by K C Norrie
Seth helped Joe and a few other men cover the bodies with clean blankets and carry them outside. As he looked around the room at so much blood, he wondered if it could ever be cleaned away. They dragged the entire bed outside and watched it burn when Joe set in on fire.
The crowd grew.
"What happened?" was asked and answered more times than could be counted. Kalyan and Tadia anguished on the sidelines as others offered comfort.
When Amos and Ralph returned with the two coffins, Seth recalled attending funerals with coffins already nailed shut for the ceremonies. One wife told everyone that her husband didn't want to be gawked over once he died, and Seth had not questioned the reason till now.
Pastor Logan arrived. Seth watched as Joe took him aside and explained things. Pastor Logan nodded.
Amos and Ralph were placing Otis into one of the caskets, blankets, and all, when Cora sprang up, her mouth and eyes wide open, fangs biting at nothing. Bystanders screamed and Joe ran for his rifle. The first shot hit its mark and Cora, fell back onto her blanket. The coffins were nailed shut and brought to the fire pit with the burned bed. As the flames engulfed them, Pastor Logan gave a hurried ceremony, bestowing blessings for the souls of the Hawkins to rest in eternal peace.
The gold-seeking group rode fast out of town.
Chapter 12
A Town hall meeting followed.
The weather was clear and comfortable. There wasn't a building big enough to hold them all, so the meeting was held outdoors. Chairs were brought from the households and set up in half circle rows with Pastor Logan's pulpit at the center.
Joe Parker opened the meeting.
"What just happened? I know many of you are asking this question. I first witnessed just such an event three years ago and I am just as frightened now as I was then. Why wasn't a meeting called then? Perhaps we didn't want to frighten anyone else needlessly. Perhaps those of us involved thought it would not happen again. But it did. Perhaps you needed to see this for yourselves before you believed. The better question is 'What will we do now?’
"We have shown strength through unity for years. There are decisions to make and we will make them together. We will do that here. Today. Right now. The objective is to let the secrets out.
"Pastor Logan will speak first. Then we will ask the families involved to come forward and tell what happened in their own words."
Pastor Logan stepped up.
He began with a simple prayer reminding them to keep to their faith at all costs.
"Let us pray in silence."
Pastor Logan bowed his own head in silent prayer.
Seth bowed his head and prayed for the courage to leave Settlers Way. He prayed for the ability to talk his family into leaving with him. When he finished, he looked back up to find the Pastor staring right back at him.
Pastor Logan waited until every person had their eyes on him before he began.
"What has happened? What is happening? Did we come to the wrong place after all?
"While back in Pennsylvania, we pleaded on our knees for humble things and were given a dream of what life could be. 'First, prove yourselves worthy!' said God.
"And so we suffered and sacrificed our way here, embedding the world with a trail of our tears and our sweat and even our loved ones whom He called home before the journey's end.
"What happened when we arrived?
"We were low in spirit and many were ill when a storm of biblical strength; a storm to be talked about through the generations, shook us, threatened us, humbled us.
"We persevered. When the sun returned, we were given a gift. A chance meeting between one of us and a group of people passing through the mountain. They shared their knowledge of a mountain vine that has changed our way of life. It revived our spirits and made us strong. It made us well and repaired our injuries. It answered our prayers. We have lived our dreams for many years now.
"So what has happened to our dream? Are we being punished? Has Satan come to Settlers Way to plague us with demons? Many of you have come to me with these questions. Many of you have voiced your doubt. Here is my answer.
"I feel we were led here by God. I believe he has a purpose for us. Many of you told me you have felt the presence of great power."
Seth could not breathe. He thought that feeling was his alone.
Pastor Logan continued.
"I too, feel protected by that power. I feel a power so great; I think Satan is afraid.
"But why? Why were we led here?
"To witness the horror we just witnessed, or some other reason that has not yet been revealed?
"In the Bible, the rising of the dead is considered a miracle, the prophecy stating, ‘the dead shall rise...' Woe to us that the reality is not what we imagined. I must confess that I have witnessed five such spectacles over the past several years."
Exclamations murmured throughout the people.
"And there may be others. Hiding such a thing from friends and neighbors would not be unheard of."
Seth paled.
"Where else has such a thing happened but in the Bible itself? My brothers and sisters, tell me if I am wrong, but I think we in Settlers Way are witnessing miracles not seen since biblical times. I think we were led here for this reason. I think there is more, and this is only the beginning of something extraordinary. We are not here by chance. We have not met with misfortune. We have been chosen!"
Pastor Logan had been shouting. He paused for emphasis. Then much quieter he repeated, "We were chosen.
"I realize not everyone will wish to remain. Some of you will leave Settlers Way, and we will wish you well and remember you in our hearts. But for those of us who stay to behold the wonders about to unfold; remember you are not alone. We are never alone. God is with us, now and forever.
"Amen."
Pastor Logan stepped back as Joe Parker stepped up and shouted over the disquiet that riffled through the seated crowd.
"Who wants to go first?"
The stories began.
****
"My Daniel fell out of a tree. He was trying to knock down a wasp's nest, because he got stung, and I was on the ground yelling at him to get down when suddenly the branch he was on broke and fell onto the ground. Daniel never moved once he hit the ground. The wasps swarmed him. I screamed so hard I lost my voice. I ran to get one of our horses and didn't even stop to saddle her up first and rode to town to get help. Dr. Ashton rode me back with both Pastor Jones and Joe Parker. When we got close enough, they grabbed up Daniel and placed him into the cart. Dr. Ashton said he broke his neck. I knew he was dead when I saw him, and it broke my heart. Daniel was my life. He was all stung up to boot. We laid him on our bed and Joe Parker left to get some town women to help clean and dress him for the funeral. So, I had a houseful that's all I remember; a houseful of people and a cup of red tea in my hand when suddenly Daniel sat up in bed. I felt relief. It was all a mistake. I was getting ready to tell him off for scaring me so when I suddenly realized... "
“I was out by the barn when Jeanine came running out of the house. She was holding her wrist, and I could see the blood from where I stood. A lot of blood. I ran to her and tried to stop it with my hand as she explained what happened. She had this fancy crystal dish she brought all the way from Pennsylvania. She kept it near the window where it could catch the sunlight. She was washing it when the dish slipped out of her hand. She went to grab it quick, and it sliced into her wrist as it broke. All the wash was hanging out on the line. I ran over and grabbed a sheet. By the time I got back to her, she had already lost consciousness. I picked her up and carried her to Dr. Ashton's. We live just past the edge of town and it wasn't far, but I thought I’d never get there.
He couldn't save her. She'd lost too much blood. I don't remember too much after that. People came and went taking care of things. The women cleaned and dressed her. Ralph Jenkins brought over a casket lined with something pretty like she was. They laid her in it, and I thought that the body didn'
t look like her anymore. I was appalled at how quickly her skin had dried out when... "
"Jeb just did not come home one night. He'd left to go hunting that morning and never returned. We waited supper for him till it was ice cold. He didn't like us to start without him and the man had a temper as most of you know. I let the kids eat, and had Molly watch out the window for him, while I put the little ones to bed. She was to call out when she saw him, so I could heat up his supper quick. It was the difference between him eating it or throwing it across the room because it was cold. Molly and I waited up for a while then I sent her to bed and waited alone. I wasn't worried yet. I still expected him to walk through the door at any moment. This had happened before. I fell asleep in my chair and was awakened by sounds from outside. I figured it was Jeb, but when I opened the door, there was no one there. I called out, but no one answered. I went back inside to get a lantern. I stepped outside hearing someone out near the shed. I called out again and stepped closer. I remember wondering why he didn't answer me as I stepped closer in the dark. Suddenly I stopped. I held the lantern high..."
"I was supposed to be watching my little brother. Kenny came by and asked me to go fishing. I thought it would do no harm to bring Jacob along so off we went. Jacob was having a great time. Kenny had caught a few fish, but I hadn't even got a bite. It was almost time to head home when suddenly I got a nibble. It was something big. It took the both of us to reel it in, but by the time we got him in, Jacob was nowhere to be seen. We began searching the creek. It wasn't even me who found him. It was Kenny who reached under the water and pulled him out.
"I wanted to die! I could already hear the screams from my parents when I carried him back. "Help me, Oh God help me, please." I yelled this out loud. I yelled it out to the world. Suddenly…"
****
"… that this wasn't Daniel anymore. Something else had taken over his body. I was staring at something with Daniel's hair and wearing Daniel's clothes but with sharp teeth and white eyes. A monster. Something that could kill me. It began to stand up from our bed. I heard screaming and realized it was me. The room filled with panic. It was Joe who grabbed a heavy log from the woodpile and smashed it in the head. Then the thing was still again. It was dead again... "
"… suddenly that shriveled body sat up. It looked at me. It gnashed its teeth at me. It was not my Jeanine. It stood up, still in the casket, and fell out. Then it stood again. It stepped towards me and I was frozen in place watching it happen. Ralph grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed it through the back. There was no blood. It didn't stop it. It stepped forward again. Dr. Ashton grabbed a pistol and hit it in the head hard enough to crack its skull. Then it collapsed. Not Jeanine but It. Whatever it was, it stole my Jeanine. I was angry. It made it easier to… "
"… I stifled the scream in my throat. I didn't want to wake the children. I didn't want them to see the monster that wore the clothes of their father. Fangs bit at the air that could no doubt tear the flesh from my throat if it found me. White eyeballs, with only the black pupil visible. Rough dried and broken skin. As its arms and hands began to reach toward me, I saw how its belly had been ripped open, its innards exposed. I remembered years ago when an uncle was gored by a wild boar. Was that what happened to Jeb? Was this Jeb? Rabies! I had seen a rabid dog once. This was similar. Very similar. I knew humans could catch it, and though I had never seen it; it was the only thing that made any sense.
"I held the lantern high keeping my eyes on the thing while I searched for a weapon. A shovel, or an ax, or any heavy tool, but Jeb kept everything put away, and it was so dark. The lantern only shone on a small area around me.
"The thing crept closer. I stepped back. If I could lead it out into the open, away from the house... but as I stepped back again, I tripped and fell backwards. I lay on the ground as that thing stepped closer. "God help me," I prayed. I had saved the lantern. I could still see. I had tripped over a big rock. I couldn't reach it with my hands though; that creature was too close. I remembered Jeb had a collection of big rocks he had been stockpiling to build an outdoor stove. If I could get to that. I scooted straight back. Just as I'd hoped, just as I'd prayed, that thing didn't seem to be able to pick up its feet so well and it tripped and sprawled out face first in front of me. I got to my feet just in time to step out of the way of his grasp.
"I found the rock pile to my right. I set down the lantern and found one as big as my head and grabbed it up with both hands. I smashed it down on the thing's head as it grabbed a hold of my ankle. I screamed. I couldn't help it, but I felt the skull crush on impact and its grasp died and let go. The thing went still... "
"… I grabbed my little brother from Kenny and laid him on the ground. I pressed on his chest. I breathed air into his mouth. I don't know how I knew to do this, but I was receiving a message of some sort. I was receiving the help I had asked for. From God, I think. I don't know how much time passed, but my arms were tired and sore. Still, I never gave up …"
****
"... we stood around in horror. Pastor Logan gave a eulogy for Daniel. One-by-one everyone said something nice as they said goodbye. But it was to the air. Not to the thing his body had turned into. Not to the thing the men dragged outside to the field and set fire to. It burned until there was nothing left but the ashes. The ashes were picked up by the wind and scattered away."
"… drag that thing outside and burn it. There was nothing left but ashes. When we had the funeral for Jeanine, and the whole town came, there was nothing in the casket but a few of Jeanine's personal belongings. I didn't want the ashes of that monster in there."
"… Molly came running out from the house. She had heard me scream. I told her to go get Joe Parker. I said I'd killed a rabid dog. I sent her to wake up Joe Parker and bring him back. He'd know what to do. He brought Pastor Logan and Dr. Ashton with him. They burned the body. They said it was Jeb. I asked if it were rabies and Dr. Ashton said he didn't know. I thought that odd, but the whole world seemed odd at the time. I told the kids and our friends that Jeb died from rabies. We had the funeral. The casket wasn't empty. I put some of Jeb's clothing inside, and some things of Jeb's… Like an offering to heaven of what was left."
"… And so when my parents saw me walking across the field with a limp Jacob in my arms, I thought to myself that I had done my best, I hadn't given up, and that thought was the only thing that kept me upright, that kept me putting one foot in front of the other, that kept me walking toward my parents who came running and screaming 'What happened?'
"When they looked at Jacob in my arms sopping wet with his eyes closed; I was able to tell them, ‘He's all right. He's okay. He's just asleep,' because back at the creek, Jacob suddenly sat up choking and coughing out water. Suddenly he took a breath and opened his eyes. Suddenly he had turned to me and asked me if I had caught the fish."
****
"It was horrible. I guess I never imagined what the dead rising would look like, or how scary it would really be. Pastor Logan is right. For some reason we were invited to witness something that I don't think has happened yet. Whatever it is, I now feel more prepared. With God as my strength, I am ready to face it."
"God took my Jeanine. I am at peace with that. I wouldn't dream of leaving Settlers Way."
"I guess Pastor Logan's right. If not for the miracle of Jeb rising, I never would have known what happened to him. He would have died somewhere out where he hunted, and I never would have known. I would have spent my days wondering where he was, waiting for him to come home."
"So that's why I believe Pastor Logan. Settlers Way belongs here. There's something powerful here that I feel is good. It helped me to save my little brother Jacob. I have no doubt that my prayers were answered, and I witnessed a miracle—even though I hope that I don't ever need another one."
****
Joe Parker stepped up to the podium again.
"Anyone else?"
Silence followed. Everyone looked around. At first no one moved, but then old Z
eke Perkins rose painfully from his chair in the back row and began walking toward the front. He walked slowly with a cane. People fidgeted while waiting. Zeke rarely spoke. He usually answered questions with one word, but he could get by with merely nodding his head and not speaking at all for months at a time.
Seth could not imagine what one word would come out of his mouth now. He waited painfully as Zeke made his way. At last he reached the podium. He turned to the audience. He cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Here's what happened. Big Bob died. He arose from the dead and bit his wife Frances in the arm. His son little Bob beat him off with an axe to his head. I helped him burn the body. A few days later, Frances was sick. I helped little Bob give her the elixir, but it didn't help. She died. Then she arose. She bit little Bob. I brought him the ax. We burned the body. A few days later little Bob was sick. I gave him the elixir, but it didn't help. He died. I burned the body before he could arise. Now there's no more family. The end."
Zeke turned and began walking back to his chair.
Seth was stunned. Everyone was stunned. "The end."
No one spoke until Zeke was back in his chair. Then everyone spoke at once. The panic that had been kept at bay was running rampant.
"The end" indeed.
****
The meeting ran for hours throughout the afternoon and continued into the evening.
It was Dr. Ashton who finally put most of the fears to rest. He did this in a soothing voice using words that no one entirely understood.
"It is not the end. As God created the world, he also created the forces of nature. We of the scientific community advocate to the theory that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Sometimes the opposite reactions are not what you would expect. Whenever faced with any problem, I have always found it useful to first compose the problem into a question. Then I answer the question. On dissecting our problem, I asked myself this question:
