Undead at Sundown

by McCabe, R. J

  ‘Oh my god,’ Gina said.

  Trent rose to his feet looking down at the decapitated body and as he watched it began to jerk, before exploding into a pile of red mush. Trent turned towards the onlookers, his clothes splattered with red, his expression was grave.

  ‘We have big fucking problem’ was all he said.

  19

  Bill instructed Gina to go back to her place and told her he’d speak to her later, he also asked her not to say anything to anyone and she, in turn, gave him her word. That was good enough for him.

  Bill, Ken and Trent walked back across to the saloon where Jack had been since he had arrived that morning. He smiled when the three men entered the room and Bill could see it was now Jack who was a little worse for wear but couldn't blame him given the news he had received.

  ‘Welcome back Sheriff,’ said Jack, his arms spread open in a gesture of greeting.

  Bill tipped his hat on approach but the expression on the three mens faces was serious, something that Jack seemed to notice and his own expression came to match theirs.

  ‘Somethin' seems to be in the air around here,’ Jack said‘Just look at those miserable fuckin' faces.’

  The three men reached the table on which Jack was seated. All three of them looked down at him. He looked at each of their faces in turn. It was Trent who spoke first.

  ‘Mr Blackwater, I think I know who killed Joel and it’s very, very bad.’

  Jack eyed the Apache and then laughed. ‘Well, how bad can it be?’ he looked again at each of their faces, but no-one spoke.

  ‘Okay, okay, take a seat gentlemen.’ Jack looked towards the bar.

  ‘Monty, another bottle of whiskey over here please.’

  ‘Yes, Sir’ came the reply from the bar.

  Bill removed his hat and turned towards Trent before speaking.

  ‘Trent, can you tell Jack what you told us?’

  ‘Oooh, this sounds mysterious, I like it’ said Jack, he clapped his hands together and rubbed his palms.

  ‘Mr Blackwater, I think it was Apaches that killed Joel but I think it was more than that, I believe it was the dark magic.’

  Jack looked at Trent ‘Say what?’

  ‘Dark magic, very dark, like I have never seen but I've heard about it and this is the most powerful sort, the devils magic, is real bad Jack.’

  Jack folded his arms across his chest before speaking. ‘Hmm, Now you know I'm a little freaked out by all the hoodoo magical shit you've spoken to the boys about in the past, but to try and tell me that it’s the cause of my sons death, well that is just a bit unbelievable.’

  The big man let out a sigh. ‘There is ground not far from here, maybe half day’s ride and the ground is cursed.’

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. ‘Is that so? Well, is there some sort of proof to that, or is it just another one of those Apache tales you like to tell, cause as entertainin' as they are, I can’t help think that most of em are mythical bullshit.’

  Trent’s face was very stern‘The story of that land is well known amongst all of our kind. All Apache’s fear the ground.’

  Monty placed the whiskey on the table and then fetched another three glasses. The three men watched as Jack opened the bottle and poured out four drinks. He knocked back a glass of whiskey before slamming the glass down onto the table.

  ‘Man that is real good stuff. Right then Trent, why don’t you tell me the story of that land and I'll see what I think of it.’

  Trent picked up his drink and downed it, he made no expression afterwards, he simply placed the glass onto the table and began to speak.

  ‘The legend says that many years ago, an Apache by name of Jivana used dark magic to summon up a demon as he believed he would have control of the demon and would use it to rule, not only his tribe but all tribes. Once the demon appeared, it attacked Jivana and he became infected with a horrible disease. His life was gone but he walked, breathed, and fed on others. Those who he bit would turn same way, seeking to feed on the uninfected but also another hunger was within them to spread their affliction.

  It was discovered that the only way to stop the dead from walking was to destroy the brain as even an arrow through the heart would not stop them. Once all the infected were killed the Apache’s turned on the demon. He was powerful and killed many before they managed to capture him. He was taken back to where he had come from, the devil ground and was beheaded and then burned, his ashes scattered over the ground. Since that time, men who talk to the spirits have said the same thing of that land, that if anyone who has been wronged is then buried there, then part of the demon will enter their corpse and raise that body back from the dead to spread its disease once again but also to take revenge on their killer.

  After the demon was destroyed, spirit men from all tribes came together to place a spell on the ground. It is said that if ever an Apache is buried there, then he will not be able to inflict harm on his own people. We were never sure if that spell would work so none ever used it, until now.’

  Blackwater sat for a few seconds once Trent had finished speaking and then faked a shiver down his spine. ‘Now that is some spooky shit right there but I believe it was a livin' man of flesh and bone that killed my boy and I intend to cause whoever it was a whole lot of sufferin'’

  Bill cleared his throat and spoke up, ‘Jack, for what it’s worth, I am a man of facts, not rumours or legends but I feel there’s somethin' to what Trent here is sayin'’

  Jack shook his head and looked at the sheriff. ‘If you want to be a real law man then you need to keep to your values as there ain’t no room in life for ghosts, boogeymen and demonic infections. In the real world it’s too easy to put shit down to things like that, while some son of a bitch is gettin' away with murder.’

  ‘I know how crazy this sounds’ Bill said, 'But we saw somethin' today that has changed all of our minds and I think if u had been there it would have done the same for you.’

  Jack downed another whiskey and then crossed his arms, ‘Well, try me! Why don't you tell me what you saw and see if it changes my mind.’

  Bill recounted everything from the big cat arriving in the town the previous night to it’s beheading and obliteration in the cell. Jack listened but made no expression that might give away his thoughts on the tale. Once Bill had finished, the men sat in silence for a moment until Jack spoke.

  ‘Thats a hell of a tale Sheriff and maybe had I seen it for myself I might have different feelin's on the matter than what I got now, because what I got now are people tellin' me there are undead fuckin' mountain lions walkin' around. Don’t ya think it possible that maybe the thing had some kind of seizure and then recovered finally and got a second wind?’

  ‘It was dead!’ Bill said flatly

  ‘For christ’s sake I've had enough of all this prickin' around!’ Ken’s voice was full of frustration and anger. ‘The thing was fuckin' dead Jack, I saw it and Bill saw it, it was dead. When the sun went down the thing came back to life with half its guts hangin' out due to the bullets we fuckin' put in it. Now don't you suppose just for a second that maybe the Apaches have bought Eskadi’s son back by buryin' him in that God forsaken land and now he's come back with some kind of curse and maybe, just maybe he’s spread it amongst the people in your railway camp. Now they are likely holed up somewhere just waitin' till nightfall to start walkin' around again and I'll tell you somethin' else too, if that fuckin' son of a bitch mountain lion was anythin' to go by then they are gonna come to this town sooner or later and when they do, they ain’t gonna be walkin' around lookin' to buy groceries. They are gonna be wantin' to bite us in the ass and get us in their little posse of undead dribbling mother-fuckers.’

  Jack looked stunned at Ken’s outburst and then spoke. ‘Well, if that is the case then why isn't my son with them instead of lyin' dead as a dodo out the back of the sheriffs house?’

  ‘I never said I had all the answer’s Jack.’ Ken said wiping the sweat from his brow. ‘I'm just saying there is s
omethin' severely fucked up goin' on and I think a shit storm maybe be coming this way very soon, I can feel it in my bladder.’

  ‘What you feel in your bladder is most likely the effects of all the whiskey you and the Sheriff here have been drinkin'. Jack laughed as he said this but he looked around and found he was the only one. ‘Okay, let’s just say, for a moment that this is all the work of some spell. What the hell are we gonna do about it?’

  ‘I remember the stories when I was growing up,’ Trent said. ‘We were told that evil could spread from person to person and to save those people from eternal hell you had to take off their head or destroy the brain but this would not work on the one who had crawled from the cursed ground, their head would simply regrow and they will continue to walk the Earth at night. The only way to kill the source of the disease is to use the same weapon that killed them when they were in their human form. The way they were killed in their human form must be repeated.’

  Jack shook his head before speaking ‘What a load of fuckin' baloney!’ he began to laugh and laugh hard. ‘Regrowin'fuckin' heads? Oh my god, you expect me to buy that horse shit. Hey, at least I got a good laugh on the worst day I've ever had.’

  The big Apache turned and looked at Bill who simply shrugged.

  ‘Well,’ Bill sighed ‘We will see how tonight goes. If there are a bunch of undead folk walking about out there then sooner or later there are likely to find their way here and judging by the way that big cat acted, it will be when the sun goes down. So you can sit here and get drunk Jack but I suggest that you make sure the rest of your men stay vigilant until you decide what it is you're going to do.’

  Jack smirked. ‘Sheriff, I ain’t plannin' on doin'nothin' but sit here and be vigilant with my whiskey for the next few hours. Then, I'm goin' over to get me some female hospitality before I put my head down on a pillow and end what has been a bitch of a day.’

  ‘Sounds like you got it all sorted then Jack, good luck with that.’ Bill said and got up from the table. Ken followed suit and the two of them walked out of the saloon.

  Outside Bill looked around the town, it was quiet, which would normally be music to his ears but this evening there was something very eerie in it.

  ‘You believe all that stuff about demons comin' from hell and folks comin' back from the dead Bill?’ asked Ken.

  ‘Well, I don't rightly know but as stupid as I feel for sayin' it I'm leanin' towards a yes. I’d be fool to think I know everythin' that this world holds. Every-time I think I've seen it all, somethin' else pops up and surprises the hell outta me. This one though, I'm not sure if anythin' is gonna top this if it turns out true.’

  ‘Damn straight Sheriff’ Ken said before spitting on the wooden boards. ‘Damn straight. Im gonna go sit over in the office you comin'?’

  ‘No’ replied Bill, ‘I think I'm gonna sit and try and relax over at the house for a little while, I might join you later though.’

  ‘Well, okay then Sheriff. You take care now.’

  ‘Yep, you too Deputy, I don't think there will be any trouble in that place tonight’ Bill said gesturing towards the saloon. ‘I’d be very surprised if anyone fancies a drink in there knowin' that Jack and his men have been in there drinkin' since the middle of the day.’

  ‘I fancy you're right.’ Ken replied.

  Bill tipped his hat and walked down the stairs onto the street and made his way towards his house.

  20

  Bill was almost at the edge of town when he heard a voice call out.

  ‘Sheriff Bill?’

  Bill turned to see Gina standing in the doorway of her place. ‘Miss Murphy, what can I do for you?’ Bill tipped his hat as he spoke.

  ‘I just wondered if you fancied a little company? This place is kinda takin' care of itself at the moment and I figure maybe you could do with someone to listen.’

  Bill thought on it for a second or two ‘Well, Miss Murphy thats very kind of you but…’

  ‘But what?’ Gina replied. ‘You don't like my company Sheriff Bill? Or maybe you just don’t like me.’

  Bill thought about putting Gina right but then just decided what the hell. ‘You know what? You're probably right, I would be honoured to have your company for a little while.’

  Gina smiled, ‘Well thats all good then, just give me a moment.’

  ‘Sure thing,’ said Bill, smiling.

  Gina was gone for a minute or so before returning with a bottle. Bill gave a short laugh, ‘I don't know if I can take too many of those but I'll be happy to watch you drink it’

  ‘Bill’ said Gina now using his first name as she felt no-one could hear. ‘Don't be such a god damn pussy, you will drink with me.’

  ‘Well, when you put it like that’ said Bill. ‘Can’t get the reputation as a pussy now can I.’

  Gina linked her arm into his and handed him the bottle and together they walked the dusty road towards Bill’s house.

  Bill walked out onto the porch with two glasses, he placed them on the small table and took a seat opposite Gina who watched him. Bill looked up and caught her glance.

  ‘What is it?’ he asked, a smile on his face.

  ‘I find men always fit into holes.' She said, still looking at Bill.

  ‘I think you'll find thats just the small ones,’ replied Bill still smiling.

  Gina laughed. ‘Okay holes probably wasn’t the best way of puttin' it. Groups, yeah groups is better. Men can be put into groups with the other men they share traits with. Some men are tough talkin', some men are all about makin' money, some men sweet talk you to death when others talk to you like shit, I’m sure you get the picture. In that place over there we get the same types of men comin' in time after time, but rarely and it’s very rare indeed, we get one that I just cant gauge. Just when you think you have them and know what makes them tick, they change it all up and show you a whole different side which blows everythin' you thought you knew, straight outta the water. You are one of those men and the crazy thing is, old Jack Blackwater over there, he's another. I've known that man for a long time and I still don't know what makes him tick. So right now we have two complex men in our town when year after year we haven’t had one. What are you all about Sheriff Bill?’

  Bill looked at Gina across the table, she sure was a beauty, he thought. ‘Well, just because you think I'm complex Gina don’t necessarily make it so.’

  ‘No, it doesn’t but I'm usually right,’ she said, smiling.

  Bill laughed, ‘I bet your mother was some woman.’

  ‘She was firm but fair and full of wisdom, though her wisdom let her down when she left my daddy and me for that creep medicine man. When she was here though she used to talk rings around my father bless him.’

  ‘Hey’ Bill said. ‘Don’t you knock your father, he’s a hell of a man, the kind of man town’s like these need.’

  ‘Oh you don't have to tell me how great my daddy is Bill. He raised me, I'm fully aware of the kind of man he is, but my mother had him right under her thumb, I still think if she came back into town my father would welcome her back with open arms whereas i’d tell her to kiss my ass.’

  ‘A lot of men still hold a candle for the lady they loved. Your father is smarter than a lot of people seem to think I reckon,’ said Bill.

  ‘Daddy’s pretty smart alright, he just chooses to hide it well. If he’d have wanted he could have been sheriff but for some reason he always seemed happy bein' deputy.’

  Bill thought on it. ‘Well, thats just how some men are, they like to keep things just, but don't want to shoulder all of it. Ken would rather me tell him what’s to be done and then maybe he will advise on the idea rather be the one handin' out the orders and there ain’t nothin' to be ashamed of in that. He would give his life for this town I have no doubt about it.’

  ‘I agree with you Bill.’ Gina replied. ‘So is there a Mrs. James to be out there somewhere? Or are there any little Bills runnin' around?’

  Bill gave out a laugh. ‘I wonder
ed how long it would take for someone to ask that, I'm usually asked on the first day but hell its took a while this time.’

  ‘Well, I imagine people want to know, you being such a handsome man and all.’

  ‘So why the delay this time? Maybe I'm losin' my touch’ replied Bill with a laugh.

  ‘Oh I don't know about that Sheriff, maybe appealin' to an older crowd but not losin' your touch,’ replied Gina with a smile on her face. ‘Anyhow Bill, Stop avoidin' the question’

  ‘Oh is that what I was doin'? Well, excuse me. In answer to your question, there are no little Bills out there and neither is there a Mrs James to be. There was a woman, once, a woman who I loved dearly and together we tried many times to make a family but it just didn't happen. Maybe it was me, maybe not but we kind of decided to give up on the idea and concentrate on bein' happy with each other instead of thinkin' of what we couldn’t have. We moved from town to town and I think after a while she got fed up with all the shiftin' around. I tried to tell her that I needed to do what I was doin' in cleanin' up the places that apparently couldn't be cleaned up and I never found a single one I was happy to settle in. The last place I was the law in was a true hell hole and if I'm honest, I was glad she wasn't there to see it. When I knew I was leavin' there to come here I rode back to see her, to ask her to come with me but when I got there I could see that there was another who had won her heart. A good man, a tailor and I could see that he loved her very much. When I spoke to her I saw somethin' I hadn't seen in her eyes for a long time, happiness. She was happy and content and thats how I left her and I came here.’

  ‘Jeez Bill’ Gina replied, ‘That’s kind of a sad tale.’

  ‘Maybe for me but not for her, I'm sure she's happy now. The thing is Gina, if you talk to anyone long enough then you will learn they all got a sad story. I bet if I ask you, you'd have one too?’

  ‘Well, I guess my mother abandoned us when I was just thirteen at a time when I needed her the most. I was becoming a young woman and needed the guidance. I guess I'm a lot stronger for it now though.’