Isiah! Bo! Joe! He shouted, ‘It’s me your pa! I am coming in boys!’
The mayor was looking on from the burning saloon he was about to run back to his wife when another shot rang out he felt the sharp pain thump his shoulder which pushed him forward as the bullet shattered the bone and he fell to the ground in agony, after what seemed like an age he propped himself up on his good arm, he couldn’t see anyone Flanagan wasn’t there either. The mayor got back to his feet then he heard the screaming from the women and kids in the church, about 20 shots rang out and he heard smashing glass as the church lamps shattered and fell to the ground setting fire to the church and everyone inside it, more shots followed.
The mayor ran back to his house.
‘Anna!’ he called, Anna where are you, ‘he shouted.
The house was silent, all he could hear was screaming and crackling from fire outside.
‘Anna! Anne! Where are you?’
He ran into the room and he saw her sprawled on the floor she had been shot and her throat was cut.
Anna! Anna I am so sorry! No! oh my god no!’ he cried.
He cradled her in his arms she was barely alive, he kissed her forehead.
‘William,’ she said weakly.
‘Who did this darling?’ tears filling his eyes.
‘I tried to tell you earlier,’ she said coughing.
‘Tell me what Anna? Tell me What?’ he said, ‘Who did this?’
‘Bart came,’ her eyes were staring at him, and her head dropped back opening the gaping slit in her throat, all her life blood had drained, William pulled her close and wept.
He stayed with her another 10 minutes covering her with a blanket before going back outside, he looked at his pocket watch it was 5:30pm, he was cursing Bart Flanagan under his breath for what he had done, he went searching to see if anyone was still alive, dead bodies littered the street but no sign of life. He went to the church it was still burning, this was the last place he had seen Flanagan but now there was no sign of him or anyone for that matter. He dropped down onto his knees and cried in despair.
He decided he would bury his wife first then grab a horse from somwhere and ride to San Francisco. As he walked away from the burning church he heard the sound of breaking wood, he turned around to see the church door opening, the sound of splintering timber cracking and then came the footsteps. Four black figures stepped out of blazing church and walked onto the street the four men were dressed similar with Stetsons and frock coats still smouldering from the fire, their spurs were clicking as they walked to the centre of the street, they all stopped and turned to face the mayor. One of them stepped forward his face white and he was missing one eye, the other eye was totally black like a shiny black marble, he lifted his head up, the mayor knew who it was straight away.
‘Bart Flanagan, you killed my wife! you murdering bastard! you fucking murdering bastard!’ screamed the mayor.
Bart Flanagan just stared at him.
The other three stepped forward to join Bart, the mayor recognised the three sons Bo, Joe and Isiah instantly, they started to walk towards the mayor their arms held out slightly as if ready to draw their weapons, their clothes were still smoking from the inferno.
The mayor started to step backwards he tripped over the body of Ben Royse who was laying in the road with gunshot wounds to his head he noticed his gun in his holster. The four dark figures were still walking towards him he looked down at Ben Royse’s holster grabbed the gun and pointed it at the figures, their mouths opened and they let out a blood curdling scream, Bart Flanagan stepped forward again.
‘We are here till we get what we want and we won’t leave without it!’ he roared.
All four of the dark figures drew their guns ready to fire their white faces and black shiny eyeballs staring at him.
Light erupted from inside the burning church followed by screaming and crying from the women and children, their ghostly apparitions were exiting the burning church and heading towards the mayor, their arms were held out palms of the hands facing down as if begging for help. Bart Flanagan and his sons turned to face them, a screeching sound erupted from the four dark Flanagan’s which stopped the ghostly entourage in their tracks, they turned about and quickly went back into the burning church screaming, the flaming doors closing them back into the spiritual furnace.
‘What do you want? What do you want?’ screamed the mayor.
Bart Flanagan reached in his pocket and brought out his bloody eye and held it up to the mayor.
‘I will be fucking watching you mayor,’ scowled Bart as he pushed his eye back into the dark socket on his face.
They started to step forward again surrounding him, then everything went dark.
*****
The mayor woke up again in the dynamite store he was sweating and his heart was racing, the lamp was still burning he checked his pocket watch again, it was 8pm.
‘Oh, my good lord,’ he said.
Sequence 3. Weds 9th August 1950 8:30am
The red 1950s Chevrolet style line was about 20 miles from San Francisco 36-year-old Amos Spencer was driving the rented car it had been a long 3 weeks to get where they were now, after a 7-night cruise crossing from Southampton to New York they had hired the car and drove across America making overnight stops each day and also taking in the time to see the sights.
In the car with him were Elber and Edie Trent he had known these two people since he was a little child during the first world war, his father was Samuel Spencer who was killed on the Somme, Amos was only 2 years old at the time, Amos couldn’t ever recall seeing his father he was too young, his mother Josephine often showed him photographs and spoke of him but that is all he knew. Elber was like his second father and Amos treated him as such, he would tell him tales about his father and how brave he was during the war under the unfortunate circumstances that betook him.
When Amos was in his early teens his mother told him about how is father would be always watching over him, Josephine new this to be true from first-hand experience from the events that happened at the time. Elber also explained the story that had happened in full during the war to the young Amos and he seemed to take a great interest in the supernatural side of things.
‘So, what is this blue haze Elber?’ said Amos.
‘It’s a very special place where we go when we pass over Amos,’ said Elber, ‘I was there through an accident twice has it happens, it was calm and serene most of the time, when the coloured orbs passed over it could get a bit hectic but most of the time it was a beautiful place, that’s where your father is now.’
‘Is it a bit like heaven Elber?’
‘Yes, you could say that Amos it’s like a waiting area for all souls good or bad.’
Elber new this to be true as he had only spoken to Samuel a few nights ago about when they were young boys and how they never believed in life after death or ghosts and spirits, but everything changed for them both in those early years. After the Theodore Cadling incident Samuel would come and see him sometimes on occasional nights and they would talk about the old days when they were young boys playing on the old pit stack in Thornhall. Elber would also keep him up to date with current matters and give him messages from Josephine and his parents who all knew about the special gift between them. Samuel had the ability to leave the blue haze and float about in the real world “In effect like a ghost”, he would visit Josephine and his now aging parents Victoria and Edmund Spencer. He couldn’t make contact or converse with any of them like he could with Elber but at least he could see them and watch them. Josephine never married again she was now 56 years old and in Samuels eyes as beautiful as ever, if Samuel had been alive he would have been 54 years old, Samuel died when he was 18 and Samuel was still 18.
Amos started to take a great interest in ghosts and spirits from an early age, he would borrow books from the library and buy anything he could on this subject, it was his wish one day to speak to and see his father like Elber could, he remembered
one night he was with Elber when his father was there but he couldn’t see or hear him, Samuel was just relaying messages through Elber to his despondent son.
Amos had always wanted to visit America and in particular visit and old abandoned ghost town, when he was in his mid-twenties and at university he made friends with an American student Ritchie Dalton who was studying here, his father was a rich businessman who dealt with property in San Francisco. It was very coincidental that Ritchie had this fantastic story to tell Amos about his family ancestors. They would get together on an evening and Ritchie would tell him about the disappearance of his great great grandfather William Dalton the mayor of the town of Dethrock and his wife Anna who was supposedly murdered.
‘It was during the gold rush Amos,’ said Ritchie.
‘You say he disappeared Ritchie?’
‘Yes, when the town got burned down in 1850 he was last seen in San Francisco this was according to the police or sheriff’s records of the time,’ said Ritchie, ‘He then went back to Dethrock and was never seen again.’
‘Wow that sounds spooky,’ said Amos.
‘Yes 40 women and 31 children died that day burned to death in the church, all the men were shot including the sheriff, they say a gang called the Flanagan’s were responsible for the massacre in the town, they were after the raw gold but couldn’t find it so they took it out of the townsfolk instead.’
‘So, is the town still there then Ritchie?’ said Amos.
‘It certainly is Amos, because so many people were murdered the state of California decided to leave it as sacred land in respect to the dead, there are still a few buildings standing in the town, even in the bank where they believe it all kicked off , the safe is still locked it is apparently 6 foot high and 8 inches thick, it is screwed down into the rock with 3 foot bolts from the inside of the safe and it has never been touched, they say it would take a few hundred pounds of TNT to blow that safe open so they just left it, there could be a fortune in there.’
‘I would like to go and see this town one day Ritchie,’ said Amos.
‘Well there is not much to see only ruins there are a few buildings still standing,’ said Ritchie, ‘Another funny thing I read was there was a grave with just Anna on it, the headstone was makeshift as though it was made quickly, it is said that William Dalton buried his wife before he left for San Francisco, the rest of the bodies were just left to rot.’
‘I wonder why he went back? ‘said Amos,’ There must have been something he wanted?’
‘According to a statement that was taken he said that there was no gold in the safe, only cash and documents, the safe had been opened by the bank manager at the time of the robbery, William said that it had probably blown shut with the force of the explosion and only the manager knew the combination but he also died at the scene, William did also state that the telegraph he sent was acknowledged and a troop were sent to investigate, also he was adamant that the gold was not in the safe so it was hidden somewhere else in the town.’
‘Very interesting Ritchie,’ said Amos, ‘He went back to the town to get something and it was probably the gold. So, what do we know about this Flanagan gang?’
‘The Flanagan’s lived about 5 miles from Dethrock, Martha Flanagan was raped, robbed and murdered in 1846, Bart the husband and his three sons Bo, Joe and Isiah were out looking for gold when it happened, when they got home she was almost dead, she died in his arms Amos she had been shot multiple times and she was also pregnant.’
‘Oh, I see that’s awful,’ said Amos.’
‘Yes, it was, he went to Dethrock and reported it to the sheriff, Jethro Crampton,’ said Ritchie, ‘Now according to the records again Crampton did report it to a marshal Branning in San Francisco,’
‘So at least we do know that it was reported then,’ said Amos.
‘Yes,’ said Ritchie, ‘The thing is Branning then set off with his two deputies’ but they never reached Dethrock and they were never seen again.’
Over the years, Amos and Ritchie had kept in touch as pen pals, when the second world war started Amos enlisted into the RAF and did 6 years’ service as an aircraft technician working on Spitfires and Hurricanes. It was in the late 40s when they finally got to see one another again, Ritchie had come over on holiday and stayed with Amos in Thornhall West Yorkshire, it was then that they started to plan their little trip, Amos had managed to tempt Elber to come as he was quite intrigued about the whole story of Dethrock.
‘Are we nearly there Amos?’ said Elber, ‘I hope you know where we are going.’
‘Another 5 miles Elber,’ said Amos, ‘I have got Ritchie’s address here, I rang him last night and he said he would be ready and waiting to go, we need to get to Dethrock before night fall so we can set the tents up.’
‘I could do with a coffee,’ said Edie, ‘We have been on the road since 5 this morning.’
‘I am sure Ritchie will oblige you there Edie,’ said Amos.
It was 9am when they got to 35th Avenue, Oakland, San Francisco, Amos drove up the drive to the large house. Ritchie Dalton must have seen them arrive through the window and ran out to greet them.
‘Amos my old friend, how the hell are you?’ said Ritchie.
‘I am fine Ritchie,’ said Amos he ran over and shook hands with his friend.
‘Oh, this is Edie and Elber Ritchie,’ said Amos, ‘My partners in crime.’
‘Very nice to meet you both,’ he said, ‘Come inside all of you and I will get you a hot drink.’
‘That sounds great,’ said Edie, ‘I am parched.’
When they were all sat down Ritchie spoke.
‘Okay,’ he said, ‘Once we have had our drinks we will get on the way, it’s about 110 miles to Dethrock, there is a little place we can stop for something to eat called Bone Creek about 10 miles from Dethrock, it is just a little town but it has a diner, store and gas station so we can get our last supply’s before we set up camp later.’
‘Sounds like desolate countryside?’ said Elber.
‘It certainly his,’ Said Ritchie, ‘A few years ago the railway used to run all through the state stopping at numerous towns and city’s including Dethrock and Bone Creek through to San Francisco, they are all disused now and the line was rebuilt for the faster steam trains which bypass all these little towns.’
‘So, in actual fact we will be in the middle of nowhere?’ said Edie
‘That is correct,’ said Ritchie, ‘There are quite a few old Ghost towns out there and it is very rare people visit these places unless they are just driving past, there are no stores or hotels so once we leave Bone Creek we are on our own.’
‘Sounds exciting,’ said Elber, ‘Samuel would love this.’
‘Whose Samuel?’ said Ritchie.
‘Oh, yes he’s a very old friend of mine who died 34 years ago,’ said Elber.
‘Really?’ said Ritchie, ‘He must have been very young then?’
‘He was Ritchie and he still is, in my mind,’ said Elber.
Amos patted Elber on the shoulder and smiled.
‘Right let’s get this show on the road,’ said Ritchie, ‘Let’s go to Dethrock.’
*****
The journey to Bone Creek took about 2 hours the roads were okay Elber had expected rough dirt track like roads, to his surprise they were covered in tarmac and they seemed to stretch on in straight lines for miles and miles, the landscape reminded Elber of all the old cowboy movies he used to watch, Audi Murphy and John Wayne came to his mind. When they arrived at Bone Creek they got some provisions for next couple of days and put them in the car boot. After a good meal in the local diner they set off for the final 10 miles of the journey. After about 20 minutes they saw an old shack in the distant.
‘That was the Flanagan’s ranch,’ said Ritchie, ‘Been empty all these years since the massacre, with all the stories going about I don’t think it will ever be lived in again.’
‘It does look quite spooky though,’ said Amos, ’I wonder what secrets it
could unveil.’
Edie looked on and shivered as they passed the ranch. it wasn’t long before the town of Dethrock came into view, the sun was starting to drop down in the sky in a few hours it would be dark giving them just enough time to set their tents up and get a fire going. They parked the car up at the bottom end of the town near the old railway station, Amos looked up the street, tumbleweed was rolling about everywhere just like he had seen in the movies he thought. He noticed only three buildings were standing and one of them he assumed was the bank, at the top of the street to the left he noticed the church which was derelict, he started to walked up the street passing numerous buildings which were demolished, the sheriff’s office on his left the bank over the road on the right still stood after all these years, next was a big house in disrepair probably the town hall or mayor’s office then came the graveyard and the wrecked church.
‘Hey Amos!’ shouted Elber, ‘Get back here and give us a hand setting up, we can explore later.’
Amos turned around and started to walk back, he noticed the grave behind the cemetery gate it was singled out from the rest of them with a crooked head stone with the name Anna chipped into the stone.
Amos went back and finished helping with the tents, Edie had got a fire going and was making some hot coffee, Ritchie filled the lamps and lit them ready for the evening.
They were all sat round the camp fire drinking coffee when Edie spoke.
‘Look at that above the church!’ she said.
The beautiful aura of light was lighting up the night sky as it rose slowly above the ruined church, it seemed to be spiralling up into the atmosphere.
‘Wow!’ said Ritchie, ‘That’s a lovely sight but so weird.’
They all stood up gazing at the night sky, after a few minutes the top of the aura turned scarlet and it seemed to be pushing the beautiful light swirling beam back towards the church.
‘It seems to be coming from the church,’ said Edie.
Ghost Town Page 4
