Short Story: "What Lurks on the Train"

The swinging saloon door creaked open and four dirty, rugged riders strolled in slowly. The drinking establishment which had been abuzz with laughter and loud talking quickly grew silent as all eyes turned to see who had entered. The four men who were dressed in dust covered slacks, chaps, vests, and overcoats stared out behind wide brimmed cowboy hats. They were also armed to the teeth with guns, knives, and ammunition. The men and women in the saloon didn’t have to guess who the riders were. Their reputation traveled ahead of them and word quickly spread that they were headed into town. They had a meeting to attend. The young man who stood in front of the group looked toward the barkeep whose face was shrouded in fear. These were not just normal men. They were outlaws. The worst to come out of Texas. They were killers.

The barkeep knew why they were there, and who they were meeting. He tilted his head to the side indicating that the man they had come to see was waiting in the back. The leader turned and looked back at the patrons who were now looking down at their drinks. They knew better than to make eye contact. That would get them a bullet in their heads. He studied each man. He felt a twinge of excitement at the sight of the whores who were loitering about. He would choose one for himself when he finished his business. The awkward silence that enveloped the room was broken by the clinging of spurs as the four outlaws made their way to the back.

Sitting at a round table in the shadows of the dimly lit room was a lone figure. A large man dressed in a black outfit with a long black over coat. Sitting atop his head was a cowboy hat that was black as the night. In his right hand was a lit cigarette, while the thumb of his left hand gently ran up the edge of a deck of cards filling the room with a repeating pattering sound. The four outlaws scanned the small room and then walked over to the table and looked down at him.

“Rex Sullivan?” The leader of the group asked even though he knew who the stranger was. Every man, woman, and child in the western territory knew who the feared outlaw was. Rex looked up at them and raised the cigarette to his lips. The lantern light illuminated his rugged face as his head tilted, and icy blue eyes stared out at them. The long scar on his right cheek gave them their answer. It was the man they had been called to see.

            “I take it you’re the Riley Gang.” Rex said in a soft, smooth tone after blowing the smoke out from his parted lips.

“The one and only.” The leader proudly exclaimed. “That’s Bobby and his brother Sidewinder Sammy.” He said as he pointed to the two men behind and to his left. He then pointed to the large man to his right. “We call him the Butcher; you can only imagine why. And I’m Tommy Riley.”

            Rex took another drag of his cigarette and once again released a cloud of smoke into the air. Riley could see the slight grin on his face. “You boys made good time. Let’s get down to it. There is a train coming, should be here by nightfall tomorrow.”

“We got no trouble with trains.” Sidewinder said with a confident pat on his brothers back. Rex ignored the boast and continued to run his thumb across the deck of cards. Riley looked down curiously at the weird hand movement. He quickly let it drop from his mind and returned his gaze to the shadowy figure.

“What is so special about this train that you called for us, Mr. Sullivan?” Riley asked as he adjusted his stance to a more relaxed poster. “I heard you were the best train robbers in New Mexico.” 

“Rex will do fine.” The outlaw said casually offering a less formal interaction. “This ain’t no ordinary train. There is something on it. Something so damn important that normal lawmen aren’t riding with it, but the army is.”

            “Gold?” Bobby asked with a gleam in his eye as he looked over at his brother.

            “Possibly,” Rex replied. “Whispers been goin’ all across the territory that the riches on this train are like nothing any man has ever seen.”

            “Sounds intriguing.” Riley said as he rubbed his chin. “Especially since the army are riding shotgun, they don’t usually come out here to the badlands unless it’s real important.”

            “My thoughts exactly.” Rex said and then took another drag of his cigarette. “Whatever is on it, people are keeping hush hush about it.”

  “So, you want us to help you take it down.” Riley asked. Rex nodded slowly.

“Don’t you have your own gang?” Sidewinder asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I work alone.” Rex replied confidently and looked down at the deck of cards in his left hand.

“If you work alone, then why bring us in?” Bobby added, “you scared of the army?”

Rex looked over at him coldly. “Are you?”

Even being outnumbered four to one, Rex showed no fear for the gang who had a

reputation for killing. He expected them to challenge him, after all, most men did. And all of them were now pushing up daisies. Rex needed more muscle for a job as big as the mystery train and the Riley gang were rumored to be fearless. Still, he would play their game of push and shove if it came to that, and he would gun them all down right there in the back room of that saloon if things took a turn. He was fearless as well.          

“What’s the cut?” Riley asked trying to break the tension before guns were drawn.  

“Five ways.” Rex replied with a slight nod to them.

“Even split?” Riley asked with an approving nod. “You that confident there is something valuable on that train, huh?”

“I am.” Rex said leaning back in his chair. “You boys willing to find out?”

Riley turned and looked at his gang who were all smiling, all except Butcher who never smiled. But Riley knew he would never back down from a challenge. The man was ready to face death every day and would go to Hell to fight the Devil himself. Riley turned and looked back at Rex.

“We’re in.”

The next night Rex Sullivan and the Riley Gang waited in the brush on their horses for the train to come by. Rex knew that the cover of night was the best time to hit their target. The soldiers on the train would be tired from riding all day and their reflexes would be slow. The gang saw the smoke from the steam engine coming towards them like a slow rolling fog.

“Get ready boys,” Rex said in a soft, steady voice. Riley admired the older outlaw’s calmness as they waited. He showed no signs of nervousness or eagerness. He just sat like a statue on his dark horse, almost blending in with the night. Riley’s Gang on the other hand were like coiled springs ready to explode. Their hands holding tightly to the reigns of their horses as they bit their lips in anticipation. Riley knew that Bobby and Sidewinder could be a little overanxious and he hoped that they wouldn’t jump the gun. There was something special on that train and he wanted it.

“Steady boys,” he whispered softly to them.

“It’s getting close,” Sidewinder said with anxiousness in his voice. “Here comes that gold.”

The plan they had discussed earlier in the day was that when the train got to a certain spot, the five of them would quietly, or as quietly as their horses would allow, rush the train. There would no doubt be sentries on patrol outside the box car so they would have to act fast. The plan went off without a hitch as the five riders stormed the six-car train headed through the desert land of New Mexico. The soldiers, who were taken off guard, were no challenge for the seasoned bandits who reigned down on them with gunfire and dynamite destroying several of the train cars. They laid lead into every last man except the conductor who was ordered to keep it moving ahead or he would be dead too.

            “That was too easy!” Bobby yelled with delight as the five men gathered on the flat bed train car that was attached to the secured car that housed the mysterious cargo. They had jumped aboard leaving their horses behind as the train made its way down the tracks. The plan was to double back and retrieve them once the treasure was secured.  

“They ain’t created an army yet that can stop the Riley Gang!” Sidewinder added which brought more cheers from his comrades, all except Rex, who leaned against the railing of the train and looked out over the vast desert.

“Grab some more of that dynamite and let’s get this car separated from the engine.” Rex said breaking up the party. He knew that time was of the essence if they were going to make their getaway.

“Don’t you think we should make sure there is treasure in there before we do that?” Bobby inquired. “No sense in wasting our dynamite if there ain’t nothing in there.”

Rex looked to their boss who nodded his agreement. “Very well,” Rex relented. “Let’s see what we got.”

Rex knew the men were excited and frankly he was quite curious as well. The rumors about what was on the train ranged from expensive artwork to treasures from foreign lands and everything in between. Getting a glimpse of what lay within would help set his mind at ease. Riley turned and barked an order at Butcher, “get that door open.”

The big man did as he was instructed and went to work on the door. With his massive foot and strong, solid arms, he soon had the door broken so that the eager bandits could get in. Hooting and hollering the Riley Gang rushed into the box car to find out what they had scored. Rex watched them with a smile, a sinister, devious smile.

Partially because he knew that they would find out what was in there and partially because he knew what he was going to do as soon as the four of them came back out. He took his revolver from the holster and checked that it was fully loaded with six rounds. He re-holstered the weapon and then checked his rifle. It was also full and ready to help make him the richest man in New Mexico. He never had any intention of sharing the loot with the Riley Gang. He had lured them in to do the dirty work and then he would leave them laying in the desert for the buzzards, just like he had done with every other man he had ever rode with. That was why Rex Sullivan didn’t have a gang. No man ever lived long enough to ride with him twice. He stood ready to open fire as soon as the first man stepped out from the door. His grin soon faded however when the night echoed with shouts coming from within the dark box car.

“What the hell is that!” Riley’s voice rang out. His shout was followed by Bobby’s. “Look out!”

The sounds of screams and gunfire exploded from the darkness. Rex drew his own revolver and was about to storm into the fight when a loud growl stopped him in his tracks. The screams and shooting stopped as abruptly as they had started and instead came the sounds of gurgling and things being tossed about in the train car. Rex cocked back the trigger on his colt revolver and waited anxiously.

“Riley?!” He called out but all that responded was the echo of his own voice. He had to think. There was something in there that had taken out the entire Riley Gang. Four dangerous men who had survived countless encounters with the law, Indians, and rival gangs. These weren’t weak men who would be easily defeated. A part of him wanted to flee but there was also the treasure. Maybe Riley and his boys had been caught off guard by whatever was in there. That was it, they had been taken by surprise. He would not make the same mistake. He would be ready to attack when he went in.

“Come on out of there and let me see you.”

There was no reply, but he could hear movement in the darkness. “If you don’t come out, then I am coming in shooting.”

There was still no reply, and he swallowed the lump in his throat. He thought if he could coax whoever or whatever was in there out, then he would get a cleaner shot. But that was not going to be the case. If he wanted the treasure then he was going to have to go in and get it. Gathering up what courage he could find he started walking towards the open door. A massive form arose from the dark box car and stood before him stopping him in his tracks. His eyes widened in horror as he scanned the massive fur covered torso of the creature that stood over eight feet tall. He couldn’t make out any features on the face of the beast because they were drowned out in shadows, but he knew it wasn’t human. He let out a loud scream as a clawed hand streaked through the night and slashed him across the face.

Blood ran from the four gashes that streaked his face and he fired his gun. It was more reflex than defense as he hadn’t even raised it at the creature. The shots fired into the wood floor of the moving train. With a load roar the creature swung again and this time the claws raked across the neck of the renowned bandit severing flesh and bone. The head of Rex Sullivan fell from the train and landed in the sand in an awkward upright position with those blue eyes wide and his mouth open in a final scream that no one would hear. The now headless body toppled off the speeding locomotive leaving only the shadowy form of the beast standing alone. As the train quickly moved across the tracks under a New Mexico full moon a loud wolf’s howl echoed in the night.

The End?