Summary: There’s a raving monster loose on the Ponderosa and suddenly nothing is normal at the ranch house.
\nRating: PG, Word Count: 3716<\/p>\n
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Night of Horrors<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cJoe, are you alright?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Joe struggled to speak as wind and trail dust caught at his breath.<\/span><\/p>\n “Don’t ask questions, Adam. Just ride and keep riding.”<\/span><\/p>\n Good advice. Adam looked straight ahead and urged Sport on to greater speed.<\/span><\/p>\n They rode until both horses were exhausted and steaming with sweat and then finally they slowed.<\/span><\/p>\n The horses turned instinctively and trotted towards a watering hole. Adam got stiffly down from his horse. He rested his head against Sport\u2019s neck and took in a calming breath.<\/span><\/p>\n Joe came down on shaky legs and stumbled over to join his brother.<\/span><\/p>\n “Ancient burial ground.” Adam growled as he swatted Joe across the arm.<\/span><\/p>\n Joe shook his head. “I didn’t know Adam. It wasn’t my fault.”<\/span><\/p>\n After a moment Joe looked back at Adam with scared eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n “What do you suppose that was Adam? It wasn’t a beggar, I ain’t never seen nothin move as fast as that.”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam shook his head. “Joe, say nothin to Hoss and Pa. We’ll say nothin. We just won\u2019t come this way again.”<\/span><\/p>\n Joe nodded and looked nervously back at the trail. “That long black hair completely covered its face. I ain’t never….”<\/span><\/p>\n “Shut up Joe. We don’t need to…..”<\/span><\/p>\n The words were taken from Adam’s breath as a low mournful cry drifted towards them in the breeze.<\/span><\/p>\n “Right, break over.” Adam got quickly back up into his saddle.<\/span><\/p>\n Joe ran towards his horse and vaulted onto its back.<\/span><\/p>\n They galloped out of that clearing as fast as they could leaving a trail of dust in their wake.<\/span><\/p>\n As dust settled a cackle of laughter filled the empty space left by the two frightened men.<\/span><\/p>\n “You all come back now y’hear? Ha ha ha.”<\/span><\/p>\n ~ o ~<\/span><\/p>\n Supper that night was a stone cold affair.<\/span><\/p>\n “Don’t blame me if you don’t know how to write scene, all food served on Cartwright ranch is piping hot. Hop Sing only serve piping hot food. Don’t blame me.”<\/span><\/p>\n Sorry Hop Sing….It was stone cold in the manner of two men staring down at their plates and eating very little.<\/span><\/p>\n Ben looked at them both in turn. “Well what’s happened now, I sent you two out to bond and reconnect and frankly it doesn’t look like that happened. Would one of you like to tell me what happened out there today?”<\/span><\/p>\n Both Joe and Adam looked at each other. Adam felt sure that Joe would tell eventually anyway so he put down his fork and began telling Ben the whole sorry tale.<\/span><\/p>\n Once Adam had finished his narrative Ben stared back at him in shock and disbelief.<\/span><\/p>\n “I have never heard such nonsense in my life. A strange creature?”<\/span><\/p>\n Ben’s irritation rose to the surface.<\/span><\/p>\n “Has Joe been sharing the bounty of his strange harvest with you again?”<\/span><\/p>\n “Pa, I’ve not grown any of those mushrooms since that party where you ate some and proposed to Judge Mortimer’s wife. I learned my…..”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam put a hand up to silence Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n “Pa, you asked what happened out there and we told you. There is something very strange out there by the south facing line shack. I couldn’t even say for sure if it was human. It was like something out of a circus.”<\/span><\/p>\n “Did you even fix up that line shack like I asked or did you just sit on the riverbank scaring each other with stories.”<\/span><\/p>\n Now it was Adam’s turn to be annoyed. The last thing he needed today was to be treated like a child by his father. It had been no fun out on the prairie with Joe. For some reason he had acted like he owned the place and now this.<\/span><\/p>\n Adam, weary of the conversation, rose to his feet.<\/span><\/p>\n “Fine, if you don’t believe us then fine. But I won’t be treated like I made it up like some kid. I’m going to bed.”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam turned to head towards the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n “Hot apple pie and fresh custard, get it while it’s still hot.”<\/span><\/p>\n Hop Sing smiled as he placed the pie on the table. Adam half turned to look at it. Oh this was awkward. He had made a stand now. He couldn’t really go back on it. He totally forgot it was dessert night. Apple pie was his favorite too with those cloves and all and home made custard.<\/span><\/p>\n “I have a surprise,” Hop Sing beamed at them all. “I have special dessert wine. It come all the way from France. Very good dessert wine makes apple pie taste extra good.”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam hardened his stance and headed up to his bedroom. He sat on his bed, he could still smell that apple pie. He made a mental note to avoid storming off in future if there was apple pie going.<\/span><\/p>\n The night felt strange. An angry storm rolled in from the east lighting up different parts of the house. Hoss ran to close shutters against the driving rain. Somewhere down the valley a dog howled. Ben shook off the sudden chill he felt and bent to stoke up the fire. He straightened up as there was a sudden knock at the door.<\/span><\/p>\n Ben looked at Hoss. “Who in the world could be calling at this time of night?”<\/span><\/p>\n “And with that there storm raging outside.” Hoss nodded to the shuttered windows.<\/span><\/p>\n Joe shrugged “Maybe its just someone who ran into trouble on the road.”<\/span><\/p>\n “It could have been the stagecoach. Maybe they were robbed.” Hoss looked at the others.<\/span><\/p>\n Another loud knock boomed and echoed through the house.<\/span><\/p>\n Joe turned his green eyes on Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n “Maybe it’s a neighbor. Maybe they’ve run out of flour or mustard or something.”<\/span><\/p>\n “Will one of you just go answer the door?” Adam yelled down from the landing.<\/span><\/p>\n All three men jumped up. Joe was quick to run to the door and throw it open. Sheriff Coffee and Doctor Martin came quickly in dripping wet from head to foot.<\/span><\/p>\n “What in tarnation are you two doing out at this time of night?” Ben asked.<\/span><\/p>\n “It’s well you may ask Ben. I got word of a strange disturbance in your neck of the woods. Talk of a strange wandering man. You know how seriously I take the drunks at the saloon, I just had to ride all the way out here and find out for myself.”<\/span><\/p>\n Doctor Martin took up the story. “When I saw Roy headed out in such a hurry I had to ask him what the emergency was. When I heard that folks in the saloon were talking about a strange creature on the Ponderosa I had to come too. After all that creature might well be in need of medical attention.”<\/span><\/p>\n “See Pa, there was a creature out there.”<\/span><\/p>\n Ben put a hand to Joe’s shoulder. “Joe, I never doubted your word for a minute. But Adam is older than you and when he talks about anything supernatural well it just sounds silly. Son, why don’t you go over there and eat the last piece of that apple pie.”<\/span><\/p>\n Joe grinned warmly at his father. “I think I might just do that Pa.”<\/span><\/p>\n “Roy, Paul, come in and warm yourselves by the fire. No reason why you shouldn’t have a hot drink before you make your way back to town.”<\/span><\/p>\n “Why thank you Ben. That creature, or whatever it was, came up on us kinda sudden like. I ain’t never seen anything the like of that before.<\/span><\/p>\n They all stopped to listen as the howling started again in earnest.<\/span><\/p>\n ~ o ~<\/span><\/p>\n Adam found he couldn’t concentrate on his book. He was getting hungry and the sound of the rumbling thunder was starting to go through his head. After a minute he closed the book and headed towards the door.<\/span><\/p>\n “……and that’s when I decided I wanted to be a sheriff and fight for law and order. My folks were upset that I didn’t take up beekeeping but they…..”<\/span><\/p>\n Ben quickly got up and rushed over to greet his son as Adam came down the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n “Adam, there you are. Roy was just sharing with us the story of how he first became a law man.”<\/span><\/p>\n “Pa, its after one in the morning.”<\/span><\/p>\n “I know, they won’t leave.” Ben smiled over at their guests as he pulled Adam with him towards the fire.<\/span><\/p>\n Doctor Martin leaned forward. “If I remember correctly Roy, you started out as a deputy under Sheriff Granger.”<\/span><\/p>\n “That’s right. I did Paul. God bless your memory. Virginia City was little more than a town then and it was just the two of us.”<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss gave Joe a very definite poke in the ribs as he had dropped off and was beginning to snore.<\/span><\/p>\n Suddenly there was another knock at the door….and yes that line was badly written.<\/span><\/p>\n This time Adam ran quickly to answer it.<\/span><\/p>\n “Miss Clementine, what in the world are you doing out here at this time of night?”<\/span><\/p>\n “I drove her here, Adam,” Laura breezed into the room after the old lady. She plunked herself down on Adam’s chair and hung her wet bonnet down on the neck of his prized guitar.<\/span><\/p>\n “We both felt we had to get out for some air. We were both feeling so down and ill used by the men in our lives.”<\/span><\/p>\n “Oh Lord,” Adam whined under his breath.<\/span><\/p>\n “Then we saw it, that thing. My God it was like a big yeti. I shall never forget it.”<\/span><\/p>\n Ben went to her side. “Now Miss Clementine don’t upset yourself.”<\/span><\/p>\n Laura frowned a little at the attention her companion was getting, she turned to Adam. “Lord, fetch me a glass of wine Adam. I can barely draw breath, I’m so scared.”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam peered out the door wondering if anyone else would come riding up in the wee hours of the morning for no apparent reason.<\/span><\/p>\n He went to the drinks cabinet and pulled out a bottle of their finest wine.<\/span><\/p>\n Clementine suddenly brightened. “Oh that does sound good but mine\u2019s a brandy. “<\/span><\/p>\n “Oh yes actually, Adam, I will have a brandy instead.”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam put the freshly opened wine bottle to his mouth and knocked it back taking a good swig before Ben swiped it away from him.<\/span><\/p>\n With an irritated grunt Ben pointed to the brandy bottle. Soon both ladies were calmed and warm sitting by the fire with a large glass of brandy in their hands.<\/span><\/p>\n “It was so shocking, that thing just came out at us. I was never so afraid in my life.”<\/span><\/p>\n Ben turned a weary eye to the clock. It was past two in the morning.<\/span><\/p>\n “Well you’re safe now and Joe is going to drive you home.”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam kicked Joe’s feet off the coffee table and he awoke with a snort.<\/span><\/p>\n “Oh yeah sure…..what?”<\/span><\/p>\n Laura turned on a kindly smile as Hoss came down the stairs.<\/span><\/p>\n “Eric Hoss Cartwright, if only all men were like you.”<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss beamed at her.<\/span><\/p>\n “Yes, he always was a gentleman, was Hoss, not like the men in town. Hoss is of good stock.”<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss went over to stand at the fireplace between the ladies.<\/span><\/p>\n “Of course he doesn’t have the Cartwright look.” Clementine went on.<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss’s smile began to slip.<\/span><\/p>\n “No, that’s true,” Laura nodded. “Hoss has a nice personality but you know…..Hoss you would be perfect if you had Adam’s looks. If you had your personality and Adam’s face you’d be married in the morning.”<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss shuffled over to stand with the other men by the drinks cabinet.<\/span><\/p>\n Suddenly Hop Sing breezed in from the kitchen. He was bright as a button despite the late hour.<\/span><\/p>\n “Now hot spring rolls for everybody.” He held the tray out to the ladies.<\/span><\/p>\n “Oh no, don’t feed them.” Ben muttered as he put a hand to his face.<\/span><\/p>\n “Don’t mind if I do,” Sheriff Coffee beamed as he reached over and took one.<\/span><\/p>\n Soon everyone had settled down to eat and Hoss put another couple of logs on the fire bringing up a cheerful warm blaze.<\/span><\/p>\n “Oh Adam, that cousin of yours Will turned out to be such a pig. He was whiny and self-centered, not a good match for me at all. The day you fell off that roof and were very nearly paralyzed I was blinded by his fictitious love and support. He made me feel so safe. Why am I always hit with such bad luck.”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam looked across the table at the now empty plates. Everyone had devoured the spring rolls and bacon strips. He had eaten one bacon rind.<\/span><\/p>\n Laura put a hand to his face and turned it so that he was looking directly at her. “If only you would project your true feelings Adam. If only you were the sort of man who would give of yourself fully and in the right spirit.”<\/span><\/p>\n She was cut short in her speech as Clementine suddenly rose to her feet.<\/span><\/p>\n “Shhh, do you hear that?”<\/span><\/p>\n “It’s a dog, it’s been whining all night.” Joe muttered, his eyes still closed.<\/span><\/p>\n “No no, I tell you…..something is not at rest.”<\/span><\/p>\n “It’s me, I’m not at rest,” Ben muttered as he ran a hand over his tired left eye.<\/span><\/p>\n “Nonsense Ben,” Roy smiled. “When’s the last time we had a good old game of chess. I do believe it’s your move.”<\/span><\/p>\n “No, quiet everyone.”<\/span><\/p>\n Clementine went and stood in the middle of the room. “I see you are not believers in such things. You hear that storm and think nothing of it. You cannot feel the bad energy in the air or the swirling mist of despair that surrounds us. But believe this, such things are real. I do recall a woman. Her husband had passed away and on the very night of his passing the clock in their hall suddenly stopped and it never started working again. One day quite by chance she went to that clock and reaching into its innards she found a note. Do you know what that note said?’<\/span><\/p>\n “Wind me.”<\/span><\/p>\n “No Adam, it did not say wind me. Now don’t be silly. It said\u2026 I mean it recalled the exact date of her husband’s death. She had no clue how the note got there or who left it.”<\/span><\/p>\n Clementine nodded heavily. “It remains a mystery to this day.”<\/span><\/p>\n Ben got stiffly to his feet, “So anyway, the rain seems to be easing. “<\/span><\/p>\n His statement was immediately followed by a massive clap of thunder as lightning lit up the four corners of the room.<\/span><\/p>\n “So maybe it’s time we turned our thoughts to heading out….”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam put a hand to his shoulder. “Pa, I need to see you in the kitchen.”<\/span><\/p>\n “But Adam….”<\/span><\/p>\n Adam steered his father towards the kitchen and closed the door after them.<\/span><\/p>\n “Pa, they will have to stay the night. You can’t send them out in that.”<\/span><\/p>\n