the remaining speakers.
A Chit Girl stum bles down the front steps bleeding and on fire. She falls into the front lawn and thrashes. A dazed Shrieker named Talon follows after her dragging a bleeding left leg. I can see our women standing around with their weapons in their hands, uncertain what to do.
Grandpa races forward on his fists and stumps and I have to run to keep up with him. He slams right into Talon and drags the stunned Shrieker to the ground. Once there he holds the man in place by locking his arm against his body and uses one of his powerful hands to choke the man.
The Shrieker's eyes are wide and he looks up at me like he can't tell what's going on. Then he begins thrashing and nearly escapes Grandpa's grasp. Without thinking of what I'm doing, I step forward and swing my cudgel down on top of the man's chest with all my strength. His struggles cease immediately.
The women a re now moving forward attacking the dazed Shriekers in groups. More screams of pain and surprise can be heard from the rear of the house. The sounds of the music mix with that of the fire and screams in a dizzying chaotic mixture so like a dream.
Jonesy is there in front of me. He has Sarah by the hair and is punching her repeatedly in the face. Running forward I swing my heavy club as hard as I can at his lower back. He drops to the ground and then rolls over to look at me in amazement.
Sarah i s gasping and bleeding and I stand over both of them uncertain what to do next.
"Kill him," Sarah gasps.
"No," Jonesy holds his hands up towards me.
"Do it," she sa ys. "He'll kill you if you let him go."
Jonsey leans up and starts to speak again. I swing the cudgel from the hip and catch him in the side of the head. I feel a wet dull thump as if I've struck a melon. Jonesy falls back to the ground, his head broken open and his jawbone protruding grotesquely through the stretched skin of his cheek. I remember that he wasn't that much older than me and that we had sat together during the Remembering when I was younger.
Before I am aware of it , I am vomiting on the frost covered ground. I heave for several seconds after my stomach is empty and then sink to my knees.
Sar ah, her face already swollen, lifts me up. "Come on, we have to go help."
I look around and it appears to me the women don't need any help. They are standing attentively, ready to attack any who emerge from the house. Just as I am starting to believe we are actually going to be able to do it, to win, I hear a horrifying sound.
A gunshot.
The pop is distinctly different from any other and I remember it well from the time they killed the black bear. The gunshot is followed by another and then another. Soon a cascade of pops echoes from the rear of the Shrieker House.
Through the smoke I can see women running our way from the east. I spot Jonesy's mother fleeing the sound before she falls to the ground, blood soaking her shoulder. She tries to rise again, but Skull steps out of the darkness and shoots her in the back of the head with a pistol. He smiles maniacally through his orange face paint.
There a re gunshots from all sides of the house and women are running frantically away. I look for Mother, but can't see her.
"Run," shouts Grandpa suddenly beside me. "Take your mother and Victor and leave town. Do it now."
"We can't leave you," I say, but he i s already gone, charging towards Skull who is preoccupied with reloading his ancient revolver.
The Shrieker doesn't see Grandpa until he is almost upon him. Skull's eyes shoot wide and he drops precious cartridges onto the ground in his haste. Skull kicks at Grandpa who catches his foot and twists the man to the ground. I see Skull point the pistol in Grandpa's face and pull the trigger.
The weapon made a small click sound.
Skull screams in rage and then in pain as Grandpa smashes his large gloved fist into the smaller man's groin. The two struggle and roll on the ground. Skull keeps trying to point his pistol at my
A Chit Girl stum bles down the front steps bleeding and on fire. She falls into the front lawn and thrashes. A dazed Shrieker named Talon follows after her dragging a bleeding left leg. I can see our women standing around with their weapons in their hands, uncertain what to do.
Grandpa races forward on his fists and stumps and I have to run to keep up with him. He slams right into Talon and drags the stunned Shrieker to the ground. Once there he holds the man in place by locking his arm against his body and uses one of his powerful hands to choke the man.
The Shrieker's eyes are wide and he looks up at me like he can't tell what's going on. Then he begins thrashing and nearly escapes Grandpa's grasp. Without thinking of what I'm doing, I step forward and swing my cudgel down on top of the man's chest with all my strength. His struggles cease immediately.
The women a re now moving forward attacking the dazed Shriekers in groups. More screams of pain and surprise can be heard from the rear of the house. The sounds of the music mix with that of the fire and screams in a dizzying chaotic mixture so like a dream.
Jonesy is there in front of me. He has Sarah by the hair and is punching her repeatedly in the face. Running forward I swing my heavy club as hard as I can at his lower back. He drops to the ground and then rolls over to look at me in amazement.
Sarah i s gasping and bleeding and I stand over both of them uncertain what to do next.
"Kill him," Sarah gasps.
"No," Jonesy holds his hands up towards me.
"Do it," she sa ys. "He'll kill you if you let him go."
Jonsey leans up and starts to speak again. I swing the cudgel from the hip and catch him in the side of the head. I feel a wet dull thump as if I've struck a melon. Jonesy falls back to the ground, his head broken open and his jawbone protruding grotesquely through the stretched skin of his cheek. I remember that he wasn't that much older than me and that we had sat together during the Remembering when I was younger.
Before I am aware of it , I am vomiting on the frost covered ground. I heave for several seconds after my stomach is empty and then sink to my knees.
Sar ah, her face already swollen, lifts me up. "Come on, we have to go help."
I look around and it appears to me the women don't need any help. They are standing attentively, ready to attack any who emerge from the house. Just as I am starting to believe we are actually going to be able to do it, to win, I hear a horrifying sound.
A gunshot.
The pop is distinctly different from any other and I remember it well from the time they killed the black bear. The gunshot is followed by another and then another. Soon a cascade of pops echoes from the rear of the Shrieker House.
Through the smoke I can see women running our way from the east. I spot Jonesy's mother fleeing the sound before she falls to the ground, blood soaking her shoulder. She tries to rise again, but Skull steps out of the darkness and shoots her in the back of the head with a pistol. He smiles maniacally through his orange face paint.
There a re gunshots from all sides of the house and women are running frantically away. I look for Mother, but can't see her.
"Run," shouts Grandpa suddenly beside me. "Take your mother and Victor and leave town. Do it now."
"We can't leave you," I say, but he i s already gone, charging towards Skull who is preoccupied with reloading his ancient revolver.
The Shrieker doesn't see Grandpa until he is almost upon him. Skull's eyes shoot wide and he drops precious cartridges onto the ground in his haste. Skull kicks at Grandpa who catches his foot and twists the man to the ground. I see Skull point the pistol in Grandpa's face and pull the trigger.
The weapon made a small click sound.
Skull screams in rage and then in pain as Grandpa smashes his large gloved fist into the smaller man's groin. The two struggle and roll on the ground. Skull keeps trying to point his pistol at my
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