The Witch Games & Other Supernatural Tales by E. W. Farnsworth

Author:E. W. Farnsworth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: witches, short stories, supernatural
Publisher: Zimbell House Publishing
Published: 2017-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

RUTH GREW QUICKLY INTO her role as Teresa’s replacement. By the time of the pale rider’s appearance in Sun Valley, she was a crack sharpshooter with many kills to her credit. She was the messenger of the news that changed everything for Christopher’s group, but the significance of the pale rider was only gradually revealed.

The pale rider, whose name was Oscar Wolfing, set up camp in the preserve. Immediately, he put out the word to join his ranks or die. Raiders throughout the valley either surrendered or fought to the last man. A very few tried to join Christopher’s group by approaching the scouts. They came with tales of torture and wanton murder that made it difficult to believe that Wolfing was human. Men were flayed with whips or beheaded with machetes on a whim.

Wolfing’s lieutenant, Victor Mulcher led his punishment corps. He also poisoned wells he did not control and laid waste to food stocks his men could not carry or store. Behind them, the carrion birds feasted and the residual population starved.

Ruth had Mulcher in her sights on one occasion, but his face was so horrible she had to avert her eyes. Forever after, Ruth had to live with the memory of not taking the shot that might have ended his grisly reign.

The first raider group that approached Ruth said they sought an alliance with Christopher. To their submissive appeal, Ruth answered, “If you want to join our cause, fight independently against the depredations of Wolfing and Mulcher by every available means.” That was the beginning of the resistance, which fought as a loose confederacy with a shared objective.

As Wolfing’s reign of terror spread throughout the land, it became clear that the only opposing power to the pale man who rode the pale horse was the group comprising Christopher and his people—plus a few brave raider communities. Some allied raiders were steadfastly loyal to the resistance; others vacillated depending on their circumstances.

In the space of two months, three newborns joined Christopher’s group, two girls, and the boy Christopher Junior. Now the nursery numbered fourteen, and the count might have been fifteen, except Ruth was no longer counted as a child.

At their weekly meeting, Christopher’s group shared intelligence and adjusted their planning based on the situation on the ground. The first topic at each gathering was the progress of Wolfing.

“We’ll never know whether an early strike might have eliminated the threat,” Christopher said.

“I had Mulcher in my sights. I’ve often thought how his demise might have affected their power in the valley.” Ruth shook her head. “Another raider group approached me yesterday. I told the leader our terms. He wanted to talk with you personally. I told him that was impossible.”

Marcie said, “Good for you. We gain by Christopher’s remaining invisible. If our allies don’t know where we are, they won’t be able to betray us.”

Joseph said, “At their rate of expansion, it won’t be long before Wolfing and Mulcher will have subdued the entire region. As I tally our allies, only nine groups remain loyal to our cause.

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