you promised me?" he roared at the Gila Monster.
Jake's long body moved around the room, rubbing up against the crumbling walls and destroying the gang's possessions. Bill's legs shook as he stared up at the snake. His comrades hid behind him, shaking and averting their eyes from Jake.
After waiting for Bill to answer, Jake hissed angrily and smacked the gang across the room. The gang crashed against their belongings and skidded along the cold hard ground, to the other side of the room.
Kinski screamed in pain as he landed on his deformity. Blood gushed out from Stump's mouth. Chorizo winced in pain as he cradled his bleeding arm. Bill groaned in pain as he sat upright and rubbed his sore head.
Jake hissed angrily again as he reared back. "Where is the bat?" he screamed, getting ready to attack. Bill's eyes widened in fear. He quickly got up and placed his arms up in front of him.
"Jake! Stop! Please!" he said. Jake held his tail high in the air. He stopped and glared down at the Gila Monster. Bill felt the heat from Jake's firey eyes. "Sh-she's g-gone," said Bill, "At the t-town, you can f-find her there!" said Bill, fumbling his fingers nervously.
Jake snarled in rage. He didn't want to chase down the bat. She could've already have flown out of town by now, and Jake didn't want to go on a wild goose chase. Bill enraged him.
"You disgust me, Bill! You and yer pathetic little gang! I should've killed you bastards when you first arrived in this place!" Jake roared as his eyes scanned over Kinski, Chorizo and Stump. Stump and Kinski trembled behind Bill, their fur sticking up at the backs of their necks. Chorizo's eyes were wide and his legs shook.
Jake's flaming eyes focused back to Bill. "I think yer heads are worth more to me then that stupid female demon- eyed freak!" Jake shouted. The gang gasped in terror.
With that, Jake revealed his fangs, dripping with poison, and lunged. The gang quickly snapped out of their frozen state of shock. They screamed and dodged out of the way. Jake's face crashed into the wall. He reared back, shook his head, and attacked again.
I arrived where Kaliah was being held hostage. I jumped off the roadrunner and made my way up the hill to the stables. When I got to the stables, I looked up and noticed that there was something wrong with Kaliah.
Kaliah flapped around inside. She flapped as far as the rope would let her. She screeched, her eyes wide with fear. "Kaliah? What's wrong?" I asked her. Kaliah wouldn't calm down. She kept panicking and screaming as she tried breaking free.
"Something's happening! A large creature is inside the mines! I hear screaming!" she shrieked.
I turned my head to the mines. Suddenly, loud gunshots erupted from inside the hideout. Kaliah shrieked and flapped her wings harder. I winced and clamped my wings over my ears from the loud gunshots. When they ceased, I quickly untied the ropes that bound Kaliah's feet. Kaliah screeched and flew away.
After I freed Kaliah, I ran down to the entrance of the hideout. It was blocked. I gasped in horror. Scales. It was a snake. Rattlesnake Jake. I heard more screaming and crashing. The gang was inside. Trapped. I hesitated.
Should I save them? After all the horrible things they have done to the innocent citizens of Dirt? My legs were stuck. I couldn't move. Suddenly, an image of Kinski appeared in my head. My stomach churned.
Bill jumped out of the way in time as Jake fired a couple bullets. The gang scattered, trying to find a place to hide behind. Jake fired a couple more rounds at the gang, but missed and lodged themselves into the walls. Kinski wasn't doing so well. He rubbed his deformity as he tried moving away from Jake.
Jake noticed the slow-moving hunchback jackrabbit limping away. He growled as he lifted his tail and flicked it. Kinski was knocked down by Jake's tail. He crumpled to the floor, gasping and coughing. Blood trickled down his face as he stared up, wide eyed in horror at the snake outlaw.
Jake bared his fangs as he lifted his tail gun. He aimed his gun right up to Kinski's face, barely touching Kinski's hair. A small, sly smile formed on Rattlesnake Jake's mouth. Kinski turned his head to the side and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the bullets to bite into his flesh.
Suddenly, a loud, ear-splitting scream erupted through the mines. Jake roared with rage. His body was shoved to the side and crashed against the other side of the wall.
Kinski opened is eyes in confusion. He turned his head, finding Jake up against the wall, coiling and uncoiling in pain from the impact. Jake's body twisted some more, then he became unconscious.
I landed on what remained of the table and chairs inside the hideout. The hideout was beyond destroyed. Everything was broken in millions of pieces and scattered across the room. The gang's couches and bed were ripped and shredded. Crates were crushed and beyond repair.
Just then, I spotted Kinski on the ground, staring up at me, His wide eyes hidden behind his long bangs. He blinked in disbelief. I walked over to him and extended my wing out for him. He didn't budge. He was in shock. I knelt down and carefully helped him up. He got to his feet, wincing in pain as he rubbed his hump.
After I helped him up, his eyes stared into mine. He was flabbergasted, his mouth opened, but no sound came out. I could hear his heart beating fast. Finally, he found his voice, "Y-yer…alive," he said. I smiled a small smile and nodded.
Kinski lifted his left shaking hand. He hesitated, then touched the side of my face gently. I felt the tips of my ears heat up from his touch. Kinski stared at me in disbelief. His eyes flickered in surprise and confusion. I could see in his eyes that he was trying to figure it out.
His mind going back to when he accidentally shot me in the stomach, and was left out in the middle of nowhere. Bleeding to death…I was not a ghost, I was alive.
Just then, his eyes flickered away from my eyes and past my face. His furry fingers fell away from my face. He turned his head away, his eyes disappeared behind his bangs. With that, he slowly moved to the farthest end, near the wall. In his hands, he held his jacks, to comfort him.
I turned my head and noticed Bill, Stump and Chorizo peeking out from their hiding spots behind me. Their eyes wide in shock and disgust. They saw the whole thing. It enraged them. I looked away in embarrassment.
Just as I did, Jake's body moved. He groaned as he slowly lifted his head from the debris. He shook his head causing bits of wall to fall down to the floor. More dust clouded around him. When it finally settled down, Jake hissed furiously. He cocked his gun, cursing under his breath.
"Whoever did that I'm gonna-" he started as he whipped around. Jake stopped in mid sentence when he found me standing in front of him. His eyes flickered a hint of surprise. I was the one who caused him to crash into the wall and knock him out. Jake blinked, but then narrowed his eyes. He hissed angrily. I stared up at him. Jake flicked his tongue out. The flames in his eyes settled down.
"Banshee, right? Yer the bat they named Banshee," said Jake, finally realizing who I really was. My heart stopped. I didn't know that people outside of town would actually know who I was and what I could do.
I have only been living in the town of Dirt for almost a week and a half. News travels fast. I nodded nervously. His eyes were hard to read. I couldn't tell if he was either scared, amazed, or outraged.
Suddenly, Jake bared his fangs and lunged. I quickly jumped out of the way in time and ran. Jake hissed angrily and lunged again. Bill, Stump and Chorizo ducked back behind their hiding spots.
Kinski crouched in his small corner. I jumped out of the way when Jake lunged for me again. I made my way around a destroyed couch and over to Kinski. I grabbed his arm.
"Come on, lets get out of here!" I said to him. Kinski pocketed his jacks and got up. We both ran for the exit. Jake hissed and flicked his tail. Kinski and I were flung backwards and crashed into a wall.
Kinski screamed in pain, but then blacked out. His body collapsed next to mine. Pain shot all over my body, but I ignored it as I struggled to get up and help Kinski. Suddenly, at lightning speed, Jake swatted me away from the hunchback jackrabbit. I crashed to the other side of the room. My bandages around my stomach were unravelling.
Fresh blood oozed out of my old wounds. Bruises started to darken on my wings. I coughed and gasped for air. Jake hissed as his long, snake body wrapped around me. I screamed but it was cut off short when his coils tightened.
I looked over to Bill, Stump, and Chorizo, who had moved out from their hiding spots, and over to the unconscious hunchback jackrabbit. They looked up at me and gasped when Jake's coils tightened.
I felt all the air escape out of my lungs. A small scream escaped my lips. Jake hissed as he raised his tailgun to my face. I stopped struggling, my eyes went wide. Jake's mouth revealed a row of small, sharp teeth. My eyes couldn't stay open for long. The darkness started to eat away at the corners of my eyes...
...
"Kinski! Kinski! Wake up, boy!" yelled a voice. Kinski opened his eyes and groaned. Stump, Bill, and Chorizo stood over him. They helped him up. Kinski rubbed his deformity and winced in pain. He looked up and noticed Banshee in Jake's coils. Her eyes were shut tight and her mouth slightly open, needing air. The rattlesnake lifted his gun and aimed it right for her face.
Click!
I opened one eye. Jake blinked. The flames in his eyes died down as he turned his focus to his tail gun. He cursed, realizing that he used up the last of his bullets. Jake lowered his gun and tightened his coils around me. I felt my organs exploding in my body. Jake grinned in amusement. His flaming eyes watched me suffer.
Suddenly I heard a gunshot. Bang! Jake's head reared back. He screamed in pain, loosening his coils around me. Air rushed back into my lungs as I crashed to the ground. My mind slipped in and out of consciousness.
I rolled my eyes up to where I heard the gunshot. I saw Bill, Stump, and Chorizo let go of Kinski's arms. They moved back, their eyes wide with shock as they stared at Kinski.
Kinski stood. His eyes were narrowed behind his bangs as he held his gun in his left hand, still aimed right at Jake. Smoke snaked out of the end of the barrel. I turned my head slightly over to Jake. His body twisted and curled in pain.
Lodged deep into his soft white belly, was a bullet. Blood dribbled out of the hole. Jake hissed and cried out in agony. My eyes flickered back to Kinski with surprise. He shot Jake.
Jake jerked and twisted in pain. Finally, his eyes fell down to the gang. He noticed Kinski with his gun aimed at him. Jake narrowed his eyes and growled, but then stopped when he noticed Kinski's eyes focused on me.
Jake looked down at me. I laid in front of his bleeding, curled up body. Jake roared as he lunged at Kinski. Bill, Stump and Chorizo screamed as they scattered away.
Kinski was shoved to the ground. He screamed in pain as Jake placed his tail gun on top of him. The weight of the gun pressed down onto Kinski's chest, thus cutting off his circulation.
Kinski thrashed and screamed in pain. His deformity sent jolts of pain up and down his body. His gun fell out of his hand and skidded across the floor. Kinski screamed till all the air was out of his lungs. His eyes widened, then slowly flickered back to Jake. Jake's face appeared inches from his. Kinski stopped thrashing. I struggled to get up, but my head throbbed in pain.
Just then, my ears perked up to the sound of flapping wings. Jake turned his head, just as Kaliah came into the hideout. Kaliah screeched and attacked Jake. Jake screamed in pain as Kaliah used her sharp teeth and claws to tear into Jake's eyes. Jake reared his head back. Jake moved away from the hunchback jackrabbit.
When the tail gun lifted, Kinski gasped for air and sat bolt upright. He gasped and coughed. His chest rising and falling. His head slowly turned to me. He got up and carefully walked toward me.
He collapsed next to me and started breathing heavily. His hand clutched his chest in pain. He coughed and gasped for air. Blood dribbled out of his mouth. I lifted my bleeding wings to him. Kinski coughed some more. He stopped when he felt my wings touch his face.
Above us, Kaliah continued attacking Jake. Jake screamed in pain. He lashed his head back and forth, trying to get away from Kaliah.
I turned my head and noticed Bill, Chorizo and Stump making their way to the exit. Jake was distracted, and they were taking their chances. Kinski turned his head. He watched his friends carefully walk around the huge snake and toward the exit.
Kinski gently lifted me up and carried me away from Jake's thrashing body and toward the exit. Kinski followed right behind Bill, Stump and Chorizo as they bolted out of the hideout.
The sun sank low behind the mountains. The cold, outside air rushed into my lungs. Stump and Chorizo stayed a good distance away from Kinski and me. Bill disappeared over the hills.
Kinski carefully placed me down, then collapsed down next to me. His chest was rising and falling again, he wasn't doing so well. He coughed and some blood dribbled out of his mouth. He wiped the blood with the back of his sleeve. His body shook in pain.
His breathing gradually slowed as he stared down at me. His bleeding face twitched. I blinked a slow blink as I stared back up to him. His furry hand touched my wing. My other wing lifted and rested on his furry hand. I smiled weakly. Kinski smiled a small shy smile behind his bangs.
He stopped smiling when he noticed Stump and Chorizo giving him disgusted looks. Kinski averted his eyes from me. He removed his furry hands from my wings. His left hand dug into his pocket. He fished his jacks out and fumbled with them.
Just then, Bill came back down the hill in the wagon. He pulled the reins. The pig squealed and stopped the wagon next to us. Stump and Chorizo came up to Kinski and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Come on Kinski, let's go," said Stump in a gruff voice. Kinski shrugged their hands from his shoulders and growled. Stump and Chorizo ignored him as they gripped him tightly and jerked him backwards from me. Kinski snarled with rage and swatted them away. Stump and Chorizo pulled the hunchback jackrabbit to his feet and toward the wagon.
Kinski swore and screamed as he jerked violently from side to side. He used his arms to hit his friends but missed. Stump and Chorizo gritted their teeth as they pulled him. Kinski looked over to me. His eyes were filled with insanity and fear. He reached his arms out for me, but was instantly jerked back.
I tried getting up, but a jolt of pain coursed through my body, forcing me to lie back down. "No," I said weakly. Tears trickled down my face as I watched Kinski being pulled away from me.
Kinski screamed and flailed his arms. He kicked Stump in the stomach, but it didn't knock him down. Stump grabbed one of Kinski's ears and yanked. Kinski yelped in pain, Little by little, they pulled Kinski closer to the wagon. When they were within arms reach, Bill jumped down from the wagon and grabbed Kinski roughly by the collar. Kinski strained and fought.
Kinski screamed and clawed the air as he was shoved into the wagon. I watched, tears came down my eyes at the painful scene. Just then, Kinski stopped fighting. His ears perked up to a sound. Stump and Chorizo stopped and listened as well.
My ears swivelled, straining to hear the sound the men heard, but all I could hear was a ringing sound. I rolled my head over to where the possible sound was coming from. I squinted. Faintly in the distance were roadrunners. The posse. Kinski turned his head back to me. I turned my head back to him.
They had to leave, or they would get caught and get the noose. The thought made me nautious. I didn't want Kinski to get hanged. Kinski stared back at me one last time. His eyes filled with pain and sadness.
More tears trickled down my face as Bill whipped the reins and the wagon lurched forward. It picked up speed when Bill whipped the boar a couple more times. The wagon gradually became smaller and smaller, till it disappeared over the horizon…
...
The posse stopped their roadrunners in front of me. Wounded Bird, Spoons and Elgin gently helped me up. My head throbbed in pain. My legs felt like jelly. I couldn't seem to support myself. I was as limp as a rag doll. Pain shot through my body.
Just then, I heard Kaliah screeching from inside. Rango told his men to check the hideout. I watched them as they all filed into the hideout. I groaned weakly.
Doc wrapped fresh bandages around my bleeding wounds. My eyes started to feel heavy as I was lifted up onto a roadrunner. My mind went blank and I closed my eyes and everything went black...