The Thing in the Pit Page 9

  "I just hope Shawna is okay. Well, you have three bullets and I have one. Let's get out of this place. It's almost dark and I don't want to be around here at dark." They went outside and sat by the barn. They looked around and once again the fog had settled. "Fred, what are you going to do with this place?"

  “I am going to burn it down and seal those old shafts. When we kill that creature out there, I will seal that mess too.” Just as he said that, a board from the barn flew at him. Then another. They had to get several feet back from it.

  “We have two more hours of daylight, we can try the old road, or we can kill that thing. Whatever we do we are not staying at this house.”

  Face to Face

  Colt looked through his trunk to see how many bullets he had. He found something he wished he had taken with him. A box of silver buckshot. It was 00 buck-shot, in a shotgun it should blow a hole right through that beast. He turned, and there was Tommy.

  “Colt, let me come with you.”

  “Tommy, I can’t do that, and I have to get back. Your dad may be in trouble.”

  “Then, I am coming. Let me use the shotgun.”

  “No, and I don’t have a shotgun.”

  “Well I do, we have a 12gauge pump. That double 00 buck should blow it away.”

  “No, forget that, I will let you do something for me, can you drive?”

  “Yes, sure, I’ve been driving for a couple years.” Said Tommy.

  “Okay, drive my car out there to the old road, then, you have to promise you will get out and come back home.”

  “Okay, I promise.” Colt handed Tommy the keys. He started to get on his horse and he saw Sarah.

  “Sarah, honey, what are you doing out here?”

  “Colt, Daddy Harris and Fred need me, I am not scared of that thing.”

  “Where is your momma, Sarah?”

  “She is asleep on the couch with Dana. Colt, you know I can help.”

  “Do you promise to listen to me and Beth until Harris gets back?”

  “Yes, we don’t have time to waste, let’s get moving.” Colt knew he could not stop Sarah. She had put Betty to sleep to keep her from worrying. He knew they needed her.

  “Okay honey, get in the car with Tommy and follow me.” Colt led them to Harris’s truck. Beth was there with Shawna’s body. “Have you seen them or heard anything?”

  “No, I have not. What are the children doing here?”

  “We came to help Beth.” Sarah said.

  “Honey, I know you mean well but if your dad sees you, and where is Betty? That’s when Sarah telepathically communicated with Beth.

  “She is asleep on the couch with Dana.”

  Beth replied, “I don’t want you on that old road, it’s too dangerous.”

  “Shawna still has a faint pulse, remember your grandmother’s healing potions, add more mint.”

  “Okay, stay off the road sweetheart.” Said Beth. Beth now realized that Sarah had telepathic powers. The thing tormented Colt, it constantly calling for him, demanding a face-to-face showdown.

  “Does Shawna have a chance Beth?”

  “I’m doing what I can Colt, we just have to wait and see.”

  “Tommy, go ahead now and take your dad’s truck home and protect Betty and Dana. Sarah will be with us.” Colt said. Tommy stepped up to Colt. He looked him in the eye.

  “Colt, you did not protect Shawna, or dad. Why should I trust you to protect Sarah?” Asked Tommy.

  “Tommy, protect momma and Dana, okay? I will be okay and Daddy is okay.” Said Sarah. Tommy got ready to take Harris’s truck home, and he noticed silver tipped arrows.

  “Who has a compound-bow out here?” Tommy asked

  “We don’t have a compound-bow Tommy.” Colt answered.

  “Well, I have one, you don’t have a shotgun but you have 00 buckshot and you have silver tipped arrows and no bow?”

  “Fred brought that stuff this morning, I did not even notice them.”

  “Let me go get my bow, you can shoot it with those arrows from your horse.”

  “Okay go, hurry as fast as you can, it’s going to be dark soon.”

  Tommy sped off to get his bow. Sarah and Beth sat with Shawna and managed to get her to swallow more medicine. Colt stepped down to the edge of the old road. The thing had stopped calling him. He could see no sign of Harris or Fred. He walked a little further. He had his hand on his 45 and two boxes of silver bullets that he had in a small bag. He knew the creature could get close to the road in one place, close enough to whip its tail near him. If he could see it, he would empty his 45into it. He stepped to the narrow place and waited. He heard it moving. He hoped it would face him as before.

  There was no fog, it was ready to fight him. He stood waiting. Harris and Fred moved toward the old road. Fred had three bullets and Harris had one. Colt should be back anytime, if he was not dead. Colt motioned his horse to come to him. He stepped back up the road and got on his horse. He rode back up to Beth and Sarah. When Colt left, the thing turned towards Fred and Harris.

  It began taunting Fred. He was seeing Martha. He was seeing Martha with the creature. Fred stepped into the murky water and towards the pit. “It’s got Martha, it’s got her.”

  “Fred no!!, Martha is dead, it’s trying to draw you closer to it.” Fred pulled his pistol. “No Fred, wait!” Harris screamed.

  Fred fired all three shots in random directions. He emptied his gun at nothing. Harris grabbed him and pulled him back. Harris had one bullet and the broadsword. The closer to sunset, the more powerful the thing was becoming. It was using its powers to confuse and lure them into its reach. Colt heard Fred firing as he rode hard down the old road. Tommy arrived with his bow, and his mother. Shawna was awake, but weak. Betty came over to Beth and Sarah. “Where are they? Has it killed my husband yet?” she asked.

  “I don’t know Betty. Colt just rode to them we heard three shots fired.” Said Beth.

  “I thought Shawna was dead,” said Betty.

  “She is getting better momma Betty.” Said Sarah.

  “I am upset with you, Sarah, you disobeyed me. Are you proud of yourself? Do you have any idea what your Daddy would think of us being here right now?”

  “He would be mad but I am trying to save him momma.”

  “How dare you doubt him, Sarah, has Harris ever let anything hurt you?”

  “No momma.”

  “Has there ever been a time that he did not stand up and fight for us? Every one of us?”

  “No momma.”

  “Hey mommy,” said Dana.

  “Just a minute honey, I’m talking to Sarah. It hurts when you don’t listen to us. We love you more than anything in this world. So, when you know it will upset us, think about that before you disobey us.”

  “Mom, it’s getting dark, let’s go home, Daddy would want us to be home.” Said Dana

  “You hush a minute. I am talking to Sarah.!”

  “It’s spooky out here.” Dana said. Sarah hugged Betty and Betty hugged her back. Dana got back in the truck. Betty turned and noticed that Shawna was awake, but Beth was not there. She looked and saw Beth heading down the old road. Tommy helped Shawna up, the place on her back was gone.

  “Shawna, honey, you come with us, we are going back home.” Said Betty. She led Shawna to the truck. “Tommy are you coming?”

  “Mom, I am going to help dad. I believe in dad. I believe they had silver arrows for a reason. You know I have won several archery contests. Grandpa taught me. We will be over there in West Virginia with him soon. Go and finish packing, we will leave in the morning, that’s what dad said. That’s what we are going to do.”

  “Oh Tommy, you look like me and you are so much like your Daddy. I love you both so much. Okay, I can believe in you and your father. You better come back to me.” Betty hugged and kissed Tommy. Betty, Dana and Sarah got in their truck.

  “Tommy, shoot its left eye, and about two feet down from its head look for yellowish scales, shoot it there.�
� Said Sarah.

  “I will go with you if you want me to Tommy,” said Dana.

  “No, you go home and take care of mom and Sarah, I am counting on you Dana.”

  “I’ll do it, let’s get out of here mom.” Said Dana.

  “Okay baby, we are going. I love you Tommy and tell Daddy I love him.”

  “You can tell him yourself in a bit mom, we will be home.” Betty drove back to their house.

  Tommy headed down the old road. Colt sped down the near the pit, but they heard nothing. Tommy eased down the trail, it was near dark and he did not see Beth anywhere. Colt made it to Fred and Harris. Fred was out of his mind he was going on about Martha. Harris told him about Fred firing at nothing. So he was reluctant to give Fred bullets.

  Fred kept seeing Martha, and he would try to go to her, first one direction then the other. They had nothing to restrain him with and he was causing chaos. Harris got him to settle down for a moment, then, he got up and started again, this time they heard the thing getting close. “Martha, my love I am here, I am coming for you.” Said Fred. Fred got up and started into the murky water. Harris grabbed him and knocked him out.

  “I did not want to do that, but we can’t have him running out there. You ready to kill this thing?” He asked Colt.

  “Yes, we don’t have much daylight left.”

  “I did not think you were afraid of the dark Colt. Well, I damn sure don’t want to be down here in the dark” Harrison grinned. They moved towards the pit slowly. Tommy was now at the narrow pass on the old road. He heard something to his right, in the trees.

  “Thomas, Thomas, look to your right Thomas, softy calling him. Tommy looked over there, it was Beth.

  She was sitting in the fork of an oak tree. She was twenty feet or so off the ground. He waved at her. “Stay where you are Thomas, be ready.” Then she looked like another woman, he was ready. Tommy had six silver tipped arrows.

  The thing roared and raised up. Then it roared again. Fred was lying on the ground off to Harris and Colt’s right. Harris and Colt, just like Fred and Colt before, were standing close together, side by side. They were going to face it. Suddenly, it charged toward Fred. Colt fired at it and charged it with his horse.

  The thing turned toward him and whipped its tail. Colt fired at it and at the same time, his horse tripped over a fallen tree, throwing Colt into the muck and murky water. Harris fired three shots at the creature, they did not phase it. Colt landed fifteen feet from his horse. The fall broke his arm and almost knocked him out. The creature rushed over to Colt’s horse, which was lame and could not get up, and ripped it to pieces.

  Colt was trying to crawl toward Fred. He lost his gun. Harris emptied his gun and then he threw it in the muck. He lifted the broadsword. He stood still. The creature looked at him. He swirled the sword to challenge it.

  “Now Thomas, fire at it!” Tommy shot the thing in the back with his first arrow. It turned toward him. He shot it in the head near its left eye with his next arrow. It whipped its tail at him. He was out of range of its tail so, he fired another arrow this time he hit its left eye. Tommy ran to Colt and Fred. He helped Colt up. The creature turned around but it could not see.

  The fog started to rise. Harrison stepped closer to it, his broadsword raised. “The yellow scales dad! That’s where it weak, slice the yellow scales!” Screamed Tommy. The thing faced Harris, he swirled his sword and he run it through the thing, and pulled it back out.

  It roared and roared again in vain. Black and bloody muck sprayed. The beast froze. Harris looked at its scaly, cracked face, blood dripping from its snout. The half man, half serpent abomination was at his mercy.

  He swung his sword and cut its head off. It fell over the edge of the pit and he chopped it up in several pieces. The fog was gone. Harris went over to Fred and Colt. “Tommy, what are you doing here?”

  “I am helping you, dad.” Harris looked at him and wrapped his arms around him.

  “Thank God for you, son.” They helped Fred and Colt up to the edge of the old road. Dark was near. Fred had regained himself. He was okay now. Beth walked down the road to meet them.

  “Harrison Blackstone, you have a brave son, with a warrior’s heart, just like your own. Fred are you okay, honey?”

  “Beth, yes I’m fine, I just want to get the hell out of here and never look back.”

  “Fred, I would like you to do something, since this is your property. Go over there and open the doors to the Adderley barn and house. Set the spirits free, may they rest in peace.”

  Fred and Harris walked over to the barn and opened the door. Then they opened the front door of the Adderley house. Tommy helped Colt, up the road heading to his Lincoln. Beth waited on Harris and Fred. Harris and Fred headed to the old road, they were not looking back.

  Beth watched as the blue shapes and orbs came from the door. There was the shape of miners at the barn. They stopped and looked up the old road trail. “Fred, Harrison, turn around.” Beth said. The two men turned and they could see the shapes of miners looking at them, they waved at them.

  Tommy and Colt were walking up the road. They looked up and Danny was walking down the trail, he was wearing an old vintage gas coal miner’s helmet. He took it off as he passed them and smiled, then, Danny faded into the night air, as did the rest of the orbs and shapes.

  “Harrison, I will have your money in the morning, $12,000 for the lumber and $30,000 for your work, and for your courage. You, and your son, have lifted the curse on the dark woods, and you saved my life. To say thanks is not enough, I hope we will always be friends. I know you're leaving tomorrow, but I hope we can keep in touch.” Said Fred.

  “We will Fred, West Virginia is not so far away, come and see us sometime. You gave me a chance Fred when I had nowhere to turn. You are my friend, and always will be.”

  Fred shook Harris’s hand. Harris got in Colt’s Lincoln. Tommy drove Harris and Colt back to the house. Beth and Fred went back to her place. Harrison knocked on his door. “Harris!!, you’re okay! Where’s Tommy?” Betty shouted. Tears were streaming down her face. Harris hugged her and held her, “Yes baby, I’m fine.” He kissed her. Tommy helped Colt inside.

  “Colt!! Are you hurt?” Shawna asked. Colt beamed when he saw Shawna was okay.

  “I think I broke my arm honey, but I am okay.” Said Colt.

  “Oh, Colt, let me see.” Said Betty.

  Harris patted Colt on the back. “She will fix you up, she has patched me together many times.”

  “Well, I am hungry, I think I need to get home and get something to eat.” Said Shawna

  “What about dinner, tonight?” Asked Colt.

  “I would love it handsome, but you better take it easy.” Betty got Colt’s arm in a sling and he and Shawna headed for the door.

  “Colt, wait just a minute. Sarah, Dana come in here.” Betty shouted. They came in.

  “I want you to say goodbye to Colt, we are leaving early in the morning, for West Virginia.”

  “Good-bye Colt, said Dana.

  “Good-bye Colt, I will miss you.” Said Sarah. Colt knelt down and hugged little Sarah. “I will miss you too, honey, and I will never forget you. Thank you, Tommy, for saving our lives, as Beth said, you are a true warrior. Harris, we did it, you and your boy did it. The dark woods curse is no more, and the thing is dead.” Harris shook Colt’s hand and hugged him.

  “You take care of him.” He said to Shawna.

  “I will, we are going to my place.” Said Shawna as she put her arm around Colt.

  “Mrs. Blackstone, Colt paused, I know I scared you, but I told you I would get him home. Here he is.” Colt laughed.

  “Call me Betty, and you keep in touch, as soon as we settle in I will call you. Thank you Colt Justice, for fighting for my family.” Betty hugged Colt. Colt smiled as his eyes welled up.

  “Well, we better go, take care.” Said Colt as he walked out the door. Shawna and Colt got in his Lincoln and Shawna drove to her place.

 
“Is it over Harrison?”

  “It’s over Betty Ann. This time tomorrow, we will be in almost heaven, West Virginia, driving on those country roads. Sunset Kentucky and the thing in the pit will be distant memories.

  The End