The Skull Hunter, 2
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Table of Contents Part 1 appears in this issue |
| Conclusion |
Her question instantly caused my brain to wheel back to several nights before. I was trying to fall asleep on the couch in my office in Chicago when the phone rang. It was a friend of mine, Charlie Kline, an amateur archeologist who lived in outside a small town in northern Wisconsin. He told me that he had just gotten back from a dig in Arizona with several interesting artifacts.
He went on about the dig and I tried to pay attention, but sleep and lack of interest in someone’s field trip wasn’t helping. Then he said something that jerked me awake: “And they got away. Three of them to be exact, and...” he said.
“What, what got away? What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you been listening?” said Charlie, rather annoyed.
“Frankly, no.” I was embarrassed. “What got away?”
“The creatures from the horn.”
“What horn? Maybe you’d better start again,” I said, and Charlie reluctantly began his story over again. He said that he had found a buffalo horn buried deep in the earth. It had been sealed with clay on the open end. It was buried deeper then any other artifact they had come across in that area, making it either extremely old or very important. When they showed it to local tribesman they called it a Demon Horn.
“Demon Horn?” I asked.
“Yes, it seems there was a tradition among the local peoples that if someone was thought to be possessed by evil, the tribal spirit elder would perform a ritual where they suck out the evil spirit from the possessed body and then expel it into the horn of a buffalo. After which they would seal the horn and bury it.”
“Sounds like a good story.”
“Yes, I thought so, too, until I got home,” said Charlie, then he paused for a moment.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just thought I heard something,” he answered. I could tell something wasn’t right because he lowered his voice to just above a whisper. “Anyway, I got home tonight and set the horn on the kitchen table. I started to unpack my things when I accidentally bumped the horn onto the floor. That’s when it happened.”
“What happened?” I asked though I was starting to get the picture in my mind.
“Well the clay seal fell out and...” he said pausing again as though he was listening to something.
“This may be hard to believe, in fact I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes. When I reached down to pick up the horn a shower of sparks burst from it and...”
“And what, Charlie?”
“Wait a minute. I keep hearing something. Hold on,” he said and I could hear him set down the phone’s receiver.
“Charlie?” I called into the phone, but all I could hear was the sound of shuffling feet. Then all the sudden a horrifying scream blast through the phone. “Charlie!” I yelled into the phone, but there was no reply.
Then everything went quiet. I hurriedly got dressed and drove all night and part of the next day. I finally arrived at Charlie’s cabin just as the sun had fallen below the tree line. A storm was whipping rain and leaves all around me.
Pistols ready, I cautiously entered the house. I called out, but there was no answer. Looking through every room, my fears were realized when I found Charlie’s ripped and mangled body lying on the floor in the kitchen.
“Damn it,” I said.
A sound coming from somewhere behind me made me jump to my feet. With pistols drawn, I again called out, but no one answered. Before I knew what was happening, something was on me, tearing at my coat and arms.
I fought to get free, but it was too strong. That’s when I saw the other two come from in front of me. They hissed as their talon-like hands reach out to grab me. I lifted my arm at the elbow and fired a shot. The bullet went straight into the chest of one of the creatures. The sound of the pistol must have startled them, because the one holding me loosened its grasp just long enough for me to wiggle free.
Its bony claws ripped through my arm, tearing at my flesh. I spun quickly and fired three times into the creature’s head. It howled and then burst into a cloud of ash. When I turned around again, the other two were gone.
I started to leave when I heard a terrible crack and the sound of metal bending. I ran outside and saw that a large tree had fallen and crushed my car.
“Figures, I only had three more payments,” I said. I knew I was losing a lot of blood and needed to get some help. All I could do was run down the road. I wasn’t sure if it was the wind, but I felt as though something was following me.
I had been running what seemed like several miles before I saw a dim light ahead of me. I ran for the light, but just before I got there, it disappeared. I saw the faint outline of a house. Something fell directly behind me so I ran faster.
“And that’s how I ended up here,” As I finished my story Abbey sat quietly for a moment deep in her own thoughts. “So you see there is a real danger here.”
“I understand,” she said getting up from the step. “Nessa, come inside please and help me get dinner ready.”
“Dinner?” I asked shocked. “Didn’t you hear what I just told you?”
“Yes, and you are right. There is a danger here,” Abbey said as Nessa walked past her into the house.
“Then you’re leaving, right?”
“No, Mr. Vargo.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have no vehicle, and you said yourself that your car was destroyed by the storm, which means we would have to walk. And you’re in no condition to walk to town. Besides, it’s too far. It would be dark before we’d even get halfway. So I’m going to start dinner,” she said calmly walking into the house.
“Call me Rick,” I said, defeated.
The sun was fading as we sat down to eat. Abbey had made a delicious stew with biscuits that melted in my mouth. I could feel my strength returning with every bite. I ate as if it was my first meal in a month. Honestly, that’s not far from the truth. It had been almost two years since I had a home-cooked meal. Eating just hadn’t been a priority in the past.
Nessa stared at me with wide eyes as if she was watching some animal devouring its prey. I felt her eyes and looked at her with a spoon full of stew still hanging from my mouth. I could only imagine how ridiculous I must have looked to her and started laughing. Laughter being contagious, it wasn’t long before all of us were laughing hysterically. We couldn’t stop until a sound outside made us stop suddenly.
“Momma?” asked Nessa nervously.
“Quiet, dear,” said Abbey as she turned her head to the air. I reached into my pants pocket, pulled out the pistol, and laid it on my lap.
“That won’t help.”
“Well, it’s all we’ve got,” I answered.
“That’s not what I mean,” Abbey said as she got up from the table and grabbed a jar from the shelf in the kitchen. She brought the jar to the table and dumped all the bullets from my pistols in front of me. “That’s what I meant.”
“Oh,” I said looking at my pistol and realizing that it had been empty the whole time. “I guess I can’t blame you.”
Loading the pistol, I noticed Nessa watching me nervously. “Abbey, do you have a cellar or somewhere you and Nessa can hide, just in case?”
“We’ll be fine. Besides, you’re going to need help. You’re not fully recovered yet.” She looked deep into my eyes and I couldn’t help but feel safe.
I looked at Nessa and the home they had made for themselves. This was a woman who had made the best of her situation. No whining, no crying, no excuses, just going day by day the best she could. I liked that. And I was beginning to feel that I liked her. Something deep down, way deep down, made me think that it might be time for a change.
“What was that?” Nessa cried out, as something banged against the wall outside.
“Abbey, take Nessa into the bedroom and don’t come out until I call you,” I said getting up from the table. “Here, take these bullets and load the other gun.”
“But...”
“No buts,” I said with a cold seriousness. “Go now!”
Abbey gathered Nessa and the two ran for the bedroom. She started to close the door when she paused and looked at me. I smiled back to reassure her that I was going to be fine. The worried look on her face as she shut the door told me it didn’t work.
“All right, you son-of-a-bitch. If you want me, come and get me.” I felt stronger, but still struggled to use my right hand. I wasn’t used to shooting with my left, but I didn’t have much of a choice.
I could something rustling about outside. I moved to one of the front windows and tried to look out, but it was too dark to see anything. Suddenly a shadow whipped past the window. Startled, I stumbled backward, catching my balance on the table.
Everything was quiet again and I stepped back to the wall. The floor squeaked with every footstep and seemed to echo in the quiet room. I was once again trying to see out the window when a clawed hand burst through the wall beside me, grabbing at the cloth bandage around my chest. I beat the hand with the hilt of the pistol until it squealed and let go.
Sweat poured down my face as I moved quickly to the center of the room. The window exploded in a shower of glass with small shards embedding in my exposed skin. I looked up just in time to see the creature reach and grab me. It threw me across the room and my head hit the fireplace with a sickening thud. I started to black out, but the thought of Abbey and Nessa in the other room forced me to get up.
I raised my pistol to shoot. The creature, moving incredibly fast, swatted the gun out of my hand. It grabbed me by the throat and lifted my aching body into the air, slamming my head against the ceiling. The room was spinning and I was gasping for air when I saw Abbey and Nessa come out of the room. I tried to call to them, but the creature’s grip on my throat was too tight. The monster, still holding me in the air, turned its head to them.
Abbey and Nessa just stood there calmly watching the creature. Abbey’s black hair was no longer in a tight bun; it lay about her shoulders. They two held each other’s hand and raised them above their heads. They began chanting in a language I didn’t understand; but the creature must have understood, because it loosened its grip on my neck until I fell hard to the floor.
Still chanting, Abbey and Nessa closed their eyes and their hair began to whip from some unseen wind. The creature howled wildly and swatted at the air. I saw my pistol lying near the door and crawled to it. The creature screamed as though in incredible pain as it tried to step towards Abbey and Nessa.
Grabbing the pistol, I rolled to my back and fired the whole clip into the monster’s back. Its arms flailed at the air, its voice piecing with screams until its body exploded in a shower of glowing ash. My heart was racing as I laid my head back trying to catch my breath. Abbey and Nessa ran to where I lay and knelt down beside me.
“Are you okay, Mr. Vargo?” Abbey said as she cradled my head in her lap.
“How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Rick.” A broad smile flashed across Abbey’s and Nessa’s faces.
The next morning I woke up sore and weak, but happy to be alive. A police car pulled up outside and an officer knocked on the door. Apparently someone had discovered Charlie’s body, and they were checking to see if anyone and seen anything.
I explained that it was my car they’d found out front and told them why. I told them everything except the parts about the creatures. I figured it was best to leave that part out. The officer said that they would give me a ride to the nearest town. Abbey helped me into my shirt, coat, and gently placed my hat on my still aching head.
“Ouch!” I said as the hat touched my head. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Rick,” she answered, smiling.
“See, I knew you could do it,” I said. “Speaking of ‘it’, what exactly was it that you and Nessa were doing last night?”
“Rick, there are some things in this world you might not understand,” said Abbey as the sparkle returned to her green eyes.
“You might be surprised at what I understand,” I said with a serious tone. I reached up with my good arm and touch Abbey’s face. She looked back at me in a way that made my heart beat through my chest. I bent forward to kiss her when I felt a tug on my pants leg.
“Mr. Rick,” said Nessa beside me. “Will we ever see you again?”
I looked down at the little face staring up at me and then back to Abbey. “I don’t know. Will I ever see you again?”
“Only time will tell,” said Abbey. “But I think when you get hungry enough you might be back for some more stew.”
“Maybe I’m hungry enough now?” I said with wide eyes.
“No, you’re not ready, yet,” Abbey said with a sigh. “But some day you will be.”
I leaned forward and kissed her tightly on the lips, then kissed Nessa’s forehead. “I’ll be back, I promise,” I said as I walked towards the car and got inside. I looked back as Abbey and Nessa slowly faded from view.
“Only time will tell,” I whispered to myself. “Time had better hurry up: I’m getting hungry.”
Copyright © 2006 by S. Michael Leier
