Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Thirteen

  

THIRTEEN

A week after the horrifying death of her father Glory had somewhat managed to work on the farm again. The boy had been helping her along as best as she could as had Blackcrow. After another day of hard work, working extra hard probably to prevent her from thinking about the fact she had lost all her family the boy told her he needed to talk.

They sat at the kitchen table. Glory had some coffee, the boy just water.

“Glory…I’ve enjoyed your company. I’ve enjoyed helping you along but the time for me to go has come,” the boy told her.

“Why? If you like it here, why not stay?”

“Right now, the mission in my life is to find fear. I will not get any peace, be truly happy until I do.”

Glory shook her head. “I just can’t believe you didn’t feel any fear when the skinwalker was trying to kill you. I will be having nightmares for years to come.”

“The skinwalker isn’t the first creature I’ve seen that would scare most people but didn’t scare me. I think it will not have been the last either. I need to go, travel again to find whatever will scare me.”

“I will miss you. Not just as an employee but also as a friend. I will forever be grateful that you saved my life.”

“Most of that gratefulness should go out to Blackcrow. If he hadn’t been carrying that bullet filled with white ash we’d both be dead.”

“Well, you were the one who fired the bullet.”

There was a knock on the door. Glory walked over to it. At the door was Blackcrow.

“Hi Glory,” he said. “Nice to see you. You look great. Kid, ready for your ride?”

The boy stood. “Let me grab my backpack.”

The boy walked out of the kitchen, leaving Glory with the conservation officer.

“How are you feeling now? Relieved you avenged your father’s death?” Glory asked Blackcrow.

“Partly. It also has taken some kind of purpose from me that now has forced me to really come to grips with his death. I feel your pain about your own father, Glory.”

Tears rolled down Glory’s face. She reached out to Blackcrow, hugging him. He hugged her back, tightly and kissed the top of her head. When they let go of each other they had a long look into each other’s eyes.

“Will you stay over for dinner? I don’t want to be alone tonight,” Glory said.

“I would love to. As soon as I drop the boy off at the Greyhound station.”

The boy walked back into the kitchen, backpack slung over his shoulder. “Ready to go!”

Glory hugged the boy. “Have a save trip. I’m not sure if I want you to succeed in your mission though. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

The boy smiled. “I’m not afraid of that.”

 

 

 

 

 THE END

The Boy Without Fear will return in THE ART OF NIGHTMARES!

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Twelve

 

TWELVE

The hands of the skinwalker wrapped themselves around the boy’s throat. The strength in those hands was incredible. The boy tried to get some air in through his nose, hammering at the creature with the handle of the revolver. The skinwalker wasn’t deterred by this though. This might be the end. The boy felt sorry for that, he didn’t want to die without having ever known fear or with his virginity intact. He decided to keep hammering. One of the blows he dealt hit the creature in the ear, that seemed to hurt it somewhat, the grip on the boy weakening. Making use of this he hit the creature once again against the ear, then right in the eye. The skinwalker howled and let go of the boy, taking a step back.

“Kid, catch!” Blackstone yelled and threw a small object at the boy.

The boy jumped, grabbing the object in the air, clutching it in his fist. When he opened it, he saw it was a bullet. Without thinking twice he put it in the revolver.

The skinwalker was on all fours, snarling at the boy. “I’m going to kill you.”

The boy aimed the gun at the creature. “Not if I kill you first, you monster.”

“By now you should know bullets won’t hurt me. I’m going to enjoy ripping your intestines out,” the skinwalker said. It leaped at the boy.

A loud bang heralded the bullet that caught the skinwalker right in the chest. With big eyes the creature registered a kind of pain he had not expected. It dropped on the floor. Blood kept coming from his chest. “No… No…”

Blackcrow had just managed to get back on his feet. “That’s for killing my father, evil demon! You just got shot by a bullet filled with white ash. I’ve been carrying it along ever since my dad died. He actually made it to kill you once he suspected your existence. He did his research, he knew that was the way to kill a skinwalker.”

“Damn you,” the skinwalker breathed and started to become more and more human. What was left was a Native American, old and thin man. He clenched a fist, then his body went slack.

The boy kneeled down next to the body. “Did we do it? Did we kill it?”

“Best to be careful, but yes, I think we did. I finally avenged my father’s death.”

“What about my dad? Where is he?” Glory wondered. She was still on the floor, rubbing a painful head.

The boy helped her on her feet. “I’m not sure, but I think it would be best to prepare for the worst.”

Glory ran out of the kitchen, through the house, followed by the boy. She walked into her dad’s bedroom. She found Caleb lying on the bed. His ribcage had been opened, his heart lying between his legs. She screamed as the boy held her as tight as he could. In a way, Glory’s nightmare had just started.

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Eleven

 

ELEVEN

The boy could hear Glory scream from the door. Blackcrow told him to stand back. He drew his revolver and shot the lock of the door. With one hard kick the door flew open and they stormed into the house.

Another scream. The boy said, “That came from the kitchen.”

“All right, let’s go there!” Blackcrow said.

Entering the kitchen they were met by an unbelievable sight. There were two young women in the kitchen, both looking like Glory.

“What the hell?” the boy said.

“She’s not the real me, it’s a monster!” one of the Glories said, pointing at the other one.

“Nonsense, she’s the monster!” the other Glory said.

“This really gives me some flashbacks to a Star Trek episode,” Blackcrow said, not sure who to point his revolver at.

“So one of you is the skinwalker,” the boy understood. “We will just have to figure out who.”

One Glory grabbed the other Glory by the hair. “This creep tried to rape me!”

The other Glory punched her in the stomach, making her hands slip from the hair again.

A thundering sound almost deafened the boy. Blackcrow had fired a shot in the air. “Stop it, the both of you!”

Both Glories stared at Blackcrow, almost like they were frozen. A sudden gunshot can do that to you.

“I am going to ask you a question only the real Glory will know,” the boy said. “What is my favorite sort of meat?”

“That’s easy, steak!” one Glory said.

“You’re a vegetarian, you don’t eat meat,” the other Glory said.

“That’s right. Blackcrow, the Glory to the right is the real one,” the boy said.

Blackcrow aimed his revolver at the left Glory. “Finally I get my revenge.”

The Glory at the left jumped towards Blackcrow, changing while she did so, hair growing on her arms, her face changing. What was left was the savage form of the skinwalker. Blackcrow fired, the bullet hitting the creature in the chest. It dropped down on the floor, not moving anymore.

“Got you, motherfucker!” Blackcrow said and keeping the gun aimed at it’s unmoving form walked closer to it. As he was close enough to touch it, the boy yelled, “Watch it!”

The skinwalker’s claws slashed through the skin of Blackcrow’s leg. The conservation officer lost his balance and fell on one knee. He aimed his gun at the skinwalker who was rising again. Before he could fire a round the creature had grabbed his arm, twisting it until a sickening crack was heard. Blackcrow’s broken arm hung limp from his body.

The skinwalker howled as Glory stabbed it in the neck with a kitchen knife. It slapped Glory away from him, knocking her against the wall. It’s shadow darkened Glory, who crawled back from the monster until she had nowhere to go anymore, trapped against the wall.

“Screw it! I’m going to kill you and fuck your bloody corpse!” the skinwalker growled.

“Leave her alone!” the boy yelled at the creature. It didn’t pay any attention to him, apparently not seeing the teenager as much of a threat.

Blackcrow’s revolver thudded to the floor as the skinwalker started to close in on Glory. The boy grabbed it, aimed it a the skinwalker and fired all remaining three round in the creature’s back. Blood burst where the bullets hit the skinwalker’s hairy back. From the sound the creature made it was obvious the bullets hurt.

“You little shit,” the skinwalker said, turning around to face the boy now. “You really think simple bullets can kill me? You’ve annoyed my enough for me to kill you first now, though.”

The boy observed the monster coming for him. It looked fascinating. It looked like a mix between a wolf and a human, sporting deerlike antlers. For a moment he thought he was going to feel fear. Unfortunately he only felt some kind of morbid curiosity as to what was going to happen now.

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Ten

 

TEN

The Caleb that had just came in ran at the other one, grabbing him by the throat with both hands. The other Caleb tried to wrest himself free, grabbing the other’s wrists.

“What’s happening? Who of you is my real dad?”

The attacked Caleb kicked the other one between the legs, making him pant for air. He followed that up with a haymaker punch that floored his opponent.

“Obviously I am. Did you see that maniac attack me?”

Glory took a few steps back. “I… I’m not sure.”

“Take it easy sweetie. That asshole there must be the skinwalker. But he’s down for the count now. Let’s get him tied up.”

Glory kept stepping back, eyes on Caleb. “I don’t have any rope.”

“You’re cowboys aren’t you? You must have some rope here,” the Caleb said.

“You’re? Not we?” Glory noted.

“Well shit, you fucking bitch!” the Caleb said and lunged at Glory. As he did his arms seemed to elongate, his face changing, stretching into what looked like a snout. Hair started to grow all over his body as his clothing started to rip.

Glory had managed to reach the reason she was taking those steps back. The knife block! She drew the largest kitchen knife from it and slashed at the thing attacking her. The knife cut through the creature’s forearm, drawing blood. However, the wound closed a quickly as it had appeared.

The knife in front of her, trying to find as much protection as she could from it she stood with her back against the kitchen counter. “What do you want from me?”

“That’s easy,” the skinwalker told her. His voice sounded more like a snarl. “I want you. I have been alone for so long. I have watched you with so much desire. Now you finally have the right age. I want you to marry me. I can look like anyone you want me to, isn’t that perfect?”

As he said those words the hair receded, the snout grew back in a human mouth. Before Glory’s amazed eyes he changed into the boy.

“No… No…” she whimpered.

“Too young? Okay.” The skin of his face started to stretch, darken, harden. Then she was looking at Michael Blackcrow. “Better?”

Then Glory started to cry. “Oh my god, don’t you understand? I will never marry you.”

The skinwalker’s face started to change again. “Is this better? This is how I’ve been observing you most of the time during your youth.” He’d changed into Robert Moreno.

“No! No! Have you been him all that time?”

“Well. Ever since I killed him and impersonated him, yes. We’re meant to be together, Glory. I’m sure of it.”

“No! I’d rather die than be with you,” Glory said. The thought of that thing touching her made her sick. The thought that all those years that thing had been hiding underneath Robert Moreno’s skin was almost too much to bear.

The skinwalker came closer. “That could also be arranged.”

Glory made a stabbing motion at the skinwalker but he reacted with incredible, animalistic speed. He grabbed her by the wrist, twisted it. Glory winced. The knife fell on the floor.

“No… Please no…” Glory pleaded.

One hand of the skinwalker starter to grow into a hair claw. One claw ran across her cheek, down neck to her breasts. Then, with just one claw he ripped open her nightgown, exposing her naked body.

“Yesssss…. So good. So young. So beautiful…” The skinwalker almost drooled. His eyes were only on her nakedness. That’s when Glory saw her chance.

“No!” Glory screamed and rammed another kitchen knife, which she’d managed to grab while the creature was lusting over her, righ into his throat.

Blood spurted from his throat, showering her body with blood. She twisted the knife, screaming, “Die! Die you fucking monster!”

The skinwalker hit her with backhanded slap so powerful she was knocked against the kitchen counter. Her head hit a cupboard above the counter and Glory felt all her strength leave her body as the world started to become hazy. She tried to stay upright against the counter but her legs were like rubber.

The skinwalker caught her before she fell. Robert’s face grew large fangs, an inhuman tongue flicking out as the skinwalker said, “Oh yes… You are mine, Glory…”

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Nine

 

NINE

After the boy had explained what had happened over at the ranch that night Blackcrow scratched his chin. “Strange story. Glory has been through a lot of stress. That might have taken its toll.”

“The way that coyote disappeared and suddenly the nighthawk appeared has made me think,” the boy said. “What if the coyote changed into the nighthawk?”

“You mean to say you think the coyote was the skinwalker?”

“Exactly.”

“That could well be the case. I should have thought about that!”

“And if that was the case it might be that indeed someone looking like me tried to hurt Glory. Someone looking like me but not being me.”

“What? You think the skinwalker impersonated you?”

The boy shrugged. “Didn’t you say earlier that your dad suspected the skinwalker in the past replaced people, impersonating them after killing them?”

“Yeah. You might be right. But if so, Glory might be in danger right now. That nighthawk flew off in the direction of the ranch.”

“No time to waste then, let’s head over to the ranch!”

 

Glory couldn’t sleep. She sat in the kitchen, drinking a glass of water. Her dad entered the kitchen.

“Hey, girl. Can’t sleep?” Caleb asked her.

“No. Something weird happened. I had to throw the boy out.”

“What? Why?”

Glory thought about keeping quiet for a moment. She was mad at what the boy had tried to do to her but she didn’t want her dad to hurt him either. She figured the boy was gone far enough now though. So she told her dad what had gone on that night.

“That little shit. Good thing you ran him off. I would have killed him,” Caleb bristled.

“That’s what I figured. Oh, dad… Will I ever be able to trust any man?”

Caleb sat at the table next to her, put a hand on her shoulder. “You will forever be able to trust me.”

Glory caressed his hand. “I know dad. There was something strange though, I scratched the boy’s cheek. But when I confronted him with his deeds in his room they were gone.”

Caleb hugged her, pulling her close. She could feel his nose against her hair. Did he smell it? That was weird. Her dad had never been a hugger.

“What the hell?” Caleb’s voice sounded. It didn’t come from near her though. Instead it sounded like it came from the doorway.

Glory pushed the man hugging her away from her. She saw Caleb come into the room. She looked at the man who’d been hugging her. He looked like Caleb as well. What was going on there?

“Who the fuck is that?” the man hugging her yelled, pointing at the other Caleb.

“No, who the fuck are you?” the Caleb in the doorway asked.

“Oh my god, I’m going crazy!” Glory screamed.

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Eight

EIGHT

The boy was confused. It all went pretty fast those fifteen minutes ago in his bedroom. He just didn’t understand where the accusations of Glory had come from. Did she have a very realistic dream or something?

As he walked he began to notice how it got cooled down quickly when night has fallen. He buttoned up his shirt. The only light in the vast outdoor space was that of the moon. It was so much darker there than in the city. Not that the absent of light scared him of course. Sleeping on benches in the outdoors at night was one of the first things he’d tried in his quest to feel fear. He’d heard many people got scared by the strange, unidentifiable noises they heard in the night. Some would get the feeling something was watching them. Something unseen. Oh, if only he could have those feelings.

That’s when he heard something scrape the sand behind him. He turned around. It was so dark he could hardly see anything. He switched on the flashlight of his cell phone. He looked right into the eyes of a coyote. Most people would have screamed or put a step back. He just stepped forward, slowly reaching out a hand to the animal.

“Hey there, fella… How are you?” he softly said to it.

The coyote was the biggest one he’d ever seen. It bared bright white teeth. There was a low growl, coming from the back of the animal’s throat. The boy felt no fear, but knew to be cautious. He slowly got his backpack from his back.

The coyote attacked, jumping at the boy, snarling. The boy managed to get his backpack in front of himself, the coyote’s teeth sinking into the fabric instead of his flesh. The animal hung onto it, trying to wrestle it from the boy’s grip. As a devoted vegetarian the boy hated hurting animals but knew he had little choice in this case. He kicked the animal as hard as he could. The coyote let go of the backpack and landed on its back. It yipped but got ready to attack again, back legs getting ready to jump again.

Bright lights bathed the boy and the coyote. The sound of an engine, a car coming to a halt. The boy turned to see the arrival of Blackcrow’s car. The conservation officer jumped out of the car and shot a round from his gun in the air. The coyote ran away.

“Thanks,” the boy said.

“Thank me later. I need to get a tranquilizer gun from the car to shoot that coyote. I don’t want it attacking other people,” Blackcrow said. “You can hop in.”

The boy got in the car with the conservation officer who was busy getting something from behind the seat. He produced a tranquilizer gun and put it on his lap.

“Okay, let’s get that animal,” Blackcrow said and fired up the engine, headlights searching for the coyote.

“I don’t see it anymore,” the boy said. The only animal in sight was a nighthawk flying up into the sky.

“Me neither. How did it get away like that?” Blackcrow wondered.

“No idea. The night is full of strange happenings, it seems.”

“Like? Why were you out there anyway?”

The boy shrugged. “That’s what I would like to know, honestly.”

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Seven

SEVEN

Glory stirred awake when she felt something wet brush her cheek. Her sleep was restless after all the excitement from that day. She opened here eyes and saw the boy sitting on her bed. Had he kissed her?

“What are you doing here? Did you just kiss my cheek?”

The boy said, “Come on, Glory… I’ve seen you look at me? It’s very obvious you are attracted to me.”

Glory shot up, sitting straight on her bed. “What? You’re crazy! You’re too young for me. I think you’re a nice kid. That’s all.”

The boy grabbed her arm. “Don’t be ashamed of your feelings. I’m just four years younger. That isn’t that much. I will be gentle with you.”

“Let go of my arm,” Glory insisted.

The boy’s head came closer to hers, trying to kiss her. That did it. She raked her fingernails across his cheek, drawing blood. The boy screamed and pushed her flat on the bed. He ran away.

Glory panted. How she had read that boy wrong. He seemed so nice. He turned out to be just as big as an asshole as Robert though. She got up, walked to her father’s room. She wanted to tell him what happened. Then she understood her dad might just kill the boy. As much as she was disgusted by what the boy had done she didn’t want him dead neither did she want her dad to get into trouble. She didn’t need her dad anyway. She was tough enough to face anything on her own.

She walked into the boy’s room. The boy was in bed, apparently asleep. Was he really going to just pretend like nothing happened. She tore the sheets off his bed.

“Huh? What?” he said sleepily.

“Get out,” she said. “Get the hell out of bed, pack your bag and leave.”

“Leave? Why? What’s wrong?”

“Don’t play the innocent. You almost raped me, you sonofabitch!”

“Raped you? I would never do anything like that,” the boy said. He was a great actor. She almost believed him.

He slowly got out of bed. “Listen, I don’t know what happened but I am very sure I didn’t do anything to you. Are you sure you weren’t just dreaming?”

“Don’t give me that. You’re just the same as all of those guys in high school. Pack your bags and leave before I get my dad. He’ll kill you.”

“If you want me gone, I’m gone. But I swear I didn’t do anything to hurt you,” the boy said. He started to put on his clothes.

“Yes, I want you gone,” Glory said, a tear slowly rolling down her cheek.

The boy took his backpack, slung it across his shoulder. “I’m very sorry you think bad of me. I don’t know what happened to you, Glory. But you are obviously very distressed. So I will leave.”

The boy walked out of his room. Glory walked with him, wanting to make sure he was gone. She opened the door and the boy left the house.

“Keep on walking,” she told the boy. She watched the boy walk until he was not visible anymore, swallowed by the dark night.

She shivered, partly because it was cold standing there in just her nightgown, part of what had happened. Then she wondered why the boy’s cheek wasn’t bleeding anymore when he was in his bed again.

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Six

SIX

After working hard all day Glory sat on the porch drinking some iced tea. She’d enjoyed the boy’s company. He was so energetic it was contagious. Hard worker too. She liked sitting there, watching the sun go down slowly. The boy was in the shower, rinsing off the dirt of the busy day. She was going to go after him.

A red Mustang drove up the terrain. A handsome young man got out after it parked. He was wearing a pink polo shirt and jeans. He was tanned, his hair black. On his muscular jaw as a light beard. She recognized him.

“Robert Moreno. Long time no see,” she said to the man who walked towards her.

“A few years, yeah. Not since high school. I heard about the trouble with the cattle and I figured I’d better see if you were doing all right,” Robert said.

“I’m fine. A bit shook up, but fine,” Glory said.

“Are you sure? I heard it was a pretty brutal scene.”

“I just don’t want to talk about it, okay?”

“That’s fine. Maybe we can just catch up a little, you know?”

“Robert, I’m really tired. I just want to be left alone.”

Robert stepped right in front of her. He put his hand delicately against his cheek. “You know I care for you, Glory.”

She took his hand and gently but firmly removed it from her cheek. “I do. I know about your feelings for me, Robert. But I couldn’t reciprocate those in high school and I can’t know.”

“You just don’t know what you’re missing.”

“Just go, Robert,” Glory insisted, anger creeping into her usually so calm voice.

“Is this guy bothering you?” The boy stepped next to Glory, his hair still damp from the shower.

“Who the fuck is this kid?” Robert asked.

“I work here. Who are you?”

Robert raised a fist. “The guy who’s going to kick your ass.”

“I see,” the boy said. He didn’t even blink.

Robert cocked his head. “You seem pretty sure of yourself? You’re what, sixteen? I can punch you out with one good uppercut.”

“Probably,” the boy agreed.

Glory pushed Robert against the chest. “Leave him alone or I get my dad. You know how he likes to shoot people who trespass.”

“I’m going. Out of respect for you. Not because I’m scared of your dad or that freaky kid,” Robert said and backed down slowly.

“Whatever,” Glory said.

She watched the young man get into his Mustang and drive off. She was glad to see him go. He’d always given her the creeps.

“Who was that?” the boy asked her.

“Just some guy who thought he was in love with me back in high school.”

“Broken heart, huh?”

Glory shrugged. “I figure he just wanted to get into my pants. Oh, sorry. Language.”

The boy chuckled. “Don’t worry about the language. I have been to R-rated movies you know.”

That got a laugh out of Glory. “Of course. You weren’t lying before when you told me you don’t get scared… I was impressed by how you handled yourself back there. You didn’t even flinch when Robert threatened you. You want some iced tea as well?”

“That would be awesome.”

Glory went into the kitchen to get some iced tea. As she fixed it she wondered why Robert still got under her skin so much. He wasn’t the only one to have feelings for her back in high school.

She walked back to the porch and handed the boy his iced tea.

“Thanks,” the boy said and took a sip. “Refreshing. I was thinking… You told me earlier that your dad thought some guy who couldn’t take no for an answer was behind the cattle decapitation. Do you think Robert might be behind that?”

“Robert? No! He can be a bit of a dick but he’s not a psychopath. No way.”

“Okay, just wondering.”

Glory wasn’t so sure as she tried to sound though. She remembered Robert getting violent back in their high school days. He once broke guy’s jaw when he was tackled during a football match. He had a temper for sure. It did sound more logical than that skinwalker story Blackcrow told them. In both cases she was afraid she wouldn’t sleep easy that night though.

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Five

FIVE

Glory, Caleb, Blackcrow and the boy had taken a seat on the front porch of the ranch. Blackcrow explained, “According to our legends the skinwalker is a sort of witch that can turn into animals. Because some of the cattle slaughtered was actually inside a closed off barn my father suspected something else than a normal animal killed them. Only a skinwalker would have the ability to open doors and viciously kill those inside the way the animals were killed.”

“Couldn’t it just be some kind of normal psychopath freak? That whole witchcraft mumbo-jumbo doesn’t fly with me,” Caleb said.

“My father has seen many slaughtered remains. He knows what it looks like when teeth an claws did the work instead of knives. He had no doubt they were killed by an animal.”

“Could it be a human being opened the door, getting the predator inside to kill? I mean, don’t know why he would do that. But it could be an explanation, right?” Glory suggested.

“My dad was also good at studying footprints. He was pretty sure those of a human changed in that of a wolf.”

“That’s an amazing story,” the boy said. “So you say your dad never caught the skinwalker?”

“He never did, indeed. It is thought the witch found some other hunting ground for a while, stopping the killings. But it seems he might be back now,” Blackcrow said.

“So? You are going to track it down?” Glory asked.

“That’s what I intend to, yeah. Track it down and put it down. Avenge my father’s death.”

“So where will you start?” Caleb asked.

“I’m quite a tracker myself. My dad taught me. After the skinwalker strikes again I will be sure to arrive at the crime scene as fast as possible, when the tracks are still fresh.”

“Strikes again?” the boy said.

“Yeah, afraid so. When the skinwalker starts killing he won’t stop until things get a little bit too dangerous for him,” Blackcrow said.

Glory shuddered. “I really don’t want to think about more killings.”

The boy put a hand on Glory’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. That skinwalker doesn’t scare me.”

“Fuck all that stupid talk!” Caleb said. “There’s no such thing no matter what that idiot says. It’s just some stupid asshole who needs therapy. Or a bullet from my shotgun. And if he shows up here again he’ll be sure to get it.”

“Be careful,” Blackcrow said. “You might not believe me, but that skinwalker is hard to kill. So be careful and call me right away when you see something suspicious?” He handed Glory a business card.

Glory tucked away the card in her jeans. “I will.”

“Good. Take care of yourselves,” Blackrow said and walked back to his car.

“Lunatic,” Caleb told Glory, twirling his finger near his temple.

“He seemed pretty sure of himself. And mentally stable,” Glory said.

“I’ve seen a few stranger things the last few months,” the boy said. “Things people would relegate to the realm of fiction as well. There’s some strange things out there.”

“Quit that nonsense!” Caleb said. “Get to work!” With those words he walked away.

Glory shrugged at the boy. He shrugged back as well. They both laughed.

“What was that all about? That story about the stranger things you saw?” Glory asked the boy. He was starting to become more and more peculiar.

“Never mind. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” the boy said.

“Well, these days more strange things seem to happen. You sounded pretty heroic there when you said you were going to protect me.”

“Not really. I read somewhere a hero is someone who conquers his fear. I have no fear to conquer.”

Glory just couldn’t believe the things that boy said. Still not over the fact she thought she saw him in her room she just had to ask, “Did you sleep okay?”

“Sleep okay? Yeah, sure. I was pretty tired from the trip over here. Why?”

“No reason. Just being polite,” Glory answered.

“All right. Thanks for asking. I’d better get to work,” the boy said.

“Yeah, sure. Let me help you out a bit,” Glory said. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to help the boy or keep an eye on him. Yeah, strange things…

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Four

FOUR

After some time Glory managed to fall asleep, the warm comfort of her blankets overcoming the worries going around in her head. Her sleep was soon interrupted though by a strange, uneasy feeling she had. The feeling you get when someone is in the room with you, that kind of energy you cannot explain but are aware of, like a rabbit sensing the nearby predator. She slowly opened her eyes. There was someone there. An athletic, young body. It was still too dark to be sure though. Was it the boy?

“What… what are you doing here?” she murmured.

“I heard you scream,” the person said. But the voice sounded way older, gravelly than the boy’s.

Glory sat up in bed, covering her naked body with her sheets. The person in the room was her dad.

“Are you okay?” Caleb asked her.

“Yeah, I guess. Must have had a nightmare I guess.”

“Well, with everything that has happened the last few weeks that isn’t that strange.”

“Yeah, yeah I guess.” Why did she mistake her dad for the boy. It wasn’t like they looked alike. Even in the dark. She must have been still half asleep or something.

“Okay. Sweeter dreams then,” Caleb said and walked out of the room.

*

The next day Glory found the boy cleaning the stables, which basically came down to shoveling shit and dragging around big stacks of hay. His shirt was drenched with sweat but the didn’t show any signs of fatigue. Caleb was standing there, watching the kid with arms crossed. He looked like he approved.

“Hi,” she said. “I think I overslept.”

“You probably needed it then,” Caleb said.

“Good morning,” the boy said, leaning on his shovel for a minute to make eye contact with her.

“Are you doing okay?” Glory asked him.

“Just fine. Your dad told me what to do.”

“Great. Don’t forget to take a break every now and then. We don’t want you to collapse in the manure.”

The boy chuckled. “Thanks, I’ll be okay though.”

“Looks like we’re getting a visitor,” Caleb said, pointing behind Glory.

Glory turned around and through the open door of the stable saw a grey Silverado pickup truck park. A tall man in a beige uniform got out of it and walked towards them.

Glory and Caleb walked outside to greet him. Glory recognized the uniform of a conservation officer. The officer had a tan skin, looking Native American.

“Hi folks,” the officer said. “Michael Blackcrow, Utah Conservation Office.”

Glory and Caleb introduced themselves. “What brings you here?” Glory asked. “One of your colleagues visited us earlier and he said our slaughtered cattle was a job for the sheriff’s office.”

Blackcrow had a deep, warm voice. “Well. I happen to disagree. My father used to work at the Conservation Office as well. Some things about your case reminded me of something he’d worked on. Something that cost him his life.”

“His life? What the fuck are you talking about?” Caleb asked.

“My father thought he was on the trail of an ancient supernatural being called a skinwalker. The skinwalker slaughtered cattle and according to my father was responsible for a few missing persons. He thought he’d killed them. Worse, he even thought he’d killed some and

Caleb ‘s face reddened. “That’s totally batshit crazy! It’s terrible enough I have to suffer all these stupid tales from form employees and fucking tourists… Now even the Law starts to spout them.”

Glory put a hand on her dad’s shoulder. “Wait, let him speak.”

“I know it sounds incredible. Nobody believed my father either. But he was found dead in his car, his throat torn open. They said it was some kind of wild animal. I’m convinced he was killed by the skinwalker because he was getting to close to exposing him.”

“Tell me more about this skinwalker,” Glory said, intrigued. She noticed the boy had joined them. He looked fascinated as well.

“Yeah,” the boy said. “Please, tell us more.”

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Three

THREE

The room was small but the bed comfortable enough. There was a small desk, a chair and a radio. The Waldorf Astoria it was not, but the boy had slept on park benches and under bridges during his travels, so it was just fine with him.

“Get yourself comfortable. I’ll fix some dinner after my shower,” Glory said.

The boy massaged his stomach. “Sounds great. I have to admit I’m a bit hungry.”

Glory left his room and entered the bathroom. It held a toilet and a shower, nothing more. She took off her clothes and stood under the shower head. She put on the tap and let the warm water run down her body, cleaning her of the sand that clung to her body after a day of hard work outside.

As she washed her body she thought of the boy. For a kid barely allowed to drive a car he seemed pretty smart and strong. And eager to work. She had a good feeling about him. Hopefully he would stay for a long time. Well, of course she was going to have to see him work. She usually was a pretty good judge of character though.

She put some shampoo in her hair, massaging it into her scalp. As she rinsed it out of her long hair she was suddenly startled by a noise. She stopped washing her hair and strained her ears to hear exactly what the noise had been. Was somebody at the door? There was the sound again. It was as if someone was at the door, indeed. She turned off the shower and walked to the door. She opened the door just a little bit, peeking through it. She saw the boy just turning around the corner in the hallway. Had he been at her door? Had he been… watching her shower?

She shuddered. No, she was imagining things. The boy seemed like such a nice kid. She had to be wrong. She didn’t feel like continuing her shower though. She quickly toweled off and got dressed. Time to fix some dinner.

*

The boy had just put on another shirt, this one sporting the Thrasher logo. He always traveled light, alternating between three shirts and two pairs of pants. That made sure his backpack was light so it was easy to travel and nobody would mind him hitching a ride because he had to much with him. He felt he should look clean for dinner. Especially to a lady as nice as Glory.

There was a knock on his door. He opened it and Glory was standing there. Her hair was a bit damp and she was wearing a dress and cowboy boots. She looked good in a dress.

“Dinner is ready,” she said.

“Awesome!”

“Did you maybe want to take a shower?” Glory asked.

“After dinner that would be great, thanks.”

“So not just now. Half an hour ago?”

“Half an hour? No, I was still resting on the bed.”

“Oh, that’s strange.”

“Strange?”

Glory shook her head. “Never mind, let’s have dinner.”

*

Glory turned out to be not only a beautiful woman but a great cook as well. The chicken, mashed potatoes and vegetables were great. The boy had a big glass of iced tea to go with it. The table was shared with Caleb and Glory. During dinner Caleb explained him what he was expected to do tomorrow. It sounded like a day of very hard work. He noticed Glory was a bit absent-minded though. He wondered what was bothering her. He decided to ask, no fear of course.

“Are you okay, Glory?”

The young woman blushed. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“You seem… Preoccupied by something.”

“My mind just wanders sometimes, never mind,” Glory said.

“Preoccupied. You use fancy words for a kid,” Caleb noted.

The boy shrugged. “I read a lot when travelling.”

“Well, fancy words won’t get any work done. You’d better go to sleep right after dinner. There’s a day of hard work waiting for you tomorrow.”

“I will,” the boy agreed. He was also pretty sure something was bothering Glory, even if she said it wasn’t the case.

Skinwalker Valley - Chapter Two

TWO

The boy declined the coffee Glory first offered to him in the ranch’s kitchen. Unfortunately she didn’t stock Cherry Coke so he settled on a Diet one. Glory had one herself.

“Your father was pretty jumpy,” the boy told her.

“We’ve had a very unfortunate incident recently. A lot of cattle was slaughtered.”

The boy enjoyed the sound the can made when he opened it. He always did. “Slaughtered? How?”

“We’re not sure. It must have been a coyote. But I’ve never heard of any coyote with that much of an appetite an viciousness.”

“Sounds like a scary predator,” the boy thought, unable to curb his enthusiasm.

Glory shivered. “Yeah. I still have nightmares of discovering the slaughtered remains.”

“Oh, you were the one to discover them? I’m sorry about that!” The boy might be devoid of fear, he understood it could be quite upsetting to come upon a whole bunch of maimed animals. He loved animals.

“It was pretty… Distressing, yeah.”

“I guess I can imagine your dad getting a bit careful after something like that.”

Glory lowered her Coke after a sip. “Exactly.”

The boy took a long drink of Coke, thirsty after the long drive over to the ranch. “I guess I’d better cleaned up. I must reek after being cooped up in that truck for so long.”

“Truck? I didn’t see any car with you?”

“I hitchhiked. I don’t own a car.”

“Oh, really? You hitchhike a lot?”

“Most of the time, really. Cheapest way to travel.”

“Doesn’t that get scary sometimes?”

The boy smiled a wry smile. “Never.”

“You go ahead and drink your Coke and I’ll show you to your room. The shower is near that. You’ll have to share it with me and dad though.”

The boy couldn’t help but think sharing a shower with Glory wouldn’t be all that bad. Of course he understood he wouldn’t be sharing it at the same time. And that she was too old for him. He had a feeling he was going to have to repeat that a few times to himself in the days to come.

“Is there anything being done to find out what killed the cattle?”

“We had the sheriff come over but he figured this would be more of a job for the local conservation officer.”

“Conservation officer?”

“The game warden. It’s his job to investigate poaching and track wildlife. The conservation officer thought it was more of a job for the sheriff’s department. Figured the deed would have to be done by some person who bares ill will to us.”

“Anyone have a reason to?”

Glory raised an eyebrow. “You’re curious kid, aren’t you?”

The boy shrugged. “I guess.”

“Dad suggested there might be some guys who wouldn’t take my no for an answer that could be behind it. I can’t imagine though.”

The way Glory said it showed the boy how unaware of her beauty she was. “There’s some crazy folks out there. You never know.”

Glory gave the boy a playful push. “Aren’t you the wise old man?”

The boy blushed. “I’ve traveled a lot. But the conservation officer didn’t really investigate?”

“Let me say I didn’t think his heart was in it. He just went through the motions.”

“What about those talks of UFO’s and ghosts hanging around here?”

Glory rolled her eyes. “That thing again… Believe nothing of it. Just tales of farmhands that couldn’t stay off their liquor. I hope we’re not going to have that kind of issues with you.”

“I’m not even allowed to drink,” the boy chuckled.

“Right. Another good reason to hire you,” Glory said. “Come on then, let me show you your room.”