Walk With Me In Hell

Chapter Sixteen

Two days later, Helen Mosely stood on the stagecoach platform, her bags by her feet. Her right arm was in a sling. She could move it if she needed to, but it felt safer to rest the arm and allow it to heal. In the distance, she could see a cloud of dust that signaled the coming stagecoach. A porter would have to help her load her bags onto the coach.

Teshenah stood next to her, holding a walking stick to help him get around. She turned and gave him a tired smile. He looked the worse for wear, but he managed to smile back. The physician in town had been shocked at the severity of Teshenah’s injuries – huge bloody gashes down his entire chest and broken ribs on top of that – but after hours of careful treatment, Teshenah was no longer in harm’s way. He would bear the scars for the rest of his life, just as Helen would.

Their frantic escape from the mine was nothing a jumble in her mind. She barely remembered anything but the fear that their makeshift torch would sputter out and leave them lost in darkness. But after an interminable time, they made their way to the surface and saw sunlight once again. It was still light outside when they left the mine. Helen felt like they had been down there for days and days, but incredibly, only a few hours had passed. She still had trouble believing it.

Once she managed to get Teshenah to the local doctor and get her own arm bandaged up, she immediately returned to the mine in the hopes that Burt might make it out. She waited until late evening, but he never appeared.

Helen had only known Burt and Louisa for less than a day, but she mourned him like friends she had known all her life. Louisa died helping them defeat the demon, and Burt sacrificed his own life so that Helen and Teshenah could escape. That was something she would never be able to truly come to terms with.

The stagecoach rumbled up the platform and the driver brought the team of horses to a stop. They kicked and fussed, swishing their tails, as if uncomfortable stopping there. The driver hopped down and opened the door to let the passengers out. More newcomers to Haventown. Helen fought the urge to run up to them and beg them to turn around and get back into the coach.

“What will you tell your family?” Teshenah asked her.

“I’ll tell them Henry died in the mine,” she said honestly.

“No, I mean what will you really tell them?” Teshenah said.

“The truth?” Helen wondered out loud. “No, I can’t tell them that. I’ll tell them that Henry was buried but no one knew how to contact his family, but they kept a few of his personal effects. They gave me his pendant.”

Helen looked down at Henry’s pendant, which was tied around her wrist. If nothing else, the pendant was evidence that she had gone down into the mines. If she ever doubted her sanity or questioned her own memories, the pendant was proof of what she had experienced.

“What about you?” she asked. “What are you going to do now?”

“Spend some time healing,” Teshenah said with a sigh. “And then, who knows? More people will learn what has been happening here. Maybe there will be others who wish to descend into the mines and fight the evil that lurks there.”

“You would go back?”

He nodded. “I would. We achieved something great and noble, and I was honored to fight by your side. But there are other mines and other demons. As long as there is life in my body, I will seek out that evil and fight it.”

“You’re much braver than I am, Teshenah.”

“Perhaps. Or maybe I’m just crazy.”

Helen chuckled at that. “We’re both a little bit crazy now, I think.”

Teshenah put his hand on her shoulder. “Go home to your family, Helen. Embrace them and tell them you love them. Be happy and live a good life. That is the best way for you to honor the memories of those who have died.”

Helen gave Teshenah a hug, but gently, because of their injuries. “Thank you, Teshenah. For everything. Now go and get some rest. I think you’re going to need it.”

“Be safe, Helen,” Teshenah said. “Farewell.” He limped away from the platform and carefully went down the steps, and then disappeared into the crowd.

It took another few minutes for the stagecoach passengers to finish gathering their luggage. The driver came over and spoke briefly to Helen before taking her money and ticket. At the moment, she was the only person leaving Haventown. Before they could leave, they had to check the horses for any problems, and give them plenty of food and water. The driver told her it would be another quarter of an hour before they could leave. Helen told him it was fine.

“Miss Mosely? Miss Mosely!” someone called out from the street.

She turned and was surprised to see the preacher Garrety walking quickly towards her. He had an excited gleam in his eye, and his black clothing was caked with dust.

“My goodness!” he said, looking at her arm. “What happened? Did you hurt yourself?”

“It’s nothing,” she said, brushing away the comment.

“You’re leaving this terrible place, I hope?” Garrety asked.

She nodded. “Yes. I found out that my brother sadly passed away. I’m returning home now.”

Garrety took off his hat and held it over his heart. “My condolences. I take it your brother perished working in the mine? I apologize, I don’t mean to pry into your business.”

“It’s okay,” Helen said. “Yes, I’m afraid that’s what happened.”

There was a severe edge to Garrety’s expression as he put his hat back on and pressed it onto his head. “Those mines. The dark stone. It warps the souls of men. I’ve heard nothing but horrors about what goes on in those mines.”

“Yes,” Helen said.

“In fact,” Garrety continued, “I met with a few people just this morning who are concerned about what’s been happening in town. A law man from California has convinced a few people to go into the mines and see for ourselves what’s down there.”

“Oh,” Helen said. She took a breath and touched Henry’s pendant. “Well, I hope you’ll be careful. The mines are … very dangerous. Actually, I know a man in town who might be able to give you some information ...”

The End

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