Cursed Bounty

by Besser, Rebecca

  He knew he wouldn’t find Houndtooth at the fire, unless someone was burning him. Jacobs doubted that was happening – the night was too quiet and the fire too small for that scenario. He suspected it to be a camp fire and he wanted to know whose it was.

  Jacobs didn’t want to risk being seen, so he dismounted a good ways off and tied his horse to a small tree on the edge of a creek. He then followed the creek on foot until he could see who was at the fire.

  He wasn’t at all surprised to see the big black man who’d come to the capitol building some days before. Deep down, he’d expected it. A younger man was sitting beside him, with a badge pinned to his chest.

  Neither of the men spoke, but sat lounging, staring into the fire. After a time, the younger man with a badge stood and walked over to a mound of blankets a few feet from the fire. He knelt down and looked at something for a moment, and then stood again. He returned to the fire and again sat with the big man.

  “He be doin’ all right?” the big black man asked.

  Jacobs tried really hard, but couldn’t remember his name…

  The young man nodded. “I think he’ll be fine. He was exhausted.”

  The big man nodded and they went back to staring into the fire.

  Jacobs watched for a little while longer, wondering what the young man had gone to check on. He almost gasped audibly when the mound of blankets moved and a man’s hand appeared as he moved the blankets down a little. The firelight caught on the badge that adorned the sleeping man’s chest and Jacobs knew it was Sheriff Bob.

  Before he did something to give himself away, Jacobs shuffled back and away from his hiding place and returned to his horse. Thoughts were spinning in his head as he went. He didn’t know what they were doing there. He didn’t know if Sheriff Bob had been wounded by Houndtooth. He didn’t know if Houndtooth even knew where they were or had just ridden on by them on his way to Bristleton. Jacobs seriously doubted the last scenario his brain came up with, because it wasn’t like the zombie bounty hunter to not find his target if it was close-by. He’d seen the strange creature track someone from miles away before. Three men who were surely at the top of the Governor’s hit list in one place wouldn’t have been missed.

  His final, and most unbelievable conclusions was that they had bested Houndtooth. The comments by the fire led Jacobs to believe that Sheriff Bob hadn’t been wounded. The only ailment mentioned was exhaustion. That left the demise of Houndtooth to be the most likely truth.

  Where is he? Jacobs wondered, mounting his horse.

  He didn’t know the answer and knew he couldn’t return to the capitol building without the knowledge of Houndtooth’s current location or his body.

  He rode a short ways back up the road, dismounted, and tied his horse again. He then snuck back to search for any clues he could find. He combed the underbrush slowly, looking for any signs of tracks. He couldn’t see much in the dark, and tripped and fell onto Houndtooth’s body completely by accident.

  A scream started to rise in Jacobs’ throat as he struggled to right himself, but he came to his senses at the last moment and swallowed it back down. As he rose, he came face to face with Houndtooth – the zombies eyes stared up at and reflected the moon, giving them a false glow. There was a dark hole in his forehead, right above his left eye. No blood came from the wound, but Jacobs knew it for what it was: a bullet hole.

  Houndtooth was dead again. This time, he wasn’t coming back.

  Jacobs knew the Governor would be angry; he would want to see the body as proof of his bounty hunter’s demise.

  After a quick look around to get his bearings after he managed to roll off Houndtooth’s body, Jacob realized he was closer to the camp he’d just spied on than he realized. If he held his breath, he could hear the crackling of the small fire.

  He had no idea how he was going to move the body without getting caught. He finally decided it wasn’t a task he could do alone – he would have to go back to town and get help…and a wagon. He wasn’t going to ride double with a zombie corpse.

  He made his way back to his horse, mounted, and headed back toward town. He rode at a steady walk for a mile or two, and then kicked his horse into a run. The cold wind stung his face, numbing him to his reality. He didn’t want to deal with any of this anymore… He didn’t want to kill people – he never had.

  For a moment, he thought about turning around and going back to the camp. He could tell the men everything and hope they would help him by killing the Governor. But, even as the thoughts crossed his mind, he silenced them. He was too scared of failure to share the truth or seek help. The Governor would know he’d been the one to betray him, and he didn’t want the consequence that knowledge would breed.

  Chapter 21

  The Governor paced in his office, back and forth with his hands behind his back. Something was wrong. He could feel it, literally. He knew something had happened to Houndtooth, but he was unable to admit it completely until he had proof. The zombie bounty hunter’s horse returning without its rider was the second indication things weren’t right, but Houndtooth had abandoned his mount before when he’d had to pursue his query on foot.

  Cooper held out hope. He knew the tendril of the emotion was weak, but still he hoped. The alternative wasn’t something he wanted to contemplate. It would lead to all kinds of complicates to his plans for the future. He wanted to be President of the United States and he didn’t need someone spoiling his plans over some voodoo/zombie story.

  The sound of pounding hooves drew the Governor to the window. He pulled back the lace curtain with a shaky hand to see Jacobs tearing ass into town…alone.

  With a muffled curse, the Governor released the curtain and headed out of his office and down the hall; he meet Jacobs just as he was entering the building.

  “Well?” the Governor barked.

  Jacobs gasped for breath after his rush to return to the capitol building. The chilled air had bitten into his lungs on the ride back, robbing him of much needed oxygen.

  “He’s…dead,” Jacobs finally wheezed out, half-bent over his desk.

  “Of course he’s dead…” the Governor snapped back, but Jacobs interrupted.

  “He’s dead…again!”

  “What? How?” the Governor asked with a frown.

  Jacobs stood upright, finally regaining most of his composure.

  “He was shot in the head.”

  “Where’s his body?” the Governor asked, moving toward the door. “Did you bring it back with you?”

  “No,” Jacobs said simply, bringing the Governor to a halt just in front of the doorway.

  He turned slowly to look at Jacobs.

  “No?” he asked, raising his brow quizzically.

  “He was too close to their camp, and too heavy for me to lift,” Jacobs said flatly. “I came back to get a wagon and help.”

  “Who do you suppose is going to help you?” the Governor asked with a mocking grin. “Do you have someone you can trust with all this in your pocket that I didn’t know about?”

  “No, sir,” Jacobs said, and paused to swallow hard, “I thought I would take you with me. This is your mess, after all.”

  The two men locked eyes for long moments.

  Jacobs’ heart rose into his throat, waiting for any indication that his words pissed the Governor off. None came.

  “Fine,” the Governor said. “Sure, I’ll go with you.” Although there was no outward sign of his emotions, he was seething inside. He couldn’t believe this little worm wanted to drag him out into the open and risk exposing him. “But first, I need to send a messenger to the fort.”

  Jacobs frowned. “You’re sending a messenger to the fort? For what?”

  The Governor smiled. “Don’t worry about it. Just go fetch me Williams while I write the letter.”

  Jacobs opened his mouth to push for more information again, but closed it quickly, thinking he’d pushed his lucky far enough for now. He headed toward the door of the building as the Gover
nor walked down the hall to his office.

  Chapter 22

  As Williams rode off into the night, looking like death itself were at his heels, Jacobs and the Governor climbed into the wagon they needed to transport Houndtooth’s body back to the capitol building. They borrowed it off the owner of the general store, promising to have it back by dawn. The man hadn’t even batted an eye when Jacobs told him they needed it for important business that couldn’t wait until morning. He probably thought he was doing his civic duty. He had no idea of the doom the Governor was planning for the town – no one did.

  As they traveled in silence, Jacobs couldn’t help but wonder why Williams had looked so scared, or rode so hard. He’d been hitching the horses to the wagon while Williams was inside with the Governor. The look on Williams face when he’d come out, and the grin on the Governor’s when he’d finally exited the building were making him more suspicious than he’d already been, and more curious. He didn’t feel right about any of this. Everything felt like it was spiraling out of control. There was too much risk.

  It particularly unnerved him that the Governor had so easily agreed to accompany him to get Houndtooth’s body. Normally, doing something, or even suggesting that Cooper do something, to this effect would have thrown him into a tizzy.

  They didn’t speak for the entirety of the ride, which was fine with both of them; they were both lost in their own thoughts.

  Together they loaded Houndtooth’s body, after moving the wagon as close as they dared to the camp of the others.

  Jacobs found it odd that the Governor hadn’t even asked about the camp when he’d mentioned it earlier. Everything was odd. Nothing was right.

  As they were pulling away with their load, the Governor spoke, causing Jacobs to jump at the sudden sound in the almost absolute quiet of predawn.

  “Take us around town to the cemetery,” he said.

  Jacobs simply nodded, thinking that made sense because that would be the best place to get rid of the body. He had no idea what he was actually in for when they arrived.

  Chapter 23

  Three men were waiting for them when they arrived at the cemetery. Multiple graves had been dug open.

  “What’s going on?” Jacobs asked as he reined the horses to a halt.

  “Houndtooth is spent,” the Governor said, climbing down from the wagon seat. “I need some new workers.”

  “This isn’t a good idea,” Jacobs said, clambering down too. “The fort will send out a regiment and. . . ” All of a sudden the pieces of the puzzle clicked for Jacobs. The Governor had sent for troops before they left. He wondered what lies were written on the letter Cooper had written. This was going to turn into a full fledge war. He instantly regretted not coming clean with the lawmen of Bristleton and letting them take care of the Governor. Now it was too late for all of them.

  The group of five men spent the rest of the dark hours raising corpses from the dead, one by one. As the numbers of zombies grew Jacobs became more and more uneasy. He wanted to leave, but the Governor said he had to stay. And when all of the zombies were risen from their graves, just as the first rays of the sun warmed the horizon, the Governor turned them on the three men who’d assisted in the rituals and Jacobs. Once those loose ends were tied up, he set them free on the town and made his way back to the capitol building with the wagon. He went inside, barricaded the door, and hid in his office like he was afraid.

  Chapter 24

  When Bob awoke, he felt disoriented and then relieved when he realized he was safe. The last few days had driven him almost mad with the unrest and craziness.

  “He’s awake!” Madison yelled over his shoulder toward the creek; Jeffery appeared almost instantly behind him.

  “Hey, you two,” Bob said, smiling and sitting up. “Thanks for taking care of me.”

  “No problem,” Madison said, grinning. “We’re glad you’re feeling better.”

  No one knew what to say for a couple of moments – their thoughts were swirling too fast in their heads.

  “We’re going to have to do something to stop him,” Bob said, and neither of the other men needed to be told who “him” was.

  They knew the Governor wouldn’t stop, and that he’d make himself another minion – or more – if he wasn’t taken down.

  “What are you thinking?” Madison asked. “I assume you have an idea.”

  Bob nodded, and said solemnly, “Yeah, kill him.”

  Jeffery didn’t speak, but looked between the other two men frowning.

  “How do you suppose we do that?” Madison asked.

  “Walk in and shoot him,” Bob said.

  “There’s a problem. . .” Jeffery said. “Houndtooth’s body be missin’. I went to check on it earlier dis mornin’ and didn’t want to mention it ‘til you was awake.”

  Madison’s head swung in Jeffery’s direction; his eyes were filled with fear and he couldn’t help but be upset that Jeffery hadn’t shared the information with him.

  “I thinks someone tooks it,” the big man continued, “because there be lots of footprints, drag marks, and wagon tracks leadin’ back toward town. They might be preparin’ for us.”

  “Why wouldn’t they just have killed us?” Bob wondered aloud. “This entire situation is strange.”

  “Maybe if we go back to town right away and kill him quick, we’ll get away unnoticed,” Madison said hopefully.

  “I think it’s too late for that, son,” Bob said, standing and putting his hand on the Deputy’s shoulder. “They know we’re here. They know we know about the voodoo zombie bounty hunter, as well.”

  They were all in agreement that something had to be done fast regardless of the consequences, and they made quick work of clearing up camp, discussing the plan while doing so.

  Once everything was packed and secured on the horses, they mounted up and rode into town to settle things once and for all with the Governor. They decided that was the best course of action. They couldn’t afford to ride back to Bristleton and get more people, or even send a messenger to the nearest fort to get a regiment of soldiers to help. Besides that, they didn’t think anyone would believe them. They would be seen as crazy loons. No one would or could help them. They were on their own to fight the evil only they seemed to know about.

  Chapter 25

  As they approached the outskirts of town, they noticed that a large group of people had gathered and were making their way down the hard packed dirt street running through the middle of town.

  Bob watched the crowd closely and realized the people in it were moving in a weird way, and when they got close enough for him to see them better, he knew why – they were all zombies. Some of their bodies were decayed almost to the bone, while others still had dark red blood oozing from their orifices – one of them Jeffery and Bob recognized as Jacobs. What they had in common was that they all spotted the three men and headed for them.

  The situation was hopeless, and the men knew it right away. When they turned to leave, they realized another crowd of zombies had come from a side alley and they were surrounded.

  Cold hands clasped Bob, Madison, and Jeffery’s legs and arms, violently bruising and tearing the flesh of the living men as they were torn from their saddles. Their screams and gun shots rang out and echoed through the abandoned town, but they knew no one would come to their aid, because everyone was part of their demise.

  Before Bob bled out in the dirt, he saw a white lace curtain flutter in one of the capitol building’s windows, and he knew the Governor was watching with satisfaction as they died.

  Chapter 26

  “Wonderful, just wonderful,” the Governor said to himself as he watched his zombie pets take down Sheriff Bob and his cohorts.

  Off in the distance Cooper could see a plumb of dust in the air, and he knew it to be the regiment of soldiers he’d sent for. The letter he’d dispatched with Williams had warned of a strange plague that was ravaging the town. Few if any hadn’t been exposed. He’d warned the sold
iers to shot for the head, as that was the only way to kill the strangely infected people.

  He went into his office, closed the door, and pushed a piece of heavy furniture in front of it. He then went and sat at his desk – he planned to hide under it when he heard the soldiers making their way into the building. Until then, he didn’t see any need to hide and pretend to be afraid.

  Cooper laughed merrily and did some paperwork that lay on his desk, waiting for his attention. His plan was unraveling perfectly, and he knew this year’s election would go well in his favor; he had saved the world from a “plague.” That alone would garner him many votes in the upcoming election. He was a hero. He would be famous all over the nation.

  Sitting back in his chair, kicking his feet up on his desk, he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, he would be the President someday. He grinned broadly, dreaming about his advancement as the moans of his minions grew loader as the soldiers arrived in town, followed by the constant gun shots that silenced them one by one.

  Author Rebecca Besser

  Rebecca Besser is the author of the zombie novella, "Undead Drive-Thru, Nurse Blood," and, "Hall of Twelve." She’s a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature. Her work has appeared in the Coshocton Tribune, Irish Story Playhouse, Spaceports & Spidersilk, joyful!, Soft Whispers, Illuminata, Common Threads, Golden Visions Magazine, Stories That Lift, Super Teacher Worksheets, Living Dead Press Presents Magazine (Iss. 1 & 2), FrightFest eMagazine, An Xmas Charity Ebook, The Stray Branch, and The Undead That Saved Christmas (Vol. 1 & 2) and the Signals From The Void charity anthologies. She has multiple stories in anthologies by Living Dead Press, Wicked East Press, Pill Hill Press, Hidden Thoughts Press, Knight Watch Press, Coscom Entertainment, Crowded Quarantine Publications, Horrified Press, and Collaboration of the Dead (projects), and one (each) in an anthology by Post Mortem Press, NorGus Press, and Evil Jester Press. She also has a poem in an anthology by Naked Snake Press.