The Butcher and the Butterfly (7 page)

Come on Susie, get
it together. Just entertain this guy for a few hours, bed him and
then move on like he will. Like they all will until you are a
toothless slack old crow that only the desperate want to fuck.

The Watchman
looked around the busying room and to the horde waiting upon their
drinks at the bar.

‘As much as it
would please me, I feel it best that you head back over and help
Cathy. The horde is getting restless.’

He smiled at her
and winked. Her hands trembled again and she hated herself for it.
Susie went to say something but couldn’t and simply smiled and
headed back over to the bar where Cathy was waiting anxiously.

For the next
couple of hours she served beer, laughed when required and
flattered where needed all the while feeling his eyes upon her and
knowing that he could see her watching him. A few times she floated
over to him with a fresh beer or a chaser and a meal of a meat
patty and some salted fries. They would small talk, laughing
occasionally and have odd elongated silences broken only by the
shrill of Mad Margaret or the cries of help from Cathy.

In the corner of
the room, sat with the Deputy and the Deputies wife, Jameson, the
local Sheriff sat with his hands crunched tight and his eyes fixed
upon the Watchman. It wasn’t every day that you had a visit from an
Oath Bearer and it wasn’t every day that that Oath Bearer would
take the girl you liked to fuck and fuck her himself. What was
worse was that the Sheriff would now have to go home, to his ever
fattening wife and fuck that instead.

10

‘Quite the
charmer, aren’t we, Oath Bearer?’

Samson’s voice
spoke in Stephens mind causing him to spill some of his beer on the
floor.

‘I shall be quick,
Watchman. It seems as though the Witch knows you are here. She has
one of the Orbs and it has taken her and so has given her powers
almost equal to my own. I don’t think the mad old fool knows how
powerful she is but still……… Do not be afraid of her, but be
mindful.

‘We do not need
the Orb she carries yet, it and she together have uses, but she
will try and take the girl Susie and what is inside of her. This
you cannot let happen under any circumstances. Do not let her have
the girl. Barter, yes, especially for the weapon she offers you,
but deliver, no.’

‘What weapon? Why
does she want the girl?’ Stephen asked.

But there was no
response and that was a good thing as stood in front of him was the
Deputy and a rather red faced and bloated Sheriff.

11

‘Good evening,
Stephen.’ John began, ‘Hope you are having a pleasant evening?’

The Watchman
nodded and raised his pint mug.

‘May I introduce
Cliff Jameson, our Sheriff and mayor.’ John motioned to the rather
fat man to his left and Stephen could see a sense of embarrassment
at having to introduce such a fat bastard to such a well esteemed
visitor as he.

The Sheriff put
forward his hand, ‘Watchman, may I be one of the first to welcome
you to our town.’

Stephen stood and
took the hand of the Sheriff. The two men shook, but it was
awkward; the Sheriffs hand clammy and so big they were hard to
hold.

‘It is a pleasure,
Sheriff. I was happy to come across this place such was my journey
upon the Wastelands.’

Jameson grinned
awkwardly; he no more wanted to be here than a prisoner in his
cell. ‘Aye, a bitch of a place is that desert. Many a man has been
lost out there.’

There was an
awkward silence between the three men, all stood there like prize
winning bulls each one not sure of what to do next. Acting the part
Stephen gestured for the two men to sit and join him but both men
shook their heads.

‘No, no, but
thanks all the same,’ Jameson said the redness of his face
intensifying, ‘Busy night tonight. I only came to say my hello’s
and to ask if I may trouble ya for the reason you have come to our
little bit of paradise?’

Stephen remained
standing as he answered, looking the Sheriff in the eye as he did.
‘Passing through, is all, Sheriff. No need to worry.’ He left a
slight pause looking and leant in close to the Sheriff. His scent
was horrific; a mixture of sweat, beer and cheap man perfume.
‘Unless of course you have something to worry about, Sheriff?’

Jameson and John
both coughed under their breaths. Johns face reddened slightly but
the Sheriff looks as though he was going to have a full melt down.
His entire body, and there is a lot of it wobbled with anger and
frustration.

He responded, his
words coming out fast, phlegm flying as well as his multiple chins
swaying. ‘Nothing here but good honest folk, Watchman. No need to
start ruffling feathers or pulling teeth in this town.’

‘Then you have
nothing to worry about, Sheriff.’ Stephen sat back down and took a
sip of his beer not taking his eyes from the two men. ‘I am here
for a couple of days, mainly to get some more provisions together,
plan my next move and then head off once more into the Northern
Territories. I hope I won’t be of any inconvenience?’ It wasn’t
really a question, more a rhetorical statement as Stephen knew what
the only answer could be, but there was something shifty about both
the Sheriff and the Deputy. Not that it mattered much in the long
run. But still, a Watchman’s duty is never done no matter how far
from the path they have strayed.

The Sheriff merely
nodded and stomped away, heading toward the doorway that led to the
outhouse. John made his farewells and headed back over to the table
where a small group of men had now set up camp.

Stephen scanned
the bar, keeping his ears attuned to the individual voices that
echoed around the wooden walls. So far there had been no mention of
this “Tommy” chap but the night was still young by all
accounts.

12

The Sheriff
waddled out into the sticky night and relieved himself in what past
as a toilet by the side of the Travellers Last. He coughed loudly,
spitting out a large snot filled wad onto the floor. The taunts of
that poor excuse of a Watchman still coursed through Jameson’s
veins and made his blood boil. They were simple jabs, but no one
made jabs at the Sheriff. Not if they knew what was good for
them.

‘A trip to the
Hill.’ Jameson said to the piss stained wall in front and he swayed
a little his huge wait almost going over if it wasn’t for the wall
to his right.

‘And he took yer
girl.’

He coughed again,
this time swallowing the gloop and with a final push a small
trickle of piss came from his penis. He waved the old feller about
and then zipped it back behind his fly.

‘Fucking
Watchman.’ He said sniggering and the old Sheriff waddled back into
the bar and consumed enough beer to fell a wild beast leaving his
old wife happy.

13

The night wore on,
seeming never ending; the singing was relentless as too was the
consumption of beer and spirits. Stephen couldn’t blame the people
for drinking so heavily, these towns didn’t offer much in
entertainment anymore, ever since the black liquid had gone dry
places like this died slowly, screaming as they did. The death of a
town would start slowly, much like Rockfall was now, and then the
death would hasten as soon stores and bars couldn’t sustain
themselves on such meagre pickings. It wouldn’t be long before the
scavengers moved in and then it was too late; a once bustling town
full of life would be lost, stricken like a rudderless ship and
consumed by the desert.

And then the
Clickers would come and any one left would regret their decision to
stay.

14

The night came to
a close at around two in the morning; the last of the drunks
leaving in a storm of yelling and screaming, Cathy locking them out
and bolting the doors quickly as if to keep some ancient beast
away.

Stephen could feel
his body becoming weary, his eyes heavy and his mind lazy. The
tiredness of the journey was creeping upon him, the beer and
whiskey pushing him into a deeper state of sleepiness than he had
anticipated. The Sorcerer had said to have this young girl, but he
doubted his own ability in this state. He chuckled to himself; as a
younger man there wasn’t enough beer to stop his prick getting
stiff and him being able to fuck all night long. But times were
changing. Even with Susie’s looks he knew that tonight would be a
quiet one and he would sleep long into Tomorrow.

There were no
words between Stephen and Susie as she ushered him upstairs and led
him into his bedroom. There were no words as she undressed him, no
words as the two of them lay naked together in bed. The candle she
had lit flickered and their shadows danced across the walls in
their own act of love. Even in the soft light he could see in her
eyes that she understood that he was tired; that whatever journey
had been on had taken it out of him. But there was something else,
hidden deep inside her beautiful eyes. There was a glimmer of
disappointment and the disappointment was mirrored in his own.

She stroked his
face and he could feel his eyes drop as the blackness of sleep came
upon him.

‘Rest now,
Stephen. Sleep well and dream only of me. Your gold coin is still
good for the morning.’

15

The sun hadn’t
risen when Stephen awoke but the sky was a blood red its signal
that the day to come was going to be hot and dusty.

By the time the
sun was fully up and the sky a wash of azure blue the two hot
sweaty and satisfied bodies lay intertwined and the job the
Sorcerer had wanted Stephen to do was done.

Thirsty Birdies

1

Stephen knew the
girl liked him, it was obvious, but he didn’t care for her. She was
fine looking, a dream like body was hard to come by especially way
out in butt fuck nowhere. She would make many a man happy if she
was ever to wed, but it would not be him she wed no matter how much
she would have it so and knowing the strange ways of a woman, she
would beg it to be so when he came to leaving this fucking hell
hole.

But despite all
that he needed her for the time being, she would have her uses and
what did it matter if he strung her along? It would give her
something to treasure for a couple of days if only to be brought
back to earth when he leaves. He remembered the Sheriff and how he
been flustered the night before and guessing by the Sheriffs
obvious disgust at the Watchman, he was meant to bed this little
flower last night so at least Stephen had done her that favour.
Stephen would get his fill of her over the next day or so and as a
plus he wouldn’t have to pay and that was okay with him. After that
who cares?

2

He watched her
slowly wake up and stroked her hair softly as she moved in closer
to him and snuggled. It was strange to him that a girl would give
herself up so quickly; the women back home were far tougher quarry,
even those who accepted coin for their womanhood. Stephen held her
tight; his obvious excitement pushing against her backside.

He tested the
waters however obvious they may be, ‘I will run out of coin at this
rate.’

Susie moved her
hand from her belly and grabbed hold of his erect penis, stroking
it gently. Her eyes were ablaze, her cheeks blushing and her breath
deep. ‘You know as well as I do, Stephen, that there is no need for
any more coin.’

She rolled over so
that her body was on top of his. Susie eased his erection into her
moist hole and she kissed him deeply; moaning as she lowered
herself down upon his shaft. ‘One more time and then it’s time to
get up.’

They fucked hard
and quick.

In the distance,
behind closed doors and rotten wooden blinds, Patience was laying
in her own bed, legs wide apart and her body pulsating with
pleasure. On top of her, working hard, was the young simpleton
Tommy; his face red with effort but his heart happy as he entered
the dirty dry hole of the witch. Patience may be old and dried up
and her looks shot to hell and back but she still liked the prick
as much as any woman and with a little witch craft Tommy was the
perfect one to give it to her.

When Tommy had
finished his rotten duty he got dressed, walked out of the hut and
down a rough trail. He walked back into town not knowing what he
had done, what was done to him but Tommy did know that he would get
to see his only friend and that would make for a happy Tommy. Yes,
a happy Tommy indeed.

3

Susie, now
dressed, her hair pulled back into a ponytail and a glow about her
person opened the door to Stephens room and turned to face what she
hoped would be the man that would get her away Rockfall.

‘Anything else
before I go?’ She bit her lip slightly and cocked her hip to one
side. It was a tragic look.

‘I can think of a
few things, Susie, but you have work to do.’ Stephen replied,
winking and playing the game. The young woman laughed and went to
leave.

‘Actually,’
Stephen continued making Susie turn quickly, ‘I am looking for
someone. Tommy? Have you heard of him?’

She nodded. ‘Yeah.
I know him. Simple lad, harmless really. Why?’

‘Nothing bad. I
have some things that I need doing around town and I heard last
night that he can be trusted. Is that true?’

Susie nodded. ‘I
suppose. Tommy isn’t the brightest lad but he means well. You can
find him walking the main street during the day running errands for
the Sheriff or whoever needs him for the day. I’m sure he will do
whatever you want him to do especially if he tell him what you
are.’ Susie pointed to the holster placed neatly on the bedside
table. ‘Show him that and I guarantee he will run your errands for
less than a copper coin.’

The Watchman
grinned and standing; stretched out his still travel weary body. By
the time he was ready to move on his body would have recovered but
not enough to make the journey an easy one. He walked over to Susie
and kissed her deeply. She released her grip on the door and used
his body to prop herself up. When the kiss was she silently walked
away and he closed the door behind wiping his mouth dry from her
spit.