Blazing White:

The Mountain has teeth.

“I can’t see mothafuckin’ shit, Kenny!” Lorne let the words glide out from his muffled mouth. He shouted through the crying winds of the violent snowfall. Ensuring that his complaints could not be carried away.

Kenny replied after letting a moment pass as the hooves of their horses cracked the snow beneath them. They took long strides. He replied in a Southern drawl, “It’s only been a minute. Relax–”

“Well you damn well don’t know if the law is hot on our trail!” Lorne shouted back and continued again. “Which – I’m damn sure they won’t let some snow stop them from catching us!”

“Lorne –” Kenny sputtered. “Look around you – look up – and look forward! This a different type of wind. And y’ see those clouds? We’re going into them. For the love of God, just keep towing.” Kenny fastened his short brimmed hat lower onto his head as he spoke again. “We’ll see Will soon enough. Ain’t no way in Hell – any poor bastards followed us up here.”

Lorne said to himself, “Alrighty then, Kenny.”

The two frosted men kept shuffling through the storm. Their coats did them no favors as the wind pounded onto their chests and faces. All they could do was shrivel into their horses and keep going.

A distant orange light flared up through the white haze in front of them. Lorne eyed it first and he bellowed out, “Oi! Ahead’a you!” Kenny looked up as the light got closer, and he steadied his hand on his black iron pistol. They both stopped side by side as the glow parted the snow and revealed Will.

His smile cut into his right cheek as he stood up straighter on his burly gray horse. Will’s grungy voice crackled towards them as he spoke. “Kenny – Lorne. How goes it?” Lorne grumbled to himself and shouted back, “What did you find?”

“A bit of this – a bit of –”

Kenny butt in. “Enough. Lead us.” He kicked his horse into a stuttered trot, trampling all over the snow. Lorne followed as the caboose. The soft glow of Will’s lantern and the large silhouette of Kenny guided him.

Lorne listened intently to the bits and pieces of the conversation in front of him that wasn’t carried off by the wind.

“decayed barn – odd tree clear –”

“family men – storm worse than –”

“warm up –”

They soon found themselves before an army of trees wearing the snow like a uniform. They all bowed towards the trio due to being commanded by the wind. Will nodded his head, his large hat bobbing, and he shouted at both of them. “Through the line here! We’ll find it!”

The trees helped stop the snow from pelting their faces and they sunk into the cascade of white leaves. Their horses carefully threaded a trail through the forest. Will began to whistle and it was carried from branch to branch. Lorne lowered the scarf from his mouth and he remarked, “Calming experience is it?”

Will’s whistling was steady, but dropped sharply as he used every string of air in his lungs to let it hang in Lorne’s ears. Will rolled his shoulders. He never looked back and he said, “Sure is – better than bullets flying past my head. And sweat dripping down my chin as I stab my horse in the ribs to flee –”

“The law.” Lorne finished for him and he continued with a glint in his right eye, “Like the law that killed Jenny and Eli – On account of you.” Kenny winced at the mention of Jenny’s name, and Will stopped them in their tracks as he swiftly swung his horse around to face Lorne.

His dark eyes crinkled with a dry smile and he replied. “You know what we do for survival? How we live? Jenny –” Will’s eyes glanced over Kenny for a moment, his smile fading. He glared back at Lorne. “and Eli– knew what the hell they were getting into. Don’t blame –”

“Kenny!” Lorne stopped Will from continuing. His mouth was wide as he spoke, “You are going to sit there and tell me this –” Lorne sucked his teeth to stop from cursing the old man, “that he had fuckin’ nothing to do with it? That getting worked up over nothing and firing up the place had nothing –”

“How was I supposed to know that damned women group would be moving through there!”

“Stop!” Kenny yelled out as the snow billowed around them. The cries of the wind pierced their ears. Kenny gritted through his teeth, “We need to move forward. Even if the law don’t come up, they’ll be on hot trails. Go Will.” Will stood still for a moment, eyeing Lorne, and Lorne stared back. “Drive.” Kenny commanded.

The barn poked itself through the trees. Many of the once red planks were rotting and the caved in roof contrasted the brilliant white background of the perfectly rounded clearing. It was alone. Aging in the storm. They sliced through and found themselves in front of two giant doors. They all hopped into the snow from their horses as Will began yanking one of the barn doors free. He struggled against the weather. Kenny reached in and they got the door open together. Opened just enough for them and the horses. Lorne surveyed the two as they disappeared into the barn.

His mind shuttered back images of Eli’s face. All the way down the mountain. The mud had become his new pomade. His cheek burst open with a quarter sized hole and his pale skin was completely painted with blood. The wind whispered at Lorne to go inside so he followed his partners as he shook Eli out of his head. Will latched the door shut behind him with a small piece of rope.

The blizzard rattled the very foundation of their shelter. Snowflakes seeped through the many holes and cracks that adorned the right side of the open space. The ceiling of beams and logs was crashing in on itself, making a telescope into the sky. It was a reflection of the ground. Nothing but white fluff. More snow fell in from there as well, catching the crevices and corners in the barn. Oddly, there were fresh hay bales piled into three spots, like they had just been tended with a rake. Only the dew of the cold air clung to them and their rich yellow color still shone brightly. One next to the door, and two on the left side of the barn, piled into stalls, originally made for animals.

Will patted his horse's neck as he fed him a carrot, piece by piece. Kenny rested his hat onto his horse as he put his hands together for a prayer. And Lorne set up his horse closer to the doors, by a haypile. He simply re-wrapped his scarf and sat down onto the soft moist dirt. Lorne closed his eyes. His body rolled into the pile of hay next to him and his head was cushioned.

Rest crept into their backs and the bottoms of their feet. Their bodies sighing after fleeing for an entire day. In just a few moments, Kenny and Will began laying out their mats. They were made of sheep and buckskin. Lorne had already let the darkness take him and a soft whistle blew from his nose. It cheered throughout the ruin.

Kenny sat down first, rubbing his thick hands together. He looked up at Will as he unlatched his belt. Will spoke as he finally sat down on his mat. “At least the hay will help with a fire. We need sleep though.” He lay down with a grunt and secured his hat onto his scarred and wrinkled face. Kenny noted the white hairs that protruded from his neck and the top of his head.

Jenny’s round face blinked into his thoughts as Kenny lay his head down too. White specs of light fell down onto them as Kenny gazed up into the roof. A sigh fell from his nose as he closed his eyes and saw her hands again. Slightly plump and everlasting pink. Her long nails were dirty, and around her wrists lay eternal rope burns. Jenny would smile at him and her round eyes would be swallowed by her cheeks. Tears rolled down his own as the dancing wind shuffled the Earth from outside.

A long shrieking howl woke Lorne out of his sleep. They were louder than the winds and the snow fell softly through the open hole above them now. It was followed by another and then three more.

Lorne’s pure ginger horse snorted twice and shook its entire body. The rest of the horses followed suit. Lorne arose from the ground slowly, cracking his knees. He listened. The hollow howl rang into the air again, followed by four more this time.

Will was awake and he shook Kenny’s shoulder as he got up while looking at Lorne. He secured his broad knife back around his gun belt and put it around his waist. The horses clopped around in their spots. Turning in circles now and going from side to side. The howls cut through their hearts and chilled their bodies to the bone.

Kenny was finally up and he spoke first, “We can wait them out–”

“They’ll scare the horses, and we need their energy for the ride back down.” Will interjected. “Especially if the law plan on rushing after the storm.”

“We need to scare them – as desperate as they are.” Lorne finalized.

Kenny stared between the two and looked back at his horse. He nodded and began walking towards her. A white horse speckled with brown spots. “Alrighty, then. G’ points.” He fitted his hat onto his head as he patted his horse's cheek. Kenny sighed through his nose.

The pair awaited his commands. Revolvers already in their hands. Will’s was all black and Lorne’s was nickel plated.

“Okay. . .” Kenny began as he turned around to face them. “They hungry, but the sound of multiple forty five rounds splitting the wind would definitely scare ‘em away. We don’t need to fight ‘em head on. They must be in the tree line, awaiting their prey. Fix the horses to the shelter first, and then we can open the door. We shoot into the trees.”

His men nodded and began tying their horses to any remaining post in the barn. As did Kenny with his horse. The choir of wolves began again. Striking fear into their mounts once more. Lorne added, “We ready then?” Kenny grunted with affirmation and Will began untying the rope that secured the door in place.

CRASH! Like a cascade of glass shattering through the forest rang into their ears. It was louder than anything else in the mountain and definitely louder than any howl. It stopped the group in their tracks. Will looked back, his eyes as wide as the eyes of all the horses. They stood completely still and they all swallowed nothing but silence. Multiple growls bounced over the snow and Will crept backwards, away from the giant door.

A thunderous boom shuddered up from their boots and into their chests. The world rumbled as something bellowed back at the wolves. Multiple loud thuds broke the shout and then were cut short by piercing cries. A pair of whinging paws zoomed past the barn. Then the quiet woosh of the wind settled everything as quickly as it started.

All three horses began whining in unison. Like three broken whistles. “Lorne, unlatch the door! And get t’your horses!” Kenny whispered his commands as he secured his mare by the neck. Lorne ran to the door, rapidly untying the rest of the knot. Will began wrapping up his mat. His horse still stood steadfast but whinnied through its nose. He hushed him as he bagged up his roll onto its back.

The ground began to shake in intervals. Like something large was lumbering around them. The horse's eyes grew even wider than before. Their breath fogged up the air as the rumbling stopped right outside the barn door. A thick silence reached into the air. The sound of the wind was gone. Kenny looked at Lorne and Will and he raised his palm up. He was signing to mount their horses. Lorne mounted first and stared back at Will. He saw the shiver in his spine as he hoisted himself onto his horse.

Up through the telescope in the sunken roof. Something that resembled a slick eye peered into the barn, blocking the sunlight. There was no pupil, and it reflected the men on their horses, distorting them through a glossy abyssal mirror. Around the eye was nothing but white fur and a thin purple eyelid.

The eastern wall of the ruined barn disappeared with the sound of a cracked whip, causing a puff of white mist to shoot up into the air. One of the giant doors fell with a splat as its hinges flew away. A gaping hole remained in front of the men. Kenny saw his opportunity to bolt. He quickly glanced at Will and Lorne, nodded, then veered himself to the far left of the splintered wall and jabbed his horse in the sides with his studded spurs.

With a wet crunch, an enormous arm covered in matted white fur, crushed Kenny and his horse into the ground, compacting their bodies with the snow. Will was about to bolt in the same direction but quickly yanked his thick horse backwards. The sound of Kenny flattening echoed through the air. Lorne pointed at the felled barn door and the two men nearly collided into each other on the way out. That thunderous roar quaked their organs around as they both rode for their lives. Lorne could feel his blood rushing through every single one of his limbs, filling the tips of his fingers with fire. Will’s large hat got blown off by the wind as they zoomed past the crimson entrails of wolves and back into the army of trees again.

Continuous mini tremors jerked the ground beneath them, causing pillows of snow to hail down onto Will and Lorne. All the while the fingers and nails of trees stretched out, scratching their horses as they zipped around them.

The men emerged from the dark forest and the sunlight beamed onto their faces. It was reflecting over snow and resembled twinkling diamonds. The booming had stopped and there was nothing but the sound of the mens heavy breathing. They found themselves in the middle of a small valley, with three ridges surrounding the pair.

Their lungs grasped for air as they brought their horses to a final stop. Looking back at the calm air over the tops of the trees. Nothing was following them.

“We need to keep going!” Will shouted as he kicked his horse in the ribs again. Lorne followed, he blurted out, “What the fuck, Will! What – What did we just see?”

“Kenny is dead.” Will said as he rode forward, over one of the small ridges. Not looking back at Lorne. Him and his horse were sucked down over the peak as he shouted in terror, “Wait! Wait! Lorne!”

Lorne slapped his horse on its behind and they barreled to the top of the ridge. Where Will disappeared.

“Lorne, help!” Will cried out, his hand outstretched. His horse was being dragged down the steep hill. The horse whined out as the same white arm that crushed Kenny held it by its back legs. The thing's face was in full view behind Will as he tried his best to scramble up the shifting snow. It flowed under him like water, continuously shuffling back towards the behemoth.

It had two giant black mirrors for eyes like smooth obsidian. They reflected the white world around them. The mouth was open wide like a hippo awaiting a fresh meal. Rows and rows of black jagged short swords for teeth poked out in front of a purple, red, and blistered tongue. A personal cloud formed around its hidden nostrils as it breathed in and out. It sounded like the rumble of thunder in the distance. The other hand muffled the whining of Will’s horse and pulled it apart like a piece of bread. A downpour of blood spilled onto the ground, coloring the white snow a crimson color.

Will reached out for Lorne and his twisted face began streaming with tears. Lorne was staring at his dark reflection in the thing’s eyes. He was crooked and tall. Will looked like a line of red in his burgundy overcoat.

Eli’s face flashed in Lorne’s mind. Then Jenny’s. Then Kenny’s. And finally the face of the random woman right before Will blasted her skull all over the wall behind her.

She had stringy black hair, and a pale face. She pointed a long finger at Will. Lorne couldn’t even remember what she said, but before he knew it, she was laying face down on the floor of the bank. His ears popped as the sound of Will’s gun banged into his head. Her lips and eyes were permanently coiled in shock. Frozen in time.

Lorne took one last look at Will. His old jagged face was distraught and wet with fear as he reached out his arm still, nearly popping it out of its socket. The snow fought against him. The behemoth ground his gray horse into a fine paste with just a few bites. Its jaw was slanting up and down as it threw the other half into its mincer.

Lorne’s fingers felt like they had been stabbed with a million needles, and his spine was frozen. He began shaking his head as his heart froze over too.

“Please, Lorne!” Will spit through his teeth.

A dashing gust of wind blew Lorne’s scarf off his head and he veered his ginger horse back and away from the ridge. Lorne’s lungs felt like they were about to burst out of his chest as he slapped his horse. They darted away.

Will wailed out into the sky. “Non – no – no – Lorne! Lorne!” He repeated his name, each time getting louder until his voice was filled with sobs.

Lorne felt the booming cackles in his legs and up into his stomach. The behemoth's laugh vibrated over the mountain tops as he pushed his horse over another ridge. Driving into nothing but a blazing white.

***

A shepherd found Lorne’s ginger horse sipping water from a stream as he went for his daily walk with his border collie right below Mount Katahdin. There was dried blood on the horse's neck and mane and he promptly brought it back with him to his small ranch. The horse was as calm as the stream it was sipping from.

A group of bounty hunters came by the ranch as they passed over the same mountain the outlaws had gone up. They reported no evidence of them being up there, noting they only found a giant decaying barn in the middle of nowhere.

The ginger horse was a notable feature pertaining to the band of outlaws. One of the bounty hunters recognized it from descriptions of the Eastwater massacre. He bought it off the shepherd for fifty dollars. They were not paid for bringing in a dirty horse that could’ve been from anywhere.

No one saw the outlaws again. The consensus was that the men were able to secure their freedom by fleeing through the mountains at the perfect moment. Only a handful of others noted that, “The Mountain ate them.”

(Image via Gabriel Alenius on Unsplash)