Brian started suspecting something about a month ago when the new party arrived. The usual expedition; the usual excavations. Noah and Brian's job was to guard the stuff the scientists found.
But this time they had a new driver, Fernard. In the beginning nobody knew he was homosexual. Noah and Brian never hid their own relationship. The young men lived together as spouses and stood up for each other if anyone tried to make fun of them.
Noah found out about Fernard first.
"You know, Brian," he said as he was brushing his teeth, "Fernard's gay."
Brain gazed at his partner. "How do you know?" He usually recognized other homosexuals, he thought, but in this case he had been fooled.
"He said it himself." Noah washed his face. "But I told him about you. That's all."
That dialog left an unpleasant aftertaste in Brian's soul. He looked at the naked lithe back of his partner. Despite being considered tall, sturdy Brian was shorter than thin, athletic Noah, and Brian had a little complex about that. And the thought that someone else would touch his friend made Brian insane.
Sensitive to this sort of thing, Noah felt something was wrong and he turned to his partner.
"Brian," he said with tender reproach. "Don't be foolish. I need no one except you."
But this did not assuage Brian's jealousy. He started to spy on his friend. Noah noticed it, and twice a hot-tempered Brian made awful scenes. But each time they made up; their love was strong and ran deep. They were soul mates, not just sexual partners.
*****
He did not want to leave without Noah. But the chief of the party ordered it and Brian did not want to look stupid or ridiculous.
*****
Before he got into the helicopter, Brian noticed Fernard. The chauffeur stood next to Noah and Brian rushed back and grabbed Fernard.
"If you ever come close to Noah," Brian growled in Fernard's face, "I'll kill you both!"
The frightened driver did not reply.
"Hah!" sounded from aside. "Our fags are going to fight!"
Brian heard laughter. He blushed, released Fernard and, without looking around, boarded the helicopter.
*****
Brian was absent for just a few days. When he returned, Noah was not there waiting for him.
Crazy with jealousy and suspicion Brian checked his knife and walked to their tent. Noah came out, quickly closing the shelter flap behind him, and turned to his partner with a confused smile.
Brian was sure Fernard was inside. Without a word the guard stabbed Noah in the belly with his knife and opened the tent. His searching gaze suddenly stopped at the bed.
He saw a Grundig Avantgarde, an electric shaver, on the blanket. Brian had dreamed of owing one for so long, but it had been too expensive. Somehow Noah had bought it; he had planned to surprise his partner with it, but Brian had come back before he could wrap it. Brian gasped and flung himself back at Noah. His partner was sitting on the floor. He was dying, and they both understood that.
"It's okay, Brian... It's my fault!" Noah said faintly. "I was a fool. I forgot... Give me that shiv! I'll pretend suicide. I love you, Brian... I don't want any trouble for you..."
Brian did not reply. He was unable to make a sound. Trouble! No execution would decrease his pain. No death would be enough punishment. Even hellish sufferings...
But that thought put a new idea into Brian's mind. He ran outside. Dr. Lee was checking his notes when the security burst into his tent. The archaeologist looked up with horror and perplexity. That guard looked insane. Oh, God! He was crazy like the last psycho.
"Where is the amulet to call the Devil?" he shouted. The researchers had found a very rare amulet. Probably the man had heard their speculation about how the amulet had been used in Devil worship thousands of years ago. Dr. Lee took it out.
"Get the book with the texts!" The scientist picked up the book they had found next to the amulet.
"Come with me! You'll read this!" Dr. Lee dared not refuse.
*****
Inside the tent, the archaeologist dropped his jaw. He saw Noah covered with blood, dying or already dead, and the scientist understood that Brian had done it. Dr.Lee felt despair, thinking he would be next.
"Let's do it!" Brian had the scientist at gunpoint. He heard people gathering outside the tent. "If anyone tries to come inside," he shouted, "I'll kill you at once!"
Dr.Lee's hands were trembling while he drew the magic symbols on the floor. Brian carefully put Noah in the middle of the dirt etchings and knelt next to him. The archaeologist spelled out the phrases from the book and Brian repeated them. Nothing happened. Noah did not move.
"Brian," the scientist started timidly. "It's just a legend. A tale. I'm really sorry."
The ground shook.
It was getting dark and the sudden light rushing from under the floor blinded the men for a second. Bright yellow shone through the lines of the pictures as if through chinks, flooding the tent with bizarre colors.
The crowd outside became silent.
Brian slowly lifted his head.
Suddenly someone entered, and Brian's gun flew up, but it was a camel, and the men stared at the animal in wonder.
"What do you want?" the unexpected creature even more unexpectedly uttered. Its monstrously powerful voice sounded not only in their ears, but also in their minds.
Dr.Lee fell as dead.
Unlimited horror seized Brian, but he hugged the body of Noah and decided to at least die next to him.
"Make Noah alive again!" murmured the guard, with his teeth chattering.
"What will I have as payment?" The big brown eyes of the camel pierced deep into the man's soul.
"I'll do anything!" Brian was trembling all over. "I want to be with him, no matter, on Earth or in Hell!"
"I have to ask him. Noah?" Suddenly Noah opened his eyes and embraced his partner. "I'll be with you, Brian. The price doesn't matter."
"Deal!" The creature laughed. "But I can't do it here. Let's go!" The camel neared the men and knelt. Holding Noah, Brian climbed up and the animal galloped away.
When the people finally dared to enter the tent, they found nothing strange or unusual, if not count a snow-white-haired Dr. Lee. He refused to explain what that light was for, though, and nobody outside heard the camel talking.
'Brian went crazy', was the common thought. A rescue expedition had been sent immediately to follow Brian and Noah, but this action was unsuccessful, as a sudden sandstorm forever wiped out any hope of ever finding the guards or their bodies.
The Butcher's Boy
- 2011 Readers Favorite Award Silver Medal Winner in Horror - Fiction
A Paranormal/Chiller by Michael Robb
Thirty-one years ago, Buxly the Butcher went to trial for killing h
In the end they'll all be dancin'--all them ones that didn't die.... Dance with me in the shadows amidst the lightning and the thunder, and all that nu-cu-lar debris. See the big bang from the other side, and then open that cellar door. Go down into
Brian started suspecting something about a month ago when the new party arrived. The usual expedition; the usual excavations. Noah and Brian's job was to guard the stuff the scientists found.
