KID NOBODY in: HEAD FER THE HILLS! - Pt. IV

Pepper had fought and scrambled her way up the platform and made short work of the knot of rope around Nobody’s wrists. Nobody got his own neck out of the noose.

“Come on,” she said, “we can jump off the back, here!”

“Wait,” he said, and he took in his arms, about to kiss her, “where’s my money?”

“I already spent it,” she said, partially stunned by the question.

He shoved her over the edge of the gallows and into the crowd with all his might. Before he turned and jumped off the back side he snatched a glimpse of her being swallowed up by scampering feet and biting jaws.

He jumped off and landed with a thud. A couple seconds after impact his feet stung. He took a moment to walk it off. The dead Indians regarded him through the support beams of the gallows, but paid little interest. He got the feeling he could have waltzed on through and been untouched, but the Kid wasn’t brave enough in years to find out.

He ran for the hills with no boots, no gun, no money and no horse.

***

Exhausted, he saw a light in one of the caves in the hills and made his way over to it. It was going on nighttime, the indigo sky had nearly sucked all the sun’s deep red blood from the clouds. It had been a long while since he’d last heard the screams of Creighton in his ears, behind him, and even longer since he’d looked back.

Looking back now, from the hill, he saw no movement, no signs of life or struggle. Just an untrustworthy kind of calm.

Even before he was eyelevel with the cave, he heard the pops and cracks of a fire. Sparks floated up and hugged the ceiling of the cave and escape into the night sky as gray smoke against the navy blanket, obscuring stars.

The black outline of a man sat facing the entrance. Kid Nobody’s eyes took a second or two to adjust to the glow of the fire. When they did, he saw a white man eating a tin of beans. He had expected to find an Indian. Off to the side was a mostly air-filled sack, loose and folded atop a stack of damp firewood.

“You from Creighton,” Kid Nobody asked, warily.

“Nope,” the man said, simply, “beans?” and the man offered up his tin.

Kid Nobody grabbed the tin silently, but gratefully, and spooned up a couple mouthfuls in quick succession, which had given the man just enough time to reach around and grab his gun.

“Those are some mighty fine duds you’re sporting there, partner,” the man with beans and the gun said, “I’ve been needing me a brand new wardrobe.”

***

Somehow, and with great effort, the Kid had made it back to Farthing, around San Alberto, over Ha’Penny Hills, and through Merryweather and Golding with no boots, no gun, no money, no horse and no clothes and made it in one piece. Refurbished after a quick stop at his apartment, he met the old wizard outside the train station. When Kid Nobody got there, the old wizard was begging for change and scraps of food, or a quick hit from a flask.

“You did good,” the old wizard said.

“Yup,” Kid Nobody said, not wanting to mention the remaining survivor from the cave. He had failed in all aspects of his job, but somehow, through the wrath of God himself, the town had been all cleaned up. Excepting the man in the cave, the sole survivor. Kid Nobody had a hard time deciding if that was an important detail or not. “I sure did take care of that town for you! Cleaned up that mess real good.”

“So I see,” the old wizard said, “there wasn’t one person left to believe in the zombies.”

“Zombies?” Kid Nobody had never encountered the word before.

“The dead things that eat people,” the old wizard answered.

“Oh,” the Kid said, “yup. I certainly took care of that.”

And Kid Nobody finally knew what his job was.

***

(roll credits)