He Goes On All Fours - A Western Monster Romance

There is Evil Amiss

"I know what I saw! There was something outside our window that night and it killed my husband!"

Ezekiel was right, Colt thought. Mrs. Crowley had sobered up ranting about how her lover was murdered. Everyone thought she had suddenly grown mad with grief, but the young man knew his father was the one who started that rumor.

"Let go of me! I know what I saw!" The poor woman didn't seem at all like herself and collapsed on the floor. A few men tried to pick her up and help, but she only hissed at them angrily. Colt shook his head, turning away from the scene as he watched some individuals start to bury Mr. Crowley underneath the dirt.

He despised funerals. It reminded him too much of his own mother's ultimate demise. By the look on his father's face, he could tell he was experiencing the same unpleasant flashbacks. A lot of the town folk were present, each wearing a very serious look on their face. Whether they believed Mrs. Crowley's outbursts or not, he couldn't tell. They all seemed much too distraught by the beloved butcher's death to really process it even happened.

Colt almost jumped when he felt a cold touch on his shoulder, turning to see none other than Ezekiel. That man really did have a habit of appearing out of the blue like some type of ghost.

"Mr. Townsend. May I speak with you for a moment?"

Colt looked around properly to see if anyone would notice his departure. His father was seemingly in his own little word, and therefore decided it would be okay to make an exit. Nodding at the man, Colt slipped away through a few bodies.

"I'm glad you got me out of there." Colt began with a somber laugh before noticing the other had a very serious expression on his face. His small smile vanished, and he expected the worse to come out of those pale lips. 

"Something's happened, hasn't it?"

"No. Well, at least not yet." Ezekiel began, glancing around before motioning for the other to follow him. "It's about last night. I knew Marshal Jim wouldn't investigate and your father wouldn't dare entertain the idea. I decided to take matters into my own hands."

Colt raised an eyebrow, not only because he was surprised by such a rebellious type of attitude, but also because he was afraid of what the man had uncovered. He actually did believe the woman had just imagined everything and felt a little guilty that might not have been the case. He was also a little terrified.

Ezekiel led the man to the back of the Crowley residence. They stepped over mounds of rocks and dried plants to get to the window where Mr. Crowley was found dead on the other side. He wiggled his finger for Colt to get closer, and the two hunched down as a gloved finger circled a rather random set of strange prints.

"You see that, Mr. Townsend? That look like some sort of large animal, don't it? Larger than a fully grown man."

Colt felt the hairs on his arms suddenly stand erect, and he slowly looked back at his partner before coughing uncontrollably. A bit of dirt must've entered his gaping mouth, and he hunched over while shielding his lips to prevent anyone from noticing the two. Ezekiel took a firm hold of the man, patting his back as he furrowed his brows.

"It could be nothin'."

"Or it could be the devil just like that woman said," Colt managed to spit out once he could breathe again. His trembling hands latched on to Ezekiel's own arm as the other helped him back on to his two feet.

"I...perhaps someone was playing a prank? Wearing some abnormally large shoes? Or at least that's what father would say."

"What do you say, Mr. Townsend?"

Colt wiped a drizzle of sweat trickling down between his eyebrows, trying to steady himself as he studied the prints before them. For a moment he didn't know what to believe- but he felt there was something amiss in Graveflat. Something that was only beginning to manifest itself.

"I don't know, Ezekiel. But if you don't mind me saying so, I'd like to rest now."

"Very well-."

"Please. Just call me Colt. Everyone calls my father Mr. Townsend."

Ezekiel made sure his companion was able to stand on his two feet again before letting go completely. He adjusted his leather gloves, dark eyes observing the funeral procession far off. There was almost a hint of amusement in his voice as he spoke again, making sure to make eye contact with the other.

"Before you depart, I would love to know if you wouldn't mind meetin' me for a drink tonight."

Despite the grisly discovery and a funeral going on just a ways off, Colt couldn't help but forget everything at that moment. He raised his eyebrows slightly, loosening his collar a little as the heat began to creep up into his face. It didn't help that Ezekiel was studying him so intently, as if trying to decipher what the man was thinking.

"For discussion and nothin' else." The man finally added, causing Colt to let out an awkward, halfhearted chuckle.

"Yes, sir. Just for that. I wouldn't mind."

He felt much too embarrassed to give a proper farewell. Before Ezekiel could get another word in the other whirled away on his heels and began to hurry back to his residence.

The pale man's eyes followed the other, amused by how flustered the youngster had become. He didn't know why, of course, but thought little of it as he returned his gaze to the prints he had found. With a lick of his upper lip, he bent down to destroy the evidence in hopes that no one else would go snooping around and uncover them.

Some things were better left undetected at the moment, Ezekiel thought to himself. He readjusted his clothes and continued down the dusty paths of Graveflat, flirtatiously smiling at the women and tipping his hat to the men like nothing out of the ordinary had taken place.