Cats Haunted

Mama Kate's bloodshot eye's glowed with hatred when she saw my Mother holding the leather bound book that was discovered in her room. I followed her closely as I carefully cradled the cat skeleton only loosing a feather or two but not one single scorpion. One armed Jim remained silent only dropping his head to his chest even as my Father treated the gunshot wound to his shoulder. I placed the skeleton directly in the middle of the table and sat down as the room filled with a frightful mysterious energy. The Sheriff asked my Mother if she would kindly read out load what the book had to offer as thick blue veins across Mama Kate's forehead appeared ready to burst. My Mother stood next to the potbellied stove and began to read passages from Mama Kate's diary starting with the birth of her son.  July 19, 1863: Monday: I find myself deserted and penniless in the streets of San Francisco. I am almost 9 months along with child and feel he or she will arrive any day now. I swear I will not allow my child to lay in squalor in this filthy streets and will journey to the mountain and give birth in some secluded meadow where only the song birds and wild flowers will bear witness.

July 21, 1863 Tuesday. O joy of joy's, a son is born in a meadow of tall yellow grass and shadowing oaks and my painful screams of birth have also brought a kind man who lives alone in these hills. His name is Night Star, an Indian medicine man or Shaman and he's here to help me and my baby, God has not forsaken us. My Mother read silently for just a few moments, turning the dust covered pages one by one until she stopped and looked sadly at my Father. August 3, 1863 Thursday. I awoke to find Night Star cradling infant James in the brightness of a full moon, but in my terror he held a knife to my babies throat. I sprang toward him and he slapped me down to the ground almost falling into our fire. I grabbed a burning log and lunged toward him again setting his robe on fire. He held baby James skyward allowing me to catch hold of his legs but at the same time he slashed wildly at me with the knife taking my babies right arm as a prize.

It was as if time had stopped after my Mother read this passage and with tears in her eye's she closed the book momentary. Jim was the first to speak, “Please don't read anymore” he said, “It was me who killed that redskin on the mountain after I read what he had done to me and my Mother”. The Sheriff leaned back in his chain and said,” What about those two fellas, did you kill them too”? Jim hung his head and nodded, “Yes, they found an infants mummified arm in his shed, anyway; they came here asking for blackmail money saying they knew the arm must belong to me”. I sat stunned believing Jim was a good man not capable of murder? No one had noticed that someone or something had entered the Black Willow and slowly crept toward us blending into the shadows of the saloons darkened corners. The heavy oak table where we all sat began to tremble and a first I thought it was Mama Kate lusting for her pipe or another drink but if only that were the case.