There was a man on the doorstep, all leatherette shoes and easy iron trousers. When I say doorstep I mean the pavement between the threshold and the hazard lines of a busy junction.
His head, too
...
[+]
On the edge of the pine forest, I decided to settle down under a neon cactus. Its bioluminescent buds would give me more light than the crescent moon. These cacti have always been enough to see my work.
I laid out an unfinished cape in a pre-existing groove from all the other nights I had come here. There was also a small ditch that I placed my mask into. I was relieved to have finished that first and save the easy part, the cape, for last. The mask had required finding wires and an LED screen... Such a hassle to put together. The cape, at least, was nothing but mindless sewing.
Some voices in the distance made my ear twitch. Right on time. I looked up at the run-down gas station that resided in the middle of the forest clearing, not far away. It may have been made of rusty metal and rotting wood, but I thought that just gave it character.
Four familiar men emerged from within and sat around a table on the wooden patio. They laid out some cards before them and began to... do whatever they used the cards for. The youngest man, a guy in his early twenties with the heaviest Southern accent of them all, spoke first.
I opened my sewing kit and began to stitch together my cape while the men chatted away in the background. Their stories were the highlight of my days, even if I wasn't invited. I had to stifle my laughter to prevent them from hearing me. Maybe when I finished my outfit, they'd let me sit with them. Better yet, they might let me move into their town. I wanted to get out of the woods forever. I hoped to make a real home and not have to worry about it being destroyed by monsters... again.
Nothing in the woods ever lasted long. But in a town, people were there to maintain it. They poured their hearts and souls into the place they lived. I've seen it myself. They always recover from anything life throws at them.
I moved the sewing needle faster, so focused on my work that the rest of the sound around me faded into obscurity.
Thread the needle. I want to finish soon.
Halfway done. I must finish soon...
The only thing that brought me back to reality was when one of the men hollered at the top of his lungs.
My head shot up, eyes immediately widening. Standing before the gas station was a bear-like beast covered in iridescent scales with a pair of tiny but hungry eyes. It stood as tall as the surrounding pine trees. How could something that big appear without making a sound?!
The oldest man was quick to draw his revolver and unleash a round of shots on the thing's head. Every bullet bounced uselessly off its scales.
My mind was racing. No, you're doing it wrong! Shoot its underside!
...Too late. The revolver was empty now.
The men were on their feet and frantically discussing where to go. Their town, Malpine, was just half a mile away. But luring the monster there would put every resident in danger. The only other place to flee to was the woods, where countless other monsters lurked.
I knew firsthand just how treacherous these woods could be, especially at night. They were doomed.
I couldn't let this happen. I wouldn't let this happen. From their discussions, I knew well about their families. Their friends. Their lives. And they didn't know me, but I'd be damned if I didn't help.
I slipped on my mask and cape. A black cloth covered the back and sides of the mask, while the screen on the front flickered to life. It only displayed a single digital eye meant to reflect my actual facial expression. I didn't have enough pieces to make the screen big enough for two eyes or a mouth.
I pulled on some vines from a low-hanging tree branch behind me until I had dozens of yards worth of the stuff. I made a slipknot as fast as I could while glancing at the men frequently. One of them had an ax but didn't know where to swing it.
I took in a deep breath before charging forward, revealing myself to the men for the first time. They were, expectedly, startled to see me.
I flung the lasso at the monster, and the knot successfully tightened around one of its horns. As soon as it was secure, I sprinted across the ground to attract the beast's attention. It stumbled and swung wildly at me. Its attacks were sloppy and uncoordinated, and I was able to nimbly dodge them all. Every time it thrust its paw out, I threw the rope around it and pulled.
After getting a large portion of the vine wrapped around its neck, the remaining length was short enough for me to use to swing through the air. The monster jumped around in circles, swinging wildly without thinking twice. Maybe it should've, though, because it had tangled itself up in no time. The beast tripped and fell, roaring and rolling around on the ground in a tied-up heap. The vine wouldn't hold for long.
I took the ax from the dumbfounded man and plunged the blade deep into the monster's exposed chest. It let out a horrible, pained roar as green blood gushed from the wound. Then, it fell still.
From behind me, I could hear the heavy footsteps of the men. I braced myself and turned to face them.
"Mighty fine work, little man!" cheered the one with a pot belly. "...You are a man, yeah?"
I nodded.
The older man scratched his beard. I could feel his eyes picking apart my strange attire. "Say, I reckon I ain't seen you ‘round these parts ‘fore. Where'd ya come from?"
I live in the woods. I was... passing by.
I performed a quick series of hand motions. The men just looked confused.
I bit my lip and tried again. I live in the woods. I was passing by.
No reaction.
My hands were shaking. All that pride I had felt just moments ago was gone, now replaced by a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. It made me want to shrivel up and erase the memory of me from their minds. They didn't understand. This wouldn't-
"Hold up," said the oldest, "I think he's mute. Here, use this instead." He handed me a crumpled note paper and a pencil. I hurriedly accepted them and began scribbling as fast as I could to get rid of the awkward tension in the air.
They read my writing aloud.
The youngest man raised his eyebrows. "Ya live in the woods? With the monsters? Shoot, no wonder you're a badass! Hey, our town could use someone like you. We ain't had a sheriff in months. Say, what's yer name, anyway?"
My head was spinning. Sheriff. They wanted me as sheriff. This was my first time talking to anyone, and I was already overwhelmed. Now I needed a name... I looked around for something to call myself. My eyes landed on my discarded sewing kit. Without thinking twice, I wrote down, "Spindle."
It had a nice ring to it, I thought.
"Well, Spindle, I don't see anyone else better qualified than you! How ‘bout we go to the saloon ‘n celebrate? Drinks on me! Oh, and the bartender knows sign language. So you can tell us all ‘bout yourself when we get there."
I nodded so fast that my mask nearly slipped. One man put his arm around my shoulder and started walking me back to Malpine with the others by my side. They talked to me but didn't ask any questions, as I had run out of room on my paper to answer. No one commented on my suspiciously concealing clothes, either.
Good. If anyone asked me to remove my mask, the first monster I'd have to kill as sheriff would be myself.