Chapter 10-2

Chapter 10-2

Wayne and the boys quick as they can drive up to Santaquin up to Stringum’s Hardware and Goods on main pulling around back they unload the pickup yelling for Dave; “sorry Dave no time to chat.” Ned locks his store, hangs a sign out to lunch to keep people from barging in, showing the note from Mr. Stringum's and Doc.

He laughed “I heard the news,” loading the goods into the pickup. “Smart thinking making Judge the Mayor down there, his wife wanted him to retire for a long time. Heard she already got spot picked out for a home too, he doesn't even know it yet.” Gossiping as he goes.

“Mr. Stringum's was drawing plans for her just the other day. Word is you got ghost down there too and I'm not talking scarecrows even thou one did seem to return again right on her doorstep left a note too. Yes, sir, strange things happen yep. Let's see now looking at your list; overalls 5 pairs don't carry this size anymore ran out months ago very popular,” still gossiping as he goes.

“Yep says you need nails 15 tons, 30 miles ranching wire. I'll have that delivered by the tonight got the word you needed it in hurry. Poles to will be already on the way. Thanks, boys mind taking this back with you, it rots my teeth, all kids are down there I hear,” handing, a whole box of penny candy.

Ned and the Bill laugh showing their teeth. “Docs got ours too, but we know some kids right Sheriff?”

Wayne laughed Dave's out breath spreading the news and waves back, “its shame you don't carry shoes, Dave,” as Wayne waves head back down the road.  Yells “because I could use lots of those too” he replied in the wind.

Dave watches them go, “I forgot to ask what's going on down there? Dang, what was that about shoes?”

* * *

 

Wayne pulled up back into the farm Martha jumping out of the chair flying out of the door, yelling and running into his arms, “what took you so long?” She asked with tears in her eyes pointing towards the house, beating her fists against his chest sobbing. Martha telling him what happened when he was gone. Wayne rushed into the house finding all his boys still safe and sound including EJ still sleeping.  “I think his all right dear,” watching the color slowly returning to his face, “his temperature is normal and he is breathing fine now. He just looks a little bit older strange as if has aged a little and has worked all day,” she said.

Pa nods and brushed his hair, “has Doc seen him yet?” He asked.

Ma shakes her head. “No, we didn't dare leave this room.” Pa looked at the boys as they all nod, “they say someone was here, but they don't know who… they never saw them just felt them or it,” she said.

Ma still shaking like a leaf, Pa looked at the door which she had Robert remove off its hinge's taken it outside and will remain open until further notice. Aunty M in the kitchen putting on a second pot of Joe on the stove adding milk to Martha's, “here you go dear just a little Doc's on the way,” she said seeing Ned leaving the stables.

Ned hops on his horse with his horse's legs high in the air, Ned waves his hat “YE-HAW” as he leaves the stables heads towards New Downing; “YE-HAW" Ned fly's back down the field.  Clots of dirt flying in the air over the fields zigzagging left and to the right. Jumping over the ditch banks. As Ned swings his hat over his head heads as his horse leaps the ditch bank towards the New Downing. Speeding down the road across the stream bed, Yelling for Doc Hatfield, seeing him coming out of one of the barracks. Doc seeing Ned coming straight for him his eyes go wide yelling “DOC!!.”

“Not again,” he replied.

But it was too late as Ned grabs him by his by backside trusted him up like a Thanksgiving turkey on the back of his horse leaping shouting “Ye haw” heading back towards the farm; rolling Doc on to the porch of the farmhouse. Ned joins the rest of the boys loading up the wagons for a ride out to the work on the farms.  Yes, sir, fer there were sheep and cattle are coming today; Aunty M leading the way leaving Wayne to deal with his family today.

Aunty M looked back at the farmhouse she wanted to get some fresh air and far away from the shadows, looking at those trees that quake. “Let's ride boys,” waving her hat in the air. Whistling, swigging her Joe down her throat. “Wayne I got it we'll be back by supper time. Give EJ a hug from me and tell him not to worry, Aunty M got few friends on her side and couple of IOU's.”

Doc watched them go with the wind and dirt in his face “Do you mind telling me what in the tar nation going on around here?” He asked.

Wayne and Martha handing him a cup of Joe putting little of Aunty M moonshine in it just for him. “You are gonna need it Doc,” as Martha walked down the hall pass boy's door sitting outside off its hinges with a note on it removed until further notice. Doc swallows it in one gulp than another looked in the room under the beds. The boys won't move the dresser from the closet as they sit on the beds under cover's as Doc sees how frightened each one is.

He walks out of the room with Wayne and Martha pulls out his bag. “Wayne?” He said swallowing hard. “Got anything stronger?” As he pours each boy and for his two daughters some milk place a mix tonic for each of them two small drops for the little ones with lemonade with a cookie for dessert. “Thanks,” and pours a glass for Wayne and himself a glass of sweet tea for Martha just a drop. Walking down the hall to the children's room Doc hands each child a glass and a cookie. Ma and Pa tuck them into bed giving them a kiss goodnight waiting for them fall asleep before turning off the lights but leaving the doors all open and off the hinges. Then walking into the boy's room Doc sits in the chair with his glass nods to the two nurses on duty swallows with instruction, “wake me if and when that boy wakes up. Me him is going have a long talk,” stressing long talk rubbing his sides.

“Yes Doc,” as they giggle tucking the blankets around Doc in his chair.

House and farm is quiet not ghost or shadow or whisper, they are all down at Downing Villa playing around tonight. Having fun as people scream, things creaking, the wind blow’s silent whisperer in their ears.

Up the road the whistles blowing, a train is coming headed for New Downing. Clicked, clack, clicked, clack shhhhhhhhhh as the steam engine pulls in to the New Downing Station. Conductor pulls as the whistle blows, white, black steam bellows out.

“Alright boys let’s get them unloaded,” Aunty M said seeing Marty and couple of his boys.

“Where's Wayne?” Marty asked.

Marty was Aunty M and Mikes go too, guy. He was born and raised on a farm somewhere in Colorado Mountains when he lived in a nearby orphanage with his brother Albert who Mike had rescued from them because they were being transferred to boys home because nobody wanted them with five other boys.  Mike trusted both these boys to help run his and his wife Margaret’s business while he was away on business leading a different life. He was tall and slender, but strong as an ox with broad shoulders. Dark brown hair, brown eyes, and sturdy chiseled face, He was roughly Richards age in his early 20s.

Aunt M said answering Marty’s question. “Back at the farm had some problems last minute be joinen up with us later.”  Aunty M said as she looked at the shadows coming from the north. “I see ya got everything,” Aunty M said looking over at extra lumber on the back,” as she laughed, “he used it all too every stitch, cared more for framers than he thought.”

“Alright boys,” Aunty M yells as she swings her hat with a loud whistle, lowering the gate for the sheep and the cattle running everywhere too and thro, left and right a regular stampede. Marty and Aunty M laughed as her new elected hired boys chased them down.

“That's should keep them busy for a while,” Marty said as he finished the unloading with few extra surprises for them. Albert, you better go with them make sure they make it back to the New Downing with those sheep and steers.” Marty said to his bother.

Albert was Marty’s number 2 guy; he oversaw things on the farms and the cattle ranches. He was orphan that Mike and Aunty M took in when his parents died and brother to Marty and the spitting image of him and his father. With the same brown hair cut short just above his ears and mustache and wasn’t as tall as his brother Marty reaching the height of 5 foot 9 inches while his brother Marty was nearly 7 feet tall.  

“Thanks, Marty Aunty M said, “I’ll give you call in few days, watch out for?” Whispering in his ear as his face goes pale, “his been hanging around here with some of his friends” she said. Both boys like her knew some of the things her husband Mike was into. But not everything, well not until Derrick showed up at the door with Mikes body. Confirming her fears and finding out who he really was and now it was starting to all make sense. Well mostly anyway.

“I, I, I see,” Marty said looking at the shadows in the distance covering the hills, “Mike was right,” he said Aunty M nodding her head.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if old Morgan is around here stirring up trouble,” she said.

“Apparently so,” Marty said rubbing his chin as looked towards Santaquin. “You know Aunty M, Mike said something about him long ago, said something about a Dark Prince to that he was looking for. You don’t think that this has anything to do with it?” He asked rubbing his chin.

Aunty M paused in step nearly falling thinking about what Mike said regarding this Na it couldn’t be, could it? As her mind raced for the answer as she tries to remember days past. She needs to find Derrick and sit him down and ask a lot of question, more so after meeting of his friends who scared the dickens out of her. The fact they were men of Death made more and more real to her. Plus the fact Morgan was after her and right now trying to hunt her down and kill her. 

“Marty what I do know is that I've got a couple of IOU's already. Ones left his calling card and ones paid visit before I left. I don't know who yet I understand more are coming one could be Morgan or not I don’t know,” she said as they both look towards Downing Villa. “I do know that two are looking for wives, not sure what the other one wants yet,” she replied.

“Wives, you don't say?” Marty said rubbing his arms. “Yes, sir it's going to be a long one this fall. Thinken me and the boys gonna stay awhile if that's ok, thinken you might need the help. Beside everything button up tight down-home and we need to get things moving down here if now what I mean,” He said looking at the lumber in the wagons. “Ya say he hasn't even started yet?  We need to do something about that with winter coming,” with that Marty looked towards shadows near the trees and on the hills. “Yes sir time to get cracken Aunty M,” he replied.

Marty and the boys throwing in their bedrolls in back of the wagons shout “YAH! YAH! lettem ride boys.” With hard start horses gallop hard down the road while boys swing their hats in the air “YAH! YAH!” Bouncing off the springs, six teams of horses, dirt flying as wheels turning around the corners; wagons lifted off the sides to the right, then the left. The boys pulled back just a little on the hand breaks. Then bring them down then yelling, “YAH! YAH!” Hats swing at the sides of their mounts. Ropes tied to the saddles, dirt flying keeping even with the wagons, Wayne’s boys hearing shrill whistles seeing dirt clouds of wagons right behind them.

Ned laughing as he joins in the fun, zig, zaging. Dirt clods chasing the sheep and steers running towards the farm fencing were they have planned to put the sheep and the steers. Ned jumps the ditch bank lands right into the creek laughing, while his horse runs to the other side as Aunty M boys swing him up on the back of her horse. Before he gets run over by the sheep and steers and misses all the fun. Puts him back on his with a wink from Aunty M. yells, “that's Granny's boy,” tosses him a rope rides by his side. Closing the sheep and steers in for the night, they all head back to the New Downing. To drop off the goods and stops off at Cracken Villa with Ned, Bill, and Marty.

She heads on back to the farm she makes Marty check-in. “You got to be joking?”  He said.

“Nope… ouch… oh my.” Welcome to clean zone Downing farm. Where Marty noticed the sign stills says quarantine swinging on the gate With Ned, Granny and all her crooked teeth,

“Hi, Granny this Marty. The other boys are down in New Downing,” handing her the list.”

“Thanks, go in son dinner will be ready in an hour you can have these back in the morning…Oh my,” maybe not,” tossing them on the burn pile, handing him a blanket, “run son, we won't look.”

“But that was my best pair,” he said.

“Was dear? Was. Don't sweat the small?” Granny said.

“I know,” he said... runs as fast as he can, runs towards the farm.

“Granny any change?” Aunty M asked.

“Doc gave them all a good rest they should be little drossy, but be just fine? And no dear not a sign of you know who?” Granny said.

Marty enters the house seeing two nurses and wraps the blanket tightly around his waist they hand him a pair of new shorts and overalls sends him down the hall with a wink. “Thanks,” looking back at Granny lighting a match giggling as Ned followed right behind him slapping him hard on the back.

“Happens every time you go past, Downing Vila. They don't chance it anymore,” Ned said as they both look at the unhinged door as Ned swallows, “too many things go bump in the night down there. And one especially we don't like,” rubbing his arms, “he doesn't play nice. Plus one we don't know who he is and came to visit and left without so much saying a word,” Ned replied.

“Yes Aunty M telling me about something about that, strange,” Marty said looking at the door against the wall. “I wonder what he wanted? When the other two wanted wives, what was he looking for? And why?”

“Well, are you two to going stop gocking or get moving?”  Doc said looking at them through the doorway, “these boys need their rest. You boy Ned, I have bone to pick with you and your horse,” Doc said as he tries to get up from his chair “ooh ouch. I'm bruised from head to toe from that horse of yours,” Ned and Marty watching the blood rise to his head. Ned, Marty take off down the hall.

“Doc is that you?” EJ opening his eyes from his long sleep freezing him in his place.

“Well it's about time; ooh man I'm getting too old for this boy,” shaking his fist at him.  EJ looking around the room, “where’s my Ma and Pa?” He asked.

“Just a minute son,” Doc said stretching working the kinks out. “Ooooh, I'll go wake them.”

Doc walked across the hall gives Wayne a nudge, “he's awake now.”

“Thanks, Doc” as he wakes Martha who was up in a shot drowsy or not she was by his bedside in two shakes of lamb's tail, checking him out from head to toe again.

“Ma I'm fine I think,” EJ said looking around the room at the corner, she noticed it too. “I' m starved, felt I haven't eaten in a week, feel strange sort of tingly.” Whispers in Ma's ear, “I think he's gone, not sure?”  EJ said looking around the room one more time under the bed. “Pa can you move the dresser and please check the closet for me?” He asked as he swallows.

“EJ, who are looking for?” Ma asked.

“Not sure,” he said. As Pa moved the dresser Robert, Will and Richard hear Pa moving it wake up seeing everyone in the room and seeing EJ wake. Pa opens the closet door all the way so the boys can see an empty closet except empty hangers. They all sigh with relief as Pa closed the door. “Ma I think he's gone for now at least,” EJ replied.

“Who EJ? Who?” Ma asked

“I'm not sure seems familiar like I should know him, but I don't know his name. I just know of him. That's all I can tell you. Said something about a warning before a storm, something was coming, I' don't know, kinda of tired,” he replied.

“Alright,” Ma said as she leans over kiss his cheek, “at least your awake and you look a lot better,” she said feeling his head kissing him one more time, “Just right.” I'll bring you in some supper would like you like that?” She asked.

“No Ma, not in here, I want out of this room sheets and all I don't care.” He said as all boys jump out of the beds down the hall into living room Richard and Robert grabbing EJ and a sheet wrapping around his waist, grabbing the crutch they headed out. Leaving Pa, Ma, and Doc standing there in the room; they were in the living room waiting for super.

They were not going spend another night in that room, no sir, no way, no how. After Pa setup the mattress for everyone they all slept outside under the stars, on the new foundation in the back including Doc. Girls on one side boys on the other with Ma, Pa in the middle the only one in the house brave enough was Granny. She said, “heck I seen my share of ghosts,” laughing at the silly folks outside. “I prefer a nice soft bed any old time then cot or straw, or the ground.” Tossing another pair of shoes and another pair of shorts into the fire, “Someone I missed Humm, oh well, Doc said burn them all,” as she warms her hands by the fire, “oops.” those were Ned's,” as she grins.