Mastim's Curse

Chapter 32

 Guachochi is dry and hot during the day, but at night a there's a cool breeze. I lie in bed waiting for sleep that won't come. My mind is a jumbled mess and I look like a wild-man with wrinkled clothes stained with dried blood.

I beat a man to death today. It's not the first time, but it's the first time I've killed a man that wasn't fighting back. He knew where Nicole was taken, but wouldn't tell me, no matter how hard I hit him. And I hit him hard.

He was so scared of the men that have her that he'd rather die than cross them. Everyone in this fucking town is scared. No, not scared... they are terrified. I tied bribes at first, and kept increasing the price until I gave up and resorted to more physical methods. That didn't work either. She's nearby, that much I know. It's maddening.

I'm halfway into a bottle of tequila and still the thought of losing her is too much to bear. I'll tear this town apart before I give up. It takes the rest of the tequila for me to find sleep, and then it's hunted by the face of the man I killed.

At first, the knocking I hear is part of my nightmares, but slowly my mind realizes it's daytime and someone is knocking at my door. "Who's there," I ask with a raspy voice.

"Message for Señor," is the response.

Pulling myself out of the bed is done with major complaints from my body. My head feels like it's going to explode right after my stomach spills what it holds all over the floor. I can only hope that they've come to put me out of my misery. When I open the door, it's only a small boy holding a white envelope.

His eyes go wide and he stammers. "Are... you... Señor Mastim?"

I rub the sleep out of my crusty eyes with my cut and bruised hands. "Yes."

"This... This is for you." He hands the envelope to me and then takes off running. Smart boy.

My fingers fumble with the envelope before I just tear off the end. Inside is a simple note that says, "I can help you find her. Meet me at the Dead Horse Cantina at six o'clock."