The chill of the desert night seemed sharper now, cutting through the quiet as tension mounted between the three men. Charlie's hand went to his revolver, the metallic scrape loud in the stillness as he drew it and cocked the hammer. His eyes burned with defiance as he pointed the weapon directly at Jose.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAUOvQh9Qd6j
18Please respect copyright.PENANAGtgCSNDvE2
"Charlie," Jed barked, his voice low but commanding, "don't."
18Please respect copyright.PENANA4FHHqQbTVF
18Please respect copyright.PENANAyicXSh16Ux
Charlie didn't budge, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the handle. "Jed, I can't keep lettin' him go. You know what he's done!"
18Please respect copyright.PENANAENNMNkBtBZ
18Please respect copyright.PENANAkBf8he2Qih
Jose smirked from atop his horse, unfazed by the gun barrel aimed his way. "Go ahead, boy," he drawled, his tone dripping with arrogance. "See if you've got the nerve. Or better yet, see what happens after."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAg5fhjQisVF
18Please respect copyright.PENANAVSnvTHpU7G
Jed sighed, pushing back his hat and glaring at Charlie. "Put it down, boy. You're wastin' energy you don't have on someone who ain't worth it."
18Please respect copyright.PENANACIVUxlOlvd
18Please respect copyright.PENANAeouFJIrPQW
After a tense beat, Charlie lowered the gun, though his jaw was clenched tight with anger. "This ain't over," he muttered.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAIfYPSo0UK8
18Please respect copyright.PENANAYNHAlJ3CIB
Jose chuckled, his voice a low rumble. "Oh, it never is with you two, is it?" He shifted in his saddle, the movement casual, almost lazy, as though he were a king addressing peasants. "Now, before we get all sentimental, let me tell you somethin'." He nodded toward the distant village. "That town yonder? Built-in a week. Just one man, out here in the middle of nowhere."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAJTczGeJXTe
18Please respect copyright.PENANA39h67DuVz4
Jed squinted his skepticism plain on his weathered face. "How would you know?"
18Please respect copyright.PENANAwMpYzw7sx8
18Please respect copyright.PENANA6Ui3okc2gJ
"Well," Jose said, leaning forward as if relishing the attention, "last Monday, I was ridin' through these parts, mindin' my own business when I saw it. Figured it was just another ghost town, but when I got closer, there he was. Big fella—pale, bald, looked like he'd never seen the sun. Out here all alone, buildin' like it was a holy mission or somethin'. Kept mutterin' 'bout makin' humans 'evolve.'"
18Please respect copyright.PENANAVk8PmQBXh2
18Please respect copyright.PENANAkhaX30rXzp
Jed raised a brow. "And you just happened to stumble on this guy? What'd you do, rob him blind?"
18Please respect copyright.PENANAoLoEYIy9kp
18Please respect copyright.PENANAS9lf7BwVEY
Jose's grin widened, his teeth glinting in the moonlight. "Well, you know me."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAxAeKV7rAAC
18Please respect copyright.PENANA2bX7R5FHTq
Charlie snorted. "You're full of it. No way some man just up and builds a whole damn town in a week."
18Please respect copyright.PENANASlDUqfa9G3
18Please respect copyright.PENANAv0pezOcoPx
"Believe me, don't believe me," Jose replied with a shrug, his tone mocking. "Doesn't make a lick of difference to me."
18Please respect copyright.PENANA7Xmq9gRdGn
18Please respect copyright.PENANAnzQPDmBpKw
Jed leaned on the horn of his saddle, his expression unimpressed. "So why're you tellin' us this fairy tale?"
18Please respect copyright.PENANA8e4II4rmUT
18Please respect copyright.PENANAEuIFZiavfx
Jose's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Because I figure we can make a deal. Work together. Find that Holy Crystal everyone's whisperin' about."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAoblsu3A3DF
18Please respect copyright.PENANAqA4q0tJiqL
Charlie let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head. "You serious? That's the funniest damn thing I've heard all week!"
18Please respect copyright.PENANAIwr77xrT9y
18Please respect copyright.PENANAfzF1eAyj8n
Jed chuckled too, though his tone was darker, sharper. "You're somethin', Jose. A snake in the grass. No, scratch that—you're a damn rat."
18Please respect copyright.PENANApM8an5DCwX
18Please respect copyright.PENANAgzKKHQX0qw
Jose's smile thinned, his voice dropping to an icy tone. "Fine. Laugh it up. But you'll regret this." With that, he pulled on the reins, his horse turning smoothly. He cast one last look over his shoulder before riding off toward the village, his figure swallowed by the night.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAh1pcl0NGHX
18Please respect copyright.PENANAd05tBpZdil
For a moment, the only sound was the wind.
18Please respect copyright.PENANA3MzivrpLo6
18Please respect copyright.PENANAjPJ11pmjnU
Charlie glanced at Jed. "So, Uncle Jed… should we head into that town?"
18Please respect copyright.PENANANJO6NXN7Jd
18Please respect copyright.PENANAYdIKR14pGl
Jed adjusted his hat, his gaze lingering on the village lights. "Yeah, might as well. Could use a roof over our heads for a spell."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAhNO2H6kdfZ
18Please respect copyright.PENANAIkDliHSyj4
Charlie hesitated. "What about Jose?"
18Please respect copyright.PENANAQY4xESaC9t
18Please respect copyright.PENANA2w89OYJdQX
Jed snorted. "Jose's like a rattlesnake without venom. He makes noise, but he ain't bitin' tonight. Just another man tryin' to act bigger than he is."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAJPphGyI7Xs
18Please respect copyright.PENANASei5yQstNK
With that, the two men urged their horses forward, their silhouettes cutting through the shadows as they approached the strange, unmarked town. Charlie and Jed finally arrived at the village after a long, quiet ride under the pale moonlight. The air hung heavy, carrying a faint chill that seeped into their bones. The homes ahead were squat and sturdy, built from rough-hewn stone and clay, their domed roofs blending into the earth like they'd been there forever. Narrow paths wound between them, cobbled in places, packed dirt in others, the kind of place where time itself seemed to slow. Smoke rose in thin spirals from a few chimneys, though the village itself was eerily still.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAqP9UxBFdWI
18Please respect copyright.PENANAiPrLtHiG6E
The two dismounted in front of a small, two-door structure tucked into the shadows. Jed glanced at it, squinting like the place owed him money. "Well," he grumbled, "if this ain't cozy. Looks like it could collapse if you sneezed hard enough."
18Please respect copyright.PENANA7MEWKaKlYF
18Please respect copyright.PENANALSIAUZgVwi
Charlie, ever the optimist, chuckled. "It's better than sleepin' out there with the coyotes and the cold. Let's see if it'll hold the horses."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAZwWoyqln1R
18Please respect copyright.PENANA3OIA7FA3kt
They opened the creaky double doors and led their steeds inside. The room smelled faintly of hay and damp stone—a stable of sorts, though far from luxurious. Charlie patted his horse on the neck before turning to Jed. "Silver'll be fine here. Not like there's much trouble to get into."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAb959jIuvke
18Please respect copyright.PENANAKWOgtGS4DM
Jed snorted, adjusting his hat. "Speakin' of trouble, keep an eye on your saddle. Last thing we need is Jose creepin' back to pick us clean."
18Please respect copyright.PENANApOTq7S3Zf7
18Please respect copyright.PENANAYqsP3ff3Va
With the horses settled, they stepped out the back door into the open air. The village stretched before them in the faint light of lanterns flickering in windows. Charlie paused, his gaze drawn to one house in particular. It had a faint glow spilling out from inside, and even from a distance, he could see the glass panes were clean, the walls well-kept. It stood out against the general weathered state of the village.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAiUyB9dVNnt
18Please respect copyright.PENANAFmN3oyeg4R
Charlie nudged Jed. "Hey, look at that one." He pointed. "It's got lights, nice windows… hell, I think I even smell food. Thought this place'd be all creepy and abandoned."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAmPAnP8ho1L
18Please respect copyright.PENANAziq7RVq2HP
Jed sniffed the air, his expression turning sour. "Nice on the inside, sure, but the outside? This whole damn place stinks."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAoo8EWZpMaC
18Please respect copyright.PENANAQVloHTDOX1
Charlie gave him a confused look before sniffing the air himself. "Stinks? I don't smell nothin'."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAsqibstUgEN
18Please respect copyright.PENANAchRFU1CS78
Jed scowled, waving his hand dismissively. "Figures. You got the nose of a damn mule. Smells like mold and desperation out here. But you do you, kid."
18Please respect copyright.PENANANrB1NQtajU
18Please respect copyright.PENANAau4ZGUCgIF
Charlie laughed under his breath, shaking his head. "You're somethin' else, Uncle Jed. What're you gonna do, sniff every house in this village?"
18Please respect copyright.PENANAcJvdNh82ZM
18Please respect copyright.PENANAaugss7SYeK
Jed smirked, his humor dark and sharp. "If I do, it'll still be more productive than whatever nonsense you're thinkin'. I'm gonna check this place out. Get a feel for it."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAmyy7jp6OR7
18Please respect copyright.PENANA7VJsqXDapz
Charlie nodded, adjusting the brim of his hat. "Alright, I'll see if this place's got any food worth takin'. No point sleepin' on an empty stomach."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAnrIXuGuBGo
18Please respect copyright.PENANAq8KUGLbvo7
Jed tipped his hat and started walking down the narrow path, his boots crunching against the dirt and stone. "You don't die of food poisoning, you let me know," he called over his shoulder.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAdtku8VabuL
18Please respect copyright.PENANAc2SW5RA3uC
Charlie grinned as he turned toward the house with the glowing windows, his curiosity leading him closer. Meanwhile, Jed disappeared into the shadows, his figure blending into the stillness of the strange village. Charlie stepped into the house, pushing the creaky wooden door open with a hand on his holster, just in case. The dim light from a single lantern in the corner cast flickering shadows across the room. His eyes scanned the shelves, quickly picking out rows of canned beans, loaves of bread, candy bars, and bottles of whiskey and tea.
18Please respect copyright.PENANARxUzqtmJ8H
18Please respect copyright.PENANADb2lsTNHJV
"Well, damn," Charlie muttered, stepping further inside. He grabbed a can of beans, shaking it slightly, then set it down in favor of one of the whiskey bottles. "This ain't half bad. Place like this, I was expectin' rat droppings and cobwebs."
18Please respect copyright.PENANACPJKmmt6rL
18Please respect copyright.PENANA2NScHkyamJ
He twisted the cap off a tea bottle, took a cautious sip, and smirked. "Decent enough," he said to himself, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAAU8hAStg5q
18Please respect copyright.PENANAoatZdHG0Kh
As he walked further into the house, his boot nudged an empty tin can on the floor. It rolled lazily before stopping near the window. That's when Charlie noticed it—a shadow flickering outside. His breath hitched for a second, and his instincts kicked in. Slowly, he stepped toward the window, peering out cautiously from the side.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAI0wU4bKRvh
18Please respect copyright.PENANAxPLyKoZbgs
What he saw made his stomach turn. A dead coyote lay sprawled in the dirt just beyond the house, its belly torn open, blood pooling around it. The fresh wound glistened under the faint moonlight, and jagged teeth marks covered its neck.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAw5XlX3Sfma
18Please respect copyright.PENANAeK90CisiHS
"What the hell…" Charlie whispered, leaning closer. He scanned the area around the coyote but saw nothing else. It didn't look like something natural. Whatever killed it wasn't just hungry—it had been messy, almost careless.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAzTXQY6Xcek
18Please respect copyright.PENANAMRyrfkHyAc
A knock at the door snapped Charlie back to reality, and he instinctively reached for his revolver. Relaxing slightly, he muttered, "Jed, finally. Took you long enough."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAfmvhGrf4dG
18Please respect copyright.PENANA2q5XLjJOHt
He strode to the door, unlocked it, and yanked it open. But instead of Jed's grizzled face, there stood Jose, his sly grin almost glowing in the lantern light.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAxZ1Fant3PR
18Please respect copyright.PENANAql8l0vO24D
"Mind if I come in?" Jose asked smoothly, his tone deceptively casual.
18Please respect copyright.PENANABXdn0M2Hvm
18Please respect copyright.PENANAWYoxjLDSDU
Charlie didn't hesitate. "Yes." He slammed the door shut, putting his weight into it for good measure.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAsdSuvfX6UG
18Please respect copyright.PENANAAnETkuQVkY
But it didn't close. Jose's fingers were wedged between the door and the frame, holding it open. Charlie stared, waiting for a yelp of pain or some kind of reaction, but Jose didn't so much as flinch. His grin only widened as he forced the door back open with surprising strength, stepping inside like he owned the place.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAo1N8wGma5x
18Please respect copyright.PENANAWYPLRKk2Ev
Jose brushed some dust off his coat, looking around. "Nice little setup you got here," he said, his eyes scanning the shelves. "Food, tea… whiskey, even. You sure know how to pick 'em."
18Please respect copyright.PENANAP5gYFiF8mM
18Please respect copyright.PENANA0pmK3cxcSX
Charlie muttered, "What the hell? I slammed the door on his fingers," his mind raced, spiraling through a mix of confusion and unease.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAubllVtR41F
18Please respect copyright.PENANAuuvIHoQhNL
How the hell didn't he scream? Didn't even blink… His thoughts churned as he glanced at Jose's hand, expecting to see blood, bruising—something—but there was nothing. Did I imagine it? No, I felt the damn door hit. So how's he actin' like it didn't even happen?
18Please respect copyright.PENANAgnVF097puf
18Please respect copyright.PENANAitmqQeEhkM
His eyes flicked up to Jose's face, searching for a wince, a flicker of discomfort, but all he found was that smug, unbothered grin. That ain't natural. Either this bastard's tougher than anyone I've ever met… or there's somethin' seriously wrong with him.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAgA6AXHowHU
18Please respect copyright.PENANAU9t99RPKKM
Charlie's fingers hovered near his holster. Could be he's one of those folks that don't feel pain, but even then… the way he walked in, like he owns the place? Ain't no normal man acts like that.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAQsKssYJp0b
18Please respect copyright.PENANAyEwWpihDml
A bead of sweat slid down his temple as his unease deepened. Stay calm. Play it cool, he thought, forcing himself to keep his breathing steady. But beneath his calm exterior, a gnawing instinct whispered: This man's dangerous.
18Please respect copyright.PENANAUL86lmTwSw
ns 15.158.61.20da2