“Mount up, and Jerry don’t forget the Padre!”
Frogger
Within a matter of minutes, the small band of highwaymen had remounted their horses and were ready to move. Jerry had a bit of trouble first locating the Priest’s horse and then loading Father Callahan’s unconscious body across the back of the animal. Only with Oliver and Jamie’s help was he finally able to get the incapacitated man secured and then climb into the saddle himself. The riders rode five abreast with Cort riding at the center and Jerry just at his right.
The troop moved along the abandoned highway heading in the same direction in which they had started at a steady trot, everyone eager to find their way free of this place. This time no wall of wreckage blocked their path. In fact, as far as Jerry could see, there was no sign of any vehicles wrecked or otherwise along this stretch of highway. The snowfall that had been constant on the other side had stopped, and this roadway looked as if it had wiped clean with only a light dusting of snow across the eight icy lanes.
“How much further?” Jamie demanded.
“I don’t know,” Jerry replied honestly.
Cort pulled his horse to a halt, and the group followed his lead. The big man then turned his head slightly to the side, and at first, Jerry thought the Lieutenant was looking at him. Then as the silence grew he realized the man wasn’t looking at all but listening. Jerry was about to ask him what he heard when Cort barked.
“Shut the hell up!”
The deserted highway was now silent with not even the faintest of breezes stirring the light snow. Jerry and the other riders found themselves holding their breaths as they strained to listen as well. Then Jerry heard…something. It was faint and gone nearly as soon as he had realized it was there. It had sounded like an off timed beat of his own heart. He strained to hear it again, and after several more seconds, it returned. This time it was slightly louder more substantial it seemed then it was gone again.
Jerry looked up at Cort, “What is it?” he whispered.
“Not sure but I’ve got a feeling it’s getting closer. Let’s move!” the Cavalryman shouted.
Needing no further prompting the outlaws took off racing down the freeway as fast as their ghostly steeds could carry them. They ran scared with more than one man glancing back over his shoulder looking for their unseen pursuer. The terrible pace set by the tireless mounts ate away what must have been miles of highway, but here in Jerry’s hellish version, they saw no changes in the roadway, no exits or signs. They seemed to make no progress at all.
Then between the clatter of the rider’s hooves, Jerry heard it again, the same distinctive thump but this time louder and undoubtedly closer than before. He turned his head and saw Cort draw his pistol obviously the Cavalryman had heard it as well. Then from somewhere to the left, Shinji let out a cry but if it was a word in Mongolian or simply of panic over the clatter of the horses Jerry couldn’t tell.
The giant Toad came hurtling down out of the ice fog and smashed into the concrete just to the right of Jamie. The impact of the landing shook the roadway sending shards of broken ice and bits of concrete flying. The gunfighter cursed and yanked his horse’s reins hard to the left trying to steer clear of the beast. Luckily for Jamie, the beast seemed somehow stunned and almost lethargic as its large yellow eyes slowly widened upon seeing its prey. The Toad slowly began to turn itself, readying for another leap but even as Jerry and the other riders fled he could see the thing was moving awkwardly.
It hit Jerry a moment later, the last they had seen the beast out on the plains it had been a vibrant green. Now its skin was dark blue with streaks of unhealthy looking black and patches of white frost. Though a hell-spawned giant, the thing was still cold-blooded it seemed, and the winter weather was taking its toll.
Turning Jerry looked over at Cort. and shouted, “It’s cold-blooded!”
“What the fuck does that mean?” he shouted back.
“It can’t survive in the cold for long,” Jerry yelled.
“That’s real helpful carpetbagger! How about you go back there and convince it to take a break just long enough to freeze to death then?” Jamie shouted.
Behind them, the demonic Toad launched himself into the air again in pursuit. Immediately Cort shouted, “Scatter!”
The riders began to spread out widening the distance between one another in a desperate attempt to avoid the demon hurtling down on them from above. The beast arrived a split second later crashing to the concrete just to Shinji’s left. This time the demon was ready and opening its jaws wide launched its massive tongue out at the fleeing Mongolian. The thick, sticky appendage struck Shinji squarely between the shoulder blades. Jerry watched in horror as the warrior leaned forward and seemed to struggle with a bit of leather strapping at his chest. A moment later and the tongue retracted nearly pulling Shinji free of the saddle. Jerry heard a large snap and saw the warrior rock forward into his saddle with one of his arms hanging limply. The tongue shot back into the demon’s mouth carrying with it the warrior’s quiver of arrows that it had ripped free. The beast bit down greedily smashing the dozen or more arrows easily before spitting them out onto the frozen highway.
“What the fuck is that?” Jamie shouted.
The gunslinger raised a hand and pointed, but he wasn’t pointing behind them, he was pointing ahead. Jerry whipped his head around, the ice fog had grown thick, but in the distance, a light was rapidly forming.
“Jerry, is that a way-out?” Oliver asked.
Jerry stared ahead at the pale light trying to make sense of what he saw in the middle of this seemingly senseless place. He didn’t know what the light was, but he knew it didn’t feel right, it didn’t feel like a way out.
“I, I don’t think so!” he shouted.
“Well, then what the fuck is it?” Cort demanded.
Behind the fleeing riders, the demon Toad launched itself into the foggy air again in pursuit of its prey. Shinji trailed along behind the other riders in obvious pain but for the moment at least holding tight to his horse with his remaining working arm. Jerry focused back on the light ahead of them. As he watched, the light seemed to slowly change shape and then steadily morph from a single light into two.
“Holy shit there’s another one!” Jamie shouted.
The sight struck Jerry as eerily familiar, and a second later the deep and menacing sound of a horn came out of the fog, and he realized why.
“Out of the way, get the fuck out of the way!” he shouted pulling his horse sharply to the left.
At that moment, a black tractor-trailer broke free of the fog and came barreling at the riders. The truck was covered in snow and ice with huge black teeth painted across its grill. From both of its chrome stacks poured black smoke and flames. The windshield was pitch black, but if a driver rode behind it, they made no attempt to slow down and only pulled at the horn again.
“Fucking demon!” Jamie screamed.
A moment later the gunfighter had both of his pistols in hand and opened fire on the approaching truck. His bullets bounced and reflected uselessly off of the steel grill sending up a shower of sparks with each hit.
Cort pulled his horse to the left following Jerry’s lead. Oliver did the same going right only pausing long enough to grab hold of Jamie’s horse’s halter and pull the rider along after him. The gunslinger had nearly emptied his pistols into the approaching steel beast when the Dragoon’s quick action pulled him just clear of the truck’s grill as the eighteen-wheeler rocketed past them. A few seconds later the truck was gone into the fog behind the riders just as quickly as it had appeared.
“There will be more of them!” Jerry screamed.
“How do you know!” Cort shouted in reply.
“That’s how it always works, if one lane is standing still the other is moving quickly. Trust me this is my hell, and I know what I’m talking about!”
“Well I don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about, all I care about is if you have figured a way out of
here?” Cort demanded.
Jerry paused for a moment and then raised a hand and pointed at the thick fog ahead of them.
“It would be that way, in there,” he said.
“Why is that?” Cort asked.
“Because that's the last place I want to go. The last place I would go if I had any other choice. That has to be it!” Jerry replied.
“That’s the most sense you’ve made all night!”
Jerry couldn’t help but grin at the Lieutenant’s reply, but the moment was cut short a split second later when the demon toad came streaking down out of the gray sky. Jerry had no chance to react, and the beast nearly crushed him. It’s huge webbed foot caught Jerry’s borrowed horse’s right hind quarter. The tremendous force shattered the animal’s back and sent Jerry and the unconscious priest spinning violently across the frozen highway. Jerry slid to the right and smashed into the highway’s frosted guardrails, the steel beams the only thing keeping him from hurtling over the edge and into the abyss. Father Callahan slid to a stop just a few feet away, the man’s emaciated form lying face down and still.
Jerry rolled over and groaned in pain, he quickly looked around and found that he had landed with enough force to shatter the layer of dark ice that blanketed the roadway. He stood slowly and brushed the snow from his eyes just in time to watch the demon use its tongue to wrestle his wounded horse towards its mouth. Even with its bones shattered the ghostly steed kicked and fought. The scene then took an unreal and ghastly turn as the toad unhinged its lower jaw and pulled the wounded animal inside whole. Even as the priest’s horse was being swallowed alive, it eerily refused to make a sound.
“Here comes another one!” Jamie shouted somewhere to his left.
Jerry turned his head to look, and a moment later Jamie started shooting again. Another pair of headlights was speeding out of the fog towards them. This one was closest to the rail, and he realized that in a matter of moments the big rig would be right on top of him. Jerry looked back at the demonic toad that had somehow just managed to swallow the horse, and its large eyes were now fixed firmly on him. At that moment part of him suddenly hoped that he would live long enough to get run over.
The demon’s jaw popped back into place, and its lips began to part ready to strike. Suddenly the beast was racked by a volley of gunfire, it’s left eye exploded in a fountain of yellow gore, and the thing released a terrible sound. Cort raced out of the fog firing his revolver from horseback with one hand and reaching down for Jerry with the other. Jerry’s heart surged at the sudden prospect of escape. Through his entire life, he would never have considered himself capable of leaping onto a running horse; it was the kind of thing you saw in campy late-night westerns, not in real life. But this place had already changed him, and somehow, he knew he could make the leap, knew it because he had to make it. Then Jerry’s heart came crashing back down to reality as his eyes crossed over the priest’s still and motionless form. He looked up and found Cort’s eyes on him, the big man’s horse had begun to slow, ready to make the grab.
“No time!” the cavalryman shouted.
Immediately Jerry knew that Cort was right. The sudden attack had stunned the demon and bought them a few precious seconds, but now Cort’s pistol was empty, and all they could do was run. Behind Cort, the speeding semi was cutting through the fog and racing towards them. There trapped in his hell, Jerry had a terrifying moment of clarity and decided with nothing else to lose to follow his gut.
“Fuck it!” he hissed.
Then Jerry bent down and grabbed the Priest’s wrist, immediately he felt the drain begin, but he ignored it. Cort arrived a heartbeat later slowing his horse and already shouting, “I can’t take you both!”
“You’re not!” Jerry shouted in reply.
Then with a surge of strength that Jerry doubted he could ever have mustered in real life, he hauled the young priest up to his shoulder in a single motion. Almost immediately his knees began to buckle, but luckily Cort arrived at just that moment. With one last heave, he tossed Father Callahan awkwardly up at the cavalryman. Cort was forced to drop his pistol, but he caught the priest and was able to haul him up the rest of the way.
Jerry slapped at the horse’s flank, and the beast thundered away carrying Cort and the Priest into the fog. Jerry stood for a moment looking after them and realizing now just how truly screwed he was. He turned to face the demon toad and found the beast staring at him through its one remaining good eye. A chill went through him then, he knew that he was already dead and in hell. But it seemed a fair bet that spending the rest of eternity in the digestive tract of a giant amphibian would be worse. Jerry took a step backward trying to prepare himself for the strike of the demon’s tongue, his feet crunching across the broken ice with each step.
The horn of the approaching truck bellowed out again, it was so loud that it seemed to shake Jerry to his very core, but he didn’t risk turning to look at it. In the corner of his eye, he saw the massive black truck break free of the fog; it was just heartbeats away now. The demonic toad seemed to sense its opportunity for an easy meal slipping away, and its mouth opened ready to strike. The ice crunched again under Jerry’s feet, and a sudden memory struck him then. It was not a memory of his own, but like the stories he told the riders, one that he borrowed from television. It was from a story about Christmas and a little boy who couldn’t turn down a dare.
Jerry tried to ready himself for what was about to happen, but when the beast launched out, it’s orange tongue all he could do was flinch. As it turned out, that was just enough. Jerry’s feet flew out from under him as he slipped and went down hard onto the ice. The thick tongue sailed past him missing by mere inches before smashing into the guardrail behind him. The sticky appendage made a sound like a steel drum. He was back up in an instant and leaped over the railing and out onto the narrow ledge of concrete beyond. The monster didn’t react at first undoubtedly confused, but then it tried to retract its tongue and found the fleshy appendage stuck firmly in place. The toad began to yank and violently pull backward trying desperately to retrieve its freezing tongue. In response, Jerry wrapped both of his arms around the fleshy mass and held on desperately. The toad began to take a few painful steps backward, and small bits of the frozen tongue began to tear away from the steel as the beast struggled. But then the eighteen-wheeler arrived.
The steel grill of the semi struck the outstretched tongue with a wet smack. For the briefest of moments, the appendage seemed to hold and then with a wet tearing sound ripped free from the guardrail. It went under the truck then and quickly wrapped around the spinning wheels. The demon toad seemed to sense its doom and tried to make one last desperate leap to escape only to be yanked back down and smashed against the side of the speeding semi. A moment later the body of the beast was under the semi and being churned to pieces by the spinning wheels as the tractor and trailer rolled over it. The truck speed away into the fog leaving a trail of black blood and bits of gore in its wake.
Jerry tumbled forward over the railing and landed in a puddle of the freezing blood. To his left, a foot-long piece of the monster’s tongue still frozen to the railing twitched and moved with a mind of its own as if blindly feeling around for its missing body. Jerry forced himself to his feet somehow knowing that if he remained here too long, another truck would soon come out of the darkness. He began stumbling forward towards the wall of fog. Along the way, he bent down and picked up Cort’s spent revolver.
Jerry shuffled painfully down the icy highway until the fog grew thicker and then started to brighten. Beneath him, the feeling of the roadway changed, and he felt the crunch of dry stone. A few more steps later and the fog had dissipated completed, and once again Jerry stood on that vast desolate plain. Not 30 feet ahead of him the riders sat on their mounted horses, all except for the priest, still slumped across Cort’s saddle.
“You have gotta be shitting me!” Jamie muttered.
Jerry staggered up to Cort’s horse, the little man covered i
n drying demon’s blood. He looked up at the cavalryman for a moment and then held out the heavy pistol.
“You dropped this,” was all he said.
Unexpected Company
The troop rode across the empty plain five abreast and in utter silence. The riders were bone tired, the fight at the gas station followed by their desperate escape from the demons had all but drained them. There were no bawdy jests now, no laughter, each man was left alone with his thoughts and inevitably his doubts. None more so than Jerry, the little man couldn’t stop himself from running the memories over and over again in his head. The memories of Rachel and that crash back in college and now the twisted version that he had been forced to experience here in hell. As he rode again behind Father Callahan, Jerry couldn’t help but shake his head in disgust.
“A penny for your thoughts?” the priest offered.
Jerry hesitated for just a moment and then asked, “Why was it like that?”
“You were warned, everything here is a darker version of your worst experiences.”
“I understand that…it’s Just, well, why was mine so bad? We rode through Jamie’s canyons and visited Oliver’s graveyard,” Jerry pointed out.
“Both dark places, each with its dangers and each we have learned how to use to our advantage in this world,” came the priest’s reply.
“They weren’t nearly as dangerous as mine,” Jerry said.
At that, the priest paused as if considering how to reply, but before he could the question was answered for him.
“It’s like a deep pool of water,” Cort replied riding just to their left, “that’s the easiest way to think of it.”
Jerry turned looking up at the cavalryman in confusion, “What?”
“The deeper the water, the darker the pool,” Cort explained and then turning to look at Jerry added, “I’m assuming they still have water in your time?”
Hell's Highwaymen Page 13