Tuesday, November 21, 2017

NEW BOOK FOR NANOWRIMO "BACKLASH"




   These Books are a representation of my best efforts to              remember my troubled past.
I have seen a lot and done a lot in my lifetime.
Helping many people along the way.
And Killing those whose time had come.
I do not take pleasure in removing souls from this place, but these were souls that were lead by the Devil himself.
I have no choice in this fight between good and evil, I was marked by God to do his bidding and to carry out death to those who cause injustices to mankind......
  I am Michael
   The Angel of Death

 
First Draft


Mac felt the raindrops but didn't register what they were at first,
He was in the water for sure as he could hear the water rushing over rocks as it made its way downstream.
If that was what he was laying in, A stream or river he wasn't sure but the cold of it had entered his body and he shivered.
Bringing his hand up to the pain he felt in his head he noticed how heavy it felt. He moved in slow motion at least that's what it seemed like.
Touching the bruised spot on his forehead brought a sharp jolt to his senses.
Shit, he thought.
Pulling himself up, brought a wave of dizziness and he rolled over and puked.
Finally feeling he had nothing left to vomit, Mac tried again to sit upright.
A wave of dizziness attacked him but he fought it and stayed sitting with his chin on his chest, his head just felt too heavy to hold up for any length of time.
Finally lifting his head after what seemed like hours, Mac tried to focus, even so, there wasn't much to see.
It was pitch Black and mostly all he saw was the stars above.
It was funny how many stars you could see when the light from your surrounding was minimal.
He was laying in a river or I should say a small beach if that's what you'd call it.
The moon was out in force and that helped as his eyes started to focus.
Whatever was given to him was wearing off... but who? Why? he couldn't remember.
Touching his forehead again brought another rush of focus from the pain and he figured maybe a case of amnesia.
He was no Doctor that was for sure but when you have a dent in your forehead as he did and can't remember shit... Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out, your screwed.
First things first, get the hell out of this stream before something freezes and falls off.
Trying to stand was another obstacle he needed to get out of the way.
Searching around for something to use to steady himself, he found a limb that had broken off at about 5 feet long.
Using that he inched his self up to a standing position and held that until the dizziness stopped.
Standing there he noticed a cliff that overlooked the river, actually as he looked around he noticed that the river through time had cut itself deep into the ground.
The river had been grinding away at the river bed for thousands of years Mac guesses to have sunk itself 10-15 feet down.
Must have been how he ended up laying in the river, falling off the cliff and hitting his head on one these rocks that covered the bank.
Well at least so far he knew how he got there but why was he in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night?
Well, thats the question of the month isn't it Steve? he muttered to himself.
Looking around there was no obvious way back up the cliff and with his head pounding he wasn't about the climb out.
So he started walking downstream, He remembered his father telling him, "Son if you ever get lost, find a stream or river and go downstream because people build by water and you'll run into someone sooner or later"
What troubled Steve is maybe he didn't want to find just anyone.
There had to be a reason he was out here in the middle of the night and for him to fall off a cliff, well he had to have been in a hurry to not see it or hear the river before he fell.
Something just wasn't sitting right with him and the harder he tried to remember the worse his headache got.
He told himself, "Keep moving Mac, Don't Stop"
Noise, he heard noise, stopping Mac craned his head to hear better, "Dogs"
Fuck, not sure why but he just did it.
He stepped back into the cold water and moved faster downstream.
"Dogs, it wasn't just one dog or wolfs or coyotes, no it was Dogs! and they were in a frenzy.
He knew what it meant and something inside told him it wasn't the kind of search party he would want to find him.
Whatever happened to him, was causing his subconsciouses to push him the flight, fighting was out of the question, no weapon, unknown was tracking him, how many? weapons? just too much of unknowns for him to fight without a weapon so the other instinct was flight and that's what he was doing until he could figure out what he was up against.
A thought came to him, searching his pockets came up empty, Shit he was hoping for a billfold, drivers license, anything with his name on it or address.
The dogs were far behind he could barely hear them and only once in awhile. Using the river to keep his scent from the dogs was working but in daylight whoever had the dogs would be able to track him but the unsettled mud along the river.
He needed to be far from them by daylight.
And he needed to find a hidden spot to stay out of sight for the day.
He would lay low until night and push forward until he found people and a cell.
"A Cell" who in the hell was he going to call?
"Stupid" He could call 911 or get a ride into town and get to a Sheriff.
What had been interesting and was weighing on his mind was the empty holster that had been clipped to the inside of his pants in the middle of his back.
For some reason, he knew there had been a Glock 26 in it at one time.
How he knew this he had no idea, but whatever it was, it was pushing him to keep moving with a sense of urgency.
He was missing something, something very important and he needed to figure it out.
The empty holster at least gives him something to check out, was he a mobster, a cop?, a private Eye?.
He wasn't a hunter, not wearing a dirty, wetsuit-like he had on and who hunts with a Glock? no, he was a professional something.
He had to get out of the water his feet were numb with cold.
A fire would be nice but he couldn't risk it and he was sure even if he had matches or a lighter they would've been ruined by the water by now.
The good thing was there were plenty of rocks to walk on to avoid footprints but then dogs don't give a shit about footprints, it was all about scent.
Daylight was finally creeping out from behind the mountain range that Steve couldn't identify.
Finally finding what he needed he broke off a branch.
"Rue" it's purple flowers were the giveaway, How he knew he had no idea but he used it to sweep behind him as he searched for a hiding spot.
Finally, about 10 feet up the side of a high of the cliff was an opening.From where he was standing it looked like he could barely squeeze into it if it had any depth to it.Not much time before he would be a sitting target for someone with binoculars or even a rifle scope.
It was slow going, he seemed to be surer-footed then an amateur, so he figured he had climbed at least once before.
as he pulled his head up over the out hang of the cave, something flew at him.
Mac ducted almost losing his footing, he had to hold tight for a minute to settle his nerves.
And then he slipped.
Sliding all the way to the bottom created a dust cloud and shit lot of noise.
Standing up he dusted off his suit that was threadbare by than, torn and ragged.
There was blood down the front, his wrist was bruised and bloody.
In the light, he could finally look at himself, looked like I was in a war Mac thought
The fog that had enveloped his brain was finally lifting and he could take stock of himself.
Feeling his face he gasped "My face feels like I had landed on my face or someone beat the shit out of me" he thought
Looking up, he saw what had startled him.
A hawk had been sitting there watching for prey and he must have been as startled just as much as Mac.
"A girl" it popped into his head....A girl, a lost girl.
Shit, Mac thought, A girl finally he had something.
He was searching for a lost girl.
So why was he being hunted?
"Good question Mac," he thought.
At least I've got something.
For once he had something smile about.
Knowing he needed rest and to get out of sight he grabbed the "Rue" branch and swept his way back to the cliff, hanging off one of his shoelaces so that is would repel any dog who thought to look up, Mac began to climb.
Grasping the ledge he swung himself over the top.
The ledge was small, 2 foot by 3 foot but big enough for him to settle on it as he checked out the entry to the small cave.
Dark and musty, probably rainwater found ways in.
Picking up a pebble, Mac tossed it in... nothing he picked up another one and threw it even farther, expecting something to jump out at him.
Nothing, well at least if it was large it would've let him know before he went in.
The Sun was starting to beat down on him and he felt he had sat there long enough, So taking another look around, up the canyon from where he came and down.
He saw nothing, heard nothing also which was a good sign...
The hair on the back of his neck stood up a second before rock blew out next to his face, throwing chips and dirt onto him.
Blinded by the dirt, Mac went from memory and dived into the cave, hoping he wasn't diving into the side of the mountain.
Another bullet followed him into the mouth of the cave.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

SHILOH Rough Draft Chapter 5 DEED


DEED

Smitty pushed through the saloon doors.
The place was full of cowboys that looked like they just got off a cattle drive.
Drunk and hanging on the saloon girls like it was their last love..
Smitty shook his head, letting his eyes wander through the crowd he found what he was looking for "Sam"  picking his way throughout teh cowboys he pushed his way into a space next to Sam.
"Hey what the hell" one young cowboy said but when he looked at the man who had shoved him aside, he just muttered "Sorry" and turned away.
"What took you so long and where is Jake? " Sam asked
Smitty had his story ready after walking 10 miles, he had thought it out very nicely he had to admit to himself
"What took us so long is that Farmer bushed whacked us and killed Jake"
"Your shitting me" Sam said
"No I'm not that Son of a bitch, shot Jake out of his saddle and I thought I had killed him but when I went to check him he hit me with a dam log and dam near took my head off"
"That son of a bitch, Big John going to be pissed about Jake"
"I know but I must of winged him, there was blood"
"You did" Sam said
"What do you mean?"
"He rode in this morning and was dam near dead"
"Where is that bastard now?" Smitty asked
"Laying up at Ben's widows room"
"Your shitting me, you were suppose to kill her?"
"Only if I got the word"
"You didn't?"
"Nope" Sam said
"That means something happened with Big John, that dam Sheriff must of put him and Frank in jail"
The noise didn't seem to bother the two as they talked, Smitty did keep watching the comings and goings, he was a man who like to watch his back trail.
"In jail?"
"Yea Frank got ansy with the Farmer and dam near lost his head, that Farmer hit him so hard that Frank was picking himself us across the room?" Smitty said
"Your kidding and Frank didn't shoot him?"
"didn't have a chance the Sheriff showed up" Smitty said
"Well anyway, let's go get the widow and kill that bastard" Smitty grumbled
"No need"
"Why?"
"I've got the Deed" Sam smiled at him
Smitty laughed "Well I'll be"
"Yea I heard the commotion of him falling off his horse and when I got there the widow Gabriel and Doctor where there, So I volunteered to take the horse to the livery station but before I did I found the Deed in his saddle bag"
"So now what?" Smitty asked
"I telegraphed the General and I'm waiting on an answer"
"So in the mean time we could have some fun" Smitty asked
"Sure tonight, or we could go up to the widows room and have more fun" Sam said
"Yea count me out of that idea "Smitty said
"Your turning yellow over a log being laid up against your head?"
"It's not that"
"Then what Smitty"
"Well, The Farmer does have a name" Smitty replied
"What could be in a name that has made you yellow"
Turning to face Sam
Staring Sam in the Eyes Smitty said, "I'm not Yellow and if you think that or say it again you better be grabbing Iron"
"Whoa, Partner calm down, So what was his name" Sam asked trying to defuse Smitty's temper.
Never takening his eyes off Sam he Said "Michael D'Angelio"
Sam stood there for a minute trying to wrap his brain a name that hasn't been spoken or heard of for four or five years.
"Michael D'Angelio is a myth, a campfire legend"
"You really believe that Sam?"
"Well Yea"
"I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone"
Sam just stood there trying to decide if what was coming was one of Smitty's tall tells or?"
"I was part of a gang that had robbed a Bank and some people got killed, that was suppose too, I mean bullets where flying  and a strare bullet I hit the school and a little boy was killed, Mind you it wasn't mine."
"Shit Smitty I didn't know you were a Bank robber"
Smitty grabbed Sam's shirt with both hands, pulling him close Smitty said, And you will forget it after tonight if you want to live another day."
"Yea, yea no problem, we all have stuff in the closet"
Letting go of Sam's shirt, Smitty went on with his story.
"Well we started to feel like we were being followed so we set up a little ambush."
Sam, back up a step and ordered them another round
Smitty went on "I was high up on a ridge with my rifle since I best shot, I was watching the camp when a lone rider entered the camp"
Smitty eyes went out of focus for a minute as his brain went back to those moments before all hell broke lose.
"Before I knew it all my Men were down, Sam"
"I mean down, shot to the ground, dead.
Sam thought for a minute
"How many?" Sam asked
Smitty looked away for a minute
"12"
"What?"
"Twelve men dead"
"Noway Smitty something isn't right"
"Thats what I was telling myself high on that ridge until that Devil looked up at me"
"What? no way, how far away?"
"I must of been 200 yards in the middle of the night, pitch black, Sam"
"He looked at me and started to load his guns, I could feel Hell's hand on me and I ran"
"You ran?"
"When you face the Devil that is all you can do"
Sam wasn't sure he believed ever word of Smitty's story but he knew the Man was shaken up, 
"So Sam we are going to hit the trail first thing"
"Look Smitty, Whoever killed your men, is long gone and your here and how do you know who it was."
"Stories of a man called Michael D'Angelio whose only son was killed by a Bank robers bullet during a robber killed all but one of the robbers..."
"Holy Shit Smitty I'm sorry"
Smitty looked hard a Sam "You trying to be funny?"
"No Sam, I'm with you, lets get out of here at first light"
"Good"