by Lukens, Mark
Old Woman Sloane wasn’t afraid for herself, not tonight anyway. She knew the evil spirits would pass her by tonight to get to David. But if the killer murdered David, if the shaman was killed, then the Ancient Enemy would be free and more powerful than ever. Nothing would be able to hold it back. The Darkwind would move across the landscape like a tidal wave, killing whoever it wanted, whenever it wanted: whole villages, towns, cities. It would be a plague like no other ever seen before, a true apocalypse. The Fifth World would be over and there would be no other worlds after this one. No new suns would rise again.
*
Officer Sam Yazzie of the Navajo Tribal Police patrolled the streets of Iron Springs in his Dodge Durango. It was his night off, but everyone had either been called in tonight or had volunteered to patrol the roads. The word was that Captain Begay had called in a tip about a possible serial killer, and everyone trusted Begay. Sam didn’t mind being out here tonight; he prayed for the opportunity to nab this murderer, the person (or persons) who had killed Jim Whitefeather and John and Deena. Sam had known all three of them, but he had been close to John and Deena Bear.
The day had been warm but the night had cooled the air quickly. All businesses were closed, owners and workers home now, all of them locked up inside their homes and trailers. Maybe nothing would happen tonight. Maybe the killer wouldn’t come tonight, or even tomorrow night, but Sam would still be ready. He and the other officers had agreed to take turns patrolling the roads, especially out by Randy Tahoma’s ranch, John and Deena’s empty home, Awenita’s house, and Captain Begay’s house. They had agreed to have two squad cars in Iron Springs at all times tonight, while everyone else patrolled the territory surrounding the town—a vast expanse of land to cover. But with everyone locked up inside their homes, Sam felt confident that one of them would be able to spot the killer driving into town tonight. If he came.
Sam believed the killer’s target might be David Bear or even Captain Begay. Perhaps the killer was coming back for some unfinished business, or for revenge against Captain Begay for halting his killing spree. Captain Begay had never taken credit for stopping the murderer, but many around here believed that the captain had something to do with running the killer off. Sam didn’t know if that was true or not, and he wasn’t going to ponder questions he didn’t know the answers to.
It was going to be a long night, but Sam had a thermos full of coffee and a bag of beef jerky. He would be ready if the killer came tonight.
CHAPTER 23
Begay
Iron Springs, New Mexico
David and Awenita were settled in Begay’s home. They had followed Begay back to his house in Awenita’s minivan. She had parked right beside Angie’s car in the driveway and Begay had parked his pickup in the gravel to the left of the driveway.
Angie had cooked a fine dinner and for a little while the evening felt like a normal gathering, like he and Angie had two guests over for supper. But this wasn’t a normal evening; everyone was tense. The small talk felt forced. Begay caught Angie’s eyes a few times as they ate dinner, and he saw the worry in her eyes.
After dinner Awenita insisted on helping Angie with cleaning up the kitchen and putting the dishes away. Begay checked all of the windows and doors once again. He had gotten his old police belt out and adjusted it to fit his waist, then shoved his pistol down in the holster on his hip. He checked the shotgun and the two rifles he had positioned around the house, making sure they were all loaded. He knew they were, but it was just a nervous habit. He made sure their cell phones were charged up and that they had candles, lighters, and flashlights ready if the electricity went out. If their dog was still alive, he could have been helpful, at least he would have heard, or even sensed, something outside before they would have. But he had died two years ago and they hadn’t gotten another one—Angie said she couldn’t bury another pet. They didn’t have an alarm system, but Begay was going to do his best to stay awake tonight.
Begay was in his man-cave now. Angie came in and walked up to him. That concern was in her eyes, but it was more than that; she was afraid.
“I had the worst dream last night,” she told him as she touched his arm.
Begay held his wife, hugging her, holding her close.
She pulled away and stared at him. “I saw the killer in my dream. But he was just a shadow. I could see his outline, but I couldn’t make out any of the details. Except one—his eyes. They glowed in the darkness, like two pinpoints of light. I ran and ran, but it seemed like the killer was always right behind me. He grabbed me and turned me around to face him. He held my arms and I couldn’t move. He stared at me with his yellow eyes. They were glowing in the dark. They were like a cat’s eyes. Like a cougar’s eyes. But I couldn’t see his face. He said he wanted to show me something, show me what was coming.”
“It was just a dream, Angie,” Begay told her, but he felt the chill dancing across his skin and the pit of fear in his stomach. After the things he’d seen in the ghost town seven years ago, anything was easy to believe, including any premonitions his wife had.
“No,” Angie said sharply. “The killer in the dream showed me what was coming. I saw a ghost town in the desert. And then there was this tidal wave coming, a black wave at least fifty feet high, blocking out the sky as it came. But it wasn’t water; it was just blackness, like a solid thing, like a wall. It was wiping everything away, eating up everything in its path.”
Begay wiped at the tears in his wife’s eyes with his big thumbs. And then he hugged her again, holding her tight for a few moments. For such a strong woman she felt so small and fragile in his arms right then. “It will be okay,” he whispered. “I’m not going to let anything happen to us.”
Angie trembled in his arms, and she seemed to be relaxing a little. But then she ripped herself away from him, staring at him. “He’s here,” she hissed.
Just then there was a loud knocking at the front door.
Angie turned and stared at the door that led into the kitchen, and then the dining room and living room beyond that.
David and Awenita were in the doorway a moment later, both of them staring at Begay and Angie. “Someone’s at the door,” Awenita whispered.
Begay drew his pistol from the holster on his hip. “Come in here,” he told David and Awenita. “Wait over there by the bar. You too, Angie.”
All three of them hurried over to the bar.
Begay went to the door that led into the kitchen. He looked back at his wife, Awenita, and David; he gestured at them to get down behind the bar.
The knocking continued at the front door. The knock seemed urgent, but not as forceful as before. Begay crept through the house, passing the dining room, and then he entered the living room. Most of the lights were off. The TV was still on, providing the only light in the room, but either David or Awenita had turned the sound all the way down when they’d heard the knocking at the door.
Begay moved closer to the front door. There was no window in the front door, but there was a peephole. He thought about peeking out the living room windows that looked out onto the front porch, but he didn’t want to be seen by whoever was out there. Instead, he would look through the peephole. The front porch light was on and he would be able to see who was out there.
But he still hesitated. He’s here, Angie had just whispered right before this person started knocking at the door, right after she had told him about her nightmare.
Was it the killer out there? Had Angie sensed him coming? But if it was the killer, why would he knock on the door at ten o’clock at night, standing under the glare of the porch light? Why would he give himself away like that? Or were there others with him? David said he dreamed of only one killer. Palmer insinuated that there was only one suspect in the killings in Colorado. But maybe they were both wrong, maybe there were two killers. Or even more.
The knock sounded again, so loud now that Begay was this close to the door.
“Captain Begay,” a voice yelled from behi
nd the door. It was a man’s voice, a deep voice.
Begay recognized the voice but couldn’t think of who it was right at that moment.
“Captain Begay, open up,” the man said.
“Who is it?” Begay yelled. He was still a few steps away from the door, his gun aimed at it. “Identify yourself.” His years of police training were automatically taking over.
“It’s me,” the man said, “Billy Nez. Let me in. I have come to help.”
Billy Nez was here? It took a few seconds for Begay to wrap his mind around that. He took three steps to the door and peeked through the peephole. In the fisheye view through the lens Begay saw Billy Nez standing on his front porch. Billy was a few steps back from the door like he knew Begay would want to see him through the peephole. Billy wore old faded jeans and a bulky black hoodie with the hood down. He carried a small black duffel bag. His dark hair was pulled back into one long braid and under the porch light the strands of gray were showing. The wrinkles were etched in his tan face and his prominent brow hid his eyes in shadows.
“Captain Begay?” Billy said.
Begay unlocked the door and opened it. “What are you doing here?”
Billy Nez’s face remained solemn, almost devoid of all expression as he stared at Begay. He lifted the duffel bag in one hand just a few inches, just a shrug of his shoulder. “I came to help.”
Begay looked past Billy into the front yard, but all he could see was darkness out there beyond the light. He didn’t think Billy had driven to his house because it never seemed like Billy had a vehicle or even a driver’s license.
“A friend dropped me off,” Billy said like he was reading Begay’s mind.
“I thought you said you couldn’t do anything to help us,” Begay said. “When I brought David to you today, you said there wasn’t anything you could do.”
Billy shrugged again. He hadn’t moved a muscle; he was still standing in the same spot.
Begay heard Angie, David, and Awenita gathering behind him in the living room. He turned and glanced at them. There was something about the way they were staring at him, the fear in their eyes.
That’s when the thought popped into Begay’s mind. He remembered being in that ghost town seven years ago when David had battled the Ancient Enemy. He remembered how easily the Ancient Enemy had controlled animals and people, even dead people. He had seen the Ancient Enemy controlling the two dead people who wore David’s parents’ skinned faces over their own faces like masks. He remembered the spiders pouring out of the woman’s mouth, all of the snakes and birds trying to get inside the church.
Was that really Billy Nez out there, or was the Ancient Enemy already inside of him?
Begay looked back at Billy Nez and realized that he had left the front door wide open. Billy was only a few feet beyond the threshold, standing very still. The wind out there had picked up suddenly, a blast of howling wind roaring across his front yard, rattling the leaves of the cottonwood trees. It sounded like things were moving around out there in the darkness. Dangerous things. Poisonous things.
I don’t know if I can do this again.
Begay still couldn’t see Billy’s eyes under his brow, his eyes lost in shadow. Billy still waited on the front porch to be invited inside.
Like a vampire.
Begay aimed his gun at Billy Nez. “How do I know it’s really you?”
CHAPTER 24
David
Iron Springs, New Mexico
Billy didn’t even flinch as Captain Begay aimed his gun at him. He didn’t try to run or raise his hands in surrender. He didn’t take a step back or show any fear at all. It was like he’d been expecting this from Begay, like he’d been prepared for it.
“How do I know it’s really you?” Begay said again.
“I am me,” Billy said. “I am Billy Nez.”
David knew the Ancient Enemy was out there somewhere in the darkness, but he also knew it wasn’t inside of Billy Nez right now. He took a step towards Captain Begay. “It’s okay,” he told him. “It’s really him. The Ancient Enemy isn’t inside of him.”
“You’re sure?” Begay asked without turning around to look at David.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
The wind was blowing harder now, sand swirling at the edge of the front porch that disappeared into the darkness. The wind blew Billy’s clothes, rippling them, but he stood very still, washed in the front porch’s light.
Begay let out a breath and lowered his weapon. He stepped back and gestured at Billy to come inside.
Billy entered quickly and Begay closed the front door on the wind. He twisted the little knob on the door handle, locking it.
“An evil is coming,” Billy said, looking right at David. “I believe you that it’s happening again. I want to try to help.”
“I thought you said you couldn’t do anything to help,” Begay said.
Billy shrugged. “Maybe I cannot, but I can try.”
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Begay told Billy. “I don’t know if you really understand exactly what is coming, what it is and what it can do.”
“I want to help,” Billy said. If he was offended by Begay’s words, he didn’t show it. “I have to try to help. I have to honor my ancestors. If I die tonight, then I die. Any day is a good day for a warrior to die.”
“Okay,” Begay said. He nodded down at the big black bag Billy was holding. “What’s that?”
“My medicine bag,” Billy said with a secretive smile.
Begay didn’t question Billy anymore; he went back to his chair and sat down, wincing like his feet were hurting. He picked up the remote control and turned the TV off. The living room was mostly lost in shadows now with only the light in the kitchen on.
Billy walked into the dining room and set his medicine bag on the floor. He unzipped his hoodie and took it off, folding it neatly over one of the dining room chairs.
Angie was in the kitchen now, and she seemed to relax a little now that Billy was inside and the front door was locked again. “Are you hungry?” she asked. “We have some leftovers in the refrigerator.”
“No, thank you,” Billy said to Angie, but then he looked at David. “We do not have much time. We must prepare.”
David entered the dining room as Billy opened the large black duffel bag. He pulled out a small jar of red liquid that looked like paint, but David knew that it had owl’s blood mixed in with it—the same thing Joe Blackhorn had used in the church. Billy pulled out a small paintbrush. “Sit here,” he gestured at the dining room chair at the head of the table.
Angie went back into the living room and sat down on one end of the couch. Awenita was at the other end.
It took almost an hour for Billy to paint all of the ancient symbols onto David’s hands and forearms. He never spoke as he painted, but he sang old and powerful songs under his breath in Navajo. He also burned some herbs in a small dish that gave off a pungent but somewhat pleasant odor.
When Billy was done painting the Anasazi symbols onto David’s skin, he put the “paint” and brush away. He pulled out a necklace of beads from his bag and handed it to David. “Do you know what these are?”
“Ghost beads,” David said.
Billy nodded.
Joe Blackhorn had told David about ghost beads before. The necklace was usually made from dried juniper berries with holes drilled into them so a thin piece of leather could be run through them to create a necklace. The ghost beads could give the wearer protection and peace from evil spirits. And the Ancient Enemy was the worst of the evil spirits.
David put the necklace on. It laid on top of the other necklace that Billy had given to him this morning, the one with the silver charm on it that held the lock of his own hair from over a hundred years ago inside. He looked down at the necklaces against his chest, then he stared at the symbols painted on his hands and forearms. He didn’t know what the symbols meant, but at the same time he did. He had written these same symbols before, d
rawing them in a spiral notebook in Tom Gordon’s cabin that Stella had given to him. Those symbols had helped him, Stella, and Cole before in that cabin when the Ancient Enemy had attacked, maybe they would help again.
“These things will help,” Billy said as if reading his mind, gesturing at the necklaces that David wore. “But the power lies within you. It always has.”
David just nodded. He wished he knew what to do. Everyone kept telling him that he already knew what to do, but he didn’t. He had no clue what to do.
The wind picked up again outside, sand pelting the windows of the house. Begay kept watch in his recliner lost in the shadows of the living room. He kept his gun in the holster on his hip, and he had the shotgun down on the floor beside him.
Angie and Awenita were still on the couch, both of them quiet, beginning to nod off.
David looked back at Billy. “I’m sorry I said something about you being a witch earlier today,” he told him in a low voice.
Billy smiled. “It is okay. Witchcraft is not something to be afraid of. There is not only light in this world and there is not only dark in this world. They exist together. Sometimes they overlap, and we must know both worlds well.”
David just nodded again.
Billy’s smile disappeared. He hesitated for just a moment like he had something difficult to say. “I have to make an apology to you.”
“To me?” David asked. “For what?”
“Earlier, when you and Captain Begay visited me, I should have told you something. It is the reason I am here now. There is something you need to know.”