Safe Landing (25 page)

    Voices and laughter drifted through the maze of long branches between the swamp and the road Mandy trotted down. The loud buzz of motorcycles followed. I could see the red glow of cigarettes. Some of the kids from town were hanging out by the swamp, most likely taunting its inhabitants before school began.

    Some say the Crush Gang still haunted the town because they were so evil even hell wouldn’t accept them. Others say it was because they were never given a proper burial so their souls could never rest. But Mom, a true romantic, claimed it was because of love. Zedekiah Crush had been in a constant battle with the town’s lawman, Jack Bridger, not only because of his lawlessness but because they both loved the widow, Rebecca Colton. When Zedekiah pulled a gun on Jack, Rebecca jumped in front of the bullet and was killed by Zedekiah’s own gun. She left behind two broken men and a baby girl, my great-grandma. Mom always said that Zedekiah was stuck between worlds, tormented by what he’d done, and his loyal gang refused to desert him. Now several times a month, Bitterroot Crossing’s sirens sounded the alarm to warn that the gang, Crow, Steamer, Axel and Butcher, had risen from their sludge filled grave to torment the town. No one had died because of the hauntings, at least not since Zedekiah had appeared fifteen years before, sending two elderly citizens to an early death by heart attack. But the gang’s visits left plenty of destruction and frayed nerves.

Mandy and I’d come to the end of the path. I was about to slide off her back and send her back home when the three motorcycles came flying down the path. Two of them skimmed Mandy’s legs as they raced past. The normally steadfast horse skidded sideways nearly dumping me on the side of the road. The boys riding the bikes looked back at me and laughed loudly. The third bike slowed as it neared. I peered down at them from beneath the shade of my hood. The boy coasted past cautiously. He stared up apologetically at me with dark blue eyes. The girl wrapped around his waist had a huge grin. She was pretty with rose-colored lipstick and a long white pony-tail.

    Her mouth opened wide along with her eyes as she glanced up at me. “There’s the freak from the Sterling farm,” she said loudly as they rolled past.

    Once they were well ahead of me, I leaned forward and gave Mandy a pat on the neck.“Sorry about that, Mandy. It’s just some kids from town.” A lump formed in my throat when I thought about the girl’s words. I slid off of the horse’s back. The mare nuzzled my shoulder. I pulled her nose toward me and kissed the soft end. “Don’t worry about me, girl. After all, how bad can it be?”