henri ville

7/28/2019 Henri Ville

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HENRI VILLE

mchrisbenner

Copyright Matthew Benner 2012

Smashwords Edition

my struggle, my broken heart. my henri ville

to Sarah Morris

TABLE OF CONTENTS1. The ar!ness S!y

2. Batt"e o# $arminster

%. The Cat"ight &n#inite

'. (roperty o# ). *ar!er

+. An Army #or the End o# the $or"d

,. *ow to estroy Ange"s

-. Epi"oge


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THE DARKNESS SKY

&

Co"son and his #riend Nasha sat in side/y/side wood hairs Nasha with

the ri#"e and Co"son drin!ing hearti"y #rom a "ong nmar!ed g"ass 3g. The

g"ass had een "own y an a4aintane named Emerson5 he "i6ed in the

ity and wor!ed #or the mi"". The 3g had een passed to Co"son in

e7hange #or deer meat some years a!. *e had !ept it and when he

disti""ed enogh drab he8d #i"" p the 3ars and sa6e 3st enogh #or his "ong

rown nmar!ed 3g #i""ing it past the top so he o"d "i! the oter edge o#

the rim and #ee" the sting o# a"oho" on the sensiti6e tisse etween his "ip

and tonge.

Nasha aressed a a6a"ry ri#"e resting aross his "ap. The gn had

een handed down to him y his #ather when he passed on the year e#ore.

*is #ather hadn8t said mh aot the ri#"e t Nasha new it meant

something to him as his #ather wasn8t a man o# words t ation 9 and his

#ather po"ished the ri#"e e6ery night. *e didn8t e6en po"ish his Co"t that o#ten

and his #ather a"ways had that Co"t "oaded against his hip.Co"son passed the ott"e to Nasha who too! a "arge sip !eeping the

tips o# his "e#t/hand #ingers on the wood tt o# the ri#"e as i# it wo"d

disappear i# he "et go. The dra was eginning to dwind"e as were the two

men. &t was ear"y a#ternoon and the men had onsmed a 3ar #"" e#ore their

:hnt; had e6en egn. So #ar they hadn8t seen hide nor hare.

They s"ohed in their wood hairs shi#ting oasiona""y.

Si"ene.

A ogh to "ear a throat.

More si"ene.

A noise in the distane roght their attention together. There was a

rst"e against the grond atop the white "ea6es and rsh #a""en #rom the

spring o!spr hawthorn trees. The #orest had a #ar sight 6isii"ity as the


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trees were "ong and thin strethed p and on"y a it otward with white

"ossoms. The pat-pat sond was approahing their spot t they sti""

o"dn8t ma!e ot the sore. Something "ish in the...

Nasha raised his ri#"e to eye "e6e" and waited.

:&t8s a woman; Co"son said in dise"ie#.

&t was in #at a woman. There was a gray woo"en ap down o6er her

ears rows o# dirt/strewn hair straw/"i!e and orn/o"ored ot #rom eneath

the sp partia""y o6ering her "ong rond #ae. As she mo6ed "oser the

threads o# her hair soa!ed/in and re#"eted the rie# sattered rays o#

sn"ight that #i"tered throgh the trees. *er "e and white p"aid tton/p

shirt #it tight against her waist and hest. The top ttons were ndone and

there was a dirt/smeared white shirt nderneath. *er sweat/o6ered st

was 6isi"e throgh a tear down the ne!"ine. And her #ae had the

appearane o# a disintegrated 3aw/"ine< Strangest o# the ensem"e was a

andana tied arond the "ower ha"# o# her #ae o6ering her moth. &t was

"a! with hand drawn white/"ine s4ares "i!e teeth 9 it was a morid sight

"i!e the woman had ha"# the #ae o# a s!e"eton.

:$hat8n yo want misss=; Nasha as!ed "od and threatening. As

an a#ter/thoght he added :And what in "a>es yo got tied ?rond yor#ae=;

*e dropped the aim t !ept it toward her genera" area.

The woman didn8t answer her pae steady toward the two drn!en

seated men. As she approahed withot an answer the men ontined

ta"!ing aot her as i# she o"dn8t hear or nderstand.

:$hat8n yo thin! a woman8s doing a! there=; Co"son as!ed

Nasha.

:No other with that what8s her wearin8 ?rond her #ae= She done

"oo!s "i!e a gho"; Nasha answered Co"son.

:@gh; the woman groaned as she saw the two men.

:She apretty one=; Co"son sneered 4estioning"y.


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The woman arri6ed to stand in #ront o# them. Both men "oo!ed p with

ha"#/open s"o6en"y drn! eyes. Co"son too! an e7tra sip o# dra whi"e

Nasha stro!ed the tt o# the gn.

She "et ot an e7asperated sigh.

:o "oo! "i!e idiots; *enri i""e8s dor 6oie was "ow throgh the

mas! and neither man 9 either #rom 6o"me or the #aia" ostrtion or the

drin! 9 heard her spea!.

:$hat8n yo want misss=; Co"son as!ed again wathing the arh o#

*enri8s "ips with riosity.

She sighed again.

:$here8s the nearest sa"oon= $here8s that shit/ho"e...; she thoght a

moment trying to rememer the name o# that dan! piti"ess p in the

enter o# the neary town.

Neither man responded.

Co"son8s eyes had migrated soth to *enri8s tight "e 3eans5 he8d

ne6er seen sh a thing. &t #it and aentated the r6atre o# her ody 9

t 3st as he egan to admire a redD"a! smdge aght him. &t "oo!ed

"i!e ha"# a dirty "oody hand print one that had "awed at her a!side #rom

the grond.Nasha had his eyes on her two "eather e"ts eah "ined with risp

spar!"y ""ets. On her "e#t hip was a .% Smith $esson 9 this aght his

attention more than the Co"t on her right hip Gone simi"ar to his #ather8s

e7ept with a one/piee "eather gripH< That parti"ar mode" was sed y the

Sheri##s in the town o6er a""ed Saintstown. Nasha had een ooted #rom

the sa"oon dring a parti"ar"y rapaios speeh aot how he had een

heated and roed whi"e p"aying po!er Gthogh he had sat ot most o# the

hands that nightH and two o# the depties esorted him #rom the town. As

the two men wa"!ed and Nasha stm"ed a"ong in #ront their on6ersation

trned to the re6o"6ers the two men had drawn in the ar and ho"stered

dring the wa"!. Nasha had eome p"easant one more as!ing 4estions

aot the "oation o# the store in whih they oght the .%s the ammo they


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sed and so on. The two men o"d are"y nderstand the drn!en #ront/

wards spo!en words and answered on"y :Sheri## says we8re to se these

and these are a"" he e6er sto!s p.;

:Ma8am yo got some "ood on yor rithes there; Co"son said

whi"e at the same time Nasha spo!e :$here8d yo get that re6o"6er

ma8am=;

The men had not answered her 4estion so thorogh"y that she

momentari"y 4estioned whether they heard her at a"" so she repeated it

#o""owed y :&8m "oo!in8 #or a man named Anson SharpeI;

At that oth men "it p.

:Anson yeah he8s a harater; Co"son reo""eted #ond"y.

:eah yer a sa#e et to #ind8im in Coopers; Nasha nodded.

:Coopers; *enri e7ha"ed "owing ot the "oth strethed o6er her

moth re"ie6ed5 it had een nagging on her the name o# that shadowy ar

he so o#ten #re4ented.

As she went to mo6e on there was a hesitation and she #ond herse"#

saying something so #ami"iar that the words were atomatiy and "i#e"ess at her side

sdden"y "i#ted p and ot rossing the #ront o# Anson8s #ae in a hard

sma!. *e reo6ered 4i!"y and she ontined her edged stare into his

eyes s"apping him right/ways again #or good measre. *e reo6ered the

seond time. She stdied him as one might poor handwriting on a note.

:er eyes are8a eati#" "e; he said and whi"e his "ips mo6ed his

"e#t eye ha"#/sht in a drn!en sa"te. Then his eyes were open and she8d

ha6e to sett"e #or this.

Ill deal she to"d herse"#.


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There was a r!s otside the sa"oon the sond o# thud-thud-thud

horse #eet tramp"ing the narrow passage into town maye a do>en horses in

a"".

:Koddamnit.;

*enri8s sing"e word ased a terror in Anson.

:Ket yorI; she started t Anson was a"ready standing.

:& got it p in my room; he a!now"edged sad"y.

:Center to "e#t; she reminded him as he stm"ed on the #irst stair p

to the seond #"oor rooms that "ined the pstairs #ront wa"". :And don8t hit

me; she a""ed as he disappeared.

The armaid had stood with the sond o# approahing horses. *er eyes

#ond *enri diret"y #or the #irst time sine she entered5 the armaid had

!nown o# her presene had heard her spea!ing t had een neasy and

ner6os to meet *enri8s ga>e. There was a moment where their eyes met.

*enri8s narrowed in disp"easre e#ore nodding in the diretion that the

armaid sho"d rn whih was ot the a! door. The armaid gent"y tossed

onto a neary ta"e the towe" she had een sing to "ean then passed

*enri on her way ot the #ront door with ire in her g"are.

*enri shoo! her head.One the woman was on the other side o# the #ront doorway her a""

o"d e hearde her

hee!s and #ee" the warmth o# the sn on her s!in.

:Misss yo ome #rom Saintstown=; the "eader as!ed a""ing #rom a

distane o# 10 meters. They had een tying the horses to posts at thesheri##8s t on"y some had #inished a #ew horses "e#t to m"" arond. The

man who spo!e in dar! pants and a dar! 6est with a #ine &ta"ian shirt

eneath was not the sheri##. The sheri## stood some ways ot to the side a

ri#"e "thed to his hest and the arre" pointed p into the s!y. The man

spea!ing had a dar!ness to him. The s!in o# his #ae was most"y hidden y


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"a! st"e and "onger straight "a! greasy hair. *e had a rotnd e""y

protrding #rom nder the 6est and shirt at the ne7s o# his e""ytton with

enogh s!in 6isi"e to see that it too was oated in dar! hair. The "othes

had o6ios"y een prhased when the man was s!innier.

:es; *enri a""ed a!. *er eyes weren8t on"y searhing the men t

the s!y eyond the town. &t was an open day one inonspios "od in an

otherwise "ear "e s!y.

The men had yet to point their gns at her t with this news they

he"d their ri#"es a it tighter steadied their hands a it nearer their ho"stered

weapons

:There8s a massare a! there ma8am.;

*enri nodded.

:$hat8n yo !now aot it=; he a""ed a! his 6oie se6ere his

words "i!e h!ed ro!s.

:& !now that them men sho"d86e "istened to me. Now we don8t ha6e

to do this; And at that the dar!/haired man "i#ted his hand and positioned

it o6er his #irearm. *enri did the same her right hand o6er the .% Smith and

$esson whi"e her "e#t hand hng o6er the Co"t. :t yo need to hear me

when & say; her 6oie was measred :that this town is going to edestroyed. y8a"" got yong8ns etter head o## and !eep ?im otta town

and sa#e. Anyone sti"" here in the ne7t #ew mintes is gonnaI;

The dar!/haired man drew at what he thoght was the eginning o# a

threat and not a warning. The res"ting #ire#ight was short. Some o# the men

tried to rn. There was a hai" o# #ire #rom ao6e a"ong with *enri8s own

torrent o# "a>e. She hit the dar!/haired man #irst with the .% drew on him

as 4i! as he drew on her t #or a sp"it heart"ess 4arter/seond. *is shot

#ired wi"d"y as he #e"" a! into the rain o# "ead erpting #rom ot the seond

#"oor window o# the sa"oon5 staato "a!s were ehoing #rom inside the

room e7at"y #i#ty tiny pings as empty she"" asings #"i!ed o## e6erything

#rom the window #rame to the #"oor. *er remaining shots #rom oth gns

now raised and pointed to the grop 3oined the ons"aght and their


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destinations were "ost amid the haos aimed enter/to/right. An erption o#

dst ming"ing and swir"ing in its8 wi!shire dane ao6e the men now #a""en

and nothing e"se mo6ed. Most o# the men #e"" in p"ae whi"e a #ew near"y

made it to o6er. Now they were on the grond "imp. Two o# the m""ing

horses had een wonded. One ha"#/"aid on its #ront !nees. The other ran o##

with a wond in its side. *is #"" ga""op p"ayed on #or an e7tra moment in the

si"ene a#ter the gn#ire a short #arewe"" as it disappeared into the distane.

Ne7t ame the sond o# empty she""s hitting the dirt and piees o# meta"

oning o## one another as *enri re"oaded. From the window ame a hea6y

mehania" "i! noise another simi"ar sond then the nmista!a"e n"o!/

and/"o! o# a s"ide p""ing a! on a 6ery thi!/sonding ri#"e.

*enri #inished st##ing the empty hamers o# her re6o"6er with #resh

""ets whi"e she spo!e her 6oie eyes and hin pointing toward the #aes

in the srronding windows many o# them now widows and #ather/"ess

hi"dren.

:o a"" need to ACATE this town; she ye""ed ot emphasi>ing the

one word. There was no mo6ement no sonds o# pa!ing and srrying. :

or my #riends and & are gonna ome into e6ery STOE and BEOOM and

we8re going to S*OOT e6ery one o# O@. Ot o# town yo ha6e F&EM&N@TES.;

She hated p"an two the one where she had to sare e6eryone ot o#

the town. &t on"y wor!ed ha"# the time anyway and e6en then the storn

ones stayed and #oght. Most peop"e didn8t "isten no matter the tati

thogh. *ers was Cassandra8s rden the inai"ity #or anyone to ta!e her

:preditions; serios"y.

As i# the Earth heard her warning and deided time was p a #oreign

ominos wind egan to stir a dstow" otside the town. The sattered #orest

was away #rom the 6aant "and otside the town o## to the right #rom the

in"et. To the "e#t hori>on appeared the entrane o# a 6ast open #"at"and "ong

and s##ering nder the heat o# the sn. The stir o# wind and dirt spn p


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higher and higher egging p #rom the grond and #nne"ing toward the

s!y.

:& an8tI; *enri ho!ed grie#/stri!en.

A tear #ormed in the edge o# her eye.

:o ASS*OLE; she #ina""y sreamed ot t this was di##erent than

her ear"y heeding. Aside #rom the added in#"ition o# anger 9 a passionate

ross etween otright #rstration and pain in her 6oie 9 her words this time

seemed to e direted at the s!y at the gathering "ods at the dar!ening

"e.

Anson was ehind her. *e had ome ot with his gear a !napsa! and

a "ong stained gitar ase that weighed hea6i"y on his sho"der. She trned

ehind her to g"ane at the gitar ase and a! at the growing wa"" o# dst

#orming 3st otside the town.

:There8s...there8s nothing we an do.;

Anson8s 6oie had the same ho!e o# angst as *enri8s.

:$hat aot the horses=; she as!ed then trned 4i!"y pshing

Anson ot o# the way #or a good "oo! at the #ront to the sa"oon. She pointed

her #inger remaining in the air an e7tra seond whi"e her ody had a"ready

egan a sprint to the horses tied at the sheri##8s post.:&8m not riding into thatI; Anson egan t *enri t him o##.

:Neither am &. $e8re going throgh the sa"oon.;

She ntied the reins to #ree a rown 4arter horse whih re"tant"y

trned its8 head in *enri8s diretion. She p""ed5 it re#sed a step in any

diretion. There were other horses se6era" growing pani!ed #rom the

growing dar! o# the s!y and the "od swish o# the gathering storm.

:Law o# @nintended Conse4ene sweetie. o8re wasting yor

time; Anson ho""ered to e heard o6er the air as it #i""ed with the sond o#

rshing wind. She o"d hear him t when she a""ed a! with an

napo"ogetia""y graphi at #or the man to ommit with himse"# her words

were torn into 1000 its o# noise and tossed and strewn in e6ery diretion.


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Anson didn8t hear her t o"d assme the words ased on her

e7pression.

The sn was gone #rom sight. The s!y had gone "e to grey and now

the grey was worsening rotting to a ranid "a!. The sing"e "od had

spread ot to a dar! "an!et sha!ing as i# #i""ed with anger. That #ami"iar

shi6er ran down *enri8s a! the hi"" o# death approahing. Anson had

a"ready retreated a! into the sa"oon rnning at #"" speed. *enri sreamed

at the 4arter horse then the other horses. As she a!ed away #rom the

#ti"ity the #rstration she ontined sreaming osenities< she sreamed

at the s!y her #ae pward and her moth "ear"y de#ined in the rses she

spat5 then "ower to the peop"e in the windows not o# rses t with

nheard p"eading with promises that #e"" to naght. The peop"e wathed

#rom their windows and *enri as she #ina""y smed to retreat y #oot

stopped 3st shy o# the entrane to the sa"oon. &n an pstairs window o#

Cooper8s Sa"oon two o6er #rom Anson8s ear"ier #iring position there stood a

yong oy wathing he"p"ess"y. *is #ae was strea!ed y tears she o"d

see. E6en throgh the dar!ness and the wind and the g"ass she saw a oy in

pain.

There were t a #ew short seonds etween *enri8s notie o# the oyand her mad raid dash throgh the #ront s"ats p the stairs and to the

"o!ed door where the oy hid on"y a #ew #eet ehind. She !i!ed the hand"e

twie and it popped o## the "o! ndone and the door swinging open. From

ot o# the room rst a hi"d no o"der than nine as i# e7pe""ed #rom a #iery

wom. The top o# his matted rown hair stood two #eet "ower than her hin.

*is arms #"ai"ed wi"d"y atta!ing her trying to hrt her maim her !i"" her

his #rios grnts and whispers inomprehensi"e.

The atta! ame as a srprise and a#ter a good swipe y the !id to her

hee!one she "et his seond attempt miss his #ist passing her #ae y the

"ength o# a nose and *enri8s re#"e7es !i!ed in. *er #ist onneted with his

3aw in a "ose 3a as the oy was near"y p against her. *is ody ti"ted a!


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and she tried to steady him t he was a"ready nonsios. She pi!ed the

oy p e7peting gra6itas t #inding the s"im hi"d near emaiation.

$ith the oy in her arms she retrned to the #irst #"oor.

Be#ore e7iting ehind the ar her eyes trned toward the window a

moment to #ind the opposite end o# the town disintegrating against the

enraged storm that had on"y moments e#ore prepared itse"# on the

ots!irts "i!e a "" winding his #eet e#ore the harge. Now the storm was

near"y #"" in its #ore and on"y gaining momentm with eah passing

moment. (eop"e had #ina""y emerged #rom their hiding p"aes srrying

e6ery whih way in e6ery whih #ormo"d men and yong women and e6en

hi"dren hng "thed to the hests o# the parents that were to protet

them t there was no protetion against this #ore. eris was raining and

swinging in hn!s and 3agged "o!s eah with enogh weight to rsh a

do>en men and enogh #ore to !no! throgh wa""s.

&t was on"y a g"ane and she wo"d get her re6enge.

As she ran against the weight o# the hi"d in her arms ehind the ar

and throgh the on"y door "eading to the a! a piee o# strdy timer the

"ength and si>e o# two #""/grown ad"ts hee"/to/head/to/hee"/to/head "ew in

throgh the pstairs and straight throgh the edrooms as i# they were i"to# sa"tines. *enri and the oy were throgh the door ehind the ar t it

didn8t "ead otside it "ed to a short orridor with two dar! rooms on either

side "e#t and right whi"e at the end there was an e7it one in the #orm o# a

hanging sreen door !no!ed near"y o## its hinges y someone in a rsh. &n

the distane throgh the sreen and in the gap o# its sideways s"ant Anson

o"d e seen rnning toward the tree "ine some thirty paes ahead rnning

the same path #rom whih *enri had 3st ome 9 toward Co"son and

Nasha.

oddamn I wish I didnt need him!

More timer rashed in and down throgh the #ront #ae o# Cooper8s

Sa"oon throgh the edrooms tearing ot the other side o# the pstairs wa""

as thogh it were as thin as paper then dri6ing downward into the enter o#


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the ar. There was a thnderos e7p"osion o# wood and g"ass as the timer

"anded and ontined nimpeded o"iterating e6erything 9 ta"es hairs

#ondation eams the ottom ha"# o# the stairs ne7t to the ar and the ar

entire 9 ro""ing throgh the room as i# it were twigs against an impetos

oa!. The eam thrst a! p a#ter its #irst "anding oning into the air and

down into the air and down into the air and down a s4are tire o#

annihi"ation. *enri had near"y rossed the short orridor and its dar! rooms

as the ei"ing egan to #a"" and a6e and reahed the sreen as the timer

hit oned hit and hased rampant"y a#ter her tearing into the orridor.

At the sreen door she do6e with #iere determination into the

dar!ness s!y. @sing the added strain o# the hi"d as an anhor together they

#e"" #ae #irst into a path o# ye""owing weeds. *er #ae down and her ody

o6er the hi"d hgging him praying #or sa#ety praying

"ust one. #lease$ %r you take us both.

@tter dar!ness as her #ae !ept down and raed #or the rshing

impat whi"e a dea#ening rnh sond #o""owed her ot honding her as the

i"ding egan to rmp"e and o""apse #rom an in#rastrtre that was a""

t deimated #rai" #a"tering. Its going to &all and its going to &all back and

its going to crush us 'ust let it be (uick)*T +#$ Stop pitying yoursel& and

you work &or your vengeance$ *arn it$She "i#ted her head grow"ing a #era"

reatre with ndying ner6e. The a! ha"# o# Cooper8s Sa"oon did #a"" t it

#e"" into itse"# s"owing the ro""ing timer to a stop mid/way throgh the

seond pair o# para""e" doors in the orridor.

And then the rn egan again thogh a it s"ower as her an!"e had

ta!en a nasty trn in the di6e throgh the sreen door. She o"d sti"" mo6e

and 4i!"y t the d"" ahe had on"y egn and she !new the e74isite

pain that wo"d #o""ow one the adrena"ine ssided. The town was a hrt"ing

mess ehind her as she retraed the same oot tra!s that had "ed her

there on"y in re6erse. The epidermis o# the town 9 the e7terior #aing the

#orest on one side the open #"at"and on the other and the dead/end a! to

the sa"oon and neighoring store 9 had #aired against the weather #or some


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time t now #ond itse"# #"ondering imp"oding its ta!en #rom the who"e

and 3ost"ed then tossed a! at something e"se or "i#ted right p into the

s!y. The #ront in"et had 6anished in the shie"d o# dst.


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&

The oy wo!e 9 groggy dehydrated and 3st as near death as he had een

mere mintes ear"ier when he had een "o!ed in the sa"oon edroomsreaming "ood at the window #or the "i#e o# his #ather whi"e his #ather the

man he "o6ed the on"y man he had in his "i#e was gnned down in the street

y a woman and a mysterios shooter two rooms o6er 9 his eyes #"ittered.

*is #irst thoght was death that the on6"sions and the weight"essness o#

his ody was his asension to the hea6ens ha""e"3ah5 as his eyes #osed

the image they too! in didn8t on6ine him otherwise. *is #ather8s shop was

eing hopped into a thosand piees sharp. There was a tnne" "eading into

the s!y one whose start on Earth was tiny G horse could &it in there, he

thoght with hi"dish nai6etH t whose end seemed to span the height o#

the s!y past the "ods whose swir"ing smmit was the "ength and width o#

his town three times o6er at "east.

The #ina" remnants o# the town the sa"oon and a!/end stores were

eng"#ed omp"ete"y y the time the oy had wiped "ood #rom his eyes.

There was a gash on his eyerow G#rom "anding #ae/#irst on the hard grondH

t he didn8t a!now"edge that it hadn8t een there e#ore5 it didn8t yet

sting thogh his 3aw had an e7riating throing at the hinge near his "e#t

ear one his mind hose not to #os on 3st yet. Nope there was no pain

ease the oy was sy are#""y oser6ing the whir"wind o# Kod

witnessing Kod as he reahed down to ta!e his #ather p to hea6en.

:No; he ha"#/mm"ed eginning a whine that trned to a whimper

and #ina""y a desperate ry :no"emme"emme go& ha6eI& ha6e to go

a!; and he egan to mo6e his "ims indi6ida""y on"y now rea"i>ing hewasn8t weight"ess he wasn8t on6"sing or dead he was eing arried

arried y a woman. *er hair ti!"ed his #ae as he arhed his a! to "oo! at

her #ae. Terror #i""ed him at the "ose reognition o# the #ae o# the woman

that mrdered his #ather. The oy egan an aw#" strgg"e in her arms. She


19/251

he"d him tight against her re#sing to re"a7 her ho"d e6en s"ight"y5 t with

thrashing and a ite to her iep the oy "anded hard on the grond. She

ent o6er him #irst to pi! him a! p t main"y to !eep him #rom rnning

a! to the tornado.

:Ket o##Imy daddy8s gone to hea6en. KEE8OFF *e8s gon8 "ea6e me;

the oy sreamed rying.

She o"dn8t get a so"id ho"d o# him.

The mi"e/high whir"wind had #inished with the town and "i!e an

insatia"e giant ontined its roaming. emains #rom the town 9 signs

doors ts "othes 9 hrt"ed p and ot pro3eti"es shot #ar and wide. The

oy strgg"ed harder against the woman8s otstrethed arms nti" her hand

dipped a! in a #ami"iar motion

And then a #"ash o# "ight "i!e a star.

That was the "ast thing he saw.


20/251

$hen the oy wo!e the woman that had arried him #rom town 9 mrderer

o# his #ather one and the same 9 had her shirt o##. There was an odd rassierarond her hest one that hgged and aentated her reasts ringing

them together. *is eyes pon this diso6ery did no #rther wander #rom

their #irst #ind. The woman hadn8t notied him yet. She had a shred o# white

"othe in her "e#t hand wetting the tip in water that simmered in a sma"" pot

o6er a sma"" #ire. She daed the steaming "othe to a #"esh wond on her

arm. There was a "ong period whi"e the oy wathed the woman his dry

moth hanging open his eyes g"ossy 9 o"d ha6e een thirty seonds or

thirty mintes the oy was nsre.

:on8t get no ideas; a ma"e 6oie in#ormed him.

The oy wo"d ha6e 3mped ot o# his s!in i# it weren8t #or the #at that

his arms were tied to a tree ehind him. This he rea"i>ed in tandem with the

se6era" pains rning in his ody< there was a nagging ahe in his 3aw a

ponding in the a! o# his head and an aw#" stinging ao6e his eye. As he

grew #ranti against the ropes inding him his reathing "osed #rom

swa""ows to gasps.

The woman trned to him an initia" "oo! o# interest.

The oy8s #ae #"shed eat red then prp"e5 his gasps eame short

sha""ow p##s that sonded "i!e ho!ing.

:)ess t him "oose; she ordered the man sitting neary t he was

a"ready #inishing the proess.

They oth rowded the oy as his eyes ro""ed into the a! o# his now

"e #ae.:*e8s got a reathing ondition 9 asthma something; the man said

with e4a" parts ertainty and horror.

The woman pshed the oy #orward #rom the tree got down ehind

him r"ed her "egs arond him "i#ted his shirt with one hand Ghis a! was


21/251

o6ered in "ong semi/hea"ed "aerationsH whi"e she remo6ed her rassier

with the other hand gent"y pressing him against her so that the s!in o# his

a! was against the s!in o# her #ront.

:Breathe with mereathe with mereathereathereathe with

me;

The woman8s 6oie was so#t 4ite gent"e and aring. The man seemed

ta!en aa! more #rom the gent"eness o# her tone than the emergene o#

her are reasts. She ontined saying the same thing ominations o#

:reathe; and :reath; and :air; and :#ee"; nti" the oy8s ho!ing sond

stopped and a tiny it o# "e drained #rom his #ae. :Fee" my s!in#ee" my

hearteat#ee" my hearteatreathe; She aressed his hair with one

hand the other p"aed nder his shirt and o6er his heart.

The oy s"owed a"med and dri#ted o## to s"eep as *enri sang in

d"et morn#" tonesed the wond trning it to her #ae.

:No t &8m sre that !id8s moth is worse than a garage pi"e.;

Anson reahed into his !napsa! and remo6ed a tiny a"" o# pin! !nit

#ari 9 n#r"ing the thi! "ong materia" re6ea"ed that it was an o6er"y "arge

so! st##ed with something s"oshing. *e st! his hand inside and p""ed a

or!ed ott"e #rom the enter o# the poh.


26/251

:(or this on it; he assred her passing the ott"e.

:Any good=; she as!ed nor!ing it and sni##ing5 her eyes didn8t hint

at any reation to the sent.

:@m; he s4inted at the ott"e then shoo! his head and retrned to

the !napsa! remo6ing yet another tiny nd"e o# #ari n#r"ing it and

this time p""ing ot a pint/si>ed transparent g"ass ott"e. The "i4id inside

was "ear. *e nor!ed it and too! a "itt"e sip then gasped as i# his throat

were gone.

:*ere; was the on"y hoarse word he o"d sti#"e ot motioning to

swith the ott"es e#ore *enri o"d por any on her arm. She had sat

motion"ess the ott"e in her hand wathing Anson.

For a rie# #"i!er in the #ire"ight he saw the hint o# a smi"e ross her

"ips.

Then it was gone.

A#ter an e7hange o# the ott"es *enri sme""ed the "ear "i4id and her

e7pression re"a7ed a sma"" a"most immeasra"e amont. Anson notied her

easing s"ight"y5 he was astomed to her nane her idiosynrasies and a""

the other things she denied whene6er he roght them p. Li!e how she

wo"d sometimes ontradit herse"# #irst thing G"itera""y the 6ery #irst thingH inthe morning as i# her rain were wor!ing things ot and her moth "agged

ehind.

*enri pored the "ear "i4id on the shirt then wiped it o6er her throat

and arm wonds #ee"ing the rn deep in her ms"es #rom iep to hest

to #ae and e6en arond to her mid/a!5 t as a"ways *enri made no

noise and roght no attention to the pain. $ith a nodding motion "i!e the

one Anson had 3st made Ghe nodded in agreement smi"ingH they re/

e7hanged ott"es one more 9 and this time she too! a strong drin! o# the

"i4id.

Anson stood p his !ni#e in one hand and his pisto" drawn in the other.

:*ow8s it taste=; he as!ed rios.

Time stopped a moment whi"e he "oo!ed down at her.


27/251

Another o# her 4ir!s Gand the hardest #or her to otright denyH was

that she wined a#ter e6ery shot o# hard a"oho"5 on oasion she8d e6en

shtter a it. (ain wonds gashes 9 none o# it made her #"inh on"y a"oho".

&n the "ight o# the #ire Anson aght *enri8s eyes as she dran! 9 and she

stared a! p right a! p into Anson8s rown eyes !nowing #"" we"" he

was "oo!ing wathing waiting #or that wine. Two g"ps in the ott"e

"owered #rom her "ips as oth eyes ha"#/"osed her "ips ta!ing the #orm o#

something tart ha6ing 3st passed etween them and she reathed ot

deep"y.

That was a"" the answer he needed.

Anson ne6er stopped smi"ing as he "e#t to hnt e#ore dar!ness.


28/251

&&

inner was 4ai" and two raits.

etrning to amp approahing nder the o6er o# night the 6oieswere distint at twenty paes and Anson o"d "ear"y see the oy was again

tied to the tree. *enri had pt her "e and white p"aid shirt a! on t

withot an ndershirt or ra her hest eating its way ot against the top

ttons5 e6en at twenty paes Anson o"d te"" the ttons were "osing the

#ight.

5ids gonna have another oddamn asthma attack.

:o !i""ed my papa; the oy was saying. *is 6oie was 6enomos

withot ye""ing a st"e nontro""ed rage in his in#"etion. O6ios"y

distraght the oy seemed to ha6e eome "ess #ear#" "ess 6io"ent more

weary more restrained.

:&8m sorry.;

*enri8s a"m nre4ited tone #rther angered the oy.

:Bt wwwwwwhy=; the oy moaned his rage gone and a"" that

remained in him did so grie#/stri!en. :$hy did yo ha6e; so sni6e" :

why8d yo ha6e to !i"" my papa= $hy o"dn8t yo ha6e "e#t him; so so

:3st "e#t him a"one the rest;

*is remorse his pro#ond hrt was shattering worse than the wonds.

She was "eaning in near him Gare#" to stay away #rom his teethH

ha6ing 3st #inished retying him to the tree. Anson ontined his si"ent

approah same as he did hnting and was 3st eyond the nearest trees.

Aot to spea! p something pre6ented him. Crohed a! on her hee"s

#aing the yong oy #rom eside the #ire *enri8s eyes on6eyed regretmore than her mi"d apo"ogy more than any words passing throgh her harsh

"ips.

:$hat8s yor name=; *enri #ina""y as!ed.


29/251

Anson deided this was his est time to enter and he did so are#"

not to a"arm *enri5 howe6er as he re3oined the amp she ga6e him a "oo!

as i# she !new he had een pased ehind the trees the entire time.

:)onathon; he spat prod. :)onathon $i""iam Be!ett the third Li!e

my papa and my papa8s papa. They8s good #o"!; And the passion #"ed one

more reso"6ed to sorrow and a short hidden sni##"e 9 he was trying to hide it

as they didn8t deser6e to hear him sond wea!5 it ser6ed to on"y ma!e him

"oo! that mh more piti#" tears and a rnny nose withot the ai"ity to

wipe it.

*enri approahed with one o# the shreds #rom her white tee/shirt. The

oy #"inhed e7ited"y in an attempt to #"ee her as she pshed in t he ga6e

in near immediate"y "etting her aress away the tears and ho"d the "oth #or

him to "ow his nose whih he did 4ite "od"y.

:*o"y mo"ey !id. o got an e"ephant p there=; Anson h!"ed #rom

the other side o# the #ire. *e was s!inning the #irst rait sre to !eep

himse"# 6isi"e to the !id at "east whi"e he was tied to the tree. *e snea!ed a

g"impse at the oy sing his periphera"s. The oy named )onathon $i""iam

Be!ett the third ra!ed no smi"e and showed no sign o# good hmor

instead g"aring irate"y #rom *enri aross the #ire to Anson. No #rther tearswere oming that was #or sre.

:My name8s Anson Sharpe !id. &8"" sha!e yor hand when we an ntie

yo. And that; he "oo!ed to *enri who had een otside the !id8s ite range

t was now reeding to her spot ne7t to the #ire :is *enrietta So#ia

i""ano6a.; *e retrned his attention to s!inning the rait. :& sed to a"" her

SaidaArai #or n#ortnate one.; *e h!"ed. :That was hwe""

e#ore; Strgg"ing to p"" the hide #rom the meat nti" one si!ening

s4ish noise "ater he was sess#". *e "oo!ed p one hand o6ered in

"ood and the other ho"ding the rait8s pe"t. :Kess that was e#ore we

rea""y !new what n#ortnate was hh Saida=;

:on8t a"" me that; she so"ded.


30/251

:$hih=; Anson as!ed a! !nowing that she hated the name Saida a

#air amont more than she hated her #"" irth name whih she shed short"y

a#ter their aandonment in the west.

There was no answer.

:)st a"" her *enri. *enri i""e; he pro"aimed. :Sonds westerny

Amerian. Strong strdy. *enry i""e 4een o# the western #rontier.;

*enri mo6ed toward Anson 9 who had gtted the seond rait and

was in the proess o# s!inning it 9 "eaning o6er the sma"" pi"e o# intestines

and gts on the grond to whisper intent"y : yo e6er mo! me again &8""

rea! yor #inger. Not yor trigger #inger none too important.;

She stood p and "oo!ed #rom the man to the oy.

:$e eat. $e s"eep. Tomorrow we rise e#ore dawn and we head

sothwest.;

:Sothwest= &nto open "and=; Anson as!ed sho!ed.

:$e8re missing someone; she answered.

:Oh Kod $o"d yo get o6er it a"ready= There8s no going a! 9

nderstand that.;

:Sothwest is &n3n territory; the oy spo!e "ow a"most as i# it were

disoedient to spea!.:& didn8t as!. Listen here; she spo!e her teeth gritted as i# to stop a

#"ood o# 6era" ase #rom spewing past her "ips. :$e head sothwest

tomorrow. &ndians or no &ndians. *ome or no home. $e eat. $e s"eep. And

we "ea6e e#ore dawn. Ket o6er it. @nderstand that.; She repeated the words

Anson had 3st sed words he sed o#ten nder pressre words she

aso"te"y hated 9 she wasn8t going to get o6er it she was going to go

straight/damn/throgh it.

She stomped o6er to the oy an asatory #inger pointed at his nose.

*e #"inhed not ot o# anger t with the antiipation o# eing hit.

:o etter get yorse"# straight ?ase we8re tra6e"in8 as a happy

#ami"y nit. Sho"d sa6e s some hass"e.;


31/251

The oy so##ed dise"ie6ing her sinerity in the p"anIher hand was

aross his #ae e#ore he had time to #"inh and she waited #or him to

reo6er e#ore ontining.

:or daddy "o!ed yo in a room and went o## to do dangeros things

with dangeros men and death ain8t modest #or no man #ather or not. & may

ha6e "e#t yor mediine a! in that room t yo was worse o## weren8t

yo= Ain8t ha6e no water in there did yo=; She pointed aggressi6e"y5 the

oy owered. :id yo=;

:No;

:No what=; she hissed.

:No & ain8t ha6e no water in the room.;

:o address me as ?ma8am8 #rom now on a#ter e6erything yo say.

Kot it= ?es ma8am.8 ?No ma8am.8 @nderstand=; No answer5 raised a!hand.

:@nderstand=;

:es ma8am.;

:o pratia""y dran! a ga""on o# water in the time yo86e een ot.

ehydrated emaiatedIwas there #ood in yor room=;

:&& don8t rememI;

:$as there #ood in yor room= id yor wonder#" daddy "ea6e yo#ood= *h= id dear o"e8 dad "ea6e yo so mh as a sandwih a/a/a

ra!er= Anything when he "o!ed yo in a edroom #or who !nows how

"ong=;

:Noma8am.;

:eah. o8re emaiated !id. Ma"norished. &ron de#iieny. Means yo

gonna stay sma"" n"ess yo start eating. (ro""y die #rom yor ai"ment.

Srprised yo ain8t dead a"ready.;

The oy8s eyes had een #ear#" to "oo! into *enri8s penetrating

intense ga>e5 as a sign o# de#iane he g"ared p with a downtrned hin

eyes as e6i" as a man awaiting the ga""ows #eroios and withot impress.

$hi"e 3oint eyes "o!ed *enri ontined in a so"emn hanting tone


32/251

:*ow o#ten he whip yo= @se a e"t did he=; The oy didn8t say

anything his eyes #"" o# so mh hate. :eahdid it main"y when he dran!

right= Ket that whis!ey in him eat on yo ?ase yo were wea!. *e""

reathing isses 9 yo8re proa"y sma"" #or yor age aren8tI;

:That8s enogh.;

Anson had stood p oth hands at his side a !ni#e "asped in the right

hand and oth dripping "ood. The ms"es in his ody were tense. There

was a si"ene ro!en on"y y the ra!"ing o# the #ire. *enri and the yong

oy ontined their stare. The oy8s #ae was drenhed in as mh hate as

Anson8s hands were "ood. *enri ga6e a snort o# detest and ro!e the stare

twisting to head toward the trees.

:Start oo!ing that meat. $e got an ear"y morning; she said

n>ipping her pants as she stro""ed past the "ight o# the #ire and into the

dar!ness.


33/251

&&&

The sond o# an idiot wo!e her.

:$ho yo thin! these peop"e are=; Co"son as!ed.:As!8em; Nasha answered.

The men were standing 3st otside the perimeter o# the amp.

:Loo!8it they tied that oy p to the tree.;

:*ey; the oy a""ed to them. :*e"p me @ntie me Ket me ot o#

here She !i"t my papa;

*enri shot pright. *er ed had een too om#orta"e the grond too

so#t too shionedit was a"ready past dawn. Anson wasn8t anywhere to e

#ond. And the oy wo"dn8t sht p #rom his ma!eshi#t ed against the tree.

She stood and #aed the two men.

:My son; she sighed :& don8t !now why he !eeps doing this to s.

Lying ma!ing p dirty "ies. And my hsand8s gone o## & don8t !now where

he went.;

:$hat8n yo say oy=; Nasha as!ed s!eptia" o# oth peop"e.

The oy to"d an are6iated 6ersion o# the tre story.

Co"son "oo!ed dm#onded srathing the top o# his head where

there was sti"" a sma"" t#t o# hair that hadn8t disappeared with the rest.

Nasha had the a6a"ry ri#"e t had yet pointed it anywhere other than the

grond. Both men stdied the oy then the #ema"e then the oy again their

heads mo6ing together.

:)st ta!e a seat; she said rationa""y. :My hsand8s ot hnting an8

he8"" e a! any minte and we an a"" ha6e rea!#ast.;

:Thoght yo ain8t !now where yer hsand was=; Co"son as!ed.Nasha "a>i"y "i#ted the ri#"e to point at *enri8s hest.

:This ain8t yer rea" mama oy=; he as!ed.

:No Kod no; the oy answered p"eading. :*e"p me @ntie me

("ease;


34/251

:&8m gon8 as! yo to remo6e them gn e"tsIs"ow"y; Nasha to"d her

and disappointment washed o6er her #ae.

:Kent"emen this is a hge mista!e; *enri said trying her est to

sond 6"nera"e as she ndid the e"ts arond her waist. They #e"" to the

#"oor with a hea6y thd whi"e her hands remained on her waist and ho"ding

her pants p.

:Jeep them hands p; Co"son added with a sni!er.

*enri raised her pa"ms into the air.

Both men "et ot a disappro6ing sigh when her pants hadn8t #a""en

down.

:o sre this here ain8ther momma=; Nasha as!ed.

:("ease )st ntie me; the oy8s p"eading had "ost some passion.

Co"son wa"!ed ehind the tree and t the inds ho"ding the oy in

p"ae. ing his sore wrists the oy rose to his #eet and ast a #ina"

ontemptos "oo! at *enri who stared a! with something mh more

a"m more menaingthen the oy was rnning throgh the #orest in a

diretion he hoped wo"d "ead to SaintstownI"ast he heard #rom the amp

was the a"d #e""ow sniggering as he said :An8 yo gon8 need ta!eo## that

shirt; Gthe oy missed the rde remar! that #o""owed aot hiddenweapons on her ody and a hidden weapon on the man8sHInti" )onathon

$i""iam Be!ett &&&8s #ootsteps were no "onger heard y the amp8s

opants.


35/251

&P

)onathon had on"y rn a 4arter/mi"e e#ore he had to stop. *is reathing

had grown tight in his hest and he !new he o"dn8t rn mh #rthere#ore it wo"d e ho!ing noises and a "a! ot.

S"mped against a tree the oy did his est not to at re!"ess.

Breathe time

*is #ather had ne6er een one to "et him rnor p"ay or attend "earnin8

or ha6e #riendsin #at his #ather had ne6er een one to "et him do mh o#

anything. They tra6e"ed to towns sre t near dinner time his #ather wo"d

"o! him in his room Gor any room rea""yH and his dad wo"d 6entre ot into

the wor"d< some nights he wo"d ome a! a"one soer5 some nights he

wo"d ome a! a"one drn!5 other nights he roght a! a "ady and

)onathon wo"d ha6e to wait otside the door where his #ather wo"d se

rde piees o# twain to tie oth his hands to the anister. Odd"y enogh

those were his #a6orites nights as anisters in sa"oons and rothe"s had an

o6er6iew o# the ama>ing repertoire o# omings and goings and oisteros

"aghter Gsomething he "o6ed to hear a"most as mh as he "o6ed piano

msiH. These were the on"y times a6ai"a"e #or him to e7periene the

ompany o# strangers Ghmans esides his #atherH and he had a ird8s eye

6iew o# ard games. G*e had een there wathing si"ent"y when Nasha "eapt

p !no!ing o6er his hair and pointed asatory #ingers at eah o# the

peop"e at po!er ta"e5 )onathon8s eye was sharp and he notied dring the

hands preeding the "od on#rontation it was Nasha who was heating

stea"ing 9 and in a stro!e o# genis it was the depties that esorted him

ot with a"" his nearned winnings.H And )onathon8d "ean on the #"oor as estas he o"d get om#orta"e his a! against the wood and tied arms o6er

his head as!ing in the "iss#" !eystro!es o# the piano Gwithout a wall

between$H t he8d e6enta""y ha6e to stand as the "ood wo"d drain #rom

his arms or e"se he wo"d ross his arms on the rai"ing and "ean his #ae


36/251

o6er p on his !neesand then there were the yong women G:A"" o#

them8er degenerate whores and any o# ?em tohes yo &8"" whap yo and

them whap ?em rea" goodIand they !now it and now yo !now it; his

#ather to"d himH5 women were a di##erent matter entire"y. *is mother had

died when he was yong and his #ather ne6er e"aorated more than that no

matter how hard he pestered. On oasion his #ather answered the 4estion

with :As! me when yo8re a man.;

On the drn! nightsInot the norma" drn! whih was #ine and o#ten

"ed to an immediate sna! and s"eep5 no the astard drn! the demon

nder whose spe"" his #ather #e"" one a month. That8s how his #ather a"ways

desried iten towns searhing #or

her espeia""y those "oa" to Saintstown or anyone that witnessed the

gn#ight and sr6i6ed the tornado.

I want to see a wanted poster o& mysel& be&ore I die.

They e4ist, these posters. Somewhere right now, on some placard in

small towns, theres a picture o& my &ace and the litany o& crimes o& which

Ive been accused. I want one o& those posters, or at least I want to see it

once be&ore I die. I& I make it out o& this, Im taking my wanted poster back

home. Show everyone)well, kill the man responsible &or all o& this!then

show everyone. 6ike a knickknack at a party. Theyll think its a novelty.

ssholes. And then she reminded herse"# /ait-wait-wait. oure not going

home. oure never going home. 7o more home, remember? nsons 6ord

knows where, 2ialik was in his ghost own, 8arpathian, waiting &or the hordes

he knew would &ollow the trail. /ait-wait-wait, slow it down. Still too &ar


43/251

ahead. nson Sharpe, grumpy old 2ialik, even "onathon /illiam 2eckett the

third!doesnt matter)none o& it, none o& them. 1oes not matter. 9ight now

theyre taking you to a holding cell or, i& its a local town, straight to the

gallows. 3ey, that can be our new home, our &inal residence. 3angman can

lead us to the doorway.

Still, Id like to see a wanted poster with my &ace on it.

The di>>y spe"" and initia" sho! o# the rain trama had passed #ading

to a notiea"e >> #"ying arond the inside o# her ranim. *ands "asped

together as i# in prayer *enri "i#ted her arms. &ron sha!"es were inding

them at the wrist and a hain !ept them sere at waist "e6e"5 #rom the gap

in the ottom o# her "arge ranid hood she o"d see the thi! "a! hain

"in!s oming #rom somewhere right aross her waist and throgh a hoop in

her sha!"es then o## to the "e#t. She o"d g"impse the ottom o# the age

that ser6ed as a a! door to the prisoner oah. The hains tethered her

irons to something on either side t she was nsre where they tra6e"ed

e7at"y. Mo6ing her head she tried to "oo! arond #rom eneath the hood

t #ond that the harder she tried the "ess she ata""y saw.

:&8m gonna throw p; she warned a #at that was 6ery near tre #rom

the omination s!"" ahe and hood stin!5 #a!e rething noises worsenedthe sitation and she had to stop as her stomah had a desire to retrn the

ornmea" and died oats o# her rea!#ast. Last thing she wanted to do was

p!e in this a"ready disgsting hoodDsa!.

someone e"se was there they were aso"te"y si"ent.

Mobilitys limited but it seems theres enough &reedom!She arhed

her a! and st##ed the top/ha"# o# her hand down the roth o# her pants.

3eres hoping the chains arent tethered to gunmen silently watching my

every move!*er sha!"es met the harsh end o# their reah yan!ing the

hain #or an e7tra inh or two o# "eeway. A groan ame #rom her diret right 9

someone wassitting eside her.

:Anson=; she whispered sim"taneos"y hope#" #or his ompany and

desperate not to #ind him there 9 no matter how n"i!e"y it was she #ond


44/251

so"ae in the ai"ity to ry a it o# hope in the s"im hane that i# a"" e"se

#ai"ed Anson Sharpe might show p and sa6e the day.

Stumble ups more like it.

/hole things doubt&ul.

E6en then she #ond om#ort in the #at that Anson Sharpe might not

e there. No one answered her a"" 3st as no one responded to her #a!e

6omiting5 she sspeted the ma"e to her right was nonsios Gand she was

on"y ha"#/sre it was a man and not a deep/groaning womanH.

Fishing digging digging

*er #ingers reahed deeper and deeper down past her nderwear and

against the r6e at the top o# her thigh and downdown3st a it #arther

strething and arhing and reahing to toh the tippy/top o# the thin piee

o# meta" against the inside o# her thigh. Fingertips tohed it she arhed

#rther her #ingertips rshed against the top o# it#ina""y her inde7 and

thm got a "ight pinh o# it. There was nothing ho"ding the twig/"i!e ar

against her s!in aside #rom the 3eans themse"6es. At 2 inhes "ong the

y"indria" te/"i!e meta" had a ha"# inh diameter and hid easi"y ehind a

natra" rease on the inside seam o# the 3eans. Litt"e y "itt"e she p""ed

reahed arhed pinhed it roght it p a tiny it more and a tiny itmore p and p nti" with a sense o# great aomp"ishment and hope she

got a #irm grasp on theI

The arriage stopped dead.

The person at her side "rhed toward the #ront dragging her on"y

s"ight"y. As she raed #or a #rther p"" toward the #ront she #ond it easy

not on"y to pre6ent eing dragged t to drag the person a! her way. They

were "imp nonsios t a"so #rai". S!inny. $ea!ened.

n old man, probably. Should prolly help sit him back up.

She "ind"y reahed ot her sha!"ed hands searhing #or the

passenger. There was an adi"e gasp #rom inside the arriage5 it wasn8t

nti" she tasted the ptrid air #rom inside the hood that it registeredit was

her that had gasped. *er hands were #ro>en. A sstantia" pani washed


45/251

o6er her in mh the same way as di>>iness and nasea had when she #irst

wo!e in the a! o# that prison oah5 howe6er the terror inded y her

ompanion was short/"i6ed mere"y ser6ing as an introdtion to the horrors

that awaited her now that they had reahed their destination.


46/251


47/251

BATTLE OF WARMINSTER

&

Chi"dren as a hoir o# ange"s sangeand #ina""y another sharp pain in the a! o# her head as one more

the man ehind her ga6e a wea! "e#t/handed pnh.

:She was tryin8 to mo6e or some8in sir BriarwoI(as/(astor sir; the

man spo!e his 6oie mh "i!e a hi"d aght stea"ing #or the #irst time5 it

was o6ios he was a simp"eton.

The (astor8s saharine e7pression hid an o6ios annoyane.

:&t8s a"right egina"d. $e sha"" ta"! "ater.; G*enri #e"t the e7etioner8s

ody tense again.H :("ease stand the oy p and ring him to me. Bring him

to the enter o# or temp"e so that we may "oo! pon him.;

egina"d "i#ted the wea! ody o# the hi"d as i# it were a ragdo"".

)onathon shi6ered at the gr## manhand"ing on6"sing a "itt"e as he "ay

aross the "arge man8s arms. egina"d ir"ed arond the o7 to the head o#

the p"pit t as his #oot "i#ted toward the #irst step Briarwood8s eyes

#"ashed an anger *enri had yet to see 9 it was the #ry she !new mst "ie

eneath the sr#ae the tr"ent storm nder the p"easant 6eneer o# the

man igy Briarwood5 and thogh he didn8t spea! Briarwood8s eyes sared

egina"d enogh #or him to a! p twie and near"y "and on the #ront enh

ongregation. *e aght himse"# retrned to the #oot o# the p"pit8s steps

hrried"y to ompensate de"aying sh an easy tas! and sat the hi"d downso his tt was on the #irst step. There was an aw!ward moment when the

oy re#sed to "et go where the e7etioner had to p"" a! again and

again to get away #rom the "thing hands and arms otstrethed in

desperationthe oy a"one in his hooded wor"d had #e"t sa#ety in the

e7etioner8s arms.

:LOOJ AT *&MI; (astor Briarwood spo!e in a horrid high pithed

maniaa" ye"" roing e6ery indi6ida" o# their attention and thoght e#ore

ontining with on"y rie# in#"etions o# sreaming insanity :Itrying to KAB

AN STEAL (OO EK&NAL8S BEAT* Bease poor egina"d doesn8t !now

any etter;

egina"d "oo!ed p a moment5 e6en with the hood "o!ing most o# his

#ae the "oo! in his eyes was "ost. *e was thin!ing aot what was 3st said


53/251

s"ow"y omprehending that (astor Briarwood had 3st to"d him the oy was

trying to stea" hisreath= so"=... $ith a sign o# reognition and ignorant

horror egina"d8s trn!/"i!e arm swng down in one grand sweep motion to

s"ap the oy away se6ering the #ina" wea! attempts.

The oy re"in4ished a#ter this r"ing against the p"pit steps nti" he

was in the #eta" position with his hands etween his !nees5 he hose to !eep

his hood on as he "ay.

:This oyIyo may wath the other prisoner egina"d; (astor

Briarwood egan then interrpted himse"#. The e7etioner had remained

standing in the #ront. One egina"d was again ehind *enri Gmins the gn

whih remained ho"steredH the (astor ontined< :This oy8s #ather was a

deent hardwor!ing man two towns o6er. )on Be!ett )r. Kood so"id man 9 a

man that8d he"p in danger as he did the day this $*OES(A$NI; a

dramati point to *enri :Itoo! his "i#e sto"e it right #rom his a""osed

#ingers. And a"" that8s "e#t o# Seraphim Fa""snothing. &n with her ame the

storms o# Kod to ESTO the 6ery

:Ata""y "et s wait on this one. $e sha"" get to her in de time

:This oy herehis mother was a *ALOT and she was a

BLAS(*EME; @n"i!e the word harlot it was blasphemer that e"iitedsho!ed responses and angry grm"ing #rom the rowd5 they were getting

wor!ed p. (astor Briarwood spo!e their me"odies as someone might stro!e

i6ories or strm hords. :)on Be!ett was a good man o#ten denied y this

woman this BLACJSTA&N.; (ased moment8s thoght. :*e8s now passed

and with sh tragi rgeny& #ind no gi"t in rete""ing this 9 his on#essions

to me o# the woman that ore this/this poor demon; The "ast word was

spo!en with an eeri"y smooth on6ition as i# a "imeri! and his 6oie hit a

so#tened groo6e whi"e he #rther spo!e o# the oy. The harsh words were

now onea"ed innoos and a"" the more ingratiating #or it. :o see )on

Be!ett was a romanti. A "o6er. Sre he8d #ight. And with a s!in #"" o#

"i4or he was downright crude mean t not a man o# mean heartIand


54/251

who isn8t on the oasiona" night o# ?a #ew too many8 at the end o# many

stress#" days=;

There were sattered amens #rom the 6oies o# so"emn men.

:And he "o6ed this womanIAigai". This was"ong time ago. And )on

Be!ett ga6e this woman the wor"d. Showered her with his "o6e. $ent to the

mattresses #or her too! it hard/!n!"e and yet sti"" retrned to !iss her to

herish her. So we #orgi6e trespass.; $omen shared adoring g"anes with

their men5 men he"d their hins higher a it more steady. :*is seed he did

p"ant in her and #rom her "oins did irth this oy 9 )onathon Be!ett the

third.; To ma!e an aside he pointed his speeh to the right ha"# o# the

ongregation t spo!e "od enogh #or a"" to hear< :From what his daddy

said)on Be!ett the third was orn on a misera"y o"d storn bastardo#

a night. Bt when )on he"d ay )onathon he said he #e"t warmth throghot

his who"e ody.;

The mood had hanged momentari"y to #ond reo""etion.

:Bt this Aigai"; (astor Briarwood sighed hea6i"y and stepped one

are #oot down ne7t to the oy #o""owed y another and then he sat eside

him "oo!ing down at the hi"d. :She was a whore; he said matter/o#/#at"y

:and she did stray. )on he "o6ed her t it seemed he was not enogh. Therewas another some thug that had een oming arond; &n a 4i! yet

theatria" motion he remo6ed the hood are#" not to "et the oy8s head #a""

hard on the step. )onathon8s eyes were open Gthe 1000 yard stare into the

arpeted #"oor arried a "oo! o# e7treme #rightH and his moth had a thin

white #oam arond the "ips.

(astor Briarwood "oo!ed aross his gathered worshipers.

:S##ie it to say )on Be!ett didn8t ta!e !ind"y to the wandering o# his

woman. No they were not married. And no they did not "i6e together. )on8s

"i#e was that o# a herdsman a wanderert was it #air to step ot on him

whi"e he was ot earning his !eep earning that money to raise "itt"e

)onathon= The answer is an aso"te no 9 & !now it 3st as yo !now it and

)on !new it. So he orreted her. *e did as est he o"d t therethere is


55/251

3st no hane in sa6ing some as they do not wish to e sa6ed. Some

demons"ie in the one.;

And he "oo!ed a! down at the oy.


56/251

&

Anson Sharpe wo!e #rom a dream aot sna!es. There had een a an!.

Kns. A 6a"t #ront whee" spinning it open. F"ashes o# gn#ire. And rnningreath"ess and terri#ied and end"ess rnning. Then a#ter it a"" there was a

man in grey waiting #or him in the enter o# a deserted road. The road went

on #ore6er ehind the greyman5 the road a! "ed into grassy #ie"ds and

nending North Contry. Anson stopped to rest. The greyman approahed. &n

the words o# a "angage on"y spo!en y si"6er tonges the greyman as!ed

Anson what was in the white sa! s"ng o6er his sho"der. Thogh Anson

wanted to rep"y with anything t a trth#" answer the greyman8s words

ast a strange spe"" o6er him and he answered honest"y. The greyman as!ed

Gagain in that wondros 6oie again in that nspo!en "angageH to see the

ontents o# the ag. $ithot hesitation Anson he"d the sa! y its moth

and the greyman peered inside. *e didn8t say anything e"se instead sing

ation to spea! 6o"mes more< one hand he st##ed into the ag whi"e the

other raised p to distrat Anson5 then the greyman p""ed #orth a #ist#" o#

risp i""s and threw them to the wind. Anson egan desperate"y graing

the money and st##ing it a! into the sa! when he notied the sa! was

mo6ing o# its own aord. &nside the money had trned to sna!es. And he

wo!e.

The grond had een so om#y and the night so warm and a"m that

Anson s"ept withot a #ire or "an!et. *e wo!e on#sed as he so o#ten did5

the remnants o# his dream ame ot in a 3m"ed moan that sonded "i!e

:sno!es.; An empty ott"e was inhes #rom #ingers sti"" on#ormed to ho"ding

it5 the sti## 3oints o# his !n!"es ra!ed as he #"e7ed them rotating his wriststrething his arms o6er his head. A stray sneam hit his eyes and #i""ed

him with dread 9 it was nearing mid/day.

e"easing a torrent o# rses he gaged his "oation and set o## #or

amp.


57/251

Three pani!ed hors rmmaging throgh the open #orest "ater

And Anson o"d hear something moaning somewhere. The noise was

distint #ami"iar 9 it was the m##"ed ry o# despair. The sond was near t

he o"dn8t #ind a sore o##/hand so he ran #earing *enri and the hi"d were

in danger. Fina""y that whih spp"ied the #orest with rgent "ering

p"eas ame into 6iewIAnson stopped Ge6en at 20 paes he #eared he was

too "oseH and narrowed his eyes in an attempt to etter #os on what he

was "oo!ing it.

Two men had een stripped to their nderwear and their "othes were

sed to tie them together< oth men had a shirt wrapped arond their ne!

sering their head #ae/#irst into the thigh o# the other5 so!s were st##ed

in the moths that were pressed against the hairy thighs5 arms were

#astened to "egs #eet to hands5 and in this anamorphos psedo/se7a" ,Q

position the two men were wigg"ing to #ree themse"6es. They seemed to e

raw"ing toward a neary tree a"thogh one o# the men appeared to mo6e in

a onterprodti6e sh##"e5 the other man was growing e7asperated his

#ae #"sh red.

Anson ame within 10 #eet and re#sed a #oot #arther.

$ith their #aes #"sh against another man8s thigh the strgg"ing doo"d not see Anson or the amsement on his #ae as he "eaned against a

tree and mar6e"ed their prediament. She was near here, thats certain.And

so Anson soght the diretion #rom whih they had ome. There were drag

mar!s

Ill be oddamned = she surprised me yet again. 7ot only that, she

dragged one o& the men out here!only one drag trail so the other probably

&ollowed behind the point o& her S>/!and she took these men all the way

out here instead o& moving camp. %ne guess as to why she didnt want to

relocate the camp!

2ecause youre an asshole, thats why.

And that epiphany registered 6ery "itt"e to Anson as he ame pon the

amp. The sma"" amont o# spp"ies 9 gitar ase !napsa! "an!ets 9 it


58/251

was sti"" there i# not dishe6e"ed and strewn in an ntidy mess. The on"y

warning sign ame #rom the gitar ase< on "oser inspetion the "asps

were ndone. Someone had opened it. $hen he opened it the #ae o# a

g"istening aosti gitar g"istened a!. $ith a p"! o# the ot/o#/tne "ow

E string he ndid the e7tra noth and "i#ted the #aRade5 the thin "ayer o#

wood ser6ing as a :gitar; "i#ted p #rom a hinge in the a!. A#ter a 4i!

in6entory Anson was sre the parts were a"" there.

%kay, so!

Im an asshole!yeah, we know that!

She didnt want to relocate camp, right? Took the men &rom camp so

she wanted to stay here, right? 2ecause it might risk losing me!

%kay, so!

Then where the hell did she go?


59/251

A#ter a moment (astor Briarwood reoi"ed #rom his seat eside the

motion"ess hi"d. There was a #"i!er o# disgst e#ore his eyes trned to thegrop and he a""ed pon a woman in the seond row o# enhes :Be"inda

wo"d yo tend to this hi"d= egina"d he"p her. Ta!e him arond a! to

the hoir sha!. Ket him a hange wipe him p. Fresh "othes. $ater i#

any8s aot. & wish him to e "ean t & do e"ie6e he has soi"ed himse"#.;

egina"d mo6ed #rom ehind *enri and pi!ed the "imp oy p. *enri8s

eyes hadn8t "e#t the oy8s hest and ody5 it had een mintes sine she had

seen any sign o# reathing or mo6ement. Thogh )onathon $i""iam Be!ett

the third had "i!e"y s##oated to death 9 and e6aated his owe"s as he

passed on 9 #ssing o6er the oy e#ore anything was ertain wo"d rin the

hane #or sr6i6a". There was a sing"e so"itary hane to get this right and

i# it were messed p death #or oth o# them was a"" t ertaine6en i# one

o# them may a"ready e dead. Jnowing this didn8t stop her #rom rying

si"ent"y5 i# it weren8t #or the tears streaming down her hee!s and o## her hin

Gtears she re#sed to wipeH there wo"d ha6e een no way to disern any

emotion #rom her granite e7pression. Tears ornered and #e"" #rom stead#ast

eyes. *er "ips were #aint"y prsed. She !ept her head t!ed down s"ight"y

her haoti hair in 3agged pathes pointing e6ery whih diretion. Nothing

mo6ed t her ppi"s staring #rom eneath a shie"d o# ye""ow straw/"i!e

hair. The thin/#ramed woman named Be"inda approahed the p"pit then

#o""owed ehind egina"d ot the gateway doors and into the sn"ight.

%ne chance!

(astor Briarwood was standing #rom his seat his attention trning to*enri. As his moth opened she stood p in the o7. Men drew gns.

$omen shran! a! into their seats and the seats o# those aompanying

them.

:& wish to on#ess; a""ed *enri the repentant.


60/251

Briarwood stared at her a moment his stee"/"e eyes iy against her

s!in. &t was with this ga>e that she deided 9 withot any "ingering dot 9

that igy Briarwood was yong no o"der than 2+. The statement "e#t a thi!

hsh the ongregation #ro>en in a ross etween disgst and intrige.

And she waited

:And what isI; egan the (astor.

*enri started again prpose#""y interrptingen o# them opying a arriage and two

horses y the sond o# it.Anson Sharpe mo6ed thogh the "ast o# a rsh path to emerge in a

thin "earing with #orest on either side. The )orniers had yet to pass

approahing at a s"ow pae as they meandered down a grass/o6ered trai"

are two "ines #rom the wearing away o# pre6ios arriages. The two men

atop the oah p""ed the reins and s"owed the horses as they passed. Both

men wore "a! ripped top hats that rose a ha"#/#oot ao6e their heads. They

were dirty< their "othes thogh nie sits were stained matted wearing

thin and torn in areas5 their "ong rown hair was #"sh against their hee!s

nomed and dripping with grease5 their #aes had "a! and rown #"e!s

o# Lord/!nows/what5 their smi"es were "a! and "a!ing teeth5 and their

e6ery sr#ae o# s!in was white/s!inned t ye""owed. Two women and a

yong gir" no o"der than - wearing a white sndress were po!ing their head

ot the open window o# the arriage wathing #or the ase o# their de"ay.

:The hangin8 done a"ready egn (hi""ip; the o"dest o# the women

so"ded. She had ye""ow teeth and a thi! oat o# ma!e/p simi"ar to a "own.

*er eye"ids were painted the dar!est prp"e with thi! "a! "ashes rendered

ao6e and e"ow. The rest o# her #ae was "eahed white y paint as i# the

woman had prpose"y o6ered the o"or o# her are s!in. The two others

oth o6ios"y daghters "oo!ed the "eanest. The - year o"d had dirt

smdges and rown on her white smmer gown t her s!in hair and #ae

"oo!ed "ean. The "ast a teenager near 1, or 1- hard"y g"aned at Anson

e#ore disappearing a! inside.:$ho8s this stranger=I$ho are yah stranger= o ain8t #rom rond

here; the - year o"d gir" in the sndress shoted ot srprising Anson y

sheer 6o"me and straight/ot g##.


63/251

:Ssan Mary May sht yer moth; the yonger man atop the

arriage ho""ered a! at her. @nder a"" that dirt was an o"der oy a midd"e

son. *is pop had the reigs his attention on the stranger.

The oah stopped eside Anson.

:o goin8 to the hangin8 mister=; the man as!ed.

:@hwhat= $hat hanging=; Anson as!ed a!.

The man "i#ted the reins to again mo6e #orward.

:Ne8mind. Carry on ?other siness; he said dismissi6e"y.

:esIyes &8m going to the hanging. Sorry; Anson spo!e 4i!"y and

ga6e a so#t "agh to o6er his #orget#"ness. :&t8s a woman ein8 hng

right=;

Both men nodded.

:Ts! yp. ?Corse she is.; Anson8s tone was 6ery a"m and matter/o#/

#at.

:$e gon8 e "ate dear; the o"der woman a""ed #rom inside the

arriage on"y the #ae o# the - year o"d sti"" po!ing ot.

:$e"" get on then; in6ited the man.

The men made room and Anson "imed p.

The arriage ontined on.


64/251

&&

*enri rode into Saintstown in the "ate e6ening arrying on"y a gitar ase and

something that "oo!ed "i!e a sadd"e ag hanging against her "e#t hip5 it wass"ng o6er her ne! and sho"der a togh/s!inned poh to arry a"" o# her

e"ongings.

She tied her horse p and went "oo!ing #or Anson Sharpe.

There were two sa"oons in the town. The #irst pro6ed #rit"ess. &n/

etween searhing she gathered spp"ies #rom the stores 9 a"" o# whih sti""

appeared open e6en at sh a "ate time. @nsrprising"y the seond sa"oon

pro6ed 3st as nsess#" e7ept now she was e7hasted. *er riding had

een entire"y at night #or the two wee!s prior a"" in order to get a! to this

area and #ind a drn! that wo"dn8t e a"e to he"p e6en i# he wanted to

Gwhih he proa"y didn8tH. Thogh there was "itt"e dot *enri did hope her

"ate/night ro6ing and the immense #atige it inded had a"" een worth it

that it was enogh to esape that whih hased her

*enri too! a room at the inn aross #rom the sa"oon. There were horses

and she o"d ma!e the ne7t town y dayrea! the ne7t morning 3st in

ase. Sine her stops in this area were going to e in "ose pro7imity and

they stood on the order o# #"at"and with an end"ess desert eyond that

we"" this was the per#et terrain #or her to get herse"# !i""ed.

nson Sharpe, i& he hadnt drank himsel& to death!

8haim 2ialik, i& he was back &rom crusading against all things evil!

The rotine e#ore ed had grown monotonos< sere enogh "ean

water to "ean herse"#5 open the gitar ase "ean and assem"e the piees

Gthe #inished prodt hidden nder the edH5 then her ag needed tendingand reorgani>ation the 6arios #oods and spp"ies in6entoried any

wea!ening "ining sewn and rein#ored5 "ast"y her S$ needed "eaning t

this ame as a meditati6e deed where her thoghts were a""owed to dri#t

and on"de and her #os o"d sway.


65/251

*er ody on the ed she instant"y s"ept.

A thudagainst the wa"" wo!e her some time "ater. &t was dar! otside

proa"y 2 or % hors ti"" dawn 9 she had een s"eeping "ess than an hor y

the "oo!s o# it. There was another thudagainst her wa"" and the hinges

rea!ed5 it was "o!ed t not espeia""y strdy. There was another thudand

I

By the end o# it *enri had shot most o# the town8s opants.

There was an adrena"ine/#e"ed "apse in her memory. The third thud

set o## the hain o# e6ents. A man had een eating a woman in the

ha""wayit was "i!e a dream 6age wisps as the memory me"ted into

another me"ted into another me"ted into another. One there was a third

ratt"e *enri opened the door gn drawn. There stood a man to greet her. &t

was the man she notied #irst the nonsios woman and "ood on the #"oor

seond. The man stared down at *enri ta""er y o6er a #oot. *is eard was

wet the s!in o# his #ae and are hest and arms drenhed in a drn! sweat5

the ran! 6inegar sent o# his ody odor ased her a moment8s pase.

:Jeep it down; so"ded *enri sti"" da>ed #rom the arpt wa!e/p.

A #iery resentment #i""ed the stranger8s eyes.

:$hath yo say whore;Men!

And he stepped on the nonsios woman "nging #or *enri. She

#ired twie #rom her hip aiming sess#""y at his eard and the man8s "eap

met sh resistane that he stopped midair and "anded eside the woman

their "ood poo"ing together. *enri retrned to her room. She didn8t "ose the

door t instead remo6ed the ri#"e #rom nder the ed. (o!eting two e7tra

"ips into her ag she s"ipped it o6er her sho"der and "osed the gitar

ase.

A sensation on the a! o# her "eg start"ed her.

Kn drawn she trned to #ind nothing ehind her e7ept a "ood trai"

"eading #rom the ha""way into her room a"" the way to her #eetIthe woman


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was #"at against the #"oor ha6ing raw"ed the who"e way. The est this

woman o"d do was raise a 4i6ering "ood/soa!ed hand.

*enri groaned.

She strgg"ed to "i#t the in3red woman onto the ed. *er #ae was

mashed one eye ha"#/swo""en whi"e the other was sht omp"ete"y. *enri #e"t

4easy at the sight o# the woman8s hanging dis"oated 3aw. Gep"sion was

something she hadn8t #e"t in some time.H F"at on her a! the woman "i#ted

her "e#t arm and srathed *enri near the throat.

At this *enri p""ed a! rsing.

&n the moment e#ore "ea6ing the room she ontemp"atedationthat it was a seeming"y nonsios )onathon $i""iam Be!ett the third eing

arried ot o# the hrh y a thin woman ehind whih #o""owed an oa#ish

ngain"y man in a hin"ess rown e7etioner8s mas!.

:$onder what that8s aot=; the pop as!ed p""ing the arriage to

the oter rim o# the open area 9 it "oo!ed a"most "i!e a town s4are the h

o# a sy sett"ement.

(ar!ing the arriage too! se6era" mintes and e6eryone waited

patient"y.

Near the di"apidated ga""ows was a "ow/standing i"ding made o# "ay

md and straw maye twenty/y/twenty/#i6e #eet with a door to the #ar "e#t

and an e"ongated window and wood onter "ining the #ront. GAdoe the

materia" o# whih the en"osre was i"t did not ome "oa""y 9 it was a


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materia" sed mh #arther soth and impressed the "oa"s adding a strange

a##"ene to the setting.H There o"d ha6e een stores instead o# #ie"ds

sidewa"!s and peop"e and "aw instead o# open ontry5 instead the "and had

an odd deso"ation "i!e "i#e was important here and on"y here and e6erything

e"se neary didn8t matter. The #arm"and heading ot into the distane was

nothingness the two ata" arns Gand presma"y a hoseH that Anson had

seen in the distane were pratia""y in6isi"e. The on"y other i"ding was

hidden in the shadow in a! o# the hrh< it was a "arge wooden sha!

and it was where the woman and e7etioner were ta!ing the oy.

The women pored ot #rom inside the arriage on"y the teenager

"angishing. The mother and yongest were a"ready ot and sh##"ing 4i!"y

to the gathering at the thresho"d o# the hrh the oy "ose ehind and the

#ather santering in the a! "gging the as!et o# rotten 6egeta"es Gthat

the women sti"" #orgotH as he ho"ed #rom what appeared to e a ad !nee.

As Anson 9 gitar ase and !napsa! in tow 9 separated #rom the

#ami"y and disappeared arond the a! o# the hrh the gathering rowd

a!ed away #rom the #ront doorways sp"it apart and *enri emerged

throgh the gateway on her wa"! toward the ga""ows.


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P

$ith a"" the grander o# the hrh *enri e7peted more o# the ga""ows< the

wood strtre ho"ding p the p"at#orm was strdy t pee"ing with rot andin dire need o# a #resh oat o# paint5 there were stairs that "ed p #rom the

side Gthe remains o# a rai"ing were on the grond deayed to nothingH 9

*enri too! eah step are#""y one/y/one/y/one 9 e7ept a step was

missing5 at the top o# the p"at#orm the ga""ows themse"6es were ti"ted #rom

stress a#ter years o# hangings and in"ement weather5 three meta" hoops

hng e"ow the eam with two dirty "ood/stained ropes s"ng throgh the

nooses and e7ess rope oi"ed on the grond5 and *enri ha6ing wa"!ed the

steps naompanied stood more than ten #eet o6er the rowd.

:S&LENCE; (astor Briarwood ye""ed #rom the stairs as he "imed p

one/y/one/y/one Gs!ipping the missing step with an agi"e "eapH to 3oin

*enri on the p"at#orm. This had een a "ast seond deision as it was

apparent he hadn8t wanted to 3oin her atop the ga""ows5 howe6er withot an

e7etioner present the stage pro6ed too entiing #or him to ignore.

The (astor atios"y "i#ted the "ong "imp rope are#" to a6oid the

spe!s o# "ood and sma"" hn!s o# rotted #"esh sti"" "inging to the oarse

threads o# the noose. $ith amater hands he "oosened the !not to etter

s"ip it arond *enri8s head.

Not one did his eyes wander to the sha!"es on her wrists.

$ith his a! to the rowd he angri"y de"ared :& am n#inished;

The rowd #e"" si"ent as he trned to stand in #ront o# *enri.

:$o"d yo "i!e to !now o# this demon=; he in4ired the anger gone.

(astor Briarwood8s 6oie had one again hanged tones 9 this time it wasin#ormati6e as i# he were aot to te"" a edtime story to a grop o# wide/

eyed hi"dren. The 4estion was to engage to sto!e their e7itement and it

wor!ed mar6e"os"y. Thogh the rowd remained si"ent 9 doing their est not

to o##end the spea!er 9 they eager"y shoo! and e7ited"y whispered to one


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another. Their eagerness was again too mh and he signa"ed #or them to

4iet #rther whih they did. Sh a sti""ness and si"ene did #o""ow that

e6en o6er the ten #eet and three do>en peop"e (astor Briarwood o"d spea!

at a norma" "e6e" and sti"" e heard y e6eryone.

There was a pase etween the 4estion and the sermon

The ga""ows #aed the peop"e and the hrh and #rom ehind the

hrh the e7etioner emerged rie#"y to signa" the (astor. The motion was

one o# ho!ing with the e7etioner miming strang"ation sing his hands5

a"so as the mas! was hin"ess it was easy to see his e7tended tonge.

There was an immense distane etween the signa"ing e7etioner and the

ga""ows and egina"d was on"y partia""y 6isi"e t the signa" was o6iosed the man p and "iedy #asinated stare. *e

trned and was o##. Anson "i#ted the oy p and #ond the thin womansrtini>ing his e6ery mo6ement5 at one point she he"d p a hand in protest

and attempted to say something t "timate"y deided against spea!ing.

:Ma8am o"d yo p"ease go get )osha= Te"" him to meet me y the

horses.;


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Anson8s 6oie was a"m sinere. *e ga6e her an earnest "oo!.

:& don8t !now who )oshaI; she started.

:)st go get him *e8s ot there. *rry; Anson8s reprimand was so

strit that the thin woman start"ed then srried o## to #ind the #itiona"

)osha withot any #rther 4estioning.

And 3st as Anson was set to "ea6e with the oy8s ody the

e7etioner retrned. :Come on; Anson said sonding as i# he had

e7peted him and that this was the most o6ios so"tion :Let8s get the

ody to my arriage e#ore anyone sees a dead hi"d. &8"" ta!e him where he

needs to go.;

The e7etioner didn8t ha6e time to reat as Anson had the oy aross

his arms. G*e wo"d ha6e to ome a! #or his gitar ase and !napsa!.H

Together they hrried o6er to the horses. There was a rowd at the ga""ows.

Anson8s primary goa" was to get the hi"d to sa#ety e#ore the he""/storm

arri6edthen he wo"d sa6e *enri. They reahed the arriage on whih

Anson had #irst arri6ed oth men eside the oah door whi"e Anson pased

to searh the ga""ows 9 there p"ain as day was *enri i""e with a noose

arond her ne!. The (astor was in #ront o# her orating. The rowd had their

heads ti"ted p "i!e ay irds awaiting dinner.$hen he trned a! the e7etioner opened the arriage door.

The teenage gir" !nown as rewe"" was inside her ody intertwined in

a heated emrae with a man. The two parted arpt"y as the door opened.

rewa"" rossed her "egs and 3er!ed her dress to o6er the are s!in o# her

thigh. The man Gwho was mh o"derH twir"ed his ody arond e7peting the

#ists o# an angry parent. They were sti"" dressed mere"y at the stage o#

#ranti groping and dishe6e"ment and Anson assmed they hadn8t gotten

6ery #ar e#ore the interrption.

:$hoIwhat are yo doing=; rewe"" as!ed irrita"y 9 she wasn8t

emarrassed in the "east on"y annoyed.

The man #inished straightening himse"# ot. *e had #ine white hair and

a great ig white mstahe. *is "othes were a "a6ish tan nstained and


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there was an air o# importane to him. Sh##"ing he rossed rewe"" 9

whose eyes were daggers not 3st at Anson t e6eryone 9 and the man

hopped down his "eather oats !i!ing p a sma"" "od o# dirt as they

"anded.

:& wi"" mand; said the man e#ore rnning o##.

The hi"d oghed in Anson8s arms.

The e7etioner8s eyes dropped as thogh weighed.

:*e8s 3st "ettin8 ot air. eath ratt"e. *appens. &8m sre yo86e seen it

e#ore. o e6er hang a !id here e#ore=; Anson as!ed 4i!"y trying to

stea" the e7etioner8s attention.

:eah & hng a #ew; the e7etioner nodded.

:eah & thoght so; responded Anson morose.

The gn had een in Anson8s hand sine the sha! drawn when the

e7etioner8s a! was to them Gthe thin woman he"d p a hand to protest

t said nothingH and it remained hidden nder the i""owy hoir pants that

)onathon was now wearing. A 4i! rst and the h"!ing e7etioner too!

three "eaps a! smashed throgh a wood post and "anded on the grond

nmo6ing.

rewe"" ye"ped #rom the sho! o# the gn "ast.Anson had the gn on her ne7t sti"" pointed #rom nder the ody o# the

hi"d.

:Be 4iet; he warned sho6ing the hi"d8s ody into the arriage.

rewe"" "istened.

:O!ay; Anson sighed to himse"# do"e/he!ing the hi"d to ma!e

sre he was moderate"y om#orta"e on the #"oor. rewe"" had her !nees

and #eet p t "owered them into the a! orner one Anson #inished

he!ing the oy. *e was preparing himse"# to rn a! a! to the hrh

a! to the rowd and ga""ows a! to sa6e *enri. There was "itt"e time "e#ted o## at the yong oy and teenage gir"

aompanying the newest potentia" "ient. They had een wandering the

ais"es t were now stopped at a ontertop disp"ay o# 6arios"y/si>edhnting !ni6es. $hen (e""s"ey trned his ga>e a! to the gent"eman the

4iet sded store/owner had retrned. There was a st"e g"ane

sggesting that theyre too young to go up to them beauties, lest the boys

gonna be a stable hand and the girls gonna be sold to the house! t

(e""s"ey spo!e no words.

&nstead there was a hint o# gi"e as the gent"eman "ient to"d the store

owner> o# antiipation #or story/time.

The a! door to the hose opened and Marie""e stepped ot.

:@hhh; Cant wathed her distrated. She was approahing. Ot o#

e6eryone #rom The Cat"ight &n#inite Marie""e was the one "east "i!e"y to

approah the sta"es or the oys.

Two o# the oys sni!ered at Cant8s disorientation.

:$a"ter Thomas 9 "ean the othoses.;

Their #aes dropped t they were sti"" o6ios"y e7ited #or the night.

:The rest o# yoI; there were on"y three :Ian start preparing #or a

trip to the parameter. &t8s een a whi"e sine we wa"!ed the #ene. ernon

yo8"" e in harge.; At 1% ernon was the o"dest o# the three5 he was a"so

the widest. :Satter get yor spp"ies. )oin p with Andrew and Lewis i# yoha6e time e#ore Learnin8. &8"" ha6e Che## set yo p with an ear"y dinner.;

:$e8re gonna miss tonight=; Nathan )r. 2 whined sonding e6ery it

the hi"d he was at 10 years o"d.

:Shit & #orgotI;

Nathan )r. 1 gasped.

GNathan )r. 1 and 2 were twin rothers. Their mother died gi6ing irth

to the seond hi"d "ea6ing the patriarh to name them. Sine they hadn8t

e7peted twins there was on"y one name pi!ed #or a oy 9 Nathan )r. 9 t

e6en naming 3st one o# them pro6ed to e perp"e7ing. They were identia" 9

how o"d he !eep tra!= To pre6ent this #rom eoming a "i#e/"ong isse

their #ather se6ered a hn! o# arti"age #rom the top o# the seond hi"d8s

ear. This he"ped di##erentiate them as we"" as mar! the son that had !i""ed


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their mother. Theyll both be 7athan "r. their #ather #ina""y deided then

on their seond irthday he aandoned them at The Cat"ight &n#inite.H

:)st get the spp"ies we8"" ta"! aot it "ater. Sat Shoe;

ernon and the Nathans ran a! into the arn. Cant trned #eigning

interest in the three oys as they "imed the "adder to the "o#t eah

pasing near the top to gaw! at the wanted poster o# the eati#" *enri

i""e.

Marie""e tapped on Cant8s sho"der and as!ed to spea! pri6ate"y.

*e nodded5 they didn8t mo6e #rom the #ront o# the arn.

:$o"d yo e wi""ing to ser6e as the new Sta"e Master= Jeep the

oys in "ine maye he"p s teah them some reading= They "isten to yo and

yor horrid stories. &/& swear they don8t hear a word eea says when she

tries. AndI& !now yo a"ready do this st## yo8re a"ready doing it; and she

pt her hand on his sho"der her stnning ga>e o"iterating the rest o# the

wor"d 9 he "o6ed her so mh it hrt :t & sti"" wanted to as! yo. & want yo

to ha6e the hoie. And & want yo to !now that & see yo. & appreiate yo

and what yo86e een doing here the past #ew years.;

aymond the pre6ios Sta"e Master pa!ed his st## and "e#t withot

a word se6era" wee!s ear"ier. At 1' Ggi6e or ta!e a year sine he didn8t !nowhis irthdayH Cant was now presmed to e the o"dest o# the nh. And

Marie""e was right5 it was a 3o he had a"ready een doing e6en e#ore the

position needed #i""ing. (art o# the reason aymond went o## was ease the

sta"e oys ne6er "oo!ed p to him ne6er re6ered him Gat "east not as mh

as he wantedH 9 it was a"ways Cant they admired a"ways Cant they as!ed #or

he"p a"ways Cant.

Cant aepted the position o# Sta"e Master the same way he did the

respet o# the others 9 :@m sre= & mean yeah. & gess.; 9 with a hea"thy

"e6e" o# on#sion and modesty.

E7peting a response t not getting one Cant #ond Marie""e8s

attention to the desert. *e didn8t he! the o3et o# her srtiny instead

sing the distration and pro7imity to memori>e e6ery detai" o# her #ae. Fair


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s!in. Fre!"es on her nose. *er dar! wiry rown hair was tied a! in a

ponytai". For the #irst time Cant notied that her ears were a si>e too sma""

#or her head. emre t it was a rse a sham5 she was no more oy than

she was a singing arn anima".

*e smi"ed t the happiness was short/"i6ed.

There was mo6ement in the desert.

SomethingIsomeonewas approahing.

:Stay here; Marie""e ordered storming o##.

Cant8s eyesight had ne6er een good. There was a "a! wa6ering

"o in the distane one that o"d ha6e een anything #rom a "awman to a

a6e monster. S4inting its were eoming distingisha"e 9 there were

three o# them. One had "ong hair. One was mh ta""er than the other two.

And there was some sort o# anima" ehind them


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&&&

The man he"d oth o# his empty hands in the air. A yong oy and teenage

gir" #o""owed "ose ehind ready to se him as a shie"d i# neessary.:o etter e someone important; Marie""e demanded one she was

within earshot.

She met them ha"#way some #i#ty #eet #rom the hose.

There was a rie# e7hange o# wordson. Anything

an ome !no!ing anytime. $armth o# a man ne8er #i"t me with that sa#ety.

*e"" &8d s"eep in one o# them shandy wood o##ins i# it had a 6iew. Fnny howyo get sed to somethin8 as a hi"8 and it ne6er goes away;

To the men howe6er she8d rsh it o##e and "aghter and women and "od

msi. The men were sare esides the yong sta"e/hands a mere two

msiians and the ring/"eader o# the otside 9 a man named Anson Sharpe.

From the day he stormed in #or a #"" #orteen days e7at Anson was their

on"y "ient. The women were p"enty 9 a hand#" o# Frenh gir"s Marie""e

eea Franis and three others 9 and they wo"d #i"" the #ront "onge

"a>ed p on the satin o6ered enhes.

$a"!ing throgh the door in those two wee!s 9 3st e#ore the

reno6ations 9 wo"d ha6e #ond msi at #"" 6o"me. The two msiians

were an odd pair as their msi onsisted o# a twangy gitar and "ead 6oa"s

ortesy o# an whi"e (atri! anged on a ma!eshi#t drm made o# tight""/"eather p""ed tat aross a meta" pan. Their honeyed 6oies were at

one soothing and at times raspy. The odes o# whih they wo"d sing o"d

"i#t the #eet in dane as mh as it o"d ed the heart.

(assing throgh the #ront athedra" doors wo"d ha6e #ond msi and

a "a6ish right"y "it "onge area o6ered in gent"y/toned "an!ets and so#t

pi""ows the !ind that ma!e yo s"eepy 3st y a toh o# the #ari. Anson

Sharpe 9 his "ight rown s!in and dar! #eatres po!ed 3st o6er and etween

the sho"ders o# two women one on either side 9 wo"d smi"e wide"y whi"e

the woman to his right the one on his !nee pored whis!ey and ie into his

moth. Marie""e opied the end orner o# the ar at the opposite side

oser6ing the r!s 4iet"y and a"ways with a

henri ville

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