Chapter Thirteen
Duster and a Gun: Reaper
Gregory Blackman
Down and Out
Billy and I trudged through the tunnel in the dark. It came to an end at another that would run under the main street, at least that’s what it felt like. We couldn’t travel any faster in the dark, his tender hand wrapped around mine.
“Did you feel that?” I asked, feeling something brush past my leg. Billy must’ve have felt it, too, because almost immediately he tightened his grip and wouldn’t let go. “C’mon, boy, we’ve got to find a way out of this place.”
I only had my Zippo to light the way through the intersecting passageways. I ran my hand along the rocky wall, covered in the same dark and grimy material that we were shuffling through. All of these tunnels looked identical and I had no idea if we were traveling in the right direction, or if we had turned completely around.
I had little doubt that the townsfolk had already managed to get around the crude blockade in pursuit. Still, I couldn’t hear them, either we were far ahead of them, or lost in the labyrinth.
“Hold up, boy,” I said. “I feel something.”
I traced the outline of a board nailed to the wall. I wiped the grime away. “I think it’s a map of some sort,” I said, “Perhaps we’ll find an exit somewhere on here.”
It was indeed directions, with markings, for homes, the tavern and even the boarded up church—every structure in the town seemed to be connected to the tunnels. The one thing that didn’t seem to be accounted for was what we needed most, a way out of this mess.
“We’re going to have to settle on the saloon,” I said. “I don’t know how much I can trust the bartender, but he’s not one of them… I know that much.”
“That means we’re going to have to go straight for three intersections, and then a left,” I continued. “It’s right across from the abandoned church. Can you remember that? Well, if we get off course you just speak up and tell me.”
A smile grew on Billy’s face, but he still didn’t speak. I could tell that he was thankful for the rescue, then, he once again held on for dear life as something scurried past our feet.
“C’mon, boy,” I said. “Let’s not stay here any longer than we have to.”
It couldn’t have been any more than a hundred yards to freedom, but a hundred yards had never seemed so far away. We passed the next intersection and a dimly lit fire seemed to be burning in the distance. I paused and looked back; everything was hazy and filled with smoke from torches.
“Billy,” I said, “I need you to keep going and stay ahead of me. We’ve got trouble.”
I could see several of the townsfolk emerging from the smog, brandishing the same peasant weapons and grim demeanor as before. I hurried our pace until we reached the next intersection, and saw the same. They were closing in on us.
“The boy belongs to us!” Sheriff Madsen bellowed from somewhere, his voice echoing throughout and impossible to locate. “And now, reaper, you belong to us, as well!”
I pushed Billy harder; he almost stumbled so I grabbed him and ran. We made a left at the next intersection which was dark and empty, now a comforting sight which hopefully leads to the tavern and out of this town.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” the Sheriff sang mockingly. “I never did get to settle that little score of ours.”
I gave him no response. That’s what he was hoping for; saying anything at all would reveal me.
“Oh, don’t be like that!” he hollered. “You an’ I… we’ve got some catchin’ up to do.”
I could see the villagers closing behind us. What did stick in my craw was that I was fleeing for my life. I’d faced down battalions before and never once thought about fleeing, but a couple dozen townsfolk with pitchforks and I was heading for the hills.
“Come ‘ere!” shouted a woman. “The master’s heard all about you, child.”
The scraggly-looking woman lunged for Billy, but I caught her by the hair and planted her face first in the dirt. I ordered Billy to run and once he’d managed to get far enough ahead, I let the woman go and continued on after him.
“I can hear you,” the Sheriff said.
“Don’t listen to him, boy,” I whispered, “He’s just trying to rattle us… we’ve only got a little ways to go and then Betsy will take us far away from this place. Mark my words, little man; we’ll see the night sky again. I’m not going to let this be the last place either of us sees.”
I could hear the townspeople much closer than before. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but the boy was slowing me down, and a bloodless getaway was becoming less likely by the second.
“We’re gonna getcha!” the Sheriff howled. “You’re dead, reaper! I’ll fry you up an’ eat you for supper!”
“Go, boy!” I shouted, not bothering to conceal myself any longer. “Run for your damned life!”
I turned to face the villagers with my revolver drawn. I wasn’t going to start blasting them so I fired into the dirt, an act they saw right through and continued to press forward. I turned to follow Billy, now a dozen yards ahead of me.
“Gotcha!” one of the townspeople barked as he appeared from out in front of us and grabbed hold of Billy.
I tried to reach him but he was too far from me and by the time I got there Billy had been passed back to others and lost to me.
“Fuck!” I screamed in frustration. “Billy, where are you? Billy!”
“Lost somethin’, have you?” the Sheriff asked from behind me. I turned to see Sheriff Madsen
.“You lay a hand on his head and it’ll be the last thing you do! When this is all said and done, Sheriff… you’ll be staring up at me while the blood drains from your body.”
The Sheriff howled a sickly laughter; he was reveling in my misery. He was a depraved man and one that had lived well past his expiry date. I should’ve killed him when I had the chance.
“Is that a fact?” he asked. “Because right now you’ve lost the only damn leverage you had.”
I wanted nothing more than to break the Sheriff’s neck but he was right, now I needed him if I wanted to find Billy.
“Billy,” I stammered as I looked for the boy. “I’m so sorry.”
It wasn’t the boy’s fault that I was a failure; he was a victim of my poor planning and bad timing. My shortcomings had cost Billy his freewill. There was nothing I could do for him now.
“Where are you goin’?” the Sheriff asked. “Oh, c’mon now, reaper, we’re just startin’ to have some fun!”