DARK INTRUDER
DARK INTRUDER© nesciri
Part 10
The soft breeze brought the silent whisper to Baruk's ear and made him spin around. Finally he had found her. it bothered him that he still couldn't see her, but he would find her. He had heard her voice. Now it was only a matter of time. He started to walk over from where he had heard the sound when he heard them. Horses, three or more. Growling deep in his throat in anger, he stared along the road. To his dismay he could see them, approaching in high speed. Baruk realized that he had to give up this time. He couldn't risk revealing the possessed girl, not now. Moving in a speed not likely for any normal human he reached the horse. Allowing Rosemary to take over, less he scared the animal, he ordered her to head home. There would be time later to get Louise.
"Kid, we won't find them in the dark," Teaspoon objected. "They're probably alright - Rachel probably went to see Mrs. Stanton and Lou probably accompanied her." Teaspoon looked at the young man hoping to talk some sense into him. They had been searching for Lou for an hour and in the faint light of the night they had no hope of finding any tracks, especially with Buck gone.
"If they went for a social visit, they should have been back by now," Kid objected through gritted teeth. He doubted very much that Lou would have followed Rachel, especially to Mrs. Stanton. Teaspoon looked over to Cody and Jimmy who both shrugged. If Kid insisted that they should continue, then they better continued. They didn't know anyone nearly as stubborn as Kid, with the only exception of Lou of course. Teaspoon sighed and slowly told Kid that they would give it another hour, but then he at least would turn back home. Thankful for the extra time, Kid nodded and urged Katy forward on the road over to some of the farms by the canyon. An hour later Teaspoon ordered a halt.
"That's it Kid, that's all the lookin' we gonna do tonight," he stated. Kid stared at him, unable to let go and yet seeing the logic in Teaspoon's words. Kid remained silent and turned his gaze out over the landscape. Lou was out there somewhere, he just now it. It was then they heard the call.
"Help!"
All of them rose in their saddles to determine from where it had come, all thoughts of returning forgotten.
"Lou!" Kid called out as he dismounted Katy and rushed to the edge of the canyon.
"Down here, Kid!" Lou stood up, no longer able to hold back the tears that flow from her eyes, creating lines in her dirty face. Soon she found four faces peering down at her in the pale moonlight.
"My Lord! What are you doin' down there, Lou?" Teaspoon asked.
"Rachel's hurt," Lou replied. "Her wagon went over the edge. I can't move her and I think she's got a concussion."
"Alright, Lou, hang on there and we'll try to get you up," Teaspoon called down.
"I'm goin' down," Kid decided as they backed away from the edge to ponder their options.
"Hang on a minute," Teaspoon objected. "First we got to find a way to get Rachel out of there without hurting her."
"Couldn't we make a cot of some sort and simply drag her back on it?" Cody suggested. "Like a sleigh?"
"A sleigh? Did you see how steep that slope was?" Jimmy asked.
"Got any better ideas?" Cody retorted before Teaspoon held up his hands.
"Take it easy boys," he said calmly. "There's only one way to get her up. One of us has to carry her. That means that we'll have to move her but we don't have much choice. Cody, why don't you head over to one of the farms and ask if they can lend us a wagon? Kid, you think you can manage to get down there?"
Kid nodded, and Teaspoon continued.
"Jimmy, get that rope from my saddle. Let's see if we can't fix this."
Lou waited patiently on the ledge, all her fears gone. She could hear them talk above her, although their voices were too weak for her to distinguish the words. But it didn't matter. Their presence was enough for her. She kneeled by Rachel's side and in a soft voice told her that everything was going to be fine. They would get her to a doctor in no time. Lou waited impatiently for something to happen and she could have jumped of joy as the silhouette of Kid climbing down came closer. When he finally stood by her on the ledge she threw her arms around his neck.
"Am I happy to see you," she said. "How do we get Rachel up?"
"I'll have to carry her," Kid explained as he kneeled next to Rachel as Lou quickly explained what she suspected was wrong with Rachel. Together they managed to get a sling around Rachel to make it easier for Kid to get her up. As soon as they were ready he started to climb.
"I'll be right back for you," he said as he struggled.
"Go easy," Lou advised him, hoping that they would hurt Rachel more than necessary. She watched they slowly ascend towards the edge where the others were waiting. When she was sure they were going to make it, she turned and gazed out into the darkness.
"Buck?" she whispered softly into the night, but the presence she had felt earlier were gone. Maybe she had dreamt it, she thought. But it had seemed so real. Suddenly she remembered something Buck had told her after Ike's death when she had asked where he had taken off to on that fateful day. Buck had in his answer explained that he didn't need to be close to Ike to feel his spirit be released and that he still could feel Ike's presence. She wondered if it was Buck's spirit she had felt, and with that thought came another. If that was the case, then Buck must be dead. She felt a lump in her throat and continued to stare out into the night.
As Kid reached the edge, Jimmy and Teaspoon immediately grabbed Rachel before helping him over the edge, he threw a quick glance over his shoulder only to see Lou standing there, gazing out into the night as if she was looking for something. She seemed so small and vulnerable and he wondered why she was staring like that, as if she had lost something. Instantly he became very anxious to get her back up.
It took then only two minutes to get Lou back up as Cody returned with a wagon, and to Lou's relief, Lightning. She had thought she had lost the horse. As they made Rachel as comfortably as possible in the wagon, Cody explained that the family that had lent him the wagon had found the horse just outside their premises. Lou didn't really care how they had found him as long as she got him back.
It was very late when they got back and it was another anxious wait before the doctor arrived. Confirming the concussion and a broken leg, but luckily no broken ribs, he admitted that it wasn't much he could do - either Rachel woke up on her own, or she didn't wake up at all. Giving his best advises he left and the tired riders and returned to their beds where they fell into an exhausted sleep. Only Teaspoon remained awake, keeping vigilance by Rachel's side. And wit all the commotion, Jimmy forgot hid promise to meet Rosemary at her cottage. Seeing her was not even in his mind as he exhausted fell down on his old bunk only to fall into a dreamless sleep seconds later.
Rosemary stared out the window, wondering where Jimmy was. He should have been there by now. She needed him. She was feeling confused and angry and she had a terrible headache. She thought she was going crazy and the thought was so frightening that it made her shiver. There were parts missing from her memory and other parts were just a blur. She vaguely remembered watching Rachel go over a steep edge to her death and she remembered being back at the cottage with her clothes all bloody and no explanation to way. She was hearing voices as well, not only the voice that called itself Baruk, but other voices - haunting voices that kept her from sleeping, that forced her to go on. Her paper needed to be written, but the voice in her head kept her from it, demanding that she did other things. She didn't understand it - it had promised her power to help her cause, but all her plans were slowly being diminished into nothing and instead this Baruk demanded more of her. She sank down by the table resting her head in her hands. What had she done?
Baruk was angry and impatient. He too was waiting for Jimmy - he wanted him dead. Something had gone wrong, and it upset him. He had planned for Jimmy to show up, kill him and then let the others believe that it had been the same killer, which it in fact had been. With Jimmy dead, the sorrow would weaken the others and Baruk could use that. He needed them to be weak, since he would not take any chances this time. He had underestimated them once before and would not to it again. As the night wore on he realized that this wouldn't happen. Jimmy wasn't coming. Baruk fought his anger. Jimmy must have lost the infatuation he had for the woman Baruk had chosen to possess. There was no other solution, at least not to Baruk. That also meant that he had no use for the woman anymore. She would die and he would have to find a new host. He cursed the fact that he still had a long way to go until he had enough strength to travel outside a host. If he only could have Louise, then maybe...
Baruk forced the woman to be awake as he pondered the matter. It was still several hours before dawn when he had settled on a new plan. And in some ways it was much better.
Kid woke up from his deep sleep. He thought he had heard something and he sleepily walked over to the window. What he saw made him immediately awake. Somebody was breaking in into the barn where the horses were. He threw a quick glance over at Lou as he pulled on his pants. She was still sleeping, so he reached for his gun and sneaked out, not wanting to wake her up. As he passed Rachel's room he could hear Teaspoon snore loudly in his chair. He hesitated for a second before continuing out the door, his gun ready in his hand.
Carefully he approached the barn with his gun raised in case the burglar would emerge. Peeking through the door he saw nothing except the soft light from a lantern and he slowly stepped inside, ready for anything. A shadow told him that whoever it was, he was standing behind Katy. Kid cocked the gun.
"Get out of there," he ordered.
A soft rustle told him that the person was indeed leaving his hiding, but he was in no way prepared for what he saw. Staring with eyes wide from confusion he lowered his gun.
"Rosemary? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
"I've been to see Jimmy," she said evenly. "I was just on my way home."
"Jimmy? Why he ain't he with you then? And where is your horse?" Kid couldn't help the suspicion in his voice. If it was as she had said, then what had she been doing over by Katy?
"Why all the questions, Kid?" She laughed lightly. "Just here to admire your horse."
There was an undertone of threat in the voice and Kid tensed.
"What were you doing to Katy?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said with a smile that did nothing to convince Kid.
"You ain't here to see Jimmy, are you?" he asked as it dawned on him.
"You're half right, I just wanted to leave Jimmy something, but since you're here, I might give it to you". She stepped up to him. Kid made no move.
"Here," she said, still smiling and held out an old wooden amulet. Kid frowned and not knowing what else to do he took it from her hand. When his hand touched the carved wood he experienced a strange tingling in his hand and he could have sworn the amulet almost moved. Not thinking twice about it, he decided to hand it back, telling her that she could give it to Jimmy herself, but strangely enough he found it hard to do that. Instead he found himself putting it in his pocket, thinking that he could give it to Jimmy later.
"I think you better leave," he said curtly. But Rosemary made no indication to leave. Instead she stared at him through hateful eyes.
"It's you, ain't it?" she asked, changing the subject. "You made him stay here."
"What are you talking about?" Kid looked confused at her.
"Jimmy never showed up, 'cause you told him not to come."
"I ain't said nothin' to Jimmy," Kid said somewhat exasperated. "Why don't you go over to the bunkhouse and ask him yourself?"
"Because you will have to pay first." Kid was completely unprepared for the gun that suddenly was aimed straight at his heart. He still had his own gun in his hand, but he wouldn't have the time to get a shot of before Rosemary had fired. Instead he tried to talk to her.
"What is this about, Rosemary? I don't tell Jimmy what he shouldn't or should do."
"You never liked me - nor what I do. Why should you, being a Southerner and all. Maybe you is the one that have been agitating people against my paper - my cause."
"I ain't done nothin' of that kind." Kid couldn't help the anger that was showing in his voice. Suddenly he saw something in Rosemary's eyes, an evil glare that sent him a chill down his spine and he feared that she indeed would shoot him right there, with no second thoughts, no matter what he said. Slowly he prepared his gun should it be necessary by moving his thumb to the cocker and placing his finger around the trigger. He still hoped that he could get out of the situation without any violence, when she seemed to change before his eyes. He swallowed as he stared at her, not sure that it was Rosemary he saw. It still looked like her, but there was something in her way and eyes that were different - very different.
Jimmy woke up from his sleep and stretched lazily in the bunk, thinking back on the day's events. Then it struck him, he had promised to see Rosemary back at her cottage. Cursing to himself for forgetting about it, he quickly pulled on his pants and boots. Grabbing his shirt and jacket he headed to the door, ignoring the snoring Cody. He pulled on the shirt and started towards the barn, when he noticed the light in the barn. He wondered who would be in the barn at this hour and to be on the safe side he pulled his gun as he sneaked closer. A glance over to the house told him that its occupants were sleeping, as there was no lights from it. As he came closer he could hear two voices, one accusing and another calmer. It took him only a few seconds to identify them as Kid and Rosemary. Stunned, he edged closer, leaning against the wall to hear what was being said. As the words reached him he froze unable to move. Standing by the door with his heart racing was all he could do listen.
"Put the gun down, Rosemary," he ordered, but all she did was laugh at him. A harsh, unfriendly laugh that convinced him that she was crazy.
"No."
"Don't be a fool. You think you can get away with killin' me? You'll hang."
"I don't like people who get in my way, and you're definitely in my way, Kid. Don't you think I can kill you? You ain't gonna be the first one I kill. Poor David and Tad, so trusting and stupid."
"You killed them?" Kid was bewildered, but nort more than he desperately tried to found a way out of this mess. He no longer had any doubts that Rosemary was going to kill him, especially since she admitted to killing two others. Behind the door a stunned Jimmy listen to her words, not making any sense out of it. Rosemary couldn't have killed David - he should know, since he had been her all through that night. So why was she saying that she did it?
"Yes, and your Indian friend as well. Buck Cross. That was his name wasn't it?"
"What do you mean you killed Buck?" Kid asked, hoping that she was lying to him, but scared that she was telling the truth. If she were that would explain a lot.
"I shot him. He didn't die first, mind you. I had to take another bullet to do that." Her laugh sounded eerily in the barn. "You know he asked me not to kill him - he looked just as surprised as you did when you saw me here."
Kid raged inside and it was with difficulty that he maintained his composure. On the other side of the barn, Jimmy suddenly felt sick and his knees almost buckled under him.
"Why don't you drop that gun, Rosemary," Kid said calmly. "I don't know what's wrong but we can help you - Jimmy can---"
That was all he could say before the woman in front of him raised her gun and with something between a sob and a growl she quickly turned and aimed it at the painted mare's head.
"No!" Kid's scream came at the same time as Jimmy busted through the door, finally finding his movements. Kid's gun flared and the bullet hit Rosemary straight in the chest. The bullet aimed at Katy smacked into the barn wall only inches from the horse, which skidded nervously at the tumult. Jimmy threw himself at Kid a second later, sending him across the floor, into one of the poles holding up the loft. Kid felt a sharp pain in his head as it made a violent meeting with the pole, stunning him for a few minutes. His gun sled across the floor to come to rest in a corner. Jimmy was immediately on his hands and knees and crawled over to where Rosemary was lying. A large pool of blood slowly spread under her body and with a feeling of despair Jimmy lifted her up. Sounds of commotion from the outside told them that the gunshots had woken up the others. As Jimmy sat there cradling the mortally wounded woman a cold breeze swept through the barn, swirling up particles of dust and rubbish into the air as it moved from one end to another. Using the temporary confusion Baruk left the dying body of Rosemary and moved to another.
Rosemary looked up at Jimmy with unseeing eyes. Slowly they cleared and she could hear him telling her to hold on. She tried to tell him that there was no use, that she could feel her life leaving her body.
"He -- promised," she managed to say. "He ---said--"
Jimmy stared at her.
"We'll get a doctor over here in no time, Rose," he mumbled. "Just hang in there."
"I'm sorry, Jimmy," she whispered as a fog settled over her eyes, impairing her vision. "I'm sorry I never loved you the way you loved me."
"Don't worry," Jimmy started to assure her, almost choking on his own words, but stopped as the body he held on to went limp in his arms and Rosemary stopped to breath. At the same time Cody and Teaspoon came rushing through the door.
"What happened here?" Teaspoon gasped as he saw the commotion. Jimmy slowly lowered the body to the ground and covered it with his jacket. Kid rose with unsteady legs, leaning on the pole for support. As Jimmy's mind slowly started to realize that Rosemary in fact was dead, the grief turned to rage, and he spun around, staring angrily at the man responsible.
"You killed her," he hissed between gritted teeth and before anybody could intervene, Kid once more found him thrown to the ground as Jimmy's fist connected with his face. Several punches followed until Cody and Teaspoon managed to drag Jimmy away.
"He killed her!" Jimmy shouted in anger and pointed his finger at Kid, who was wiping blood from his nose.
"She tried to kill me," he calmly replied, as he angry eyed the furious Jimmy.
"Calm down," Teaspoon bellowed, and satisfied that the two young men seemed somewhat calmer, he left Cody to keep an eye on them as he walked over to Rosemary's body. Gently removing the jacket he quickly verified that she indeed was dead. His hand moved over to touch the gun by her side only to confirm that it had been fired recently. He placed the jacket over her again and rose to face the others.
"What happened here?" he asked again, this time in a low voice.
"He had no reason for killing her," Jimmy mumbled, anger still vivid in his voice.
"She tried to kill me," Kid persisted.
Taking a step towards Kid, Jimmy desperately tried to keep his emotions in control.
"She did not try to kill you, she aimed at that damn horse! A horse, goddamit!"
"I didn't know that - she moved so fast I didn't have time to think," Kid defended himself. "You would have done the same if you were in my position, and you know it!"
"Alright, that's it," Teaspoon interrupted them and grabbing them by the arms dragged them outside. "Now, I won't to know what happened and no yelling this time."
"Where's Lou?" Kid wanted to know.
"I told her to stay with Rachel. Who's gonna start?"
Kid and Jimmy glared at each other as Kid cleared his throat.
"I woke up and heard some noise outside. Thinking it was someone that was trying to steal the horses I went to the barn."
"And found?"
"Rosemary. She was standing next to Katy and I asked her what she was doing here."
"Go on, son."
"Then she accused me of keeping Jimmy from her and sabotaging her paper or something like that. Then she drew a gun on me, threatenin' to kill me. I tried to talk her out of that, but ---" Kid silenced.
"Why would she want to kill you?" Teaspoon asked.
"I don't know, Teaspoon, but she said," Kid hesitated and lowered his voice, "she said that she killed David and the man on the plains."
"That ain't possible," Jimmy interjected. "She couldn't have killed David. I know 'cause I was with her that night!"
Teaspoon held up his hand to quiet him and urged Kid to continue as he noticed that Kid had something else on his mind.
"She said she had killed Buck," Kid said slowly and looked down at his feet. When nobody said anything he looked up. "You heard it to, Jimmy."
"Jimmy?" Teaspoon turned to the visibly upset young man and felt his heart go out to him. Whether Rosemary's confessions were true or false, it was hard upon the boy to hear them.
Jimmy lowered his head. "I heard her say it too. I don't known why she said that, Teaspoon, but I know she couldn't have done that."
"But she said it?"
Reluctantly, Jimmy nodded. Teaspoon didn't know what to do - whatever he had expected this was not it and the news that Buck was dead had him stunned. He glanced over his shoulder where Cody was standing, looking at them in bewilderment. Teaspoon sighed.
"She didn't tell you where she killed him and what happened to the body?"
Kid shook his head no.
"Alright. Cody, get over to the undertaker. We can't let her lie in the barn---"
"I'll do it," Jimmy put forward.
"Jimmy," Teaspoon begun earnestly, when Jimmy interrupted him.
"I want to do it, Teaspoon."
"Alright, you do it. And Jimmy, I'm sorry."
Jimmy nodded harshly and without another look at Kid, he walked back into town. Cody walked up to the others. Kid excused himself and said he better go back and tell Lou what had happened, leaving Cody and Teaspoon staring after them.
"Think she did it?" Cody asked, disbelief showing in his voice. "Killed Buck?"
"I'll be darned if I knew anything after this," Teaspoon replied and shook his head.
"You think Buck's dead?"
"To be honest, Cody, yes. Although the how and why still bothers me, I sincerely doubt that he'll be comin' back."
"I can't believe it, Teaspoon. Why would anybody kill Buck? And how could Rosemary knew that he was missing?" Suddenly he remembered what one of the soldiers had said and he told Teaspoon about it.
"He saw woman there?"
"That's what the man said."
"We need to find out what's goin' on her, Cody. And I've got this feelin' that we better be quick about it, or it will get worse."
