Black Gold PT. 3

Jed silently stalked through the brush towards his father’s voice. He had been mentally preparing for this day for ten long years. All he had to was put a bullet in his father’s skull, then his nightmare could end. Then maybe he could go north and live a normal life. Jed had to stop getting ahead of himself, putting the wagon before the horse was a surefire way to have his plans backfire spectacularly. Jed spotted his father, and a wave of nostalgia hit him, his father toiled away in the fields humming and singing to himself just the way he did when Jed was a boy and his father still inspired him, all that was shattered however when his father turned around and Jed saw the black liquid oozing out of his father’s eyes and mouth. It was time to end this.

“I’ve come for you pa!” Jed shouted, stepping out from his hiding place

“I knew you would boy, I knew you couldn’t stay away. The Gold is your legacy, come on and hug your ole pa.” Pa shouted opening his arms to embrace Jed

Without anymore hesitation, Jed shot his father point blank between his eyes. His father seemed to drop in slow motion, but it was finally over. His family could finally rest. He approached his father to confirm the kill. His father’s body was facedown when Jed found it. When he turned him over, he gasped in horror as his father stared at him grinning like a madman. The shot hadn’t fazed him at all.

“So, you wanna roughhouse do ya boy? Well, I’ll happily oblige ya!” Pa said, grabbing Jed by the throat

Sadie had been watching her brother and she did not like what she was seeing. Her Jed, he came up cocksure with a normal gun and thought he could stop this? He was still such a young fool. She knew that she would have to save him. Still, being back home after all these years? It was overwhelming to her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked into the rueful eyes of Dasan

“Are you alright?” he asked in a deep voice

“I, I’ll be ok. It’s just I haven’t been home in a long time. I’m glad I have you with me.” Sadie responded, rubbing his had affectionally

“You’ll always have me. We made each other a promise. But to the matter at hand, how will we handle this? Your brother is an idiot.” Dasan said in a stoic tone

“Well, you’re not wrong. He’s really stepped in it this time. The good thing is that my father is alone, the bad news is that he’s strangling Jed. How much of that oil do we have left?” Sadie asked lining up a shot with her bow

“Enough for one precise shot, we’ll need to resupply soon. We’ve been out on the road for months now.” Dasan said, preparing an arrow for Sadie

“I agree, be ready this will go quickly.” Sadie said firing the arrow

Jed’s vision was fading quickly, his father’s grip was like a vice and he was running out of options to escape. As his consciousness slipped Jed’s thoughts when to his knife. A bullet to the head hadn’t stopped his father, but maybe it could buy him some time at least. Just then, Jed’s father burst into flames. At first he was happy, then he realized that he was still very much stuck with his old man. Jed’s struggles to free himself reached a new fervor.

This was Dasan’s moment. Sadie’s shot had been impeccable as always. Now it was up to him to run in and save Jed. He ran in quickly, and readied his tomahawk. He slammed it into the older man’s arm and freed Jed, who looked up at him in bewilderment

“Who the hell are you?” Jed asked breathlessly

“There’s no time, get into the forest. I’ll get you some separation.” Dasan said in a determined voice

Jed, not wasting any time to argue, heeded the stranger’s words and bolted for the forest. He felt ashamed to leave, because he failed again. He wasn’t ready. He had wasted all those years and for what? Besides that, who was that stranger that had just had to bail him out? Jed had so many questions As he wondered what his next move would be, Jed heard a familiar voice, But that was impossible. He saw her die

“Jed! Follow my voice!” Sadie frantically whispered

“Sadie? That’s impossible, I saw your body that day!” Jed shouted into the darkness

“Quiet you damn fool, the Goldies are all over these woods!” said Sadie clapping a hand over Jed’s mouth she turned her brother around and shushed him before beckoning him to follow her

Jed did as he was instructed and followed his sister. He had so many questions, but they would have to wait. His sister stalked through the woods like a panther and Jed had trouble keeping up. Some of the people he had been running with for the past few years knew a few tricks but they had nothing on Sadie. Jed then came to a clearing and saw Sadie going into a cave, Jed prepared to follow her, then he saw a massive bear near the entrance. He wondered why it didn’t attack Sadie.

“Don’t worry, you smell like me. He wont attack you.” Sadie called from the mouth of the cave

“Why is he here? How did you survive?” Jed asked inching forward cautiously

“Look Jed, I’ll answer all your questions, but first get from out in the open. I already told you these woods ain’t safe.” Sadie said before returning to the cave

Jed skirted around the bear and entered the cave. There was a small holdout inside, it must have been from the war days. Jed wondered how Sadie had found it. He watched as she removed her cloak and a wave of dormant emotions welled up in him. Jed found himself openly weeping to be able to see his sister again. She had grown so much, Sadie caught him staring and let out a tired smile before embracing him

“I missed you too, Jed. I thought I’d never see you again after mama sent me off.” Sadie said, unable to hold back her own tears

“So is that what happened? Tell me what you remember, please?”  Jud asked

“Well after you passed out, Pa let that stranger do some foul things to mama. The next morning, the stranger had gone and Pa was acting strange already so mama had me go out into the woods to escape, but we weren’t fast enough and Pa chased me. I ended up in the river, then with Dasan’s tribe, this is the first time I’ve been home in years.” Sadie began as she beckoned Jed to sit

“Likewise, I haven’t been home in ten years myself. Though Pa took a different approach with me. He used me to spread whatever Black Gold is. After that I ran and never looked back, I ran with some gangs, did a little bounty hunting, and tried to work up the nerve to kill Pa. As we saw? I’m still not ready.” Jed said disappointedly

The two siblings continued to reminisce over both of their lost childhoods. However, for Sadie the reunion was bittersweet. She was glad to have her brother back, but her thoughts constantly dwelled on her companion.

Dasan hoped that Sadie and her brother had gotten away safely. He was getting tired and this damned creature showed no signs of stopping. Even though it had been burning. He slammed his tomahawk into the creature again, but this time the creature grabbed him and pitched him headlong into the barn.

“Whoo wee! I tell you, you’re a fun one to fight!” yelled Pa excitedly sprinting for the barn.

Dasan’s body was in agony. This thing, this creature was unimaginably strong, he wasn’t like normal goldies. He had to figure something out, and he didn’t have much time to do it. Dasan braced himself as he and the goldie collided, Dasan used all of his strength to impale the goldie on a nearby hook. Dasan looked back at his work, a charred corpse, impaled through its throat, for a moment, Dasan breathed a sigh of relief, that was until the creature began to laugh, spilling the vile black liquid all over the barn. Dasan thought he would have at least some time, but this thing was healing too quickly. Dasan quickly picked up his tomahawk and began carving up the goldie, who never stopped laughing or staring at Dasan as he worked. By the time Dasan had finished the goldie was little more than a torso with its entrails and limbs scattered all over the barn. Dasan beheld his handiwork, a part of him was relieved that he was done, but a darker part of him reveled in the carnage he had wrought. This part terrified him.

“Was that fun for ya son? Did ya work out all that pent up aggression ya got inside ya? Well don’t worry? Once I get myself sorted? The fun can begin all over again! I hope you’re as excited as I am!” Pa moaned even though with him impaled as he was speech should have been impossible

Dasan and Sadie had seen many unspeakable things in their travels, but tonight was the first time he ever felt fear. He had to be away from this place. Dasan walked out of the barn, looking around for anything flammable, he lit the barn ablaze. Somehow, the goldie was still laughing, still taunting him, even as it roasted. Dasan ran for the woods like a terrified child.

Sadie could feel that something was horribly wrong, Dasan was in distress. Even when they were miles apart, they could always sense each other’s feelings. Sadie got up from her seat and headed for the outside of the cave, there she scratched behind the ears of her bear. Her little cub could always cheer her up. Soon she was joined by Jed

“You alright Sadie? You left pretty fast.” Jed began

“It’s Dasan, I’m worried for him.” Sadie replied sagely

“Dasan? That big fella that saved me? You ain’t gotta worry about him. How’d y’all meet anyway?” Jed asked cheerfully trying to boost his sister’s spirits

“I met Dasan the day I ran from Pa, we hunted wolves together, he made me my cloak, we’ve been inseparable ever since” Sadie explained

“Also, how’d you get this bear to not maul y’all to death? I’ve never seen a bear so calm.

“Oh Calian? He’s been invaluable as a guide, as a, companion, and as a protector. I found him as a cub, he’s been with me ever since.” Sadie said, gently stroking the bear’s fur

As they sat, Calian’s ears perked up and he began to growl. Sadie and Jed both knew that something was horribly wrong. Calian stood up and began pacing aggressively. Sadie and Jed watched as Dasan broke the tree line flanked by at least ten goldies, upon seeing them, Jed was nearly a nervous wreck, his failure with his father was still fresh in his mind. The only thing that was keeping him grounded now was Sadie, she was poise, calm, unafraid, everything Jed wasn’t. seeing her so strong gave Jed a boost of confidence.

“Calian, hunt.” Sadie said calmly before slipping into the darkness of the cave

Jed then watched in awe as Calian charged the goldies, tearing them limb from limb. He thought it would be enough, but the goldies kept coming. Jed spotted Dasan who had joined the bear and was swinging his tomahawk at anything he could reach. Sadie came back out of the cave, bow in hand she handed Jed a cavalry sword. Then she started firing arrows into all the goldies she could see. Jed sprinted to stand with Dasan

“Jed, right?” Dasan shouted over the noise

“Yeah, that’s right.” Jed shouted, swinging the sword like a madman

“Cut their fucking heads off!” Desan shouted

“Will it kill these fuckers?” Jed asked

“No, but it will give us time, we need to get out of here.” Dasan said

With this the three hunters developed a strategy, Sadie would fire arrows to stun goldies, then Dasan and Jed would behead them. It was difficult work but they finally slowed down the goldies, at least for a time. Dasan, Jed, Calian, and Sadie all regrouped at the cave.

“Gentlemen, bear? Its time we make our leave.” Sadie said disappearing into the cave

“But this is a cave, isn’t there only one way in and out?” Jed asked chasing after his sister

“Prepare to be impressed.” Dasan said chuckling

Almost on cue, Sadie fired an arrow at the back of the cave. And a portal opened up. She quickly ducked inside. Followed by Dasan and Jed. They arrived in an enormous workshop. There was a man there, working feverishly. He waved a Sadie enthusiastically

“Hello, Mr. McCoy.” She shouted over the noise

“I’ve told you, call me Elijah! Anyway, how did the arrows work?” Elijah asked looking up from his work

“They worked great; I can’t see what else you’ve cooked up.” Sadie said cheerfully

“I’m glad, also are these new faces? Now don’t tell me, you’re Dasan right?” Elijah asked

“I am.” Dasan said curtly

“And that would make you?” he asked Jed

“I’m Jed, Jed Latimer. Sadie’s brother.” Jed said extending his hand

“I’m glad you’ve met, now that the pleasantries are oumat of the way, lets get down to business.” Sadie said grimly

“What do you have in mind?” Elijah asked

“We’re fighting these things but we haven’t made any real progress in actually finding out how to permanently kill them. I think it’s time we capture one.” Sadie said

“Oh Sadie, I thought you’d never ask.” Elijah said rubbing his hands together excitedly