Chris was patrolling the streets of what had become his home. He was doing his nightly rounds when he heard her scream. As he turned the corner he saw Vin picking up the pace and pulling out his sawed off. Thank God for Vin, ever at his side and ever at the ready. They crept up behind the livery and heard voices nearby tormenting the girl who screamed.

“They're coming to get you Barbara” they said in unison and laughed. Vin ran after the boys while Chris looking for the young girl who was hidden in the shadows. He had barely seen her, until he caught a glimmer of the medal she wore around her neck, courtesy of the full moon.

He approached her slowly and cautiously as he felt Vin's presence nearby.

“Miss? Barbara is it? Do you know who we are? It's O.K., now. We'll take you home” Chris said in a calming voice.

She couldn't have been more than 15 years old, but looked younger and like a frightened doe. The fear and the tears in her eyes was evident. She looked at Chris. She could barely make out his features in the moonlight because his hat covered most of his face and was in the shadows. She looked at Vin, he smiled at her, and saw his quiet demeanor and took a halting breath.

She returned her gaze to Chris. “You're not the bogey man?” she asked timidly.

“No, he's not the bogeyman. He just looks that way to scare the bogeymen away” Vin said with a relieved sigh and stifled a laugh as he saw Chris' glare in his direction.

“Come on, let's get you back to where you belong. Who were those boys anyway?” Chris said as he helped her up out of the dirt.

“One of them is my brother, the others are his friends. He does it because he knows he can get to me” she said as she finally got to see what Chris really looked like in the pale light. Here she was being escorted by two handsome men in the moonlight. She smiled as they walked with her and her hands were tucked safely in their proffered elbows.

Vin noticed the look on Chris' face and shook his head. He then saw the grin and knew that he was in for it again, hook line and sinker. He was tempted to say something but not in front of the girl.

They walked up to the house where her mother was frantic. “Barbara where is your brother and why is the law walking you home? You know you're supposed to keep him out of trouble” she said, chastising the girl.

“We'll see to it that the boy gets back ma'am” Vin said with a touch to his hat and glared right back at Larabee who was going to say something about the boy tormenting his sister. Being a man of few words meant just that, and he followed Vin's wordless suggestion. Once out of earshot he looked at Vin that same grin as before.

“You have any idea where they're hiding. I know that sense of yours. Let's put my reputation to the test. Let's see if I am the bogeyman” Chris said as they headed to the livery.

The shadows wreaked havoc in the darkened livery stables where they could hear the boys laughing at the trick they played on Barbara. They ran in circles in the darkness oblivious to the skittish horses and the mice that fed on the hay.

Vin grabbed a blanket from nearby and Chris took off his hat and pulled his duster over his head while ducking it so that he would appear headless. His voice boomed and echoed in the livery as he ran toward the boys. Vin followed suit as they heard them scream in terror and bump into the walls of the stables. They nearly trod over each other as they ran out the livery.

Chris laughed and looked at Vin as he fell and rolled on his back with glee. Vin went to give him a hand and Chris pulled him down in the hay as they both continued until the breath was out of them.

“You think he got back home? Or should we check on the boy?” Chris asked as he caught his breath.

“Here''s hoping he went crying home to Mama and won't torment his sister again” Vin said.

“Yeah like that will last” Chris said as he remembered his older brothers tormenting him and Eileen. “Admit it though it was fun while it lasted. They deserved it for what they did to her. I saw that look on your face. Aren't you glad you were part of it and that it was nothing more than a Halloween prank?” he added.

“I've always got your back Cowboy. I may not always agree with you, but then I'm not always sure that you aren't the bogeyman either” Vin said as he took the proffered hand and dusted himself off.

“Speaking of which where's Josiah?” Chris asked.

“Aren't you mistaking him for Frankenstein?” Vin asked.

“Since when did Mary put that on your reading list?” Chris asked.

“She knew that I liked reading when I would hear things go bump in the night” Vin said as he headed toward his wagon and Chris went back to his rounds.

He walked toward the house and heard the boy being scolded by his mother. He knew it wouldn't last, but he was glad Barbara would no longer see him as the bogeyman. He smiled and heard a wolf howl at the full moon. He was tempted to join in, but thought better of it. He had already howled once tonight.

He then heard a noise and nearly jumped out of his skin. There in the shadows was something that scared the man in black more than a gun. On closer inspection, he noticed the familiar creature and despite her affection for Chris, the cat still made him cringe with fear. He was glad Vin wasn't there to see what caused him to jump at things that go bump in the night.


Happy Halloween


finis




Happy Halloween.