by R.A Cullison
“The village should be ahead a few miles.” Victor said for the tenth time.
“You already said that, my butt is getting sore from riding…. I need to stop.” I pulled back the reigns.
“Fine I have to use the rest room anyway.”
“Rest room, you mean a tree?” I chuckled.
“Har, har Miss. Funny-Lady.”
Things between us were getting alittle more relaxed, after 3 days of traveling together is was bound to happen. Victor was still somewhat conservative on some things. He disappeared into the thick tree line.
I dismounted the horse, “OH! MY BUTT!” I complained, rubbing my butt cheeks.
“Stop being a baby!” he called from behind a tree.
“Oh shush, water the tree and let me complain.” I heard him laughing. I stretched; something was moving father up the trail. To me it looked like a bird, I couldn’t tell. I pulled out the binoculars; with alittle, focusing there was a bird pecking at a body.
“Oh my! Uh Victor!”
“What I am kind of busy.”
“You need to see this.” He emerged from the trees.
“What?” I handed him the binoculars, “What the…?” he got on his horse, “stay here.” that was fine with me, I had to pee too. I watched the birds scatter as soon as he got closer to what looked like a body. I ran peed and hurried back to watch him.
He was bent down looking at whatever it was; I really couldn’t tell what he was doing. He picked up something, looked like a piece of paper. He hurried back to where I was, “here.” he handed me a piece of paper.
“Whats this?”
“Read it.”
“O…k,” I unfolded it and it was a newspapers article.
Winston Abbey was written in big red letters.
“Winston Abbey, The Abbey has been abandoned for a century or more, but as of late there seems to be a lot of movement up there. Some sources have reported large animal like creature inhabiting the once beautifully decorated building. Pictures from the early 1800s shows a grand ballroom and an atrium that would make a blind person gasp. This writer has received written permission from the Country of Russia to investigate the ruins of the Winston Abbey. Let us just hope the rumors aren’t true. Paul A. Entrich” I read aloud, I looked at Victor, “that cant be good.”
“No, I also found this on the body.” he held up a press pass with the name Paul A. Entrich on it.
“Oh geez.” I was nervous now.
“Let’s get going, the sun will set in about 3 hours, we have to get in the city limits before that.” we headed out.
We rode fast all the way there, Blaze was going as fast as he could. “Victor, I don’t think I can push him much more.” I pleaded but he ignored me. The next village was a welcome sight. It was a city not a village.
The sky was bright from the lights; there were vehicles and loud people. I dismounted Blaze and led him to a stable just outside of the city. I gave him to the sable boy, “he is old, please take care of him.” The boy smiled.
I was excited to see such a booming place in the middle of nowhere, it also made me homesick.
“Don’t be fooled.” Victor said interrupting my thoughts.
“Huh?”
“This still has the shadows only the buildings are stronger.”
“Oh, ok, we need to find a place to sleep.” I looked around; there was an Inn a few buildings ahead of me, “there.” I pointed. I grabbed my bag and began to walk there.
“Oh shit, RUN!” Victor ordered. I ran right into the building.
“Why did we do that?” The Innkeeper was staring at us. He said something in another language that even Victor didn’t understand.
“Do… you … have… a … room?” I said slowly.
“Room? Yes, you check in?” he asked eyeing us up. Victor went to answer him then the screeching began to happen, “OH!” the inn keep ran to the door and began closing iron gates. Victor wasn’t kidding when he said the buildings where stronger, “Stay you be safe.” the inn keep told us.
Victor waited for the man to get back behind the counter before saying anything else to him. “That room, Sir?”
“Yes, Room.” he turned around and retrieved a key from a hook behind him, “room 197.” Victor took the key and we headed to our room.
The inn reminded me of a jail with the bars on the windows. The Skuggors would need a miracle to even penetrate the cement wall of the building. I was tired, nearly dead on my feet and I hoped this time there were two beds.
Victor unlocked the room and we both went inside. “Thank heavens!” I exhaled.
“What?” Victor looked at me.
“Two beds.” I picked the one away from the window. I took off my shoes, sock and climbed into bed, too tired to do anything else.
Victor laid on his bed clothed and snoring, it woke me up. I threw one of my pillows at him; all it did was make him move. I heard screaming coming from outside, men and women. I tried to drown them out with my pillow or my fingers in my ears. Victors snoring started back up, so I concentrated on that. Soon the screaming was gone and I was drifting off to sleep.
The sound of a car alarm woke me up. Victor surprisingly was still asleep. I walked over to the window, the streets where busy. People where picking up the dead from last nights attack and throwing them on a huge fire. It was sad even though the dead didn’t have anyone mourning for them; I knew they were someone’s child.
I went to use the bathroom and get ready for the long trip. This time I was going to see if I could purchase something motorized, no more horses. By the time I got out of the bathroom, Victor was already gone. I slipped on my shoes, jacket and grabbed my money.
The streets where now filled with people chattering and laughing, as if last night didn’t even happen. I walked down the sidewalk looking at all the stores praying that one of them was selling something I could use. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw a sign in English, ‘Off Road’. I didn’t think twice, I ran towards the sign.
An older, heavyset man was behind the counter and a younger man was working on a motor. The older man saw me and straightened his shoulders.
“You need buggy?” he asked
“Yes, I need a reliable one.”
“Oh Yes, I got just the thing.” he stepped out from behind the counter and I noticed he had a peg leg which was odd to me. He led me to a black one with a roof and doors, “Will this do?” he pointed to is. I sat in it and turned it on, “runs good, yes?” he said smiling.
“Yes, I will take it.” I got out and we walked to the counter. I rode it to the inn. Victor was standing outside the door; he turned and looked at me.
“Seriously Nora?” he said raising an eyebrow.
“I told you no more horses, besides this will save us time, its faster.” he shrugged his shoulders.
We loaded up the back of the buggy with our stuff; I was excited to be able to drive it. Victor sat down next to me and put on his safety straps, I did the same.
“You sure you can drive this thing?” I didn’t answer I just took off.
It was starting to get dark and the clouds were showing signs of rain. “We’re going to get wet.” I commented.
“We are inside this thing, no we wont.” I looked up and smiled.
“Oh yeah, I forgot, what about the Skuggors?”
“They wont come out in the rain, the rain washes away the sent of humans and blood. So they don’t bother.” I sighed in relief.
The rain was heavy and came down in sheets. Not to mention I was getting sleepy. I stopped the buggy, “I can’t go anymore, and I am too tired.” Victor looked over at me.
“I’ll drive.” he opened the door,
“Good, I need to sleep.” we switched spots and I dozed off. I think the rain is what put me to sleep.
I felt the buggy stop, I wok
e up. No Victor in the driver’s seat. I got out of the buggy, “Victor!” I yelled. No answer, “Victor!” I yelled again.
“What?” he yelled back, “We ran out of gas.” he said walking from behind a tree.
“No gas, that’s sucks.”
“Yeah there is a stable over there we can get horses from.” he pointed to a barn about half mile down the road.
“Fine back to horses again.” I knew I didn’t sound thrilled.
We walked up to the sable, we noticed it was quiet.
“Is no one here?” I asked.
“I don’t know.” He opened the door and quickly shut it, “Their dead.”
“Dead?” I quickly stepped off the porch.
“Let’s just take the horses and be on our way.” I agreed, I wanted to get the hell out of there.
I saddled a black horse, Victor saddled a brown and white spotted one. We rode back to the buggy and retrieved out stuff from the back. Then we were off on the back of a horse again.
After a few hours of riding, “how much longer?” I asked just then something tall was coming into my view.
