“I’m ready to start whenever you say Fred, but it may take three or four days to finish.” Said Harris.
“Okay, you go start, I am going to pay you for the lumber, so don’t waste time trying to save it.” Harris headed for the dozer.
“Harrison, drink some of this, it will make you feel better.”
“What is it? Don’t put me to sleep.” Harris smiled.
“It won’t, I promise.” Beth smiled.
Harrison sipped it, he liked it and drank it all. Colt and Harris got on their horses. They rode together to the old road. It was not long until dark. This would be the last time they would ride the road until they tried to kill it. They arrived at the pit and Fred headed on toward the Adderley place. "You check this out Colt, and I am going to ride around the old house." Fred rode on. Colt rode around the same ground as he had the first time. He was mapping out how he would charge the creature when the time came. He got closer to the pit. There it was, beside the altar. It was sleeping. It had now been over six hours. Colt put his hand on his 45, his horse stood still and quiet as they watched the creature lying there. Fred rode slowly around the old house. He looked back and considered riding back to Colt. Fred got off his horse and walked toward the front door of the house. Colt listened, nothing happened, and he wondered where Fred was, he said he was going to ride by the house, nothing more.
Fred stepped inside. The place was spotless, beautiful, as though they had a full staff of servants. A huge painting of Bryce and Amelia hung over the cobblestone fireplace. Fred walked closer to the fireplace, and music began playing. The sound was distant, the song that played the first time he danced with Martha. It was their song. He turned and Martha was standing there, she looked exactly like she did the first time he saw her. Fred's eyes welled up with tears. His beautiful Martha was there and their favorite song was playing. She came close, Fred reached out and took her in his arms. She was cold like ice. He looked into her eyes. She had no eyes, just black holes. Then she was gone. The music stopped. He looked around and the room was empty.
The years took their toll on the abandoned house but the painting of Bryce and Amelia remained intact. When he looked at that painting, the enchantment began again. He was back with his Martha. She was singing. Martha loved to sing, he could smell his favorite peach cobbler in the oven. Colt came in the house. "Fred, where are you, Fred?" He was back in the broken down old house.
“I’m over here Colt.” Colt walked over to him.
"What are you doing? I waited, it's almost dark, you have been here for over an hour." To Fred, it seemed like only a few minutes.
"I just wanted to step in here and see what it looks like."
“Fred, I think it’s dead. It did not move at all for an hour.”
“Well good, let’s get back to my barn.” Fred and Colt got back on their horses and rode back to the edge of the fields. They stopped a minute as it was almost dark. Nothing happened, the woods did not seem eerie now. The rode back to Fred’s barn. They described what happened to Beth, and again, she cautioned them. She told them to stay away from there until they had the weapons. This time Fred was listening, and so they worked on tearing his barn down and stayed away from the pit. The next morning Colt rode about halfway down the old road. Nothing happened, so he went a little farther, still nothing, so, he rode to the Adderley house. Colt got back on the road but looked around the pit. He saw nothing at first. Then, he saw it moving. It was coming towards the road. He rode hard up the road and to the barn. “It’s awake! I saw it moving.” Said Colt.
"Okay, the weapons just came. They are in Harris's truck." said Fred.
The sword was a long sword, it had razor sharp, lethal edges on both sides. This sword was forty-two inches long, weighed only three pounds and was a replica of a 19th- century broadsword used to cut and slice. Meanwhile, Harris had been working on the barn and feeling much better. He liked the sword. He picked it up, swinging it, like a professional, Colt looked at the lance. It was ninety-three inches long, silver tipped, and the shaft blackened. "I still think I should shoot it in the head and finish it. "Said Colt.
“Well Colt, unless you think it won’t kill it, I think we should use the weapons I just paid for.” Said Fred.
“When are we going to kill it?” Asked Harris.
“I did not think you were going Harrison.”
"I want to be there, we are in this together, I’ve got your back, Fred."
“Okay, I am thinking around noon. I’ll see when Beth and Shawna will be ready.” Fred talked to Beth and Shawna and they agreed to meet at his barn at noon. It was a beautiful day, and Betty was curious about the way Harris was acting. The potion Beth gave him give him more energy. He had only been taking it a couple days, but she noticed a big difference in him. She did not want him going to try to kill that thing. They had plenty enough to take care of it without Harris
taking chances. “Harris, how much longer on Fred’s barn?”
“I believe we can burn the pile of lumber tomorrow. And, he wants to fill that shaft under it. I already have a mound of dirt that I can use for the fill. Probably tomorrow, honey.”
“What’s next for us? We going to stay around here?”
“I don’t think so Betty, I am thinking of looking around in West Virginia. Not the coal fields, the low lands. Somewhere between Huntington and Charleston. It’s beautiful over there. The same culture. What do you think?”
“I would love to move there, or to North Carolina. West Virginia is where my Daddy grew up.”
“I know, that’s where I would like to go from here.”
“Well, I will start packing and we can be ready to get out of here by morning.”
“Honey, I will finish tomorrow, and then Fred is going to pay me $12,000 for that lumber. If you want to go ahead and start packing, we will leave as soon as he pays me.”
“Do you mean it!!”
“Yes, baby, I mean it. We will hit the road as soon as he pays me.”
“Oh, Harris!!! Tommy! Dana! Sarah come in here!” The kids came running in the kitchen. “We are going to start packing, we are moving to West Virginia!!”
"That's where grandpa lives mom!" Tommy shouted.
“Yes, I know Daddy wants to move to the lowlands. So, we won't be far from where grandpa grew up. I am so happy right now.” Betty began packing. She and the kids, including Sarah, were all smiles, packing and thinking about a new home. It was noon and Harris went to join everyone at Potter’s barn. The time had come, they were going to kill the thing in the pit.
"Okay, so we just do what we did the other day, right?" Shawna asked.
“Yes, as you walk down the trail, you will change, and look like Amelia. Do not get close to the beast, just leave the meat and walk back up here.”
"I will be close by. honey," said Colt.
Shawna and Beth got in Fred's truck and drove to the old road. Harris drove his truck, Colt and Fred rode their horses. They all met and Shawna took the meat and started down the old road. Beth and Colt were standing at the edge of the road so they could see Shawna walking down the trail. Harris and Fred stood by Fred's truck. Fred had one of the Colt's 45, as did Harris.
The plan was for Shawna to give the meat, which they soaked in potion, to the beast. When she got back, Colt, Fred, and Harris would all go down there. Colt and Fred on horseback and Harris in his truck. Colt planned to charge the beast while it was sleeping and run the lance through it. He intended to kill it by piercing its side with the silver tipped lance.
Fred would back Colt up. If the beast was down, Fred would take the broadsword and slice its head off. Harris would back the truck down the old road so if they had to get out fast, they would not have to turn around.
The fog began to rise. They could hear it moving around, which they had not heard before. Now Shawna looked like Amelia, just as before her image enchanted the creature. She slowly took the meat and placed it at the altar. Then, when she turned, the creature was close to her fa
ce. It had angry eyes, the top of its head resembled a man. Its short snout was full of teeth. Short arms with claws for hands protruded from its serpent-shaped scaly body. Within fifteen feet of the thing its rotten stench was overwhelming.
She stopped and started to go around it. This time instead of devouring the meat, it moved in front of her. When its mouth opened, you could see rows of sharp teeth. It pushed Shawna causing her to fall backward in the mud. As she got up, it came towards her. Shawna started running, but the fog was thick and she was in thick muck. The creature did not chase her it went towards the meat. Shawna kept running, and she screamed. "Help! Help me!!"
Colt mounted his horse, “She is in trouble! I’m going to get her Beth!” Colt said as he headed down the old road.
“Be careful Colt, use the lance!” Fred jumped on his horse and followed Colt. Harris drove over to the road and Beth got in the truck. Harris backed about halfway down the road. The fog was rising. Colt could not see Shawna. He rode down the road within in sight of the Adderley house. Then he rode back towards the pit. He had no experience riding with a lance. He had never practiced with it. The creature was calling to him. He could not block it. Fred rode up to him. “Have you seen Shawna?”
“No, let’s kill this son of a bitch.”
“Help me Colt, please, help me.”
“We should have killed it the other day. I’m coming Shawna.” Said Colt.
"I'm right behind you," said Fred.
They moved slowly towards the pit. The fog began to lift. Colt positioned his hand on one of his 45s. Fred was now right beside him, he had his 45 drawn as well. The beast moved in front of them. Colt fired! Fred fired! The creature whipped its tail and struck Fred’s horse with a stinger. Colt charged it with the lance. He hit it but did not penetrate its scales. He was too close to it and did not have enough distance to build the momentum necessary for enough force to pierce its scales. Fred's horse was down, he managed to get up and he fired again at the thing's head. Colt rode past it but failed to pierce the beast with the silver tip. The beast headed for Fred. Harris heard the shots, and he got out of his truck. “I’m going down there, you stay here!”
“Harris, don’t go down to the pit. See whether they are okay first.”
“How could I tell that by not going to the pit?”
"It will kill all of you if it's awake and you charge that pit." Harris took the broadsword and had one of Colt's 45s "Wait, please drink this." Beth gave him a potion. Harris started down the road. He noticed the fog had lifted. The light shined so brightly off the broadsword, it was blinding. Fred made it to his feet and began to back away from the pit and out of the muck. He emptied the revolver shooting at the beast. He hit its right eye. Colt charged again, but slowed as he saw Shawna lying in the muck. He rode over to her, threw the lance down and hopped off his horse.
“Shawna, can you hear me, are you okay?” She was in shock. Colt got her on his horse and then he got on. Fred had backed the creature away when he hit its eye but he was out of bullets. Fred headed for the Adderley place. Colt rode around the beast and over to Fred. Harris was making his way down the road and was now within in sight of the Adderley place. Colt set Shawna down from his horse and Fred stayed with her. Colt rode over to Harris. “Is it dead? asked Harris.
"No, it's alive, and it's pissed. Fred's horse is dead and Shawna is in shock. Where's Beth?"
“She is in my truck. I heard several shots, did you at least hit it?”
“Fred hit its right eye, he would be dead right now if he had not. That damn spear did not penetrate its scales. We are out of ammo. We should have killed it the other day when we had a chance.”
“Forget the other day, get Shawna out of here. I’ll stay with Fred. I have bullets and this sword.”
“Harris, you have to get too close with that sword. It will kill you. I will bring more bullets out of my trunk and we will shoot its other eye out.”
“Okay, get her out of here.” Said Harris.
“Harris, our plan did not go well.” Said Fred.
"Colt is getting Shawna out of here. Then he will back more bullets. You shot one eye out if we can get his left eye, then I can cut him up with this sword."
"Harris, you can't get that close," said Fred. The fog began to rise again.
"Colt, get her out of here!!! Fred, you were in that old house the other night, right? Let's take a tour of it. The fog does not rise around it. We can't stay over here." Said Harris. Colt got Shawna on his horse and rode hard for the old trail. The thing came up towards the old road. The fog was thickening. It whipped its tail at the horse. Colt kept riding. It whipped it again. They got past it, Colt rode for Harris’s truck. Beth got out.
“How bad is she Colt?”
"I think she is in shock, she is not bleeding anywhere and no bruises." When Colt sat her down, he noticed a huge red spot on her back. "That was not there, look at it, Beth."
"Oh no, it has stung her with its tail. Colt there is nothing we can do."
“It must have hit her when we rode past it.”
"Honey, can you hear me?" Asked Beth. No response. Shawna lay lifeless on the ground beside Harris's truck.
“I’m going to get more bullets and kill the damn thing.” Said Colt. He hopped on his horse and rode to his car which he parked at Harris’s house. Beth looked back down the old road to see any sign of Harris or Fred but she could see nothing. Colt got to his Lincoln, Tommy was outside. Colt lifted his trunk and started loading and counting his bullets.
“Colt, where’s dad? Tommy asked.
“Your dad is with Fred, down at the Adderley place. We will be back soon.”
“Colt, what is my husband doing at the Adderley place?” Asked Betty Ann.
“Betty, you know what we are doing. I have to get this ammo back to them.”
“Tommy, go inside. What happened Colt?”
“Shawna is dead, it stung her and it also stung Fred's horse to death. Betty, we should have killed it the other day. Something went wrong, it did not eat the meat this time and Shawna cried out for help. I went to help her but I could not see. It raises fog. We could not find her and then it faced off with both Fred and I. I charged it with a lance but it had no effect on it. I don’t know how to use that damn spear. I can’t ride well with it. Fred shot its right eye out. So, I am going back down there and we are going to shoot its left eye out and cut it to pieces with that broadsword.”
"Oh, that poor girl. Where is Beth?"
"She is beside Harris's truck with Shawna's body. Betty, I must go now, if night falls on them, who knows what will happen. I won't let it hurt your husband Mrs. Blackstone, I'm sorry about all this."
“Don’t be sorry Colt, just kill it.”
“I can help them momma Betty. I can look like Amelia too.” Said Sarah.
“Hush! You get in your room right now!”
Harris and Fred stepped inside the front door of the Adderley place. "Okay, Fred I am going to give you three bullets until Colt gets back."
“Harris, this is a strange place and we can’t stay here for long.”
“That must be Amelia Adderley in that painting, she was beautiful.”
"Yes, she was, but don't look at that painting for too long."
“Okay, let’s look around some of the other rooms. This place has been here for how many years? They built this house in the 1940s, right?”
“Yes, around that time. I noticed that they built onto this house and joined it to the barn. I’ll bet there is a mine shaft, under this barn too. They had the tunnel from one barn to the other.”
“Let’s go look.” Said Harris.
The two men moved cautiously through the old house. Fred looked around for anything interesting. Harris stayed alert as he did not want anything from a cursed place such as this. The kitchen still had a table and chairs and a hutch full of dishes. They had silver everywhere. No one had been in that house since Amelia died. No one dared to enter. They went through the kitchen and disco
vered the floor was weak. So, they went outside. There was fog towards the pit but it was sunny otherwise. The headed for the barn. The barn door slowly opened as they approached.
There was not much to see, old farm equipment and old mining equipment. They headed for the other end. Fred stepped up and when he did the floor under him collapsed. He did not fall through but was hanging with his legs dangling. Harris ran to him but almost went through himself. “Get me up out of here Harrison!”
“I will Fred.” Harris ran and grabbed some rope and threw it over one of the ceiling joists of the barn. He could use it to pull Fred out. Fred heard something. It was water moving. Then, another piece of rotten wood fell, and he heard it splash below. Fred realized he was dangling over the old mine shaft. “Get me out of here right now Harrison!”
“Grab the rope and then I will pull you up.” Said Harrison.
Fred grabbed the rope and Harris began to pull him up. Just about the time Fred got through the floor, there was growl and then this beast came up through the barn floor. Fred quickly got away from it. He stumbled off the platform and ran thirty feet or so, away from that platform. It came up through the platform destroying it. This time it came six or seven feet above the old floor. Harris shot at it. "Get back Harris! For God's sake, that's worse than what's outside."
This beast had the head of a crocodile and rows of long, sharp teeth. It must still have access to the cavern through the old tunnel. All this time has passed, and it's been in that tunnel. Harris moved closer to the opening, and it came up again. This time he shot it, it groaned and tried to snatch him in its jaws. Harris noticed the last time, it did not get that high. In fact, it did not get as high as his waist. Harris took the broadsword and stepped over to the opening. When it came up, he swung the sword, it sliced into the beast under its head and across its throat. Harris pulled it back and swung a full swing again and cut the monster’s head off.
“How many of these things are there Fred?”
“I don't know this is different from the one in the pit. This one looks like the original creature. The one they described from the tunnel. You are a brave son of a gun, Harris. Where is Colt with those bullets?” Asked Fred
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