Scraps & Chum (19 page)

Looking back toward the south bay, searching for
signs of movement, the sexton
froze. At the end of a thin tree-lined street, two red eyes slipped out of the dark foliage and disappeared behind a small house. Picking up his rifle, he pointed it in the direction of the eyes, but they did not return.

“
They
’
re here!
”

The cry came from the center of town. The sexton swung his rifle toward Main Street with shaking arms but lowered it when he saw the troops marching down the street.
“
My God,
”
he whispered. There were several thousand of them, dressed in red, with rifles and bayonets pointing toward the sky, the faintest glimmer of moonlight playing on their blades. They marched with the tautness of a lion on the prowl, heading toward the river to cross north.

The signal, the sexton thought, I have to warn everyone! The gun dropped to the floor as he took out his matches, turned back to get the gas lamps off the small table, and came face to face with two red eyes, black slit nostrils, blood-stained fangs, and two small horns sticking out of wiry hair.

“
What in the foulest depths of—
”

White hot pain roared across his cheek as the creature
’s claws opened his face.  The stinging gash
was unbearable, fiery and itchy. But he dared not scream lest he alert the Regulars of the plan. Paul had to find ground in Charleston first.

With a thud, the creature leapt inside the steeple, keeping to the shadows at the edge of the walls. It was not a large steeple by any means, but enough to momentarily cause the sexton to lose the whereabouts of the monster as it walked around him. Frantically reaching for his fallen gun, he was suddenly yanked backwards by his feet.

“
Demon, I
’
ve been expecting you!
”
the sexton spit
.
“
May God strike you down and—
”

The creature flung him into the wall, the matches scattering onto the floor like scurrying insects. The impact tore a
second
gash in his forehead and lit up stars behind his eyes. Providentially, he landed next to his gun and groped his hand around it. But
he couldn’t fire yet;
the Regulars would hear a gunshot, he knew. Paul needed the signal
first
. The Sons needed the signal.

The creature
’
s head slunk into a moonbeam and revealed a face like that of a giant salamander. Snarling, it bit down on the gun stock, thrashed it out of the sexton
’
s hands, and tore
it
in two. Its red eyes burned, its gaping mouth leaked saliva.

Backing away, the sexton
’
s hand played over the fallen matches and an idea sparked in him.
“
Spawned from hellfire? I
’
ll show you God
’
s fire.
”

The old man struck a match
and tossed it at the creature
’
s wire-thick fur. A small patch caught fire and the creature
’
s red eyes bulged. It pressed its nose into the sexton
’
s throat, huffed putrid breath into his face. Reeling, the old man picked up the splintered gun barrel and rammed it forward, crunching it through the creature
’
s thick skin, dousing his arms in hot blood.

With a wail, the creature leapt over the side of the steeple, down to the ground below where it rolled to put
out the flames
. With an agitated chuff, it took off running. The sexton looked to see where it was headed and caught a flash of its tail as it charged into the blackness of the trees, heading north. North toward Paul.

Paul!
h
e thought. The signal!

Grabbing up two of the lanterns, he lit them and held them high. His face blazed with searing infection, and his ribs were surely cracked. Still, he held the lamps, all the while wondering how best to warn everyone of this other threat on the loose.

***

On the far shore they pulled the small boat onto the land. Through the night
’
s fog, Paul was just able to make out two orange glows
,
like
distant
dying suns. Joshua saw it too and pointed.
“
Look! They
’
re crossing the river, marching here.
”

“
Yes,
”
Paul replied. He grabbed both Thomas and Joshua
’
s hands, shook them fervently.
“
Thank you. The Sons thank you, too.
”

“
I still can
’
t believe that ship didn
’
t hear us,
”
Thomas said. He raised an oar wrapped in an old petticoat.
“
Didn
’
t really think this would work.
”

“
Quiet as a sleeping baby
’
s breath,
”
Joshua added.

Paul left them to their own devices, and ran north into Charleston. Two vagrants picking through a feed trough betrayed the town
’
s only silence, but they scampered
down an alley when they saw Paul.  The town center was also bare, most people having retired for the night. Stopping under the gas lamp outside a mercantile storefront, Paul cupped his hands to his lips and took a
breath. Here was the moment they
’
d all been waiting for. Here is where he gave up the last of his freedom under the current rule. Let my lungs be strong, he prayed.

“
The Regulars are coming!
”

He ran down the street repeating it over and over:
“
The Regulars are coming! The Regulars are coming!
”
He rapped on doors, he kicked storefronts, he banged on windows. Doors opened, gas lamps lit, people emerged with children hugging their legs. Yes, they had known it would happen sooner or later. The Regulars were coming.

***

Joshua and Thomas were half way back across the river when they heard the distant cry of Paul waking the town. They spoke in glances, aware that they were nearing the
Somerset.
The large man-of-war had been anchored on the river for a month now, and was manned with the enemy. They rowed slower to lessen the noise. Joshua finally spoke:
“
I hear Paul. Think they can hear him, too?
”

“
If we can, they must
—
”

The boat lurched! Something smashed into the bottom, tipping it up. Both men threw their arms up to stay balanced, almost dropping the oars. It splashed down again and thankfully remained upright. There was a moment of silence and then a low splashing sound in the water, passing by them. Looking back toward Charleston, the men watched as a large wake cut across the surface of the water, heading toward Paul
’
s screams.

“
The devil was that?
”

“
Shh. A bluefish I reckon. Let
’
s get home. I
’
m freezing.
”

***

“
Paul, you
’
re a dreadful sight.
”

Paul sat at the table of Deacon John Larkin, momentarily warming his hands, wishing he was back home without the fear he felt inside of him giving him such cramps.

“
The Sons saw the signal, the lanterns, right before you arrived,
”
Larkin continued.
“
The plan is working so far.
”

“
John and Sam won
’
t know. They
’
ll be taken by surprise unless we warn them somehow. Lord, I
’
m frozen to the point of pain.
”

Larkin looked out his window toward the river; no sign of the Regulars yet.
“
You have more than a moments lead. But they
’
ll be coming fast.
”
He loo
ked back at the runner, saw the
flushed cheeks and heaving chest and felt the man
’
s pain. Still, he couldn
’
t urge Paul to stop; the detriment would be too high if John and Sam were captured. 
“
Brown Beauty is out back. She
’
s yours.
”

“
Are you sure? It
’
s a long way. Can she handle it?
”

“
She can handle it. She
’
s my best. There is much to do here now. Hurry! You must go.
”

As Paul was leaving, Larkin gripped his shoulder.
“
It
’
s up to you.
”

“
My life for it. If necessary.
”

Paul found the horse behind the house, undid her reins, and climbed atop her.
“
I hear you are fast, girl,
”
he cooed to her.
“
Fast enough to save us all, I hope.
”

He kicked her sides and she took off through the town. Disheveled people lined the streets, some shaking in anticipation, some shaking with fear. He yelled as he went:
“
The Regulars are coming!
”

***

It crawled onto the land, sniffed the air. Its prey had been here recently, the stench of human sweat was only outdone by the recent d
efecation of some nearby doe
. Oh, how it loved the smell of flesh, be it man or animal. But especially man. It moved cautiously toward the lights ahead, toward the hive, where beings stood in dim rectangle lights looking around. Too many of them, it decided, it couldn
’
t go that way.