by Joyce Lavene
She took a pearl-handled revolver out of her handbag. “I’m ready, even without the horses.”
Her face was set in grim lines. “I’m glad you’re here, Mary Catherine. You’ve been a big help.”
“Thank you, Dae. That’s why I came.”
“And I’m glad you’ll be there tonight. I don’t know what’s going to happen out there, but I know I’ll feel better with you there too.”
“Thank you, dear.” She hugged me. “I’d best go change now. It’s become quite cold out there.”
Mary Catherine went to her room to change into something more appropriate for assaulting a group of people performing a ritual on a cold night. I went to mine to do the same.
Treasure was sitting on the bed. He was concerned about what we were going to do. “It’s going to be fine,” I told him. “I’ll be back by morning. I don’t think Baylor is going with Mary Catherine either. This won’t be a good place for cats to be.”
I stepped into the bathroom to change clothes. It was cold outside, with a biting wind. I pulled on wool pants, heavy socks, and a sweater to wear under my jacket. I covered my hair with a red knit cap, and put my feet into boots.
Picking up my gloves and the shotgun, it felt like I was in some small town movie about alien invaders where everyone goes out to fight them. I hoped it was one of the movies where the small town people won the fight. I already had most of my Christmas shopping done, and I didn’t plan to miss the holidays.
Mary Catherine was waiting downstairs. She was completely dressed in black including a black wool cap covering her bright hair. Baylor was protesting by meowing loudly and snagging her pants with his claws.
“You’re not going,” she told him. “It’s going to be dangerous enough for us. I can’t protect you out there.” He meowed again. “Oh, I know. You’re big and brave. You can take care of both of us. But you still aren’t going. That’s that. Go take a nice nap until we get back.”
“Treasure wanted to go too,” I told her. “He was afraid Baylor was going, and he didn’t want to be left behind.”
Mary Catherine wasn’t surprised. “It’s in their nature to be protective of the ones they love, not to mention that they’re predators. Of course they’d want to go to war.”
I took gloves out of my bag. “I just hope Osisko shows up. I don’t have a clue how to stop the demon horses. I have a feeling that AK47 Kevin was talking about won’t work.”
“I know what you mean.” She sighed. “I’m ready to go when you are.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Last chance to get off the train.”
“I never get off until the end of the journey.” She laughed. “Let’s go.”
Kevin stopped for us at the end of the drive. “Jake is already on his way out there. I hope he waits, and doesn’t jump in by himself.”
“At least he’s back to being himself.” I was firmly wedged between Kevin and Mary Catherine. I wasn’t going to complain though. I was happy not to ride in the back again.
“That doesn’t make me feel a lot better,” Kevin said.
“I know you don’t like him, but we can trust him,” I reminded him. “There’s something to be said for that.”
“I’m sorry.” He started down Duck Road. “I’ll try to forget that he wants to be with you too.”
I kissed his cheek. “He’ll get over it. Did you bring some guns?”
“The back is full of them.”
“Not that I think they’ll help with the demon horses,” I added. “But they may keep the horse cult followers out of our way.”
“Is there some magic potion or spell to get rid of the demons?” Kevin asked.
“Not as far as I know. I think Osisko will guide me when we get there.”
“Ghost man from the past,” he muttered. “Great.”
Driving down Duck Road to Sanderling, and then Corolla, was unsettling. It was probably just in my own mind. The road was brightly lit from the full moon hanging over us. There were several points where I could see the water in the distance.
There was no sign of the Andalusia—our local ghost ship that was sometimes spotted on moonlit nights. Maybe its ghostly crew didn’t want to be around with the demon horses.
I’d only seen the Andalusia once in my life, though like every other resident of the Outer Banks, I was always looking. Some had even tried to take photos of it, but none existed. There were drawings of it in the history museum dating back to the 1700s.
“What do you think it is about this area that seems to make everything so strange and dramatic?” Mary Catherine asked as we passed large dunes that gleamed in the silver light.
“Maybe it’s knowing that it could all be taken away at any moment,” I said. “The early residents that we call the Bankers knew that. They stayed through storms and floods. They did whatever they had to do to survive. But the one thing we have in common is not knowing what the tides will bring tomorrow. I think it goes with the whole Graveyard of the Atlantic theme, don’t you?”
“Yes. I think that may have been what drove me off last time I was here. A person can only handle so much truth. You and I have more than our share, Dae. Living in the city with a million other people sometimes makes you feel safer.”
“I’ve never lived anywhere that big, but the more people around me, the more I worry about touching something that will make me see things I don’t want to see.”
We kept driving toward Corolla until we reached Jake’s long drive. From the road, everything was dark. There were no lights at the house or the barn. The place looked deserted.
“Looks like they have a fire going behind the barn where the big horse is,” Mary Catherine pointed to an eerie orange glow at the back of the property.
“Great. Not something I wanted to see.” It would probably mean the horse cult was trying to summon the horse demons again. I was really hoping I was wrong. “This is why Osisko wanted us to come out here. They’re after someone else.”
“Or something else,” she whispered. “They must have something more in mind than just killing off a few random people. It would be nice if we knew their game plan.”
“What could it be?” My tone matched hers. “World domination through invisible horses? How much damage could they really do?”
Even though my words were brave, my hands were shaking as Kevin turned out the lights before we drove on Jake’s property. There was a cold knot in the pit of my stomach. He pulled the pickup into a field beside the horse pasture. Now what?
Where was Jake?
“Obviously, we have to stop them from summoning the demon horses again,” Mary Catherine spoke as though she were trying to get her thoughts together. “Maybe we could hose down the fire. Once it’s out, they can’t summon the horses out of it, right? Then I can call in the wild horses.”
“Even though these people are doing an ancient ceremony,” I reminded her. “They probably still have modern weaponry. They could shoot the horses.”
She tapped her finger on her chin. “I suppose that’s true. I can’t have them come in here and die.”
“Exactly. I’m not sure what plan B is.”
“Plan A is to get in there without them noticing,” Kevin reminded us as he got two rifles out of the back of the pickup. “If we can sneak in there so Dae can do her thing without firing a shot, it would be great. We aren’t the police.”
“Good plan.” Mary Catherine took her revolver out anyway.
I grabbed the old shotgun. I might not have to shoot anyone, but it made me feel better.
“Ladies.” Kevin nodded. “I’ll take point.”
“What does that mean?” Mary Catherine asked.
“It means I go in front. You stay behind me,” he explained.
“What about me?” Jake asked from the darkness.
Mary Catherine and I jumped.
“You scared the crap out of me,” I whispered the complaint.
“Sorry,” he replied. “Looks like your friends have been busy tonight. They’
re dancing up there in some kind of animal skins, screaming at the big horse, and howling at the moon. This is like a bad movie.”
“Did you call Chief Palo?” I asked him.
He nodded. “She didn’t pick up, but I left a long message. Are we gonna wait for her?”
We all looked at Kevin.
“Your call, Dae,” he said.
I cleared my throat, and tried to sound tougher than I felt. “Let’s go.”
“Do you see Osisko?” Mary Catherine whispered as we started toward the barn, our breaths frosty in the night air.
“No. Not yet.” Please be here. I don’t know what to do without you.
“Who are you looking for?” Jake asked.
“Our guide,” I explained. “He was part of the horse cult at one time.”
“The ghost man,” Kevin told him.
Jake let out a sigh. “You gotta be kidding me. I thought it was someone real.”
“He’s real enough,” I said.
Mary Catherine made a faint sound as her foot caught on one of the boards that had been used to cover the holes in the ground. I put out my hands to make sure she didn’t fall. As I did, one of the spotlights from the house came on.
We’d been caught trying to sneak up on the horse cult.
“Welcome ladies and gentleman,” a familiar voice said. “We were hoping you could join us tonight.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
It was Duran.
He was wearing a dark robe like you’d expect to find on a monk. Behind him were his followers. They were all people working here, about a dozen or so, dressed in monk’s robes too.
“Robes? Really?” I muttered.
“I suppose they didn’t have the option of seeing into the past as you did, Dae,” Mary Catherine whispered. “They didn’t know what the original horse cult members wore.”
“What do we do?” I asked Kevin. “Is this part of Plan A?”
“Not exactly,” he said. “But we can work with it. Don’t panic.”
Jake’s gaze was intent on the horse cult members. “I don’t see any weapons.”
“That’s what I was thinking too,” Kevin said.
“How about a change of plan?” Jake suggested. “Kevin and I go in shooting. Whatever we don’t hit, the pet psychic sends her horses after. Maybe you can throw rocks at them, Dae. There’s not that many of them.”
“We’ll all go to jail permanently,” Kevin reminded him. “We have no proof of any wrongdoing at this point.”
“Jail is better than dead, my friend,” Jake said. “Dae, is your spirit guide saying anything right now?”
“No.” I didn’t see Osisko at all. I’d been stupid for leading us into a trap. What was I thinking?
“So we need proof that they’re bad men?” Jake shook his head. “Any idea how we get that?”
“We have to make them act,” I said. “This is still your land, Jake. You have a right to be here. They don’t. If we make them believe we’re here to stop them, they may act without thinking of the consequences. It’s not much, but it might slow them down. And we can’t get in trouble because we’re not doing anything illegal—if we don’t shoot them.”
Kevin took a deep breath. “Dae—”
“This has to stop.” I stepped in front so Duran would see me. “You have to stop these cult rites. People are dying.”
Duran brought the staff he held down hard on the sand. “Leave us alone. We weren’t bothering you.”
“You’ve been bothering me, and my town,” I told him. “The statue has to be destroyed. Our ancestors buried it. The statue wasn’t supposed to be found. The demon horses have to be sent back where they came from, and never summoned again.”
It was a strong statement. I was actually hoping one or two of them might come over to our side after considering the consequences of their actions. But Duran had chosen well. Not a single one of his followers showed any remorse or sided with us.
“That’s never going to happen,” Duran said. “From here it just gets bigger. There were horse cults all over the world at one time. Descendants of those people are patiently watching, waiting to join us. We can overthrow governments, and make the world what we want it to be.”
“And exactly what is that, buddy?” Jake demanded. “What’s your philosophy about?”
“It’s about destroying modern civilization,” Duran raged. “Once we’re done, there won’t be governments, internet, or any of the things that make life the way it is today. Once our horses have ravaged the earth, people will sit by fires in the darkness again. They will worship the old Gods, and follow the ancient ways.”
“Listen to yourself,” Kevin said. “The old ways are gone, and a bunch of demon horses aren’t going to change that. Give it up. You can’t win this, Duran.”
“The wild horses will stand against you,” Mary Catherine said forcefully. “They will call on horses around the world to fight you. You can’t hope to win against them.”
“You are a silly old woman,” Duran said. “The horses will join us when they understand what we’re doing. You can’t keep them from following the demons that are so much like them.”
“I think now might be the time to start shooting,” I said to Jake.
“I think you’re right.”
He took out his gun, but we weren’t prepared for the dozens of horse cult followers who came up behind us—and those people were armed.
“Did you think we were backwards because we follow the horse cult?” Duran asked. “Just because we believe in the horse demons as the center of the world doesn’t mean we won’t defend ourselves against invaders. Get their weapons.”
Jake laid his gun on the ground, and put up his hands. “Sorry, ladies. A man should know when he’s outgunned so he can live to fight another day.”
“If there is another day,” Mary Catherine muttered.
“Sorry, Dae.” Kevin relinquished his rifle and sidearm. “Everyone stay calm and watch for opportunities. We can still get out of this.”
“It’s okay,” I whispered back. “This might be what we needed.”
I saw Osisko walking slowly toward the fire behind the barn. We were on the right track. My heart was pounding. I thought I might be sick. But we were doing what had to be done.
The four of us were quickly rounded up by the cult followers. They took us to the area where the huge fire was blazing beside the big horse. There were more followers tending the fire, probably fifty or so all together. We’d sadly underestimated their numbers. It shocked me that people had come tonight who weren’t part of the excavation team. Why would anyone want to do this?
“I think we should have waited,” Mary Catherine said as she was tied to a tree.
“Hindsight,” I answered. “What should we do now?”
“Well, the gun idea didn’t work,” Jake said. “Maybe the animal psychic could call in some help.”
“I’ve been trying to do that for the past ten minutes,” she said. “I don’t think they can hear me, or they’re scared.”
Jake fought the cult members when they tried to tie him to a tree. One of them picked up a rock, and hit him in the head with it. He slumped forward as they held him, and wrapped the rope around him.
“This would’ve been a lot easier if all the cult people were from the past and didn’t understand cell phones.” Kevin stared at his phone that had been smashed on the ground at his feet.
It made me angry. “Why do you want us here, Duran?” I yelled. “Do you need an audience?”
“It will be nice to have someone that’s not part of our group to witness what we do here tonight with their own eyes,” he said. “But more than anything, I want you to understand the power of our demon horses, and what they can do. Maybe you’ll decide to join us when you understand.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Kevin pulled at the ropes on his hands and feet. “Save the show for someone who cares.”
“What do you have in mind?” I asked.
Osisko was staring into the fire, sparks flying all around him as the huge logs shifted and burned into coals. The fire was as high as the horse statue.
“My horses are going to make things the way they should be, the way they were when my ancestors first brought horses to the island. We’re going to destroy the bridges.”
“You can’t.” I wondered if the demon horses could actually do that much damage. Remembering the feeling of their raw power, I shivered in the cold night air. “You’ll cut us off from everything—food, power—everything we depend on to live.”
“That’s my dream. Once things are quiet out here, we can take over the towns close by on the mainland and consolidate our power with other sites like this. Imagine the thousands of people on the island feeding life to the demon horses as they realize that new gods are being reborn. It’s going to be wonderful.”
“Don’t try to reason with him, Dae,” Jake said when he came around again. “He’s insane. He can’t understand what’s going on.”
But I couldn’t keep still. There had to be some way to reach him. “What do you think will happen when the demon horses need more energy to feed? When they can’t get enough, they’ll turn on you. That’s what happened the last time they were summoned. They began killing the people—our ancestors—that had called them.”
I suddenly knew why Osisko had died to stop the horses. I could see it clearly in my mind. That’s what the demons had wanted. The bonfires they came from were just the beginning. They wanted to dominate humans.
He laughed at me. “You don’t understand, Madam Mayor. They are grateful for my help in bringing them back. I knew the words, and the ceremony. My ancestor was the one who originally summoned them to earth. I have the horse totem. They won’t turn on me. It won’t be long before they’re able to take over the world.”
It was stunning to think that Duran and I were related, however far back in the past. That probably meant he had a gift too. It might be the only reason he could call the demons.
“Yeah,” Jake mocked him. “A bunch of horses are gonna take over the world. You’ve got some weird ideas, little man.”
There was a sudden burst of flame from the huge fire. We were close—the heat was almost unbearable. In the orange light, I saw Osisko watching, and listening to his descendent. Surely this was the time to act if he was ever going to. He knew what Duran was doing. He knew the consequences. We couldn’t help him, but there had to be something he could do.
