Cursed by Death

by Basia Pike

  Thomas Joseph Walker. Born 15th of June 1855, to Mary-Anne Walker and Joseph Malcolm Walker.

  Profession: Gunslinger.

  “I know what you’re thinking…” I looked up from the file. “Isn’t a gunslinger a rather immoral career?” I frowned at him. “This gunslinger is different. He is like Robin Hood of the Wild West. He only takes his gun up against those who deserve it, and is fighting by himself to counteract the corruption that fills his homeland.”

  “How do I travel there?” I asked.

  Andre pulled the same small metal ball he had been playing with at my apartment out of his pocket. “This device is the time travel device. You’ll use it to travel between times.” He passed it to me.

  There were magical markings all over the brass ball, which was no larger than a tennis ball.

  “How will I stop the Kugarar?” I asked.

  “Not just you, your team will help. You have to find the Creaturae before they do.”

  “Is this a team of witches?” I asked, assuming the only race powerful enough to stop them would be witches.

  “No, humans.”

  Humans? I shook my head. “Surely humans don’t stand a chance against vampires?”

  “The vampires behind the Kugarar tend to take a back seat. You’ll mainly come across their army of humans, with one man in particular. His name is Jensen Killoran, and he’s the army leader.”

  I took a long sip of water, forgetting it wasn’t alcohol and grimacing at the taste. “So, Thomas Walker will be my second-in-command?” I asked.

  “You have to meet him and decide that for yourself.”

  I sat in silence for a moment. I felt torn between the promise of finding those responsible for Jo’s death, and the fact that I would have to put my pursuit for revenge on hold.

  “What do you think?” Andre asked in between bites.

  “I’m not sure,” I muttered. Could I push aside the need for revenge that burned inside of me? The fact was I’d lost my way and had no idea where else to turn. The woman I let slip through my fingers would have gone straight to the coven to warn them.

  Andre leaned forwards over the table. “I told you what I can offer you. You’ll never find those responsible for your wife’s death if you remain here, but once you are part of the Verndarar it’ll open up doors for you to seek the truth.”

  “How do you know about my wife’s death?” I asked.

  He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me. I took that action as a reluctance to tell me.

  “How exactly can I get answers as part of the Verndarar?”

  “Time travel is a powerful thing. You can’t change the past, as you risk destroying the entire world. But, you can search the past for the truth, and I will help.”

  My head was a mess. It may be my only chance to exact my revenge on those who killed her which was the only thing I longed for in this world.

  “Don’t you want more to your life?” He took a long sip of water, never taking his eyes off of me.

  I looked up at him. The prospect of having a purpose in life wasn’t important to me. Revenge was the only thing I cared about. It was the only thing that kept me from going mad. But, if what he was telling me was true it seemed that the only way to ensure I found those people was to help him.

  I couldn’t deny that something else attracted me to his proposal deep down. He made it clear I couldn’t change the past. But, I knew time travel would give me the opportunity to see my wife again. “I’m in. It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

  A smug smile crept onto his lips. “Great, well, you can collect your possessions, and I will send you to meet Thomas after this meal.”

  I nodded and ate in silence.

  Am I making a mistake trusting this guy?

  .

  9

  We returned to my apartment. I’d agreed to his deal, but I wasn’t sure what exactly that entailed.

  “Here, go get packed and get dressed in these. You need to blend in.” Andre passed me an old-fashioned luggage trunk and a bag of clothes. Without a word, I headed into my bedroom.

  I didn’t have many possessions. Some clothes, toiletries, my wedding photo album, and a small bag of trinkets and mementos. Mainly things I’d given to Jo, or she’d given me. And the only family heirloom I owned: my father’s ring.

  Not that I had any family anymore. My family at heart were the Johnson’s who’d been cruelly ripped away from me, as had all my friends, and not to mention my wife. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about them. My mission for revenge was the only thing that kept me from loosing it.

  I hadn’t seen my dad since the day he tried to warn me about the danger… I couldn’t understand why he tried to warn me, but ever since guilt was one of the main things driving me. The fact that I could have saved Jo haunted me every single day.

  I wondered what else I didn’t know about my family and past, as I knew believed that my mother was half-werewolf and my father was telling the truth. I picked up the ornamental wooden box that housed the ring. It was a trinket that embodied everything I despised about him and his vicious character. The solid gold ring had my father’s crest on it, a heart with a dagger sticking out.

  Now that I was sober, for the first time in six months, I cast my mind back to the things I’d done since leaving Ely. Granted I hadn’t murdered anyone, but I’d been pretty ruthless.

  Am I turning into my father? I threw the box into the trunk on top of everything else.

  The clothes in the bag Andre had given me consisted of a linen shirt, waist-coat, cotton trousers, and old-fashioned overcoat. I put them on and then I picked up the top hat and placed it in the old-fashioned trunk. I glanced around the bedroom and racked my brain as to whether I had forgotten anything. Once I was sure I had everything I headed back into the living room.

  “Right, so what next?” I leaned against the doorway with my arms crossed, staring at the man who was standing in the middle of my living room.

  He glanced over at me and took a few steps towards me. “You use this to travel to Dallas 1876,” Andre said as he threw the little metal ball at me.

  I caught it barely. “How does it work?”

  Andre walked towards me. “Do you see on the side there is a small button?”

  I stared at it in more detail, and he was right. There was a tiny little button on one side. “Yes.”

  “Press it,” he said. I

  pressed the button and the ball shot out of my hand onto the floor. I watched as the ball expanded and a circular plate emerged. A film like portal shot up from the metal plate in an oval shape. It was mesmerizing, rippling with colors every second, green, blue, purple, red and pink.

  “What now?” I asked.

  Andre peered at me over his glasses. “You walk through it, and it will take you to Dallas 1876.”

  “But, how do I return from that time?” I asked

  Andre shook his head. “So many questions! When you walk through the portal will be transported with you. You’ll use it in the same way you have today, and it will take you to the alternate dimension where your base will be.” It was a lot to take in. “Right, off you go,” Andre said.

  I stared at him uncertain what exactly I was getting myself into. What if it’s a trap?

  “Wait, what about my magic?” I asked, glaring at the man who had stolen it.

  “Once you return we will discuss your magic. You don’t need it where you’re going.” I longed for my magic to be returned but felt there was no use arguing.

  “I just locate him and bring him back?” I asked.

  “I’ve a feeling he is the perfect fit as your deputy, but you must decide whether he is or not. You’ll be transported to 1876, Dallas, Texas. From there you need to integrate with him and try to learn if he is worthy of being your deputy.

  “Okay, how long should I stay there?” I wondered how long this task was going to take me.

  “You need to spend long enough to kno
w if he is someone you can trust and rely on. Learn if he is a good person and what qualities he may possess that will help the Verndarar. You can only discuss it with him once you have decided he is right for the team.”

  “What if he doesn’t want to come with me?”

  “You will need to bring him any way.”

  “Against his will?”

  “Yes, only so you can try to convince him. If you can’t, then he can return to his old life.”

  Andre held a gun and belt in his hands. “You will need this.” He passed them to me.

  I looked down at the gun in my hand. “What am I supposed to do with these?”

  “The gun is for safety. You will be stepping into a dangerous period of history.” I wrapped the belt around my waist under my coat and fixed the gun in the holster.

  “Now off you go and I will see you once you come back through the portal,” Andre said.

  I gulped as I stared at the portal. My heart pounded in my ears and my legs shook.

  Oh, what the hell! What’s the worst that can happen?

  I walked into the machine and total darkness cloaked me. A sense of falling ensued for a long time. My stomach was in my mouth as I fell through nothingness. Finally, it seemed there was light at the end of the dark tunnel below me.

  I looked down to see a filmy barrier over the light, similar to the barrier I’d walked through a moment ago. It was approaching at a ridiculous speed my mouth was being contorted as I hurtled towards it. I shut my eyes as I crashed through, feeling myself flung forward.

  Then there was nothing.

  I woke with the sun beating down on my face as I lay on a hard and dusty dirt track. I squinted, trying to let my eyes adjust to the suns bright rays.

  I sat up and was greeted by a terrible nauseous feeling. I leaned to one side before vomiting the pizza I’d eaten onto the dusty ground beside me. I felt awful.

  Damn motion sickness! I wiped my mouth and tried to survey my surroundings. I could see a town in the short distance, and I assumed it was Dallas.

  I stood and waited a moment for the motion sickness to subside. My coat was covered in dust, so I brushed it off. The town was five hundred meters in the distance so I trudged in the heat towards the entrance. The only sound was the metal hinges of the wooden town sign swinging in the wind.

  I walked through the center of the desolate street. The buildings looked old and tattered; most of them had bullet holes in the sides. Some were boarded up completely, and others looked like they had been victims of a fire.

  I carried on cautiously toward the saloon I could see in the distance. Where is everyone? I almost expected tumbleweed to roll past any moment, like the movies.

  On my left, I could see some people looking out of the window at me. They ducked the moment I glanced towards them. That didn’t put me at ease.

  I walked through a swinging door dragging the heavy trunk behind me into the saloon. It was packed which explained why it was so quiet in the street. It went silent and everyone in there stared at me. My breathing became rapid as I walked towards the bar.

  “Whiskey please,” I said to the barman, who was eyeing me suspiciously. He nodded, and I took a seat on a stool leaving my trunk to one side. The saloon was quiet. Although people began to chat amongst themselves I could feel their eyes burning into my back.

  “What brings you to town?” the barman asked as he placed the glass of whiskey on the bar.

  “I’m passing through,” I said. The barman’s eyes narrowed. “I intend to stay at a local hotel.” The bartender gave a half nod. I sipped on the strong whiskey, not wishing to draw unwanted attention.

  I heard the clinks of boots with spurs approaching me. I didn’t dare turn around until I felt a tap on my shoulder. Three men were standing with their legs wide apart behind me.

  “Can I help you?” I asked.

  “We don’t want no bunko artist in our town,” the man who’d tapped me said.

  “No what?” I asked, and the man spat on the floor.

  “Bunko artists. So, we don’t want ya here.” I felt utterly defenseless without my magic. It dawned on me that without magic I literally had no idea how to defend myself.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what that is, but I don’t want any trouble.” The man took a step closer. Everyone was silent in the saloon, watching us.

  “I don’t care what ya want. This is our town, and we don’t want ya here.”

  “Chuck! What do ya think y’all doing?” A young man with short blond hair was standing leaning against the doorframe. He was tall and well-built, with bulging muscles.

  “What’s it to ya, Walker?” he asked, his finger tapping the gun on his belt. Walker? I was staring at the man I was looking for.

  The man who’d been speaking with me turned to face Thomas. His hand rested on his gun. “Leave the city slicker be.” His eyes narrowed.

  Chuck spat on the floor, glaring at me. He then walked out of the saloon with his two men in tow. Thomas headed towards the bar.

  “Sorry about Chuck. He’s all hat, no cattle. I’m Tom.” He held out a hand for me to shake.

  “No problem. I’m Elijah,” I said. “Have a drink with me?” It was the perfect opportunity. I signaled to the bartender for another whiskey. Tom sat down next to me on the empty bar stool.

  “What brings a city-slicker like you to our town, then?” Tom asked, obviously detecting I wasn’t from around her from the clothes I was wearing.

  “Just passing through. I’m not sure how long I will be here yet.”

  Tom nodded slowly, as the bartender placed his whiskey down on the bar. “What ya do?” Tom asked, and our eyes met for the first time.

  “I’m a banker,” I said.

  Tom’s brows furrowed. “A banker, huh? I wouldn’t tell many people that.”

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “You’ll be held for ransom. Most of the people around here are crooks and criminals.”

  “What do you do?”

  “I’m a gunslinger.”

  “A good one, I would assume. As we are having this conversation right now.”

  “I’m alright, but I only challenge half-wits and bullies.”

  “How do you earn a living?” I asked. I knew gunslinger wasn’t really a profession.

  “The people I duel are normally wanted criminals. I collect the rewards.” Tom took a long swig of his drink and then stood. “It was nice to meet ya, Elijah, but I must be off.” I stood too, and Tom raised an eyebrow.

  “Do you think you could show me around?” I asked. Tom looked at me with uncertainty.

  “Where are ya staying?” Tom asked.

  “I was hoping to stay at the local hotel. Could you show me where it is?”

  “I could, or if ya want ya can stay with me. I’ve a spare room.” He shrugged.

  “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

  “Sure’nuff, no trouble at all,” Tom said in his Southern drawl.

  “That would be great, thanks!” I followed Tom back out into the dusty street. We walked no more than a minute, and he stopped outside a small shack with a rotten door.

  “It ain’t much, but this is my home,” Tom said. I was quietly taking in the room in front of me. It was basic, with two tattered armchairs on one side and a small wooden table with two wooden chairs on the other.

  “Do you have any family?” I asked.

  Tom froze, his shoulders rigid. “Nah, my family was killed when I was young.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. I wondered if that’s why Andre had sent me to meet him. We’d both lost our families.

  Tom walked to a door on his left and opened it. “This is the room ya be staying in. Ya can keep belongings here. They’ll be safe.”

  I clutched tightly onto the handle of the trunk and nodded. I placed my trunk under the small hard-looking bed. I wasn’t sure about leaving it there. All the possessions I held dear in this world were contained in that case. I walked back
into the main room of the house.

  “What else is there to see around here, then?” I asked.

  “To be honest, not much.” I took a seat in one of the old armchairs. “How’s ‘bout we have some chuck and then head back to the saloon later? There’s a poker tournament I’m gonna win.”

  “Sounds good to me,” I said, and Tom busied himself in what I believed was his kitchen. I was worried I would be ill, as Tom’s home wasn’t the cleanest I had ever been in. I was also pretty sure 1876 was a little backward on hygiene compared to 1958.

  10

  Within an hour we were headed back towards the saloon, where people were gathered, ready for the tournament.

  “Ya gonna play?” Tom asked, turning to me.

  “No, I’ll sit this one out. You want a drink?” I asked, and Tom nodded. I headed towards the bar and noticed Chuck, the man who had approached me earlier, fawning over a young woman who looked unhappy at his advances.

  Despite wanting to help her, I knew it wouldn’t do me any good. I had to try to stay as inconspicuous as possible. I asked the barman for two whiskeys and headed back to Tom.

  “That Chuck looks like he’s up to no good again,” I said as I placed our drinks down on the table.

  Tom glanced over towards him. “He’s always annoying the ladies. If he does anything, he’ll regret it. I ain’t accepting no rapists, thieves, or crooks in my town.”

  Tom counted out his chips and stacked them to one side. I took a seat a little way behind him and watched the poker tournament commence.

  Tom was pretty good. Well, as far as I could tell. I’d never played poker, but a number of his opponents were obvious with their tells. One man rapped his fingers against his teeth before bluffing, and another played with the edge of the card. I think Tom noticed these tells too, as he comfortably won the tournament.

  “Congratulations,” I said.

  He had a smug smile on his face. “Thanks, let’s head back.” I was surprised that he stopped outside the saloon and beckoned three young boys over.

  “Ya three have this and get some food for ya’ll families.” He gave them each a few coins from his winnings.