Unshaken

The Wisdom of The Elders II

Liam crossed the Kamassa River and rode North towards Beaver Hollow. It was almost completely dark. He was creeped out in general, but wouldn't let Uncle travel through there at night due to the dangers. He could've swore he heard whispers coming from the trees but kept riding. As he was coming up on Butcher Creek, he saw some civilians panicking and pacing around.

He rode up to Obediah's house and knocked on the door. "Be gone, sir. Be gone. N-not because we cares not, no, b-but because we cares." Obediah said frantically, shaking in fear. "What are you talking about?" Liam asked, concerned about Obediah's state of mind. "The demons have us by the throat, sir. It's the darkness! The darkness, it's- it's everywhere! He was right!" Obediah panicked. "What are you talking about?" Liam asked again. "They come in darkn-" Obediah said being cutoff by a woman screaming for help in the distance. "Somebody please help!" She screamed. "They're coming!" Obediah said. "My pigs! Oh, somebody help!" She cried.

Liam took off toward her up the hill, his rifle ready to shoot whatever needed shooting. "They're killing my pigs, help!" She screamed again. Liam heard barking and snarling. He ran up on the house. "Stay inside, keep your door shut." Liam told her. He found mangy dogs attacking the pigs. They were looking and acting strange for mutts. He shot the two dogs. "Ma'am, you're safe now, I'll see if there's any more of 'em." Liam said walking towards the river. "Oh, thank you, brother." She said amidst her sobs.

He heard more snarling and barking. "Shit, there's more alright." Liam said to himself. He ran towards the commotion. "Help me!" A man cried out. Liam ran faster. A dog was on a man trying to get away from them in the outhouse. Liam shot the dog and another charged him. He shot the dog in the head. "They's got Kain, they's got brother Kain!" The man cried. "Where?" Liam asked. "Over there." The man said pouting across the river. "Alright, I'll handle this, come on!" Liam said as he came onto the bridge. Liam saw Kain's lantern as Kain ran towards him with dogs charging him. Liam shot the dogs chasing Kain.

The three met up. "Praise be, brother. I didn't think I'd make it." Kain said with relief. "You two, back to the village. I'll keep these dogs at bay." Liam said as they took off for the houses. More dogs came on the hill in front of them. "Oh god, the demons!" Kain yelled. Liam shot the three dogs with his revolver and moved the men onward. More dogs flooded the village with the civilians panicking. Liam worked to take all of them down. A dog came behind him but Liam dodged his bite and shot him in between the eyes.

He caught his breath and went back to Obediah's house. "It's not demons, it's just dogs, gone crazy." Liam yelled to them. Obediah came out of the house. "It ain't nice. Get yourselves home." Liam yelled as they started to gather around Obediah's house. Their torches provided light to Butcher Creek. "No, no, no, he said, he said they would come in many forms. And he said his protection would come in... many forms." Obediah said in unison with the villagers. They crowded around he and Obediah. "What are you taking about, it's just sick dogs. Hydrophobia or some other poison." Liam told him. "He said, we were not to doubt him." Obediah said with his words being repeated and whispered by the civilians. "Get your people home, mister. Then get yourself a gun and kill any sick animals you see. Life will be just fine." Liam told him. "The darkness has come for us." Obediah said nervously with the crowd repeating the word darkness. Liam sighed. "He was right." Obediah said. "Who was right?" Liam asked, confused by their words.

"I was." A man from behind said. Liam turned around a saw a man standing in the shadows away from the crowd. The civilians sighed with relief and started to repeat things begging the man to protect them. "I shall save them." The man said. Liam rolled his eyes. "And who are you?" Liam asked. "There'll be no more four-legged demons." The man said walking up as the crowd surrounded him, intrigued. He wore strange clothing with animal teeth. He looked to be Native American, possibly in his fifties. "The curse shall change, the curse has changed." The man preached to them. "What curse?" Liam abruptly asked him. "These poor people, I will save you." The man told them. "No, I just saved them. And it ain't no curse. It was just sick dogs." Liam told the man.

"Dark charms possess the woods, I told you." The man said to Obediah. "Yeah, he told me." Obediah blindly agreed. "I found one." The man said holding up a wooden, diamond shaped ornament. The crowd gasped in fear. "That?" Liam asked grabbing for it. "Don't touch it!" The man snapped, pulling it away. "He found the curse!" Obediah yelled with excitement. "So?" Liam asked. "The woods are full of these. While they remain, the curse will remain." The man preached to them in a manipulative tone. "The curse!" The crowd murmured. "Yet, the woods are also full of demons. I will find a way. Have I lied to you, thus?" He asked Obediah. "He- he never lied to me." Obediah told the civilians.

"No. Come, Obediah, feed me." The man said holding up the charm following Obediah to his house. "So, you're saying if someone destroys those charms, the curse is lifted?" Liam asked the man. "The woods are full of demons, and the demons protect the charms, and the charms protect the demons. It's impossible." The man said. Liam rolled his eyes again. "It's-it's impossible." Obediah repeated. "There ain't no demons." Liam told everyone. "Don't disturb the woods. I told you, he would come, he would help, and he would lie." The man hissed at the crowd. "You told us." Obediah agreed. Liam threw his hands up in disbelief at what he was hearing. The crowd quickly dispersed and returned to their homes.

He sighed and climbed onto Colter. "Some people, my lord." Liam said as he took off towards Beaver Hollow. He rode fast to avoid any trouble with the Murfrees. He arrived around midnight. He walked to his tent. Uncle came up to him. "Where the hell were you?" Uncle asked. "Just helping some folk at Butcher Creek." Liam said. "You had me thinking someone had picked you up." Uncle said walking off. Arthur approached him.

"What you been up to?" Arthur asked. "Ole Uncle and I robbed Cornwall's coach that was set to auction in Blackwater, got a pretty good take." Liam said. "No law?" Arthur asked. "No law." Liam repeated. Arthur smiled. "Ahh, that's my boy." Arthur said playfully digging his knuckles into Liam's head. Liam laughed as Arthur walked to his tent to wind down. He did the same.