by Brant, Jason
“Howdy,” he said as Karen pulled the wagon up beside him. He surveyed the group. “Looks like you’ve had a rough journey.”
Karen looked at the stubble on McCall and Walter’s faces and the knotted hair she and Jane had. Taking into account their sunken cheeks and dark, baggy eyes, they looked like hell.
“We have,” she said. She looked down at him, unsure of what to say or do next.
“Where are you coming from?”
She gestured to McCall. “My partner and I are from Gehenna and the rest came from Sheol.”
“Sure, sure,” the man said, as if that made perfect sense to him. “We have our share of people that come from both of those places, among others.” His eyes moved over McCall and stopped at the hand resting by his Peacemaker. “You’ve got nothing to fear from me – there’s no need for that here.”
“Where exactly are we?” Jane asked. Karen was shocked to see that she had placed her axe on the floor of the wagon, letting go of it for one of the few times in the last several weeks.
The man scratched at his chin as he looked over at Jane. “Well, I don’t believe it’s ever been given a proper name. Some people have taken to calling it Marom though. Not sure why.”
“Never heard of it,” McCall said. His voice didn’t have the usual gruff quality that Karen had always heard him use with strangers before. He took his hand away from the pistol and covered the handle with his shirt.
“Well, we’re pretty remote. It’s not exactly easy to get here, is it?” The man gave them a warm smile.
“How many people live here?” Walter asked.
“Hard to say. We don’t really keep track of that sort of thing. We’re pretty relaxed around these parts.”
Karen watched him closely, taken aback by his relaxed demeanor and casual attitude. He had an odd drawl when he spoke; giving him an accent that Karen had never heard before. She thought that English might be his second language, though he used it with ease. Despite those oddities, she found herself feeling calm in his presence, just as the others seemed to.
“I hate to bring you some bad news, but you should know why we’re here,” Karen said. “We’re running from—”
The man held up a hand, stopping her. “You don’t need to explain anything to me, ma’am. The past is the past, and whatever has happened before is best left out there,” he said, lifting his chin to the mountains behind them. “Besides, whatever it is you’re running from won’t be able to get past that wall back there, will it? Nothing ever has.”
“We did,” Jane said.
“That’s true. But we’ve never had anything untoward make its way through the door. It takes a certain kind of determination to make it this far.”
Karen wasn’t sure what to make of that. “Well, we’re aren’t talking about just a few—”
He held up his hand again. “You’re safe here.”
Karen couldn’t put her finger on what it was that made her believe him, but she did. He had such an odd way about him. The way he stood gave her the impression that he didn’t have a concern in the world. He seemed utterly sure of himself, though not in an egotistical way. It was as if he didn’t have to impress anyone or keep up appearances – the kinds of superficial things that occupied people’s minds at all times.
The other wagon had stopped beside Karen’s. The man glanced over at them, his warm smile still in place. Gary returned it, but his eyes met Karen’s and he looked as perplexed as she felt.
“Howdy,” the man said.
“Hello there.” Gary tipped the brim of his hat. “Name’s Gary.”
“Hello Gary – I’m Jacob.” He looked over at Mike. “You’re a big boy, aren’t you?”
“Guess I am,” Mike said. The typical venom that laced his voice wasn’t present. “This is such a beautiful place...”
Jacob took in their surroundings. “It sure is.”
Karen couldn’t contain herself anymore. She had so many questions, so much confusion, that she had to get answers. “Who built that wall back there?”
“I can’t say that I know. It was here when I arrived, and I’d venture to say it’s been here long before that.”
“You don’t know who made that? Or how? What about the path carved into the mountains?”
“Honestly, I don’t. Not sure that I ever asked either. Someone might know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t. Those kinds of things don’t concern us much around here.”
Judging from his demeanor, Karen wasn’t sure that anything concerned him. She wanted to ask more about the door. How it opened with such ease? At first she wanted to believe that they had found the perfect place to apply leverage to it, but now she didn’t know what to think. Based on his other answers though, she didn’t bother to push the subject. She would ask someone else when she had the chance.
“How long have you been here, Jacob?” Jane asked.
His smile grew even larger and he let out a hearty laugh. “Not really sure about that either. It’s been a long, long time though. Things are a bit different around here – time doesn’t really matter much. We tend to ourselves and our families, and everything else just isn’t that important.”
“Do you recognize me?” McCall asked.
“Nope. Should I?”
McCall’s shoulders dropped, as if he’d just released an immense weight. He turned back and looked at Karen, his ever-present gruff expression gone. She couldn’t be sure, but his eyes looked a little watery, as if he might be close to tears. She never thought she’d see the day when Mad Dog McCall would have such a look on his face. His absolute relief at having outrun the reputation he’d built made her care for him all the more. Mindful of his shoulder, she embraced him, squeezing his neck to hers, fighting the urge to cry.
Jacob watched them, still smiling, as if he understood their joy. “For anyone with the will and the desire to come here, all is forgiven.”
Karen felt a small hand touch her back. She looked over her shoulder and saw Stephen standing in the opening of the wagon. Though he still didn’t appear to have broken from his silent, sullen state, his color had come back and he no longer stared at the floor. He didn’t speak as he bent down and hugged her back and shoulders, while McCall held onto her neck.
For the first time in years, she felt at peace.
*****
Questions?
Wondering about some of the stuff that happened throughout the series, including the ending? If you think there was more going on than just cowboys shooting zombies, you’re right! Check out this post on my blog for some explanations.
West of Hell - Two Stories in One
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Did you love West of Hell Omnibus Edition? Then you should read The Gate by Jason Brant!
Bryan Armstrong and Kyle Detwiler, two college students on the cusp of graduation, are the lucky winners of a contest to become interns on the paranormal television show The Specter Slayers.
Their excitement turns to jubilation when they discover that they'll be aiding in the investigation of The Danver Church, one of the most haunted places in America. Nestled in the remote mountains of Pennsylvania, the church is world renowned for the massacre that occurred there forty years earlier.
Accompanied by best-selling horror author Katie Upshaw, they attempt to survive a dream job that quickly turns into a nightmare. The church, adorned with satanic symbols and imagery, is the home of things far worse than any of them could have imagined.
Read more at Jason Brant’s site.
Also by Jason Brant
Asher Benson
ASH
The Hunger
Devoured
> Consumed
Ravaged
The Hunger Omnibus Edition
West of Hell
Gehenna (FREE)
Tartarus
Sheol
West of Hell Omnibus Edition
Standalone
The Dark
The Gate
Aces High
3 Supernatural Thrillers
Apocalypse Pack
Anthologies
Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST
Apocalypse Anthology
Stalkers
Holiday Wishes
Watch for more at Jason Brant’s site.
About the Author
Jason Brant is the author of thrillers and horror novels. His works include Devoured, The Gate, The Dark, the West of Hell series, and multiple novellas and short stories.
A job led him from the mountains of western Pennsylvania to the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland. For a little over half a decade, he held the position of Digital Forensics Analyst for the Department of Defense. He escaped that post to write novels, watch movies, and drink microbrews.
Jason Brant’s site
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