The Butcher and the Butterfly by Ian Dyer Page A

quickly.
    ‘I understand.
It’s usually toward the end of the evening. I just thought it would
be nice to have some company and maybe learn a few things about
this place before I move in.’
    Move on? Susie’s
belly dropped at the thought. It was like she was fourteen again
and trying to hold back the crush she had on an older boy. What did
it matter that he was leaving, what did she expect, that they would
fall in love and he would live here with her forever. Or better
still; run away together.
    Come on Susie, get
it together. Just entertain this guy for a few hours, bed him and
then move on like he will. Like they all will until you are a
toothless slack old crow that only the desperate want to fuck.
    The Watchman
looked around the busying room and to the horde waiting upon their
drinks at the bar.
    ‘As much as it
would please me, I feel it best that you head back over and help
Cathy. The horde is getting restless.’
    He smiled at her
and winked. Her hands trembled again and she hated herself for it.
Susie went to say something but couldn’t and simply smiled and
headed back over to the bar where Cathy was waiting anxiously.
    For the next
couple of hours she served beer, laughed when required and
flattered where needed all the while feeling his eyes upon her and
knowing that he could see her watching him. A few times she floated
over to him with a fresh beer or a chaser and a meal of a meat
patty and some salted fries. They would small talk, laughing
occasionally and have odd elongated silences broken only by the
shrill of Mad Margaret or the cries of help from Cathy.
    In the corner of
the room, sat with the Deputy and the Deputies wife, Jameson, the
local Sheriff sat with his hands crunched tight and his eyes fixed
upon the Watchman. It wasn’t every day that you had a visit from an
Oath Bearer and it wasn’t every day that that Oath Bearer would
take the girl you liked to fuck and fuck her himself. What was
worse was that the Sheriff would now have to go home, to his ever
fattening wife and fuck that instead.
    10
    ‘Quite the
charmer, aren’t we, Oath Bearer?’
    Samson’s voice
spoke in Stephens mind causing him to spill some of his beer on the
floor.
    ‘I shall be quick,
Watchman. It seems as though the Witch knows you are here. She has
one of the Orbs and it has taken her and so has given her powers
almost equal to my own. I don’t think the mad old fool knows how
powerful she is but still……… Do not be afraid of her, but be
mindful.
    ‘We do not need
the Orb she carries yet, it and she together have uses, but she
will try and take the girl Susie and what is inside of her. This
you cannot let happen under any circumstances. Do not let her have
the girl. Barter, yes, especially for the weapon she offers you,
but deliver, no.’
    ‘What weapon? Why
does she want the girl?’ Stephen asked.
    But there was no
response and that was a good thing as stood in front of him was the
Deputy and a rather red faced and bloated Sheriff.
    11
    ‘Good evening,
Stephen.’ John began, ‘Hope you are having a pleasant evening?’
    The Watchman
nodded and raised his pint mug.
    ‘May I introduce
Cliff Jameson, our Sheriff and mayor.’ John motioned to the rather
fat man to his left and Stephen could see a sense of embarrassment
at having to introduce such a fat bastard to such a well esteemed
visitor as he.
    The Sheriff put
forward his hand, ‘Watchman, may I be one of the first to welcome
you to our town.’
    Stephen stood and
took the hand of the Sheriff. The two men shook, but it was
awkward; the Sheriffs hand clammy and so big they were hard to
hold.
    ‘It is a pleasure,
Sheriff. I was happy to come across this place such was my journey
upon the Wastelands.’
    Jameson grinned
awkwardly; he no more wanted to be here than a prisoner in his
cell. ‘Aye, a bitch of a place is that desert. Many a man has been
lost out there.’
    There was an
awkward silence between the three men, all stood there like prize
winning