Red Dog Saloon by R.D. Sherrill Read Free Book Online Page B

driver’s side and immediately locked his doors to prevent
his visitor from crawling in the truck with him. He looked out through his
windshield but saw no movement. Perhaps he had made the run without being seen.
    Momentarily
satisfied no one was charging at him, Eddie concentrated on getting out of
there as he plunged his key into the ignition. Nothing! His truck wouldn’t
start! Turn the key as he might, the ignition wouldn’t answer. The engine
refused to turn over despite his cursing. Eddie suspected his truck had been
sabotaged. Someone had intentionally disabled his vehicle to leave him trapped.
    Now
his options were down to two. He could either go inside and wait for the
intruder to come inside or go hunting himself. This time Eddie would go with
option two. He would turn the hunter into the hunted.
    Eddie
stepped out of his truck and realized for the first time he was still in his
short sleeve work shirt. He had neglected to change out of his work clothes in
all the excitement. Plus, in formulating his foolproof plan to evade his
unwelcome guest, he had neglected in his inebriated state to put on shoes when
he dashed out the door. 
    Even
as his toes began to tingle from the cold, a thought occurred to him. His
camping equipment, which included a lantern and emergency matches, were inside
his shed behind the trailer. He would go there first and retrieve them. Light
would even the playing field. If he could only see what he was hunting he could
kill it.
    Moving
slowly his gun at arm’s length, Eddie made his way toward his shed. Even the
slightest noise caused him to jump and take aim. Had the intruder gone? Or, was
the interloper hiding in his shed waiting for him? If the prowler was in the
building, Eddie resolved, he would shoot him dead.
    Eddie
stood outside the shed trying to detect any movement through its small front
window. The darkness inside the building kept him from catching a glimpse
inside. Turning the knob, Eddie kicked open the door hoping to surprise
anything that might be inside. He hesitated for just a moment before bursting
inside like a gangbuster ready to open fire. He soon realized he was alone in
the small shed. The only sound he could hear was his own breathing
and the beating of his heart.
    He
wasted no time. The cold was quickly sobering him. He found his lantern and
shook it, the sloshing telling him it was partially filled with kerosene. He
reached deeper into the bag and found the matches. He would have light.
    Exposed
in the small building and quickly feeling the bite of hypothermia, Eddie
decided to dash back into his house where he would have cover to light the
lantern. Cautiously looking around before emerging from the building, Eddie
bolted for his front door. This time he remained upright as he
cleared the steps in one jump. He then ran through his front door, taking time
to close and lock the door behind him.
    Eddie
placed the lantern down on the kitchen table and blew on his hands trying
to get feeling back in his fingertips. His short misadventure outside the house
chilled him to the bone. He went to work pumping the light, the hissing sound
of kerosene soon becoming audible. He laid down his gun to lift up the glass so
he could light the mantel. Striking his match, the light flickered to life in
the otherwise dark trailer. The light gave him a sense of relative
calm. The flickering of the match soon grew as the light of the lantern bathed
the kitchen in its soft white glow.
    It
was just as he felt the jubilation after restoring light that he felt the
presence behind him. It had approached him from the darkness as he was
concentrating on the lantern. Whatever had been outside was now inside with
him!
    Eddie
turned to face the presence. His body was stricken with fear, his heart in his
throat as he looked at a figure with no face standing inches behind him. It was
the form of a man, a dark man, standing like a statue, no movement, not even
the sound of