Eagle People (37 page)

“Strange,” Masheck said, “What has done this? I know it was not a gun.”

“I don't like this.”

“We don't have much of a choice. We need to check our men and then finish digging up my supplies or we'll die. We need all the men we can get. I'll check Luther and Nimrod, while you check Ned. Make it quick, because someone may have heard the noise.” The screams were still going strong.

When Masheck got to Nimrod, he discovered the man was stunned and in shock, but he saw no serious injury. He helped the man to his feet and then moved to Luther.  

The man was screaming and holding bloody hands to his eyes. Peeling his hands away, he saw the left eye had a piece of steel protruding from the socket and the other eye was completely missing.  His left leg was hanging by a thread and his chest was peppered with smaller injuries.

“Zedock, toss me your knife, I left mine where we were digging.”

The knife was tossed and landed sticking in the dirt a couple of feet away. The chief moved to the knife, pulled it from the soil and moved toward Luther.

“Luther, can you hear me?” Masheck asked.

“Y . . . yes.  Oh, I hurt.”

“Hell, I'd guess you do. You've a leg off, chest peppered with something that is bleeding like hell, and you've lost both eyes. I can't take you with us, because you'll slow us down.” he said and then grabbed the injured man's hair and raised his head.

“D . . . don't kill—”

The knife blade moved quickly across Luther's throat and blood gushed into the air. He began to kick his one good leg as his head moved from side-to-side. A second later he began to choke and wheeze, as he attempted to breath through the blood flooding his throat and lungs. A couple of minutes later, Luther was dead.

Masheck asked, “How's Ned?”

“I need the knife. He's torn to hell and back, with an arm gone, both legs missing and gutted like a fish.”

He'd just tossed the knife to Zedock when he caught movement out of the corner of his left eye. He turned, saw his enemies and up came his rifle. He squeezed the trigger, saw two men fall and then heard Zedock scream as the Northern Mountain warriors returned fire.

He moved behind a log and pulled Zedock with him. The attacking warriors had taken shelter where it could be found as well.

“How badly are you hit?”

“Left arm, but only a burn, or so I think.”

“By God, we have to move. Hell, there must be ten of them and only two of us.”

“When do we make a run for it?”  Zedock asked and then moaned.

“The sooner the better. We stay behind this damned log long and they'll flank us, sure as shit.”

“Let's do it now!”

Both men stood, fired at the warriors and ran toward a lodge behind them. Bullets kicked up clumps of soil and grass as the walked all around them.  A couple of bullets gave a loud zing as they hit something and flew into the air.

“Move to the lake, and do it now. We have to cross before they can reach us!” Masheck yelled to be heard over gunfire.

Zedock nodded in understanding and turned toward the lake. The lake wasn't wide, but it was deep and on the eastern side of the village. Once across it, a wide forest and a range of mountains offered shelter and safety.
We must reach the trees,
his mind screamed as he broke into a hard run, right beside his chief.

Glancing over his shoulder, Masheck smiled when he saw the enemy warriors moving toward them at a slow walk.
We only have to cross the lake and we are free!
he thought and then increased his speed. When he next looked over his shoulder, the Mountain warriors were returning to the village. I wonder why they are not following us?  he thought.

With the recent heavy snows, it was hard to tell exactly where the lake was, until they were about a quarter of the way across. At that point high winds had blown the snow from the ice, and the water below was seen as a pale blue.

Zedock gave an insane laugh and yelled, “By God, we're going to make it! Safe! They'll never find us once we enter the—”

“What was that noise?”

“Free and safe!”

“Didn't you hear that noise?” Masheck asked as he slowed down to a fast walk.

“Noise?”

“I heard a loud crack, or think I did.”

“I heard absolutely—”  Before he could finish, the ice opened up and both men fell into the cold water.  

They both resurfaced at the same time. Water on their hair was already freezing.

“Stay calm and move to the edge of the ice.” Masheck said, his teeth chattering.

“H . . . help me. I can't swim!”  Zedock yelled just before he went under the water again.

The hell with you. I'm worried about me right now,
Masheck thought as he neared the edge of the ice. Slowly and using all his strength, he pulled himself from the water.
I need to get to the trees and make a fire or I'm dead. I may die even with a fire. So cold.

He took about five steps from the hole when he saw something moving by his foot. Looking down, he saw the face of Zedock trapped under the ice. The man's eyes were huge in fear, his mouth was inflated as he attempted to hold in his air, and his hands looked to be pounding the ice. The currently quickly carried him away.

Breaking into a hard run, Masheck moved for the trees. Ice formed on his clothing, but the run caused it to shatter and fall, while his skin started losing all feeling. Then, almost at once, he was in the trees. He used his numb fingers to break off dead sticks and even found a birds nest, which he took as well, and placed it all in a spot he cleared with his ice covered boot. The first three strikes of his flint and steel brought no flame.
Start, damn you, or I'm dead,
his mind screamed.

Finally, on the fifth try, the birds nest began to smoke.
Please, start, please. I need a fire and now!

The nest suddenly burst into flames and he added larger and larger pieces of wood until his fire  was large. Standing close to the flames, he allowed the heat to melt the snow and he removed his jacket and wrung it free of excess water. He place it on a stick he pushed in the snow, but tilted toward the heat. He knew he had to dry all his clothing before he was safe.
I'll survive,
he thought,
and I'll take over another village too. One day, Cheyenne Mountain People, I will come for you. You think you've destroyed me, but I'll show you!  I will one day kill all of you!
He then broke into a loud insane laugh that echoed through the trees.

The End

Book 2 in the series
"Snake People
"
Coming
Fall of 2014.

( Cover may vary at time of publishing. )

About the Author

W.R. Benton
is an
award winning
Amazon Top 100
Best
Selling Author.
He
has previously authored numerous books of
F
iction,
N
on-
F
iction,
Sci-Fi, Young Adult,
Westerns,
and Southern
H
umor. Such notable authors as Matt Braun, Stephen Lodge, Don Bendell, and many others have endorsed his work.
James Drury, "The Virginian," endorsed two
of his
Western books, "
War Paint
" and "
James McKay, U.S. Army Scout
."

Mister Benton has an Associate Degree in Search and Rescue, Survival Operations, a Baccalaureate in Occupational Safety and Health, and a Masters Degree in Psychology completed except for his thesis. Sergeant Benton retired from the military in 1997, with over twenty-six years of active duty, and at the rank of Senior Master Sergeant (E-8). He spent twelve years as a Life Support Instructor where he taught aircrew members how to use survival gear, survival procedures, and parachuting techniques.

Mr. Benton and his wife, Melanie, live near Jackson, Mississippi, with four dogs and two cats.
To learn more about him, visit
 https://www.facebook.com/gary.l.benton
or

 https://www.facebook.com/wrbenton01