DARK INTRUDER
DARK INTRUDER© nesciri
Part 9
Lou ran through the house, searching every part of it without finding Rachel. She run over to the bunkhouse and the barn, her heart beating faster than she ever thought possible, fear lurking inside her that she would find Rachel badly hurt or worse, dead. In her frenzy, it took her a few minutes to realize that two of the wagon horses were gone. Calming down, she noticed that the wagon was gone as well. Lou sighed with relief. Rachel must have decided to head over to the school. But then doubts assailed her again - why would she take the wagon to school? It was close enough for her to walk over. Why go through all the trouble of getting the wagon hitched up?
Not being able to set her worries aside, Lou returned to Lightning and mounted up. She would follow Rachel's tracks just to make sure that she was alright. Besides she had no wish to stay at the station. The empty house scared her, although she hated to admit it. There was something evil over the place and she hoped that the others would be back soon. But now she decided to find Rachel.
She carefully followed the tracks, content that Rachel had followed the road towards an area of small settlers' farms. Maybe she was being worried for nothing, she thought. But she felt no need to turn back. If Rachel was alright, then there was no harm done - and if something had happened, then it could make a huge difference. Scanning her surroundings, she missed where the tracks left the road and unaware of what had happened Lou continued until she reached the first of the farms. The woman who was taking in her laundry greeted her with a warm smile. However Lou's fear that something had happened increased when the woman assured her that nobody had passed their farm during the day. Certain that something had happened to Rachel, Lou turned Lightning around and begun searching for clues to where Rachel might be.
She was still searching as the sun begun to set and Lou became desperate. If she hadn't found anything before dark she would have to wait until the next morning. Finally she dismounted and walked, leading Lightning by the reins, in hope of finding any tracks. The light was fading fast and Lou was just about to give up hope when she saw it. A wagon had been going through the short grass with enough speed to leave mark in the short grass close to the road. Lou lifter her gaze and felt a cold hand grip her heart. The tracks lead towards the canyon. Forgetting everything, she dropped the reins and run to the end of the gorge. Placing herself on her stomach she gazed down the steep slope. The first thing she saw was the remains of the wagon at the bottom together with one of the horses - dead. A few meters away she could see the other horse. She thought it was dead as well until she saw it move its head. She felt sick at the thought that the poor animal must have been fighting for its life for a long time. She had to put it out of its misery. She carefully searched the ground for Rachel but didn't see anything and her heart fell. Maybe Rachel was caught under the remains of the wagon, she pondered, as she realized that she had to get down. She stood up and looked for the best way down. Finding a suitable place she started the descend.
It was dark when she reached the bottom. She run over to the wagon and not finding anything she continued to the wounded horse. She bit her lip as she saw that it had broken its leg. The horse slowly rose its head as she approached it and the pain in the animal's eyes, brought forward tears in her own. She kneeled down by the poor animal's head and caressed it as she drew her gun. A few seconds later a gunshot echoed between the walls of the canyon and Lou lowered the horse's head to the ground. She shivered in the chill of the night and she knew that she should get back. The others had certainly returned by now and Kid must be worried about her. And she was anxious to know if they had found Buck. She stared up the canyon, wondering if she really should risk climbing back in the dark. Suddenly she looked around as if there was somebody watching her. She stared at the dark shadows and gaps of complete darkness that was created by the walls of the canyon and far got hold of her. She had no wish to stay where she was and decided to head back home. She needed to tell the other what had happened to Rachel. She needed to feel Kid's arms around her.
Lou desperately searched for a hold for her hands. The climb had been more difficult that she had anticipated and despite an hour of climbing she felt as if she hadn't moved anywhere closer to the edge. Panting she managed to hive herself up on a large rock, where she sat down to rest. Exhausted she placed one hand behind her and then screamed. Her hand had touched something, something alive. Lou quickly withdrew her hand and then waited for something to happen. When nothing did, she slowly turned around. There was somebody lying there, she could just make out the shadow of a human form.
Slowly she moved to have a closer look and when she saw who it was Lou felt as if somebody hat hit her. It was Rachel. All cautions forgotten she moved over and rolled the unconscious woman over to her back. She had to swallow hard when she saw the pale face and for a second she thought she was too late, that Rachel was dead. Fighting the tears she wiped away the hair from Rachel's face and leaned over her. She closed her eyes and sent a thought of thanks as she noticed a shallow breath. Rachel was alive. The thought echoed through her mind as she sought for her water canteen. Finding it, she poured some water on her bandanna and started to wipe Rachel's face with it. It was then that she saw the wound on Rachel's forehead. She gasped as she saw the black and blue edge around it as she wiped away the blood. It looked like a concussion. She continued to wipe away the dirt and blood from Rachel's face but as nothing happened, Lou continued to examine her. As she gently opened Rachel's blouse she saw a huge bruise and Lou's first suspicion was that of one or more broken ribs. When she was done she sat down - Rachel was badly hurt from what she could see - apart from the concussion and the broken ribs, her shoulder had been dislocated and she had broken one leg in at least one place.
Lou stared up the canyon. There was no way she would be able to get Rachel back up there, and besides she wasn't sure she would be able to move her without hurting her. She removed her jacket and placed it under Rachel's head. It was beginning to get cold and Lou wished that she had something to wrap around Rachel. She would be cold with out anything. For a second she pondered going back up and send home Lightning, hoping that the others would understand that she was missing, but then she changed her mind. It wasn't at all certain that she would find the place again in the darkness and she couldn't leave Rachel. So she just sat there, now and then wiping the wet bandanna over Rachel's face and trying to get her to drink some water.
The moon slowly sailed up in the sky as dark clouds built up at the horizon. Lou stared disgusted at them. "Please don't let it rain," she whispered into the night. If they got wet in this cold, she was certain that they would get sick and in Rachel's weak condition she might not even survive the night. As the night wore on she felt more and more desperate. She also begun seeing things - as the shadows grew so did her fear. The sounds from the animals of the night sounded different from what she could recall. Then she heard Lightning. Or she was sure it was Lightning that had screamed. A loud whine that confirmed her suspicions that something was waiting for her at the top of the canyon. Her suspicions were confirmed a second later as a cold breeze seemed to sweep through the canyon. Lou edged closer to the wall of rock behind her as she wished that she could do something for Rachel.
She looked even paler in the dull moonlight and Lou feared that she would die before help arrived. Somewhere in the distance an owl howled which sent Lou into another fit. She remembered how Cody had teased Buck one night because he had been startled by an owl and wanting to break camp. But at that moment, Buck's beliefs didn't appear as funny for Lou. Instead she couldn't help wondering if it wasn't something to it. Rachel never moved and Lou became more and more certain that she would die. Lou even tried to plead with her to wake up to no avail. Tired and scared, she screamed out loud as a bat flew pass her on his haunt for food.
"Go away!" she yelled and stood up to give her words more effect. "Go back to hell where you belong!" as swiftly as the bat had appeared, it vanished between some of the gaps of the canyon and Lou sank down again only to once more hear sound from the top of the wall. Mumbling sounds, as if somebody was walking along the ledge, searching for something. At first Lou's heart skipped a few beat as she believed that it must be Kid or one of the others that had come to her rescue. She was to about to scream out to tell them where she was, when something stopped her. It wasn't something tangible or even reasonable, but it was a feeling that something wasn't right. So she remained silent, as somebody or something continued to prowl the canyon. She was no longer believing that there was somebody up there that was going to help her. Instead she was certain that it was going to kill her and Rachel if it found her.
Shivering, not only from the cold, she tried to hide her and Rachel as well as she could, which in her own opinion wasn't much. Sitting there, hoping that whatever it was that was searching would go away another thought struck her. What if the others came while that terrifying thing was still there. What if Kid rode into a trap and the 'thing' killed him? She swallowed hard as images of Kid being ripped to pieces by something large and dark haunted her mind. Unable to do anything she covered her head in her arms and prayed as hard that she thought her heart would break.
Rosemary couldn't rest. Not that it mattered, she seemed to need less and less sleep these days. She had a terrible headache and in some strange way she seemed to remember soldiers screaming and pleading for their lives. In an effort to rid herself of the images she left her cottage and saddled her horse. She needed to get away, but she wasn't sure from what. As if something controlled her, she headed off towards the canyon that separated a few farms from the town. As she came closer the headache seemed to grow stronger and it wasn't long before the voice was back in her head, urging her to continue and demanding that she obeyed.
Baruk forced the woman to go back to the canyon. He regretted action in anger before and now he wanted to be sure the woman was dead. And if she wasn't then he would kill her and take her soul. Some part of him actually wished for the woman to be alive. To take the soul of someone that were close to his Louise could only be good for him. So it was with hope that he returned to the spot where he had forced the horses and the wagon over the edge. He quickly dismounted and with a satisfied grin in his face he approached the canyon. The woman was alive, although only barely, but alive. But not for long, he thought, not for long when he found her. Baruk quickly scanned the canyon and despite the darkness around him managed to see the wagon and the two dead horses. But the woman was nowhere to be seen and Baruk growled in frustration. He started to pace along the edge peering down in hope of seeing her. He knew she was there, and that she was alive. He could feel it in the air. Baruk continued to prowl the area like a wild beast, when he realized that there was something else. He stopped and listened until he could detect it. There was someone else there, someone protecting and hiding the woman. Baruk closed his eyes and let his senses explore the surroundings. Slowly it dawned on him. His Lou was there. An evil grin played over his lips. His quest could be over sooner than he had expected. He should have known that somebody would look for the woman, but he had not expected it to be Lou. Not that he mind, he could always get his revenge on the others later. With more intensity he continued his search, this time for both of them.
Lou sat shivering, unable to speak and feeling her mouth go dry. She longed for dawn and had long ago lost track of time. She had been sitting on the ledge for an eternity. Rachel was still unconscious and Lou wasn't sure if she still alive. Lou wasn't sure of anything except being scared. Scared that the terrifying creature that she knew was looking for them would find them, scared that it would kill Kid should he show up, scared that Rachel would die on her...simply scared.
Baruk cursed silently as his eyes explored the darkness in hope of finding his preys. He knew they were there and that it was only a matter of time until he would find them. Then he smiled to himself. Dawn was a several hours away - he had plenty of time.
Far from the canyon an old man spread some dust over a fire as a chant softly floated from his lips. A young man laid next to him, barely alive, but increasing his strength with every chanted word, taking in its power and fighting against the darkness. As the chants continued, the young man's spirit begun to drift away from the cave, away from the comforting and healing chants, away from the physical pain. It carefully made its way over hills and dales until finding what it searched for. Settling close to a ledge it offered a hiding and protective cloak for the two women, offering security and comfort for the younger one in her hour of need.
Something had changed. Lou could sense it. Something was protecting them and fear slowly gave way to wonderment. The creature scavenging for them no longer scared her as much. She looked up but all she could see was the dark clouded skies.
"Buck?" she whispered into the night.
