DARK VISIONS by James Byron Huggins

Author:James Byron Huggins [Huggins, James Byron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: WildBlue Press
Published: 2018-07-30T22:00:00+00:00

EIGHT

“How long ago was it that you saw ‘em here?”

Joe Mac’s truculent question seemed unnaturally absorbed by the deep mossy softness beneath their feet, and Jodi couldn’t help but wonder what obscene sustenance fed this overgrown jungle of a graveyard.

“Twenty years ago,” Chamberlain answered as he pointed. “They were over there when I saw them. It was night. And they were walking toward the road.”

“Where were you at?”

“I was over there inside that tree line.”

“How did you recognize your robes if it was night, and you only saw them at a distance of two hundred feet?”

“There was a full moon.”

“Did they have lights?”

“Yes. They had lanterns and flashlights.”

“But they wouldn’t have needed lanterns and flashlights if it was a full moon, and they were on top of the ground,” Joe Mac said slowly. “They would have only needed flashlights if they’d been under the ground.”

Jodi leaned forward, staring close into Joe Mac’s dark glasses. “Are you thinking the entrance to this tunnel is in this graveyard?”

“I’m thinking that it’s inside one of these tombs.” Joe Mac nodded once. “That’d be an underground entrance. Let’s take a look around.”

“There’s no reason to look around,” Chamberlain commented. “There is only one mausoleum, and it’s back in that ravine. That’s where people used to bury family members that they were ashamed of.”

Joe Mac: “Marvin!”

Marvin stepped up. “Right here, Joe.”

“You got a gun?”

Hesitation. “What?”

Joe Mac pulled a .45 from his coat. “Take this. I ain’t leading you back in there without you being able to defend yourself. We don’t know what we might run into. Do you know how to use this?”

“Just point and pull the trigger?”

Joe Mac reached out, found Marvin’s hand, placed the .45 in his grip.

“I’ll only say once, so listen up. This is a semiautomatic .45. This is the safety. You push down this safety, and this weapon is ready to fire. Then all you do is pull the trigger, and you’ve got eight bullets before you’re empty. But do not push down this safety unless you are ready to fire this weapon. And never use this weapon unless you seriously mean to kill somebody. You understand?”

“Uh,” Jodi began, “Joe, I’m not sure this is such a good –”

“He’ll do fine,” said Joe Mac. He clapped Marvin on the shoulder. “I got faith in you, kid. Just remember: Don’t use this thing unless you mean to kill somebody. You don’t aim for somebody’s arm or leg.” Joe Mac placed a hand over his own heart. “You aim center mass. Got it?”

“Got it.”

With a shrilling screech, Poe landed on Joe Mac’s shoulder, and instantly the raven’s jet black head was turning in every direction, clearly searching. He seemed to see something every tenth of a second, evaluating and dismissing, before he sighted something else in the next tenth of a second. And it was never ending, never ceasing.

Jodie laughed; it was amazing how much sheer physical and mental energy it took this gigantic raven to remain so alert to every movement and sound both near and far and at such a relentless pace.

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