Ó Starbright 1999

Chapter 16
(co-writer Nesciri)

Jimmy listened into the night, steps were coming towards the hut. He hoped it was Lindsay. He found it odd that she disappeared from time to time just to show up with food or water, tending to his aching limbs and sore eye. Then only to disappear and leave him alone in the hut. If he would know where he was at he'd try to do something about the situation. But what if she was under the man's supervision, or worse, forced to entertain him? Jimmy shrugged at the thought, he knew he'd have to do something and fast, he was getting sick of laying here, tied up and gagged. It was night again, but this night was so much darker than the earlier one. The one when he had gotten himself into this darned mess to begin with. He still had no recollections of the events leading him here, none what so ever. But they must be out looking for him right now, if not for him at least for Kid and Lou. His head snapped to the direction of cracking twigs. Somebody was coming, and they were coming from the wrong direction. Lindsay always came from the other side. He marveled at the fact how acute his hearing had become now that he had nothing else to do than lie here and listen to the sounds. He wondered if the man had left him alone again as there was no other sound than the steps coming from the wrong direction. But then his attention was drawn to another sound of steps, steps he recognized immediately. Lindsay was coming again. But her steps stopped far away from the hut. Something was up, Jimmy could feel it in the air. He got clammy from the fear, not knowing what happened out there was getting to him.

He flinched as a shot rang out and somebody yelped in anguish. The sound of the gunshot severed the stillness of the night, the sharp sound painfully echoing its intensity in Jimmy's ears. Then there was a sound of breaking wood and rustling of leaves. Jimmy closed his eyes and started working on the ropes again. The man must have killed Lindsay, and now there was nothing holding Jimmy back. He'd see to it that this man got his, he'd take him down with his bare hands if he had to. The door opened and a bright lantern was lit. The light blinded Jimmy.

"Sonny, I see you have friends, incredibly stupid friends, but friends all the same, huh," the man chuckled. Jimmy stilled himself and tried to look past the blinding light, he had to see the man's face, his voice was deep and vibrating, reminding him of pastor Allen. But this couldn't be him now could it?

"He had to leave, forever, your friend that is. I'll see if you can get to his funeral." The man laughed. "Tell you what though, he fell right into the hole I've dug for my dear brother's assistant. A shame really but he had to go."

Jimmy moved towards the door as the man withdrew the light, he had to get to him, not caring that his hands still were tied. A quick rush and he could take the man down with just the force of his body.

"Hold it sonny, there's still the girl. You don't wanna have her die too, do you? Tomorrow is your great day, the posse's gonna be gathered and I'll lead them right to you before I let you loose. Then I'm gonna stand back and watch. With my aim on the girl. So just do as I tell you. You are a gentleman, ain't you sonny?"

Jimmy fell back down. He tried to grasp what the man just had told him. What was going to happen tomorrow? What posse? But he quickly forgot about that as his mind returned to the other part of information he had received. The man had killed somebody else, probably one of his friends. Jimmy started to work the ropes frenetically, there was nothing else to do. While he struggled to get free he asked forgiveness of each of the riders, one of his friends was lying in a hole in the ground outside and he wasn't able to help. Jimmy fought the paralyzing desperation as much as the ropes. In his desperate situation he didn't even care that the man still stood in the doorway, glaring at him. Jimmy gritted his teeth as the man's soft chuckle reached his ears.

"You can try that, but it ain't gonna help you. Made those ropes myself. Even made one with a noose for tomorrow. Sleep tight now, sonny." The man closed the door, laughing harshly at his own wit. A soft moan of desperation escaped Jimmy.

Four riders feigned sleep in the bunkhouse. Noah should have been home and Ike would have been riding out to keep watch. The fact that Noah wasn't home had them worried all sick. Teaspoon and Rachel telling them to stay put upset them and the threat that they would all be discharged if they didn't infuriated them. Maybe the two were right, they couldn't go swamping the homestead and cause ulterior suspicions if the Pastor was guilty. But something wasn't right. With eyes closed each and everyone of them laid listening to the others' breathing to try and assess if they were asleep or not. Buck was the first to carefully ease himself off his bunk, trying to keep it soundless he held his breath as he did. Ike smiled on his bunk and realized his friend had the same idea he had, they'd find Jimmy and Noah.

Ike carefully crawled out of bed and in the dark he bumped into Buck. They struggled to get into their clothes before they eased themselves out the door. Outside they congratulated each other for getting out without waking the other two. With a grin Buck tapped Ike's shoulder, they'd be off unnoticed.

"Wait for me!" A voice wheezed from inside the bunkhouse, "can't find my left boot."

Buck looked like he wanted to cry as Lou's wheezing voice reached them. The heavier steps told them their currently unintelligible friend was up too. Buck sank down onto the steps.

If we run maybe they won't catch up? Ike signed hopefully.

"Jezz I whill," the one with the stuffed nose said coming out of the bunkhouse, "Luu ccan't ffind her shuu, et's ggo!"

"Hold on there pretty face," Lou snorted sarcastically pushing herself past the Kid. Looking at the two boys in her way she raised her eyebrows in a questioning face, "what are we waiting for?"

The moon was clouded again and Buck cleared his throat. "Huh, you see ...eh ...I don't think the two of you're in any kind of shape to come along."

"Buck!" Lou said in a laconic voice, "I'm fine, it's Kid you gotta tie down!"

"Mnee?" they heard from the dark, " I'm djust ffine, id's yor knjee dhad's..."

"Shut up Kid, and listen to yourself. I don't even understand you!"

"Am dnot blanning on doin' uch swettalk!"

Lou laughed bitterly; "Oh why not Kid, you're so good at it."

Ike and Buck turned and walked to the barn, there was no way to stop either of them, they knew that and they'd probably have to listen to a lot of bickering on the way to the True Believer's homestead. Ike rolled his eyes in desperation over the prospect of listening to his friends' debate the whole ride. Buck answered with a deep sigh.

The two behind them followed, both muttering at each other.

Ike grabbed Buck's arm. What if we gag them, he signed under Buck's nose.

The man returned promptly and unexpected. Taken by surprise Jimmy hardly put up a fight as the man blindfolded him. The man held the barrel of a rifle to his ribs and pushed him out of the shack. "Walk on sonny, there's been a slight change of plans. Too many people wandering around in these woods."

Jimmy grunted as he was pushed onwards, he wanted to scream as his bare feet were pierced by pine needles. His feet were tied together and Jimmy wondered if the man was taking him out to shoot him or not. He was stopped and pushed to stand face to a tree stem.

"Sonny, I'm gonna free your feet so you can walk. The girl will be right in front of you, she knows were we're goin' So just don't try anything 'coz I've got a clear shot on the both of you. One of you steps out of line and it's good-bye. I don't have anything to lose right now so don't tempt your luck. I'm just tellin' you as a friendly warning." The man chuckled again.

His voice sent shrills down Jimmy's spine. Never had he felt so helpless before, tied up and gagged with something over his head there was not a lot he could do. And still he knew he had to do something and soon. A rope was tied around his middle and fastened onto something in front of him. Like cattle, Jimmy thought bitterly, tied up for slaughterin'.

"Start walkin' sonny," the man wheezed behind him, "we're goin' to see my dear brother and get his money. He'll have to shoot you just before you shoot him. I'm sorry sonny, take a deep breath because these are your last moments on earth."

Jimmy knew the man wasn't kidding. His time was running out and he searched desperately for a solution. He'd find one but it had to happen soon. When they started walking Jimmy was so baffled he lost his concentration. There were not only three of them wandering in the dark woods, a fourth pair of feet was walking right alongside of them. Jimmy couldn't for figure out what was going on any longer. He decided to tag along, what other choice did he have?

Noah woke and found himself staring right into black dirt. Groaning he turned and stared up into a just slightly lighter night. Of course he had to fall into a hole in the ground! Feeling his side he realized the man had nicked him but he wouldn't be in any kind of danger. He wasn't bleeding anymore. He's still saw stars though. Extending his hands to find out what kind of a hole he was in he touched a metal tube with his hand. A heavy shovel was laying right across him, he knew now what he had hit his head on. Sighing he started to get up, to his surprise his left foot wouldn't move. He felt no pain put he just couldn't get it to move. Kicking it a sharp pain squeezed him as he contacted hard with the metal. The shovel had him trapped. Just as trapped as this hole had him. He could hear the man walk outside the hut and knew he'd be shot in an instance if he made too much noise. He searched for his gun but knew he wouldn't find it, he had lost it when he fell. Noah cursed inwardly. How much could go wrong, what was the chances to avoid getting killed and then to find oneself trapped under a shovel in a hole in the ground. Without a gun and a madman pacing right besides. Noah fought the will to laugh hysterically, staring up into the sky he hoped the moon would get out from behind the clouds, he needed to see where to dig to get out from under the shovel soundlessly. He still waited for that when the sound of a voice carried through the night.

"Somebody just left," Buck wheezed in the dark.

Noah couldn't believe his ears. How long had he been out? "Hey!" he hollered from the hole, not caring about anything else than getting out of the hole. If Buck was close enough for him to hear him, there couldn't be any danger, he pondered.

"God," Lou whispered and latched onto the Kid standing at her side, "what was that?"

"It's me!" Noah hollered and squeezed himself up in a sitting position, "come get me!"

"Ged 'im?" a strange voice said close to him, "whear iz hee?"

"I'm right here you fools!" Noah bellowed, "in the hole!"

Gratefully the moon decided to help them out. It was freed from the clouds' cover and lighted the plain with a bluish light. Noah gulped in fear as a face with a huge nose peeked in.

"Dnoah?" the face asked.

"Get me up from here!" Noah barked recognizing the Kid. "I'm stuck under the shovel." Three more faces emerged over the edge. Soon Noah's foot was free and he was able to swing himself up from the hole.

Lou grabbed his arm. "You okay Noah?"

Rubbing his head Noah nodded, "Gotta find my gun, I lost it when I fell."

"What happened Noah?" Buck asked while they all crawled on the ground feeling with their hands for the gun among the dry grass and the twigs.

"I followed this girl from the house. She got out using the window so I kind of gathered something was up. We walked for at least half an hour and it was pitch dark. Then she disappeared into the hut over here and I just stopped. Of course the moon had to light up the place in exactly that precise minute." Noah frowned at the memory. Ike handed him his gun. Noah nodded his appreciation.

"Go on!" Lou urged.

"Well, I was standing close to the hut and was not exactly aware of anything else. Then I saw something glimmer in the dark and I threw myself out of the range as somebody shot at me. Just happened to fall into this darned hole right here. After that I don't remember much, just woke up and found myself with my nose in the dirt." He had to smile at Kid's gulp. "I'm fine," he said "the bullet just braced me, but the man must have thought I was dead. Hit my head on that shovel and all went black, the shovel probably saved me before it trapped me," he added with a smirk.

You have any idea what was going on here? Ike signed in the moonlight.

"Somebody must have been in that hut coz' the girl was carrying a basket, like she was bringin' something."

Four pair of eyes turned to the hut. Buck slowly moved closer. The door was opened and with all the noise they had been making, it was unlikely that there was anybody in the hut, but just to be on the safe side Buck drew his gun. Carefully he peeked around the door, scared of what he might find. When he saw that the hut was empty he sighed with relief. He took a closer look on the floor before he returned to the others.

"There's nobody here, but it looks as if somebody has been held in there," he reported.

"Djimmy," Kid moaned and his shoulders sagged. "Vut whear de eck iz he dnow?"

"Is he all right?" Noah asked in Lou's direction, her former beau sounding awfully strange.

"He said; Jimmy, but where the heck is he now?" Lou interpreted patiently. "And I must say I'd like to know that myself?"

"Going in that direction," Buck rose from where he had been examining the ground and pointed into the dark. "With company!"

"Well," Noah said as he rose to his feet and wiped his hands on his formerly white pants. "We better get goin' too."

"Let's leave the horses," Buck said.

"Why?" Lou whined, she didn't look forward to follow on foot.

"Because we can move more silently on foot and they're close!" Buck told her. "Lou, maybe you should wait here?" By her wheezing sound Buck gathered she wouldn't. "The two of you stay behind," he warned the limping and staggering couple."Or your nose'll regret it" he clarified in Kid's direction.

Lou couldn't help but giggle. A stern glance from Buck reminded her it probably wasn't the most appropriate behavior right now. There were far more urgent things to handle right now, Jimmy for instance. She smiled apologetically in Buck's direction before she grabbed Kid's arm and dragged him along with her. The uncanny feeling that they had to find Jimmy and fast was confirmed as she met Kid's eyes in the pale moonlight. There was no time to lose.