Chapter 3 She Belongs To Me - 1

01 A Chilling Find
The morning sun had not yet warmed the plain. But I sat on my heels. The strings of yellow wheat swaying against my arms. The morning fog still heavy around my shoulders and resting along the ground. My pale blue dress nearly the same shade of the mist surrounding me. The goat’s limp head cradled on my knees. Wondering how much more I could take.
“Lizzy.” I sobbed. Rocking back and forth with the old black and white goat laying dead next to me. I knew how ridiculous it was for me to be mourning the death of a mere goat. But it seemed I’d lost so much over the last few years.
“Rada?” The old neighbor, Bob must’ve heard my wailing from his house nearby. “Are you okay, Dear?”
“It’s Lizzy.” I sniveled. Swiping my nose with my arms.
“Ohh…I’m sorry Dear.” He dropped an old, withered hand to my shoulder. “I know she was your favorite. But she was getting on in years.”
I knew that was true, but I had hoped to have her raise several more, young goats I could sell in town. And I was dependent on the profit from selling her milk. Lately she’d been tired and hadn’t been providing as much. That in itself had taken a toll on me.
“I can’t figure out what happened to her…” I whined.
Old Bob leaned over and pointed toward her neck. “I’d say that, Dear.”
Only then did I notice what he was pointing out. There were too dark blotches of blood along her throat.
Like something bit her. I lifted her to turn her over and found her painfully light.
I gave Bob a startled look.
“What?”
“She’s so light.”
“Like the last two.” He sighed. “Drained of blood, like them, no doubt. I’ve never, in all my years, seen an animal do that sort of damage.” He shook his head.
“Best thing to do now is to chop her for meat before it’s destroyed in the heat.”
“Okay.” I used my skirt to wipe my nose and let Bob help me up. I stood on shaking legs. “I’ll take her to the barn for ya and hang ‘er. You go to the house and get yourself cleaned up, Girl. I’ll tend to this.”
I nodded. Still shaking my head sadly, as I obediently headed back to the house. Thankful that Old Bob was there. I don’t know what I’d have done the last two years without him.
***
From the shadow of the few trees behind me, red eyes glinted. Watching the seen unfold. Staring hungrily at the dead goat in her lap.
It shifted as it caught whiffs of the animal. Its eyes trailed over to the others wandering the range in the area. Others which smelled as delicious as the old one had proven to be.
The beast could see the girl’s grief, but it didn’t understand it. Was not capable of feeling.
Only hunger. The ever-present, forever-gnawing hunger.
***
Others which had been too fast the night before.
Bob came over to the house once he had the goat hung. I’d prepared enough grits and oats for him, and we sat down to the meager meal. “I hate to bear bad news, Rada, but a woman such as you can’t continue out here alone with some beast hunting your stock. I’ve tried to help ya since Mato but…”
“I know…” I murmured crestfallen because I knew he was right.
But I’m not ready to move on.
“I’m getting on in years, Girl and not sure how much longer I can help watch out for you. You need to hire a man to take care of whatever predator is hunting your stock.”
“I know but-but I don’t…I don’t have the funds for that…”
“I know.” He bobbed his head. “Betty and I will help you hire a man. He reached to pull a handful of coins from his pocket. Here’s some of our share. You need to go to town and find a gunner.”
A gunslinger?
That thought was unsettling. I didn’t know any, and I knew what sort of man they tended to be.
“Just make sure you find a good one.” Old Bob set the coins on the table with a clink. Then swiped his mouth with a dirty red handkerchief before standing. “Fine fare, Miss Rada, as always. Thank you.”
“Thank you, Bob.”
“You’re welcome, Rada.” He opened the door before looking over his shoulder. “I hate to bring it up, but a pretty young thing like you, should be looking for a new man to tend ya, by now. You can’t keep going it alone. It’s been nigh on two years now…”
I know. I nodded my head. Though inside, I felt anything but agreement by him.
The door closed behind him, and I jumped slightly.
***
It wasn’t the first time Old Bob had brought up such a thing.
It was well-known that young women in this country should be married. Unwed women like me were prime prey for the wrong kind of men. Or for attacks by wild Indians.
Though I had been lucky so far. Because of Mato.
My husband had been Lakota. But he was feared by even his own kind because of the family he descended from. So, he’d been outcast even from them.
He and I were alike in that.
We’d been friends since childhood. Daring to play with each other despite that we’d both been forbidden.
My mother had worked for the Madam in Sam’s Saloon and many had expected me to follow her footsteps. They’d all been surprised when I’d ran off and married my Sweetheart from childhood.
And Mato had built everything here. Built us a life.
Then he’d left me. Without a word, he’d gone in the night.
And that’s what everyone knew me as.
The woman that wasn’t even good enough for an Indian, daughter of a Madam.
And women were few and far between in this country. When a man abandoned one, it usually meant she was no good.
I was having a harder and harder time selling goods in town. And getting more lewd comments.
Many of the cowboys in the area had told me, I’d make better money working for old Susan in the Saloon.
But that’s not who I am.
-
02 Nightfall
Darkness came and with it was the gray beast. Slick with hairless skin like a seal. Eyes glittering like rubies as it peered around the tree. Watching the flock of goats in the pen next to the cabin. A long, thin tongue snaked out to lip nearly nonexistent lips.
She’d driven them in, hoping to keep them off the range enough the predator wouldn’t find them.
But the beast could see them in the darkness as clearly as if the sun shone high above.
And it was hungry. Its slender stomach already rumbling. Ribs protruding as it starved for more of the animal’s fluid. Its spine was ridged, curving upward like a swaying hill. Lurching down and back with each movement as the thing slunk closer to the pen on spindly legs. It walked on all fours with split front feet. Lurching forward it jogged like a dog toward the pen. Leaping the fence to sink its pin pricked teeth into the first goat it could reach. Dragging it to the ground before it could utter a scream.
The animal flailed on its side, tossing its legs. While the bigger beast drained it. Until it’s front legs began jerking spasmically.
He wouldn’t kill this one. Not tonight. But he needed something to assuage the hunger.
***
The next morning, I found one of my younger goats injured. The same neck wounds and its body ravaged from where something much larger had pinned it down to feed on it.
It’s enough.
I went inside and slid, Old Bob’s clanging coins off the table. Going to a small drawer tucked in the wall next to the stove I peered at what was inside and verified there was more coins there. Shoving it closed with a click, I stuck Old Bob’s coins in the pocket of my dress and went around to saddle Maxine, my mare.
Giving her heel, I headed for town.
Looking for a gunslinger. With true aim.
Who won’t be scared of the monster hunting my flock.
***
Once there, it didn’t take long to find him. I could tell what he was from the moment he got off the train. A shawl draped loosely over his shoulder and a saddle in his hand. His hat was pulled low in the front.
Usually, an indicator he was a Wanted Man. But I knew enough about gunslingers, to be sure that most of them were.
Usually for killing someone they shouldn’t have. Or someone with family that cared…
I got into town and lifted the thin hood I kept over my pile of hair, to keep from drawing undue attention.
My dress was the simple blue one I wore most days. I’d given it a thorough scrubbing last night, as well as myself and hoped I could present myself with a professional air.
I stepped into his path.
He waved me away and went around. “I don’t have time, Girl.”
“I’m looking for a gunslinger.” I announced. Proud of the firm ring I heard in my own voice.
He turned to me, and I could see the hard glint to his face. A brown beard dusted his cheeks, making him look the rogue he was sure to be.
“What does a woman need a gunman for?” He paused to give me a sideways look.
“I’ve something hunting my flock. I’ll pay well to have it killed.” I eased two coins into my hand and lifted them in offering. “Some now and I’ll give you the bulk of it when it’s done.”
He rounded to face me fully. “Who says I’m looking for work?”
“You just got off that train.” I nodded beyond him.
“So, you’ll be looking to buy a horse. Need coin for that.” I bobbed my hand pointedly. “And the way you got that hat tucked, you’re running from some sort of past.”
“Running, huh? Some sort of an impudent girl, you are.” He tapped the cloth hood back from my face, so it slipped over my head and fell hanging from the back of my neck to rest along my dress.
He eyed my cornhusk hair and wide green eyes intently.
“Ah,” He remarked. “I see why you were hiding.”
Because I’m fair of face. I’d had enough men tell me so, usually in a cruel way, to know it was true.
“I got a place to stay. You can lodge in my Main Room if you’re a proper man.”
He lifted his head to level a brown eyed look on me. “Proper, huh?”
We both know my meaning.
He won’t try to touch me.
“I can be proper enough to stay in a lady’s home.”
I nodded and slapped the coins in his hand. Turning as an indication for him to follow me. “That’ll be enough to get you a horse from Joe’s stables round way then you can join up with me and I”ll show you the way.”
“’K.” He nodded and headed around the corner. Aiming for Joe’s.
***
I waited for him to come riding back on a big black gelding.
“Nice horse stable.” He remarked about Joe’s lot.
“He does.” I nodded. “This way.”
I turned Maxine toward home and heeled her.
She took off. Finding the path on sure feet. She’d ridden this direction often enough I barely had to guide her. “Are you going to tell me your name, Gunslinger?”
“Theodore. Ted most call me.”
“That your real name or one you tell folks, so they won’t find out your wanted name?”
He shrugged. “You’re a mite bold for such a small one.”
It wasn’t the first time I’d heard that.
Mato used to tell me something similar quite often.
“So, what is this beast, I’m after?”
“I don’t know.”
“You haven’t seen it?” His head swung toward me. “Great. Most like a Mountain Lion then.”
He sounded very disgruntled at the prospect.
“I don’t think so.”
He eyed me. Brown eyes intent on my face. “Why not? Thought you didn’t know what it is.”
“I don’t. But not for lack of seeing it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Both Old Bob, my neighbor, and I have never seen anything like.”
“Like what?”
“Part bear, part cat, part dog. Pure monster.”
-
03 Theodore
Ted shifted on his mount. “That sounds a bit intriguing.”
“It kills my stock by bleeding them dry.”
“What the Hell?” His head whipped back to me.
“I’m sorry.” He lowered his head. “Not proper to talk to a lady such. I’ve just never heard of such a thing.”
“None of us have.”
“Well, if it shows it’s pretty face, I’ll put a bullet in it.”
“Don’t be overconfident.” I warned. “It’s fast. Very fast.”
“So, am I.”
***
Ted would see what I meant that night.
We both sat on the deck as the darkness was closing in. Deep blackness was enveloping everything. Even the cluster of dense pines that bordered my property.
He rocked in the chair that Mato had hand carved for me. I didn’t mind sharing it. It was nice to see a man in it again. To watch the cut of his jaw beneath the tan hat as the shadows played over his face.
Truthfully, it was just nice to look at handsome man again. To watch the play of light on him.
“Those trees make a nice shade for your grounds.” He nodded to the pines.
“They are pretty, lovely scent in the summer.” I agreed reservedly. “But I think that it lives in those.”
“When does it come out?”
“Just after dark usually. When the heat of the day cools into the fog.”
As, always those twirling fingers crept from the moisture of the trees to make a white film over the range.
And the curving gray back of the beast made it look like it had spines hovering just above the few feet of fog. Making it a dark shadow easing out of the grove.
I immediately sank further into my wooden chair. Hating the instinctive sinking of my stomach as it neared. I wanted to protect my stock. To run out there and hit the thing. But all Mato had was the big .45 Revolver and I’d long since learned that my hands weren’t large or strong enough to hold it steady when I shot.
Ted leaned forward in his chair, gripping the armrests. “What the Sam Hell is that?”
“It’s the monster.” I whispered. “Be careful.”
He stood up on the deck and drew his gun with precision accuracy but as he cocked it the beast whipped its head and landed red eyes on him. Ted was so stunned by the width of the monster’s face and the thickness of its shoulders as it crouched in the fog. The bones of its shoulders rolling, much like a mountain lion before it pounces. The ridged spine seemed to elongate into ridged spikes under the thick gray skin, looking more like armor by the minute.
Ted fired a round and it skimmed along the monster’s shoulder before pinging along a tree trunk and hitting the dirt somewhere in the trees.
“Its skin is impermeable.” Ted retreated a step. “Get inside.”
***
It lunged forward. Red eyes locked on us.
Ted fired another round as he fumbled backward toward the door.
I tossed it open as the second round skimmed down the beast’s side.
I caught his arm and yanked him in with me.
We rushed inside and slammed the door. He spotted the bolt and rolled it into place with quick reflexes. Automatically rolling our backs against it.
Ted was blinking huge brown eyes with thick lashes at me. Blatant confusion written over his hard features made them look somewhat vulnerable. This close I could see his dusting of brown beard along a square jaw. His chorded throat led down to the collar of his brown shirt. A dusty red handkerchief tied around his neck, for covering his face in the dirty winds.
“What the devil was that?” He expostulated. Looking at me as though I’d betrayed him. His words drawing me from my study of his features.
“The monster that’s been eating my stock. What I hired you to kill.”
Whatever it is…
He turned back to the door as if he could see through it. “Oh, I’m going to.”
***
I boiled some tea and we sat down at the table to discuss what he’d just seen.
Ted had a glazed look to him. Clearly in shock at having witnessed what he had. “That’s no monster. It’s a demon. Did you feel that?”
He looked at me.
Yes. I gave him a sympathetic look. Knowing precisely what he was talking about.
“Evil. Pure evil was coming off that thing. It looked like something conjured from pure nightmare.”
“I know.” I slid into the seat opposite him.
Having a momentary vision of sipping tea by the firelight of the lone candle, just as we were now, with Mato.
His long black hair in wild waves around his face. His blue eyes laughing at me as he told me some native tale about the great legends that built their beliefs. Tales which he turned into great epics with his grand gestures.
Why’d he leave me?
“Was it some kind of a bear? It looked big enough to be.”
“I don’t know what it is.” I admitted. “But it sucks my animal’s blood. Bites their necks…” I knew how ridiculous it sounded but Ted had no choice but to believe me after what he’d seen.

A total of 50 chapters

Chapter 3 She Belongs To Me - 1

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