Dunbar stood under a full moon, chill of the night biting his fingers. He shouted, “One who knows his name? I know your name now, and you a lie. You gone kill me and them. You no light entity. This destination the evangelist give me—it’s to our death.” He silenced, then cussed. “Alright, what do I got to do? Whose blood do you require?”

  ***

  As the clock continued ticking, it’s safe to say much more than words had been spoken between Diamond and Chip, and after clothes were put back on, Dunbar had returned and now stood stone still inside the blacksmith shop. Chip gawked at him through the open doorway betwixt them.

  From the clay kitchen table, Chip said, “Am I the only person who feels the thickness in this air, that something is amiss?”

  The clock ticked for a moment, before Diamond gripped Chip’s hand a last time and let go. “So, what’s the next move, Chip?”

  “We have but one, and that’s to traverse into the jungle. The deputy and I will leave here at high noon, but I can’t shake it. Something feels strange about all of this.”

  Dunbar had been showing the hinder parts of his hat, shoulder length hair, and vest. When he turned, he revealed his signature mustache had been sheened off, and Diamond gasped.

  “Ya’ll stawp starin’ and worry about your dang lives.” He acted out brushing a crease in the sand. “It’s time to draw the line. Hain’t you told her what the evangelist prophesied; what’s gone happen to any law enforcer who stands in the way of Sam Hill?”

  “No, and by all good rights, it’s not your place to go spouting it out, Deputy.”

  “Even a wig wearing street marm like her has a right to know.”

  Chip stood up.

  “Dunbar, what are you getting at?” Diamond’s tone was anxious but firm.

  “The evangelist told it to me and Mayor Heck. Told us this back when he healed my, you know, made it big.”

  She averted her gaze. “Yes, I remember. You showed us.”

  “He said that only a Mexican vaquero has a chance of facing this curse; that any law and enforcement figure who gets in the way will perish. We’re not heroes, Chip Blaze. We’re officers. We have to stand down.”

  Chip bumped the clay table to a thud and pointed. “You don’t think I know my limitations, am aware of my mortality? But don’t you think Calamity is looking for that vaquero now, while he’s young? You saw how merciless they are; the way they laughed when they beheaded Giant Chief. They will seek this child out and kill him, before he can grow old enough to try to stop them. As a law enforcer, not a hero, I will not stand down and let it happen.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Dunbar raised his voice, put more base in it. “That fool’s gone get beefed, Diamond. Just like Dylan and Owl.”

  She got up, placed her hands on her hips, and if looks could shoot, Dunbar and Chip would have gone down, together. As they both waited, she marched upstairs without a word.

  “Had to go running your evangelist sucking, big mouth.” Chip said.

  Already two stairs back down, Diamond was turned to the second-floor doorway. “You noid to broing that special weapon down, Gustavo, and that’s that.”

  His little hands could be seen passing to her the golden javelin, and she peered down with intent. Dunbar pointed at Chip. “Pierce his ass. He didn’t tell you the truth.”

  “There’s no truth to tell, because he’s not going to die.” She swallowed. “Because I’m not going to let him. High noon, tomorrow, Sheriff, I’ll be ready to go out to that jungle with you.”

  Gustavo slid under her arm, brushing her thigh on the way. He stood betwixt all of them. “I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this weapon. What I can tell you is three months ago, two dark entity brothers, trolls my height—their faces sickly and greenish and all bones and long beards—anyway, they came by to share my shop, using white fires.”

  “You gone share your shop with dark entities, and we’re supposed to trust you?” Dunbar objected.

  “They are two of eight brothers that are desertados. Defectors from long ago, given the name, Ocho Disruptores, based on a certain star, one that entities have come to know as ‘chaos.’”

  Dunbar gripped his gun belt. “Sheriff, you gone buy bunko? Cause he’s sure sellin’.”

  Chip sucked at his cheek. “I don’t know about bunko, Deputy. That javelin has a couple symbols on it. Number eight and a star, same markings that were on Giant Chief’s golden bow.”

  “I’m fighting with it, tomorrow” Diamond said. “That’s that.”

  ***

  When high noon came, the posse found themselves where the sandy road of the town led uphill to ceiba trees and wild animal sounds. While they appeared to balk at the danger, Chip examined the golden javelin.

  “I’ll be the one who carries it,” Diamond insisted.

  “Gawd damn.” Dunbar gestured at his empty holster.

  Chip bowed up. “How did you forget your pistol?”

  “Shad up.” Dunbar took hold of one of the two cat birds. “I’ll be back, quick.”

  Chip exhaled a breath to loosen up and looked over at Diamond. “Something’s not amiss to you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Neither said anything as dad knows what lurked ahead a-hooted, and a-ticked, and a-roared, and a-made high-pitched calls.

  “You believe I’m capable of this?” Chip said to Diamond. “I noticed you didn’t want me taking the javelin.”

  “What’s with that line of questioning? I will carry it, because I’m the only one of us who’s had practice with it.”

  “Yeah.” Chip turned his attention to the unknown ahead.

  Diamond folded her arms. “Chip, you’re letting that prophecy about dying get to you? We both met that evangelist, and he’s, well, something, aint he?”

  “Yet, we’re here now based on what that something told Dunbar. He’s the one who said Calamity would be here. If he’s correct about her whereabouts then why wouldn’t he be about this prophecy?”

  “I aint gonna let him be, Chip.”

  ***

  Gustavo sat in his upstairs’ entertainment room, painting a picture of Diamond’s bare thigh, while his spider monkey clapped on. The deputy’s boots met the cracked clay floor before them, the back end of a drawn pistol partially blocked the man and monkey. The squeaking from his movement caught Gustavo and the monkey’s attention. They stared on in shock.

  The old man’s lips trembled, as his last words came a-through. “Amigo, no Mayan temple, today?”

  Dunbar replied, “Thing is I was worshipping this deity, the one who knows his name. Turns out, he’s— Let’s just say, it’s either your blood or mine. So, all I can say is… tell your dead wife I said hello.”

  A merciless bullet soared into Gustavo’s chest. The old man’s blood splattered, bringing his monkey to cover its eyes and squawk frantically.