Summary: A dare, a graveyard, and something evil lurking within, makes for a night that Little Joe Cartwright will never forget. A pre-series Halloween tale.

Rating: K+

Words: 1,368

 

“This is by far one of the stupidest ideas you’ve ever had, Seth,” I hissed as a shiver that had nothing to do with the dropping temperature ran down my spine. For the first time in my life, I cursed the vivid imagination I’d been born with for making this even scarier than it should be.

 

Thirteen-year-old Seth Pruitt set down the lantern he had been carrying and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you backing out, Little Joe?” he asked, a smug smile tugging at the corners of his thin mouth. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

 

“And have you brand me a ‘yellow-bellied coward’ for the rest of my life?” I replied. “No thank you.” I peered into the gloom and tried to swallow the sudden dryness in my throat. It didn’t work. “I’ll do it.”

 

Seth patted me on the back so hard that I nearly toppled over. “Good man,” he said. “Now, you remember our deal, don’t you?” he asked and I nodded.

 

“Yeah, I stay in the cemetery for ten minutes, and then we ride back to the Ponderosa. No one will ever know we were gone,” I said.

 

“That’s right. Now, get to it,” he shooed me towards the wrought-iron gate.

 

“You know, Seth, there are times that I wish I didn’t know you. This just so happens to be one of those times,” I said, pushing open the barrier with my left hand. The ear-splitting screech it made as it swung wide, almost covered up Seth’s amused cackle, but not quite.

 

“The feeling’s mutual, Little Joe,” he replied.

 

I can do this, I can do this, I can do this, I mentally chanted as I slowly slipped into the graveyard. Even though I’d been to the cemetery lots of times over the years, I’d never come at night.

 

Something squeaked and fluttered over my head. Ducking, I stifled a scream with the sleeve of my green jacket.

 

“It’s just a bat, that’s all,” I whispered to myself. At least…I hoped it was. “There’s no such things as ghosts or spirits, Joe, it’s all in your head.”

 

Wrapping my arms around my own waist, I edged my way further into the graveyard. A soupy mist billowed between the headstones, wrapping itself about my ankles; it was so thick that even the light of the full moon that filtered through the tops of the trees couldn’t penetrate it.

 

I can’t believe I let Seth talk me into sneaking out of the house for this, I mused darkly. If pa ever found out, he would tan my hide so hard I wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week. But a dare was a dare, and my pride wouldn’t let me say no.

 

Suddenly, the toe of my boot struck something, and I tipped forward, landing hard on my hands and knees. There was a sharp sting in my left shin as the skin split, and warm blood began to sluggishly pour from the small wound.

 

“Great, just great. How am I gonna explain torn pants to Hop Sing?” The little Chinaman had a knack for sniffing out a lie better than a bloodhound could follow a scent trail. My brothers and I had learned the hard way that it was better to tell the Oriental cook the truth, than try to cover it up.

 

Shaking my head, I started to clamber to my feet, when I noticed what I’d tripped over. It was a coffin. Okay, so that wasn’t really all that much of a surprise, I was walking in a cemetery, there were bound to be loads of caskets buried here…but this one was above ground. And it was perfectly, horrifyingly empty.

 

Forget the dare, I’m leaving! Scrambling upright, I turned on my heel, and was just about to pick my way back towards the entrance, when a bone-chilling voice spoke.

 

“Leaving so soon?” it asked.

 

I looked to my left and spotted a monument that I had always admired as a child. A marble angel with wings spread wide stood guard over the grave of one Mary Fleming, the deceased wife of the richest man in Virginia City, Harry Fleming, owner of the only bank in town. But there was something different about the statue, something wrong. Instead of the white stone torso of the angel, a dark shadow stood between the upraised wings. “Who-who’s there?” I stuttered, balling my fists at my sides in an effort to stop my limbs from shaking.

 

The shade slithered away from the monument and stepped into one of the beams of moonlight. “Just me,” it answered.

 

I was so terrified at what stood before me, that I couldn’t have run even if I wanted to. It was a man…or, at least, it used to be. The figure was tall, taller even than my pa. His skin was sallow, and in place of his nose was a gaping, black hole. A pair of onyx eyes bored into me as saliva dripped from bared, yellow fangs.

 

The creature cocked his head to the side and sniffed the air with his deformed nose. “Ah,” he cried with longing, “fresh blood. I haven’t tasted fresh blood since….” he trailed off, glancing around as if he heard something. If I had had the strength to run, I would have, but my legs were doing a pretty good imitation of Hop Sing’s homemade jelly, and I knew that I’d only end up flat on my face if I moved.

 

Satisfied that there was nothing there, the monster took a step forward. Raising one of his talon-like fingers, he ran the ice-cold digit down the side of my cheek. “You are a child,” he rasped. “What a pity. I’d rather not end such a young life before you’ve reached your potential, but I’m famished. I haven’t eaten in centuries, and your blood is simply…mesmerizing.”

 

He loomed over me. Something sharp touched the juncture of my neck and shoulder.

 

Oh, God! Oh, God, help me!

 

Suddenly, the monster lurched sideways, and I could breathe again.

 

“Joe! Get out of here!” a familiar voice shouted.

 

I felt a brief moment of unadulterated relief so strong that I almost wet my pants, but it was snuffed out quickly when the monster reared back up, hissing in anger. He gathered himself, ready to pounce. “Hoss, look out!” I cried, finding my voice, but I needn’t have warned him. My older brother was ready for him. As the monster rushed him, he thrust something upwards into his chest. An ear-piercing shriek filled the air. I pressed my hands over my head, trying to block out the horrible sound, but just as suddenly as the scream started, it stopped. There was a thud, and then silence.

 

“Joe?”

 

“Hoss?” I whispered, and a big, warm hand landed on my shoulder. “Y-You killed him.”

 

Hoss looked down at the shadow lying unmoving on the ground. Screwing up my courage, I looked at it too. A large, wooden cross that had once been the marker for some poor soul’s grave had been planted in the spot where the creature’s heart must have been. With my brother beside me, the thing didn’t seem so scary, in fact, I felt a tiny bit sad for him, but only a little bit. He had tried to eat me after all.

 

“Come on,” Hoss said, tugging on my shoulder. I nodded.

 

We were almost to the gate when a question suddenly popped into my mind. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

 

“You ain’t as sneaky as you think you are, Shortshanks,” he replied. “I heard you climb out of your bedroom window. And since Seth was spending the night, I knew you two were up to something, so I followed you.”

 

The relief I felt at having been saved, dimmed somewhat. “Oh, I guess you’re gonna tell pa then, huh?”

 

Hoss stopped and looked down at me, “Hmm…you know what, I think you’ve been punished quite enough already. I guess this will just be our little secret,” he said, winking at me. “Now, let’s go collect that rascal of a friend of yours and get on home.”

 

~ Finis ~

Author Notes:

This was written for a Halloween writing challenge on Bonanza Boomers several years ago, where I was given the hero (Hoss), the villian (a vampire), and a thematic element (a coffin) to write a story about.