The Tale of The Professor Part 2

Chapter 8

As Professor rode down the road of the bayou, the moon's light shone through the trees and carried through the light fog lining the roads. Professor listened and heard the songs of the various creatures of the bayou. The croaking frog, to the growling gators, and the crickets playing in the night.

Professor slowed down and began to trot letting the symphony of sounds fill his ears, it was a nice and restful sound that filled his head. He closed his eyes as he trotted down the road, the wind whistled against his ears, the sound of the dragonflies buzzing over the water. The creatures rustling in the bushes, the light clicking and whistling, and light twang from the...wait.

Professor opened his eyes and suddenly stopped his horse. Suddenly something flew just in front of his head, Professor swiftly reached down and picked up the lantern from his horse's neck and held the light where the item landed. Protruding from the tree was a wooden arrow, realizing this Professor turned around to see 3 figures quickly approaching from the shrubbery. Professor quickly hopped off his horse and placed the lantern on the ground.

As the figures emerged from the bushes. Professor pulled out his carcano off his back and made sure it was loaded, but the figures that appeared were strange. They wore old ragged clothes stained with blood, their skin covered in white paint with a large white handprint on their faces, the men held rusted machetes, and one had a bow strapped to their back. The men stood there silently shifting their blades in their hands.

"Who are you people?" Professor asked, keeping his finger on the trigger.

The men didn't say a word but just started to advance towards Professor, raising their blades up. Professor pulled back his rifle and slammed it against the first man's stomach, he bent down and dropped his blade holding onto his stomach. Briskly Professor pulled the rifle up and fired a shot through the second man's head that was the closest. In a single shot the man's head busted open, and dropped to the dirt road just as quick as the bullet was fired. Professor turned to face the third man who swung his blade at him. Professor stepped back holding his rifle out and blocked the blade with the wooden side of the gun. Once he stopped the strike, Professor kicked the man's leg making him lose his balance and fall to the ground. Professor used this time to hop onto his horse and start to ride away.

As Professor rushed down the road on horseback, hearing whistles coming from behind him. Professor continued to ride down the road until he was out of Lemoyne and back into the Heartlands, he slowed his horse down and he turned around to the road back to Lemoyne.

'Who the hell were those men?' he wondered.

Professor turned and continued to ride until he was back at camp. He dismounted and hitched his horse near his large tent. Professor stepped inside his tent and changed out of his padded outlaw attire and into a comfortably fitting grey everyday shirt, and black pants. Professor stepped out of his tent and stretched. After feeling loose he made his way over to the pot where Cripps made a delicious smelling stew. Professor hadn't eaten all day and he was starving.

Professor looked around to see Cripps fast asleep with a bottle in his hand near the wagon. Professor sighed and sat down near the fireplace where a faint fire was still burning. Professor reached down and picked up a few pieces of chopped wood and piled them on, before taking a bite of the delicious stew.

As he continued to enjoy the stew and hear the crackling fire, Professor heard the sound of a horse approaching from the road. Soon approaching from the dark was Red Baron, looking beat tired. He hitched his horse next to Professors and walked through camp.

"Hey Red Baron, you were gone for a while, what happened?" Professor asked.

Red Baron turned around smiling but Professor noticed a flame in his eyes. The flame that was in his eyes was the same Professor had when he lost Marian. Red Baron has been through something that gave him the same.

"You know, just dealing with some business as usual," He said.

Red Baron then continued to walk over into his tent and closed the flab behind him. Professor decided not to pry and leave it be until he's ready to talk.

Professor finished his bowl of stew and made his way to bed, before falling asleep he whispered into his tent.
"Goodnight Marian, I love you" he whispered into his empty tent before resting for the night.

The next morning at camp Professor and Red baron reunited after their long day yesterday of both out doing work and met each other at the campfire and told each other about their day over some eggs.

"Last night, as I made my way through the swamp, I was ambushed by these strange looking men, they didn't say anything, just attacked me, they had ragged clothes on and white paint all over their bodies." Professor told Red Baron.

"I know what you're talking about, sounds like you ran into the night folks" Red Baron explained.

"Night Folk?" Professor asked.

"Yes, Night folk, a group of voodoo cultists. They attack those on the road at night and butcher them if they don't just kill you right there. Your Lucky you made it out alive, but I'm glad you did" Red Baron said

"Because now I can tell you that I can confirm Marian is alive and Hixon will be at that party." Red Baron explained. Professor gave a soft smile,

"So she is alive, so there is a chance, I can't wait to hold her in my arms again" Professor added. Red Baron nodded.

"Yes but we gotta play this carefully. I can't confirm this, but there is a chance she will be at the party. Well start searching for the valuables Martelli mentioned in exchange for those invitations to the party tomorrow, I'm gonna get some more rest in my tent." Red Baron said, leaving Professor at the fire and heading to bed.

Professor continued to eat his food, feeling joy at the thought of seeing Marian again, to tell her that he's alive and she will be alright. And to put an end to Reid Hixon, to make sure he'd never abuse his power again. But first they needed to get into that ball.