Bella Read online

  He turned to look at me as I skidded to a stop.

  “I'll be damned,” he said. “You are one tough little kid. I can't believe you're still alive. I think I’ll find something just as tough to mix you with. A wolverine maybe? Small, fierce. Yeah, I think that'll work. I’ll make you a furry little attack dog,” he sneered.

  The expression just didn’t carry on his animalistic Bull face. Looked more like he had something stuck in his teeth.

  I pointed at the burning building.

  “You ain't doin’ shit, pig-face; I burned your stupid animal circus down!” I said.

  I'd like to think I was being brave, but I was just mad. I guess he hadn’t noticed the fire because he looked surprised when he looked over and saw the flames reaching up from the building. Just then the roof collapsed in a cloud of flame and ash.

  He said, “Aw kid. Why'd you go and do that? Well, no matter, you're a girl, anyway, aren't you? Didn’t notice at first. I don't think her magic would work on you anyway. Guess I'll just have to kill you. Give me one second, I want this rifle, it fits me.”

  He pointed at Bella’s stock. “That carving right there, it's called a chimera. It’s a monster that is a mix of different animals.” He winked at me. “Seems right that I ought to have it don't you think?”

  He grabbed Bella and pulled. Wasco's arm moved, but his hand didn't let go. He pulled again, harder. Nothing. He glanced back at me. I stuck my tongue out at him and flipped him off. He turned back and growled and yanked. Wasco's body jerked, lifted, but his hand did not release Bella. Bull let it go and Wasco slid down under the water, only his arm sticking out, still holding the rifle like he was offering it to the sky.

  Bull turned back to me. “I’m going to need that pigsticker you’ve got there so I can cut his hand off.”

  Then he started walking towards me.

  I had three things. A sword I couldn't begin to use, an empty rifle, and my spitshot I always kept loaded in my pocket.

  His walk became a trot, and then he charged at me. Although he was much slower than he had been before and with a definitive limp, he was still coming fast.

  I grabbed the spitshot, hocked up the biggest spit I could and let fire. I didn't try and run, there was no use and I was too mad. Besides, I needed to aim. I hit him right in the nose. My pa had told me once he could lead around the biggest bulls in the Empire by rings in their noses, because that part of the nose was sensitive. Turns out he was right.

  Bull pulled up and stopped as the Blackchip, followed by a trail of steam, hit him just inside of his flaring nostril. He even turned with the impact as if he had been steered for just a step or two. It was all I needed. I ran by him, sliding by his massive legs, stood, and made for the water tank. I grabbed for Bella, hoping to pull Wasco's head out of the water by it and wake him up. I could hear Bull stomping up behind me.

  The rifle slid easily from Wasco’s grasp and I tumbled backwards into the water, gulped half the water from the tank, and stood up coughing. I knew he was right behind me so like before I just did what my body said I should. I turned and squeezed the trigger. This time managing to keep my eyes open, but barely able to hold the long gun up, let alone steady. Bull was reaching for me when the bullet hit him in the chest. He stumbled back, caught himself, and still came on.

  I fell backwards with the kick of the gun and tumbled over and onto Wasco, dropping Bella. I reached into my vest and pulled out the little vial Ying had given me just as Bull crashed through the side of the water tank. Wood and water flew in every direction and Wasco’s head surfaced. I shoved the whole vial into Wasco’s mouth and scrabbled across the tank. Bull stomped over Wasco and reached for me. I backpedaled as fast as I could. He came on, having been slowed only slightly by the tank and water. My back hit the wall of the tank, there was nowhere left to go.

  Bella snapped across Bull’s massive neck and I saw Wasco pull himself up by the rifle. He then braced his knees against Bull’s back and pulled. Bull fell to a knee, and reached up trying to grab at Wasco, snorting and grunting, then fell face-first into the almost-empty tank. One of his horns ripped into my leg on its way down and blood poured out. Wasco clung to Bella, the muscles in his arms standing out like boulders as he pulled the rifle against the wounded Bull’s throat. The thrashing lasted a few very long minutes and then Bull was still. Wasco fell from the massive back and hit the wooden floor of the tank with a dull thud. I was pinned against the far side of the now-drained tank, the weight of the monster holding me fast and having the horn shoved clean through my leg. I was losing blood fast. Blackness started to creep in on me. I was getting real tired of that feeling.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN – WENDIGO

  I woke up to a cold dark night sky. I could smell smoke heavy in the air and there was a glow off to my right.

  The fort.

  I turned my head and found Wasco sitting against a rock, maybe a Mover, staring out into the night. Ying was curled up on her side by the fire. There was no sign of Jacob or Li. The memory of Li's body came flooding back to me and I sobbed. Wasco's head snapped over to me.

  “Ya alright girl?” he asked.

  His voice was quiet, soft.

  “Li's dead,” I said. “I tried to help him, but I couldn't and he’s dead.”

  “I know. Weren't nothin’ ya coulda done. He was dead afore you got to him,” he said.

  I remembered the sword and started groping for it. It was lying on the ground next to me and I picked it up.

  “He told me to give this to, Ying,” I said.

  “It can wait till mornin’, git some sleep.”

  “I can't sleep no more,” I said and sat up.

  Ying sat up as well and looked at me. “There was nothing you could do to save him Christopher. I knew of his passing when it happened. He is at peace and has rejoined his ancestors.”

  I couldn't speak. I just sobbed. I stood up and walked to her, holding the sword out.

  “He said I needed to bring this to you.”

  “So he did, and so you have.”

  She took it from my shaking hand. And another sob escaped from my treacherous mouth. I’d had about enough of it always letting out sounds I didn’t want others hearing.

  “Sit,” she said.

  I did, and she took my hands in her small wrinkled hands. They were soft. She looked at me. “Christopher, Li has passed on, but he is not gone. This sword is the Sword of Ancestors. It has been in his family for a very long time. Generations. All wielded this weapon for one purpose, and to die in the performance of that duty is an honor. To Li, and to those who held the sword before him, there is no greater honor than to die doing what they dedicated their lives to with this sword, and they live on within it.”

  I just stared at her. I mean, yes, I had seen walking rocks, and half-animal men, and God knows what else, but my young mind just couldn’t wrap around whatever she was trying to say. He lived in the sword? What did that even mean?

  She smiled, patted my hand, and picked up Li’s sword.

  “Do you see these marks?” she asked.

  She pointed to a series of marks along the blade. It looked like the Chinese writing I had seen on many of the things in her shop.

  “Yes, what does it say?” I asked.

  “They are names,” she said. “The names of every person that has carried this sword and died while performing their duty.”

  “Is, is Li’s name on it?” I asked.

  “It is not child, not yet,” she said.

  She pulled the sword from the sheath. It seemed to glow in the night. She laid it across her lap, reached out and took my hand and placed it on the hilt. My hand was shaking so hard the sword shook on Ying’s knees and almost fell off.

  Ying put her hand over mine until the shaking stopped.

  “The responsibility for bringing the spirit of Li forth falls to the one he gave his life in service to. That was me, young Christopher. His family pledged to protect those of my line and to give their lives if neces
sary. If they performed their duties with honor and they died in the effort, it then falls to the Elder to insure his spirit is brought forth into the sword. I wish for you to help me with this ceremony, Christopher. Li would wish it as well.”

  I could not do anything more than nod. I didn’t really understand what she was talking about, but the tone of her voice and the way that she looked at me left no question I was going to do as she asked.

  We didn't say anything for a long time when it was done. We just sat and watched the stars turn.

  I was holding the sword on my chest, looking up into the night when a thought hit me.

  “Ying,” I said in a quiet voice. “You said that the Guardian’s name would be put on the sword and his spirit held there if he died with honor.”

  “That is correct, Christopher.”

  “What would have happened if he didn’t?”

  She was quiet for many breaths before answering. She inhaled and said, “Had I not performed the ceremony, his spirit would have been cast from the sword.”

  “Would he have gone to Heaven then? Hell? Would we have sent Li to Hell if he didn’t do everything he was supposed to!”

  I could hear the smile in her response.

  “No child, he would not have gone to Heaven or to Hell, at least as you know them. There are more places for spirits in the universe than those, Christopher. But those are lessons for another day. As to Li, I cannot imagine I would have done anything other than the Honoring, regardless of the circumstances. As I said, it is the choice of the Elder.”

  I pondered that for a long time. I swear I could feel Li’s steady personality through the sword. I eventually dozed off.

  When I woke up it was still deep night. Wasco still sat his vigil looking out into the desert. I didn't know what he was looking for or at, but he definitely seemed pensive. I kept sneaking looks at him out of the corner of my eye. He turned his head and caught me once, then just went back to looking out into the darkness for,

  “Jacob!” I cried jumping to my feet and regretting it immediately. I stumbled as my leg gave out and I went to my knees. “What happened to Jacob? He didn't die, did he? He couldn't have! How could you leave him? We have to go back!”

  I could not believe I had been there all that time and had not thought about Jacob. What kind of monster was I?

  Wasco didn’t move. “We tried kid. We tried. I couldn't find no sign of him. Not dead. Not alive.”

  “That is why we are still here child. I believe he is close. If he is, he will find us,” Ying said from her bedroll.

  I sobbed myself to sleep with my arms around Ying and woke up in the morning with a hole in my heart that hurt more than all my wounds. I saw Wasco packing up the camp but had no energy to complain. I knew he wouldn't leave if he thought there was any chance. I laid there until Ying said it was time to go. Once everything was ready we climbed into our saddles and started out of the nightmare that was the Blacklands.

  I noticed as we headed out, that one horse was still loosely hobbled in the circle, munching on some grass. Black with a white diamond on its head. A saddle and pack was stuck between two rocks.

  The ride back was blessedly uneventful and, since we knew where we were going, much quicker than the trip in. It seemed like no time at all had passed and we were out of the Blacklands.

  I woke up under the cold starry night sky wondering where I was at first, then why I was awake. We were just a couple of days outside of Edge City and nothing had threatened us. I could even see the city lights from the hill we were on. I saw Wasco sleeping to my left, and Ying, again curled as close to the fire as she could get. I knew Wasco slept very lightly and figured had there been any danger, he would have been awake. I tried to close my eyes but couldn't. I felt something. I started to shiver.

  “Wasco,” I called softly. He didn't stir. I tried again a little louder, starting to panic.

  “What is it kid?” he answered in a quiet growl, but I saw his hand in the darkness fall slowly to Bella.

  “I think somethin’s out there. I dunno why, I just feel it,” I said.

  “Might be yer right,” he said. “Ying?”

  “I am awake Mr. Wasco,” came her soft answer.

  “Can you light up that fire a bit real fast?” Wasco asked. “Like you done before?”

  “I can. Both of you look right at it for a moment. Get your eyes used to the light. Look to a bright spot. Ok, on my command close your eyes and look away, now!” she said.

  I could see the light from behind my closed lids as the fire shot upward. I heard Wasco jump to his feet and I scrambled to mine. Out maybe twenty feet was a horse with a man draped over it. A black horse with a white diamond on its forehead.

  “Jacob!” I yelled and ran over to him in a hopping limp. He was glassy-eyed and not coherent. Wasco showed up and pulled him off the horse. He carried Jacob into the now-diminished firelight and I led the horse over and tied him with the others. Jacob was laid out on a bedroll by the time I limped back, cursing myself for having tried to run. I felt new blood running down my leg from the wound but paid it no mind.

  Jacob was naked as a jaybird; Ying covered his privates with a sheet and looked him over for wounds. He didn't look injured, but he was covered in blood. Ying confirmed he was physically okay.

  “I'm okay,” he groaned. “Just had a hard time getting out of there alone. Was hard not to...” He looked over at me. “Was hard is all.”

  “Git some rest,” Wasco said. “You can tell us yer story in the morning.” Wasco patted him on the shoulder and stood up. “I’m glad ya made it, Snake.”

  I didn't sleep much the rest of the night, but I managed some. In the morning I realized that my leg had bled quite a bit and I swooned. Ying scolded me and rewrapped it with some of her stinky salve. Wasco called me a dunce, then we sat around the fire eating some hard bread and drinking coffee and tea.

  It was odd watching Ying fix her own tea and it made me sad again. Li had usually made it before Ying got up. She seemed sad as well, but said nothing about it, just went about the tasks of the morning methodically.

  After a bit I noticed Wasco and Jacob looking at each other for a long while.

  “I think it's time ya told yer tale, Jacob,” Wasco said. “Can't keep goin’ like this forever. I'm guessin’ Ying there knows a bit of it and I got some guesses, but it needs to come from your mouth. I know ya think yer doin’ right by her, keeping it in, but ya ain't. So, spill it.”

  Jacob took a sip of the hot coffee and glanced my way. For my part I had no idea what they were talking about.

  “What?” I said.

  “Wasn't because I thought I was doing right by her.” He looked back to Wasco. “It was because I am a coward and I didn't want her to be afraid of me,” Jacob said.

  “I ain't afraid of you, chucklehead!”

  “I know,” he said grinning, “was hoping to keep it that way. I am cursed. By Natives. Cree Nation.” He looked at Wasco who nodded.

  “So?” I said. “We’ll go make ‘em take it off ya. Wasco can talk to them.”

  Jacob said. “I…um. Well that is. Let me start from the beginning and maybe that will help me get to it. I'm a gun for hire. Always have been. From the first time my father put a pistol in my hand I wanted to be a gunfighter. Wanted to be famous. Ran with a couple of less-than-upright gangs for a bit, but it never really sat well with me. So, I went out on my own for hire. Made a pretty good reputation for myself without crossing too many lines I didn't want to cross.

  “Then I hired on with the Cooper Railway. The job was simple. Ride trail in front of the workers, make sure there were no disruptions. It was easy money, right up until we crossed near, or into, the Cree Nation. Boss said we were on the right side, the Cree, they disagreed strongly. It was an ugly couple of weeks, and I killed more men than I should have for that damn railroad.

  “One day, long after we had crossed the area in question we were ambushed by Cree warriors and I was taken to answer
for my crimes.”

  He took a deep breath, and then continued. “I was never what I consider an evil man. I killed men yes, and for money. But I never killed a man that didn't have a chance to fight back and I let just as many live. It may seem a small thing, but it wasn't to me or to the Cree people. I was given a chance to redeem myself. Others on my team were not. I do not know which of us were the lucky ones.”

  He looked at me, then away and sipped his coffee. I was so caught up in the story that the details hadn't really sunk in. He took another deep breath and looked to Wasco. Wasco’s face told nothing, he just nodded.

  Jacob said, “I was cursed by the shaman council to, well, to make things right. To defend any of Native blood. Until such a time as my spirit is cleansed of the deeds I have done, I would carry the spirit of the Wendigo.”

  He let the word hang in the air, looking down at the ground. Nobody said anything for a long while.

  Wasco growled, “Yeah, I figured it was a thing like that.”

  “What the hell is a Wendigo?” I said. I had no idea what they were talking about.

  Ying answered. “It is a spirit of hunger and greed that can never be satiated. Is that correct Jacob?”

  “That's the gist of it, Ying, yes. But it is worse than that. It is a monster that lurks inside of me. That craves the flesh of evil men. I am able to contain it most of the time. But when I become injured it can get free. I am healed of injury when it takes me, but its actions are...” He looked at me again, “horrible. It eats people Topher. I eat people.” He began sobbing.

  Ying placed her small hand on his, but he didn't seem to notice. I did. She was not afraid of him. Did not think him a monster. I looked at Wasco. His face was as unreadable as stone. He met my gaze then looked back to Jacob.