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“Hello?” I called, reflexively raising my rifle a bit.
I took a cautious step back. Then I heard whispers.
I raised the rifle to my shoulder, calling out, “Whoever you are, you’d better make yourself known right now if you don’t want your guts to become a spaghetti colander.”
An empty threat, but they wouldn’t know that.
Two men stepped out from the tree line, training their own rifles at me. It was Overalls and Bandana Man in the revolting flesh.
Why were they here? Now? I hadn’t seen them since that fateful day I emerged from the cave having traveled a century into the past. Except for Bandana Man when I saw him in town that first day with...
With Sheriff Ray Wilkens.
Oh, God. A set up then!
The suspicious outsider in the Indian village was probably a plant, someone to draw Bryant away from the cabin.
Away from me.
Wilkens planned this, his problem solved and revenge satisfied. A message sent to Bryant when he returned to find my corpse at the cabin doorstep.
“Oh, hell, no,” I said, pumping my Winchester and training it. “Drop it, scumbags.”
“Think you’d better drop your own Winchester, missy,” Bandana Man ordered, gesturing with the nose of his own rifle. “We’ve been watching ya and know it’s all used up now.”
“You’re sure about that, slime dog?” I bluffed.
Not good enough, apparently, by the dark chuckle of the man.
“Do yourself a big favor, missus, and never play poker. You ain’t got the face for it. Now, drop that smoke wagon, before Buck here grabs it and breaks your pretty hands.”
“You want it? Come get it,” I said, backing up and getting ready to turn and run for the cabin.
I probably wouldn’t make it, but I’d be damned if I would go quietly into that great good night because of these two jokers.
“Not a bad idea,” Bandana Man said, cracking a tobacco stained grin, giving me a lecherous up-down. “Might be that I come and get something else from you, too. Haven’t had a woman in some time. No used wastin’ a good chance like this. Bet I could have you squealin’ in no time.”
“No time is right,” I yelled back. “Get back, or I swear..!”
“Hold her down, Buck,” Bandana Man said, stalking forward and untying his neckerchief. “I get her first.”
“Bryant!” I screamed, just as Overalls ran up grabbed my arms.
A dark, rumbling growl came from the forest. Then Luka burst from the bushes with teeth barred and lunged at Bandana Man, knocking him backwards. Before the man could scream and scramble away, Luka’s lethal fangs clamped down on his jugular and ripped out his vocal chords with one vicious yank.
Overalls yelled an obscenity as he shoved me towards the frothing wolf now turning his attention onto him. The wolf narrowed glowing blue eyes, then lowered his muzzle and stance. Growled. Then leapt.
A gargled scream.
A shot echoing through the trees.
A canine whimper.
It all happened so fast that it took me a few seconds to process the scene. The two men on the ground with gaping, blood soaked necks, eyes glassy and staring unblinking into nothingness. The silver wolf laying on his side, a metallic gray liquid oozing from a bloody wound in his ruff.
“Luka!” I screamed, running over to bend down and gently touch him. “Why did you do that, you sweet, silly wolf? What’s the matter with you?”
He couldn’t die! He couldn’t!
