Reign of the Buffalo: Book 1 Read online

  Wilson clung to his Grandmother, a small whimper escaping his lips. He watched as hundreds of wild dogs covered in blood came from everywhere. They attacked the birds as they feasted on the corpse of the demon. Their deep barks were unlike anything Wilson ever heard in his life. Suddenly all the animals scattered. Wilson looked up in the sky as a giant lizard-like foot came crashing down on the corpse of the demon. Next, hundreds of black lizards started falling from the sky, wriggling on the ground and snapping their hungry jaws, searching for food.

  “Please, Grandma. Make it stop,” cried Wilson. He couldn’t take the sight anymore. It seemed like the hellish world would crash through the window at any minute.

  “Tap your eyelid again, and it’ll stop.”

  Just as Wilson was about to touch his eye, he spotted something sprinting towards the house from the forest. He could tell it was a human – a little girl. She was Native American, like him. As the girl drew closer, he could see pieces of the child’s face fall off. Suddenly the girl stopped and smiled. She gouged out both her eyes and bit into the fleshy orbs like they were candy using both her hands. She held up one hand and pointed her index finger at Wilson.

  “Come play with me,” the little girl said as she continued chewing, black slime pouring from her mouth. Wilson couldn’t take his eyes off the little girl. He got the feeling that he’d seen her before. Suddenly, Wilson became terrified. He tapped his eyelid, and the strange world disappeared. His Grandmother kissed his cheek and walked over to the bed. Michael jumped up from his sleeping bag.

  “What did you see?” he asked Wilson excitedly.

  “You don’t want to know. It would give you nightmares.”

  “Cool! You’ve got to tell me, bro. I won’t get scared. I promise you. I won’t.”

  “You didn’t see any of it?”

  “No. It was like you were just standing there looking out the window. I didn’t see anything. Just that same old glow coming from the edge of the forest.”

  Wilson turned to Grandma Noya.

  “I’m sorry. I got scared.”

  After seeing the terror in Wilson’s eyes, Michael squeezed his Grandmother’s waist tightly and buried his face into her nightgown. Grandma Noya instantly removed his face from her gown.

  “Don’t cover your face, child. These creatures are things you and your brother will see. You cannot run from the reality of that place. Fear is the enemy.”

  Grandma Noya took Wilson’s hand in hers.

  “Calm yourself, boy. Now is the time for you two to become men.”

  Wilson took a deep breath and turned away from the window.

  “I’m calm now, Grandma.”

  “There is something both of you need to understand about death. It comes to us all. No one escapes it. Remember. Your good deeds fuel your trip into the next world. If you are a righteous person in this world, you will continue that righteous path into the afterlife.

  Conversely, if you do evil, you will continue doing evil in the afterlife. That is the orderly way of our lives, and it continues like this for most of us. That is the way most of the elders have explained it to us. Like a stone rolling down a hill, life continues.

  But the Evil One is someone for which the elders don’t have an explanation. Christians believe in heaven and hell. If you describe his presence in that context, he is the Devil. But our family believes he’s just an evil spirit that’s doing what he did in life. That is the reason I think the Evil One is Mr. Green. He was a man that took joy in murder and terror. Maybe now he’s a spirit that refuses to accept the natural transition into the next level of life. Regardless, it’s obvious he wants to continue causing mischief here. Who knows? Maybe he’s found a way to manipulate the typical patterns of things to take control of souls. Either way, he’s only doing what he has always done.”

  “I don’t understand. Those things that we saw flying around out there. Are they good or evil?”

  “Both. Some were good people, and some are bad people. But all those spirits are lost in the world between ours and the other. They’ve forgotten who they used to be. Now they’re being used by the Evil One. Their bodies are just shells being used to scare the people in this world. All of that is just theater. Decaying flesh, blood, demonic voices; it’s all meant to scare you. The souls tucked inside those monsters were people who didn’t find peace. They are restless spirits. They’re lost. They are only flying around doing bad things because the Evil One is compelling them to behave like that. When my daddy died, this land became sacred. The demons feared it. Nana Ama was the one who decided to build the house on top of the land. And once she finished building the house, she never left.”

  “How did Great Grandfather Wilson die? What happened?” asked Wilson.

  Grandma Noya looked out into the darkness.

  “One night, he was watching the forests when something happened. Maybe he got too close. No one knows. All we know is that Nana Ama found him close to death. She never told anyone what happened, but before he died, he passed his power to her. After he died, she built this house.”

  Wilson climbed into his sleeping bag.

  “It’s a lot to take in. You boys get some rest. Tomorrow we’ll talk about the good stuff.”

  “The good stuff?”

  “Yeah. Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about your powers.”

  Michael sat up in his sleeping bag.

  “Tell us now, Grandma.”

  “No. Not tonight. We’ll talk some more tomorrow. Goodnight, boys.”

  Wilson closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but he kept seeing the strange world in his mind. After tossing and turning for a few more minutes, he finally fell asleep.

  Chapter 14: Lessons at Breakfast

  When the boys woke up the next day, Grandma Noya was in the kitchen making breakfast. Wilson and Michael both stumbled sleepily into the kitchen and sat down at the wooden table.

  “Good morning Grandma,” they both said.

  “Good morning, babies. Did you boys sleep okay? I hope my tales didn’t give you difficulties.”

  Michael stood up.

  “Can I open the window, Grandma? It’s so hot in here.”

  “I’m sorry. This old stove is metal, and the heat just stays in here. Go ahead and open the window.”

  Michael walked over to the window. Just as he did, Grandma Noya turned to Wilson.

  “Wilson. Tap your eyelid twice.”

  “Why?”

  “Do it. But after you tap it, hold one of your fingers on your eyelid.”

  Wilson tapped on his eyelid and held one of his fingers there. The room darkened just as it had before. Grandmother Noya grabbed a knife from the counter and threw it at the child. Everything in the room remained black except the glowing blade as it remained suspended in the air.

  Michael turned around and saw the knife spinning mid-air.

  “Holy shit!” he yelled. Grandma Noya walked over to the boy and grabbed him by the shoulders.

  “Stay where you are, Michael. Don’t move.”

  “But how is he doing that? Why is it so dark?”

  “Silence, boy!”

  Grandma Noya turned to Wilson.

  “Do you feel the knife?”

  Wilson understood what she meant. The knife felt like it was in his hand, an extension of his body to be manipulated.

  “Yes, Grandma. I feel it.”

  “Good. Now prepare for the pain.”

  “What?”

  Grandma Noya walked over to the knife block and removed two more knives.

  “Prepare yourself.”

  She threw both the knives at Wilson. Afraid of the blades, Wilson lost his concentration. All three knives struck him in his arm.

  Pain shot through Wilson, and he moaned in agony. It felt like someone had ripped his arm off.

  “Grandma! Why?” he screamed. Wilson slumped over in pain as the blood dripped from his arm. Michael was beside himself.

  “Why are you doing this to my brother? Wilson!”
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  But Grandma Noya remained calm.

  “Do you feel the knife in you? Cutting through your flesh?” she asked.

  “Grandma! Why are you doing this?” Wilson asked with tears in his eyes.

  “Touch your eye with your free hand and then touch the handles of the knives.”

  “I don’t…”

  “Do it!”

  Wilson reached up and touched his eyelid again. Next, he felt the handles of the knives sticking out of his arm. There was a loud popping sound, and Wilson screamed.

  “Aaaaah! Grandma, I feel…”

  Grandma Noya smiled.

  “Yes. Accept it. You and the knife are one.”

  Wilson’s hands began to tremble, and he held it up to his face. Soon his hand began to glow red.

  “It doesn’t hurt anymore,” whispered Wilson, a warm feeling coursing through his body.

  “Holy shit!” yelled Michael.

  Wilson’s whole face turned silver, and the one eye began glowing red. Each of his fingers resembled the blades stuck in his arm.

  “Grandma…I feel so strong.”

  “Yes. Now tap on your eyelid. Once.”

  Wilson tapped on his eyelid with one of the blades in his hand. There was a flash of light, and the room returned to its standard sunlit color. Wilson was his usual self, sitting at the table in his pajamas. Michael stood plastered against the wall trembling in terror. Grandma Noya walked over to the stove and placed a skillet on it. As she poured pancake batter into the pan, she spoke to her grandsons.

  “You have many powers that you aren’t aware of yet. Unlimited strength, the power to shapeshift, physical regeneration, and the ability to fire energy. Those powers and many more belong to you.”

  Wilson rubbed his arm, searching for the wounds that had been there. In a few seconds, he spotted the wooden handles of the knives at his feet. He picked them up and looked at them. The blades were gone.

  Grandma Noya looked at Michael as he remained frozen against the wall. She walked over and kissed him on the cheek.

  “Relax, boy. Your Grandmother would never hurt you. You believe me, don’t you?”

  But Michael didn’t hear his Grandmother. He stared at Wilson, mystified by what he had just witnessed. Finally, Grandma Noya shook him.

  “Michael! Snap out of it!”

  Finally, the boy came back to his senses. He wrapped his arms around Grandma Noya and began to cry. Slowly, she led him to the table.

  “Hush, child. Your brother’s fine. Don’t worry. I would never hurt either of you.”

  Wilson wasn’t sad. He felt energized.

  “Where did the knife blades go?”

  “They became a part of you.”

  “What else can I do, Grandma?”

  “I can only tell you what I’ve witnessed with my own eyes. For months, Nana Ama and I cycled through all she could do. We discovered she could disappear and teleport short distances. She could create creatures from the soil, but they only lasted a few minutes before dissipating. She could bend things with her mind. And this is the most important. She could transform her body into anything she touched.”

  “You saw her do all these things?”

  “Yes. Even though I don’t have any of Nana Ama’s powers, I helped her discover her strengths and weaknesses.”

  She walked over to the table and slid two pancakes on each of the boys’ plates. Michael was still a little withdrawn and stared at his plate.

  “Go ahead and put the maple syrup on the pancakes, boy. Don’t be shy.”

  Michael grabbed the syrup bottle from the center of the table and poured the syrup on his pancakes. Reluctantly, he shoved a large chunk of pancakes into his mouth. Wilson took the bottle from his little brother and started pouring it on his pancakes. Grandma Noya sat down at the table with the children.

  “There is something I haven’t told you that you need to know.”

  Both the boys looked at her.

  “Something is coming. Nana Ama saw it. I told you earlier that the barrier to hell was strong, but that’s not completely true. Something is trying to break it from the inside of hell. I guess it’s the Evil One. He’s becoming stronger every day. Sometime in your lifetime, he’s going to break it.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Remember what I showed you last night?”

  “Yes.”

  “That world will become this world. Evil will run free in our realm.”

  “What will happen to us?” asked Michael, finally awake from his daze.

  “It means that our family will need to do our best to stop the evil from spreading. Indeed, we must become the gatekeepers between hell and the rest of the planet on a much larger scale.”

  “But there’s only me,” replied Wilson. Grandma Noya rubbed his head.

  “Yes. But you are powerful and strong like Nana Ama. You will find a way.”

  Grandma Noya walked back to the stove.

  “You boys need to finish your breakfast. Next, I’ll teach Michael his part in this.”

  Michael’s eyes widened.

  “Me?!”

  “Wilson is your brother. Did you think you were free of responsibility? Your job is even more important than his.”

  Wilson and Michael stared at one another.

  “I’m going to shower, boys. Finish your breakfast.”

  Grandma Noya walked out of the kitchen and down the hall.

  “Is she going to stab me too?” asked a terrified Michael.

  “I don’t think so. You don’t have any special powers,” replied Wilson. After a second, a wicked thought entered his mind. He stood up from the table and went to place his plate into the sink.

  “But you never know. Maybe Grandma Noya will get the ax out back for you.”

  Wilson left his little brother sitting in the kitchen alone. Seconds later, Michael ran out of the kitchen behind his big brother.

  Chapter 15: Michael’s Job

  Both Wilson and Michael were in Nana Ama’s bedroom looking out into the backyard when their Uncle Charlie walked in.

  “Where’s mom?” he asked. The boys turned around to look at the man and then returned to watching the backyard in the distance.

  “She’s hanging some clothes,” replied Wilson. He hated his Uncle. The man never bothered saying hello. Like a speeding truck, he crashed into what he wanted. Never mind what other people were doing.

  “She told me to come over to teach Michael.”

  Both the boys turned around.

  “Teach me?” asked Michael. “You?”

  “Who else, dipshit?”

  Wilson piped up.

  “Hey. Don’t talk to my brother like that.”

  Charlie snickered.

  “It’s just a figure of speech lame-o. Come on. You guys need to follow me.”

  Both Wilson and Michael followed Charlie out the front door. As they walked across the yard and stood waiting to cross the road, Wilson stared at the man in disgust. His colossal belly stuck out like a lister bag full of water. There were patches of puss-filled bumps on the nape of his neck from shaving with a dirty razor. Although they were outside, Wilson could still smell the scent of whiskey floating off the man like gasoline. Wilson shook his head. Although his Uncle Charlie was his father’s brother, they were nothing alike. Wilson’s father was handsome and professional, a well-spoken man with intelligence. Charlie was the very definition of slouch. His jeans hung halfway off his ass, and he could care less. Why Grandma Noya thought this idiot could teach his little brother anything was beyond Wilson.

  The three of them reached the front yard and walked around back to the pigpen. They continued walking into the open field until they arrived at the straw scarecrow.

  “Okay. We’re here. Michael, you stand in front of the scarecrow.”

  Michael walked over to the scarecrow and turned around to face Charlie.

  “Okay. Now, what?” asked the little boy.

  Charlie reached into the back of his jea
ns and pulled out a knife.

  “Now I fucking kill you!” he yelled.

  Michael let out a scream and fell to the ground. Wilson was about to touch his eye when Charlie started laughing.

  “Take it easy. Take it easy. I was playing,” Charlie said as he doubled over in laughter.

  Wilson walked over and kicked his Uncle in the seat of his pants.

  “Stupid idiot! What the hell is your problem?”

  Wilson ran over to his little brother and hugged him.

  “It’s okay, Michael. Don’t worry.”

  Charlie continued to laugh.

  “Aw, that’s so cute,” he said as he pointed the knife at the children and continued laughing.

  “A-le-wi-s-do-di!” yelled a voice from the field. It was Grandma Noya. She walked up to Charlie and slapped the knife from his hand.

  “You are supposed to be preparing them. Must you always be so childish? De-de-yo-di!”

  Uncle Charlie lowered his head in embarrassment. He picked the knife up and tucked it in the back of his trousers.

  “Michael. Come here.”

  Reluctantly, the child walked over to his uncle.

  “Your job is to make Wilson’s job easier.”

  Michael looked confused.

  “What do you mean?”

  “He is the fighter. The weapon. You will be his guide.”

  “His guide?”

  “Airplanes can fly themselves. They just need someone to sit in the seat to tell the plane where to go. You will do the same thing.”

  Wilson spoke up.

  “How can he do that? He can’t see the spirits.”

  “But he can see you. And if you can see your brother, you can protect your brother.”

  Charlie walked over to the scarecrow and shoved his hands into its shirt. After struggling for a while, he pulled out a small triangle shaped piece of crystal.

  “This will be your weapon.”

  Charlie dropped the piece of crystal into Michael’s palm.

  “This is a weapon? I don’t have a gun or something?” he asked as he held it up for inspection. Wilson burst into laughter.

  “It’s not a video game. Come on.”

  Michael looked through the center of the crystal.