Fire Wind Read Free

the sky. Why had the first
orb seemed to be different than the second?
    The first one had dispersed the attack on me,
while the second had seemed interested with only the elimination of
life.
    I pulled my second shirt on and sat staring
into the flames in a debate over what to do. I thought about it and
it came to mind that I should ride west. Previously though I’d
planned on heading south.
    I didn’t want any part of what was going on.
Tomorrow I’d head south and do my best to forget that this night
had ever happened.

Chapter Two
Southbound
    The storm was gone in the morning and
saddling up I headed Ted towards the south. I was about an hour
into the ride when I felt the wind pick up dramatically.
    To my astonishment dust began to blow. Inches
of rain had fallen overnight and yet I was riding into a turbulent
storm of dust and flying debris!
    Tumbleweeds came flying through the gale with
enough force to startle Ted into almost bucking me off. Regaining
control I headed for the sheltering rise of some hills that were
off to the west and immediately the storm winds abated.
    I looked about in consternation. It felt as
if I was being played with!
    Anger began to mount and I turned Ted and
spurred him on towards the south. The wind was back and with it the
tumbleweeds. Ted spooked as one skipped up and hit him in the face
and he spun too sharp for me to hold on and I fell from the saddle
to land hard on the ground.
    The fall had hurt, but the burning in my arm
was the worst. It was almost as if I’d been bitten by
something.
    Scrambling backward from the coiled snake I
drew my pistol and shot its head off. The brightly banded snake
flopped about on the ground without its head and breathing hard I
tore at my shirt sleeve.
    Pulling my shirt sleeve up revealed two fang
pinprick impressions in my forearm that gave proof to the changes I
felt even now taking place within my body. Oh God I was going to
die!
    *****
    My eyes were going in and out of focus and my
heart felt like it was coming out of my chest. I lay back on the
sand as all the wind left and the day became hot and still.
    I could barely breathe. Of all the ways to go
out this was the least of the ways I’d thought most likely. I think
I would’ve preferred a bullet.
    Oddly my soon approaching mortality did not
feel peaceful. I came very much to the conclusion that I’d rather
go on living then to die right now.
    I should have gone west like the old man had
indicated to do. Strangest of all then, as I faded from
consciousness, was the image of the old man staring down at me on
the ground.
    “Remember what I said about choices?” He
asked.
    I nodded or at least I would have if I was
still in control of my body.
    “You haven’t made very many good ones.”
    Hysterically I felt on the verge of laughter,
but even that was too much for me right now. Good choices in
comparison to my actions were complete opposites.
    “You can change.”
    “I’m going to hell and I know it.” I mumbled
out and it was the last thing I was aware of other than the old
man’s disapproving shake of his head at my words.

Chapter Three
Needed the Money
    Sand…………….
    Wind……………
    Heat……………
    Cold………………
    It was the cold I came aware of first.
Feeling as stiff as a board I tried to move and managed to make it
to my knees.
    I was as parched as a dry river creek bed,
but glancing around I saw no sign of Ted. I looked about the
moonlit landscape, but saw nothing that moved.
    I felt at my arm only to feel that it was
swollen to almost twice its normal size. I shouldn’t be alive and
yet I was.
    Gaining my feet under me I tottered
uncertainly for a moment as I waited for the world to stop moving.
Everything finally stopped moving and looking up I saw from the
position of the moon where west should be. Locating a rocky spire
in the distance I headed for it as a guide stone.
    I didn’t know what the big deal about heading
west was, but I’d learned my