Legend of Logan Valley by LoboC

"Gather 'round friends," An old man said one day, "I'm here to tell ya a tale of some renown."

"What is it sir? What can you tell us?" replies the crowd.

The old man waited for them to quiet down before he started.

^**~~**(Many years ago)**~~**^

Three young cowhands rode into the town of Ghost Falls one day. They were very different in appearance; the first was a tall, thin boy, he was so skinny a strong win could blow him over, he had the blackest hair anyone had ever seen or seen since. His eyes were black as well so black that you couldn't even see the pupil his name was Orrin. The second was short and squat his hair was brown and his eyes were an ugly mud color that mixed with blue sometimes, his name was Matthew. The third was medium sized and he had blond hair and the greenest eyes that anyone in Ghost Falls had ever seen, he didn’t have a name that was known unto his friends.

Orrin rode a horse that was more of a pony then a horse was brown in coloring and he had some spots on his rump in a lighter brown. Matthew’s horse was tall and gaunt; he was the color of a wheat field ready to harvest. The third's horse was medium, like his master, he was the color of midnight black and in some lights you could say blue.

Well these three young men rode down the street and each pulled up in front of a different place; the first pulled up in front of the saloon, the second in front of the mercantile, and the third in front of the cafe. They all dismounted at the same time and strode into the building in front of them.

When Orrin entered the saloon he walked up to the bar and told the bartender, "Whiskey." The bartender placed the glass in front of him without a word. Orrin turned when someone touched his shoulder, he found a fancy woman standing behind him.

"Can I help you ma'am?" He asked.

"You're new in town aren't you?" Her voice was sweet and low.

"Y-yes ma'am," he replied.

She looked horrified for a second before she took his arm and led him to a back table saying, "Then you need to know what might happen to you..."

^**~~**(At the Mercantile)**~~**^

Matthew walked into the Mercantile with one thing in mind, 'Get a coffee pot.' In stead a woman rushed up to him and asked, "Are you new in town?" She sounded breathless.

"Yes ma'am." Matthew replied.

"Then you need to know what might befall you," The woman said and led him into the back of the store.

^**~~**(At the Cafe)**~~**^

The third one walked into the cafe and sat down at a table. Suddenly beside him was a young girl of maybe ten, "Are you new in town?"

Her voice was young and childish but her eyes were beyond her years. The young man hesitated for a second before he said, "Y-yes I am miss."

"Then you need to know what might befall you," She said as she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the back of the cafe.

^**~~**(Present)**~~**^

"Then what happened?" "What is it that might befall them?" "Please continue." The voices of the crowd chorused. And the old man noticed that only one man didn't speak or encourage him he was dressed in black from head to toe. He had a bemused look on his face and he looked ready to laugh at a moment's notice.

"Alright, alright just settle down and I'll finish," The old man said a twinkle coming to his eye.

^**~~**(Many years ago)**~~**^

So this is the story that the women told the cowhands:

Many years before a drought had come to the land of what was then Wild Horse Springs, it had come to all but one ranch in the valley surrounding the town. This ranch was know as the L-L Connected it was owned by a man in the east and not once had he come to visit his ranch, but the ranch prospered and had plenty of water. Only thing was there was no source of water on the L-L Connected, well at least none that anyone could see. Well the town folks were worried and they were starting to get mad at the men that tended the Double L, as it was called. So the town folks and the people in the surrounding area attacked the ranch to find out their secret. After they had killed all but the two children that lived at the ranch they went in search of the source of the water, but they couldn't find any! They started to feel guilty about what they did and when they got back to the ranch house the young boy had buried all the dead and had a horse saddled and was getting ready to leave as he boosted his sister up into the saddle. When he had gotten into the saddle he turned and turned accusing eyes on the people.

"You're young shall never grow old, you're old shall never die, you're beasts shall live forever, you are under the curse of the Ghost Falls. The drought shall remain in this place for all time in all but the Double L shall this land be dry. Those that come shall have a month to stay until the Ghost Falls appear on that ridge, or they shall forever join your ranks. Heed this warning people and do not leave this valley or the Falls will drag you to them." With that the boy turned his horse away and rode away from the now cursed valley.

"So you see," said each of the women, "The Ghost Falls appear tonight and if you do not leave this cursed valley you shall join us."

Each of the three men walked out in the street and met in the middle.

Orrin made a brave face and said, "I'm not afraid of any old fairy tale, I think I'll stay here tonight."

Matthew looked worried and said, "I'm going to get out of this valley as fast as I can."

3 looked at his two companions and replied, "You're both fools." He then turned away and got on his horse and rode out to the Double L.

Orrin and Matthew looked at each other and wondered at 3's words, they hadn't known each other all that long and it had been 3's idea to come to this place and now he was riding to the place where all this had happened.

Suddenly Orrin was struck by an idea, "Do you think that 3 knows what he's doing?"

"Yes."

"Then we should follow him," Orrin suggested so the two of them mounted their horses and rode after 3.

Later that night the three of them sat around a fire drinking coffee, when suddenly the fire went out. "It's starting," 3 said as he stared at the ridge above the ranch.

Suddenly a strange unnatural light showed everything that surrounded them as if it had been daylight. Then without warning the ridge above them became a waterfall; the water flowed down as peacefully as if it was a real waterfall. Then the water seemed to jump and dance and shapes of people and animals alike danced on the water and beside it.

3 just stood there as if waiting then a glowing figure separated itself from the throng and approached him. "Logan you certainly have grown," A voice as smooth as silk said.

"Thank you Miles," 3 or Logan said a smile on his face.

"You shouldn't have put a curse on these people Logan. No matter what they did they don't deserve this." The thing called Miles said.

"I know Miles but there's no way that I can take the curse back."

"So are you going to sacrifice these," The thing motioned behind Logan at the two cowering there, "To take you're curse back or do they join the ranks in the valley?"

"I wish for neither, Miles. Do you know of any other way to take it back?"

"Yes talk to Wishbone he might have an answer for you."

"Where is Wishbone these days?"

"Where he always is pouring the water on the ridge."

"Then I shall go talk to him," Logan said as he turned to leave.

"What of your charges?"

"I shall leave them for you to tend," Logan grinned as he took off running to the ridge.

^**~~**(Minutes Later)**~~**^

Logan reached the top of the ridge in record time and saw a man there pouring the water for the Falls. "Wishbone," Logan hailed.

Wishbone looked up and grinned, "Logan me lad how be ya?"

"I'm fine Wishbone. I was wondering if I could take my curse off the people of this valley?"

"Not the valley itself?" Wishbone asked.

"No just the people," Logan confirmed.

"That wouldn't take no time 't all lad, and ye wouldn't be needin' any sacrifices."

Logan smiled at the leprechaun, "But how much will it cost me?"

Wishbone laughed, "Ye know me to well lad, ye know me to well."

"So how much?"

"It'll cost ye five eagles."

Logan dug into his pocket and tossed the five double eagles in the air and just like that they all took flight and landed over looking the dancing falls.

"Ye best get back to yer friends lad," Wishbone said and pointed to where his friends stood surrounded by ghosts.

Almost instantly Logan was by his friends and driving the ghosts off with a look, "Dawn'll be here soon," he told his friends, "Then the Ghost's will sleep for another month."

And sure enough the ghost's disappeared with the morning light and the third boy who we now know is (Christopher) Logan Larabee, the son of the man who owns the Double L, took his friends and left the valley.

^**~~**(Present)**~~**^

"So you see folks that is how Logan Valley over in New Mexico came to be."

"How long ago did this happen?" A young voice asked from the crowd.

The old man smiled, "They say the curse was set into place a hundred years ago, and that Logan Larabee came back after thirty of those years and set the people free. There are those that say that Logan Larabee is still alive to this day." With these words the old man turned his eyes to the one that had been silent throughout the telling of the story, the silent man grinned dipped his head and turned and walked away. Six other’s in the crowd gave the man a look asking him where he was going until one by one they got up and followed him.

"How do you know all this Grandpa?" another little voice suddenly asked.

"Why son I was there, I was cowhand #1."