Stranger Danger

Stranger Danger

Keya shook her head she had to stop thinking about the funeral of her grandfather. He was gone and she was now alone. She was only twenty-one years old and she was independent. Grandpa made sure she was left with everything she needed. He taught her everything she knows on raising the farm. That part of death she could handle it’s the other part where she had to learn how to survive without him. Grandpa gave her two dogs which she regards them as best friends. Black and Blackie been with her since they were small pups. Grandpa talk to them and taught them things like hunting, and how to be quiet when strangers were around to attack them. She knew they would hurt anyone who would try to hurt her. The two of them acted like they understood grandpa when he uses to talk to them. She could hear her grandpa now “Gal you can’t get nothing done by being scared. Shake it off and get going!” Otis T pain never beat around the bush and didn’t care to be cuddled. He grew her up to be the same stand up for yourself. She could shoot, catch rabbit and any other game by the age of thirteen. Her mom died when she was born and she never knew her father. The animals needed feeding and she knew she better get up and do so because there wasn’t no one else to do it.

Her cousins Helen and Kate said they would stop by later to check on her and bring her dinner. She could cook but they wanted to help her out since grandpa gone now. She wasn’t hungry anyway but she would try to eat something. She walked outside to grab the feed for the chickens and the pigs before she set off to go into town later that day for more supplies. She wasn’t all alone her cousins lived down the road and she had plenty of cousins around not too far if she needed something. She walked out and saw her neighbor Jake Shoals standing over by his front door. The man hated her grandpa and our whole family for that matter. He never got over grandma leaving him for grandpa. He made it loud and clear to everyone how he felt. He believed her grandma was duped by my grandfather in order for her to leave the comfort of him. He looked over at her drinking something out of his cup with a stern look. She acted like she didn’t see him standing there and started to feed the animals. The pigs were getting really big her pregnant pig was due any day now. They were so dirty you couldn’t tell they were pink anymore she was going to hose them down later. Grandpa didn’t really care for her to do that he would always say “Pigs are supposed to be dirty!” I disagreed. She moved over to the other side and started to brush the horses down and feed them some apples all except her favorite horse storm she was going to ride him out today.

“Come on you two,” time for you too to eat. Black and Blackie her two German shepherds travel with her everywhere she goes. She got them one Christmas from grandpa. The two have saved her life a time or two. Grandpa always thought they were more human than animal because he swore the two of them understood everything he said. He once said something about having to be awaken at four in the morning and the two of them woke grandpa at four in the morning. It was if they could read a clock. She pulled out some cooked chicken from the last dinner that was sent over. She fed them human food when she had some. They ate and she went over to take a bath get dress to go out. Her wardrobe needed more cloths to be called a wardrobe. All she had was sweatpants and jeans which was fine with her. She didn’t do much but take care of the farm and the animals. At twenty-one she should be dating but she wasn’t interested in any boy right now. There had been some that came around none she wanted to see again. The house was old it needed some painting and the furniture been around as long as she been alive. The colors brown, beige and black. It needed something. Keya was thinking she would change things and add her own taste. She was going to stay living in the house. She had no plans on leaving. She whistles for her dogs but they were already in the truck. She just smiled and wondered how they are able to predict her thoughts before hand she had no clue. She got in and heads up the road. She wrote out a list last night. Her neighbor passed her by as she was driving. Mr. Jake was also the sheriff in town and he was not friendly to her at all. She tried to say hello to him once and he just walked right past her. Jake was from the old school and he didn’t like people of color. He never understood how my grandmother a white woman would be interested in becoming a squaw to an Indian. Grandpa was really handsome when he was a young man. He used to be ahead of a tribe called Suwanee. He stood six feet four and muscled back then. Grandma said she loved him because he was so gentle with her. In Indian culture the husband is the boss over their women. Grandma told me that grandpa talk with her and took her advice when they were alone. They loved each other. Keya knew that if she didn’t know anything else.

Jake was in the store when she went in. He was standing over by the cash out desk with other officers. He looked casually over at her while she got what she needed. He was drinking another cup of coffee. That man must not sleep at all with all the coffee he drinks during the day. He left before she reached the cash out table. When she went back out to get back in her truck her dogs were growling. She looked around to see what or who alerted her dogs. She didn’t notice anyone she knew. There were two men coming out another store across the street. She didn’t recognize the strangers but they looked dangerous. They were getting in an old white Cadillac they had on grey overall they looked upkept. “Shush” she knew her dogs were not mistaken about these two but she didn’t want her dogs to get louder or act out. She got in her truck and was able to watch the strangers as they started up their engine and drove off. Keya notice that one of the men were looking around like they looking for someone or somebody. Maybe they were looking to see if they were being watched. They couldn’t see her watching them she pets black in her lap. Before she was able to drive off Jake walked up by her window. “You better keep those dogs off my property!” She just drove off without making a comment. Her dogs only go to his property because he be trying to trap them setting out food. They look but they know not to eat. Grandpa taught them early that they are only allowed to eat from her hand only. She put a little pee in their food to insure they understood. She saw those strangers driving up a little ahead of her. They turned off down the road two blocks down. That road was deserted and she knew there was and abandon house down there. She sensed danger but she minded her business. Kate and Helen were at her front porch when she arrives back to her ranch. “Hey we brought you stuff to eat that might hold you over for a few days.”

Kate and the rest of her cousins have been great help to her since grandpa gone. They allowed her to live alone because they knew Black and Blackie would look out for her. They would never allow anyone to touch her plus she knew how to protect herself if she had to.

“Kate, do you know if that house is still abandoned up the road?” Kate looked at her concern.

“Yeah, as far as I know the owner said he may fix it up and sell it but he hasn’t made a move yet. “Why do you ask?” Keya wasn’t sure she should say anything. “I saw some strangers going down there.” Kate looked even more concern. “Maybe they are interested in buying the property? You know you can stay with us if you feel unsafe Keya.”

“These dudes didn’t look like they were buying. Anyway, I just ask no big deal. They might be drug addicts looking for a place to sleep.”

Kate and Helen stay awhile and spent some time with Keya. They helped her take care of things that needed to be taken care of around the house. The laundry, dishes, sweep the house and the porch and other things that needed to be tended to. Some of the fences needed to be mended. She promises to tell Ken when she gets home so he could come over later to fix it. One of the cows tried to get through last week. Kate left and she decided to watch the news and settle in for the night. She locked up and closed up the windows. It was late and she was a little tired it had been a long day. She had to tend to the farm and the land by herself she might hirer some others hands in the coming weeks. She had to figure out how many other people she may need. Black and Blackie laid down on the sofa by her. Blackie stood up and started whining. Then Black did the same thing they both stood up and went to the door and started barking. This was no regular bark they were growling and barking at the same time. Keya turned off the tv and cut off the lights. Grandpa had put a peek hole around the house where she could look out without anyone being aware. She walks quietly over to the window and peeked out. She recognizes a scent of white men were on her porch and she had a feeling who it might be. The strangers from town. They were standing outside looking around looking how to get in. They had weapons so she wasn’t going to send her dogs out there. If they get in that would be another story. It’s dark so her dogs would have and advantage. She didn’t want them to come in. “Get off my property.”

“Little girl is you alone?”

“We need something to eat. Come out we won’t hurt you.”

“If you don’t leave, I will shoot.” They started laughing quietly. Keya thought they might know she was alone. They could have asked someone because they were confident about being there. Keya grab the loaded gun out of her drawn and went back to the hole and aim. She decided she would shoot one of them in the leg to let them know she meant business.

“I’m warning you once more move off my property or I will shoot!” Keya aims for his leg. She decided to hit him in the lower leg. She shoots and it landed exactly where she wanted. “Get off my property or I will shoot you again.”

“You bitch, we will be back.” They went back to their car with the injured man lipping and the other stranger having to help him in. Then they rode off. She had no doubt that they would be back. She would go and report what happened. She called Kate and they all came over the next morning.

The next morning, she went into the sheriff office to report what happened. They ask questions on descriptions and details on what happened. I even told them where I thought they were. Jake heard her story and he look like he didn’t believe her but Sayed he would check it out. You know these types of people like to lie. “If I found out you lying you will pay the price. Keya didn’t care what he believed she only want him to check on those strangers that came on her property. She knew they were in that abandon building.

“Sheriff we do have some convicts that were escaped from prison two days ago.” James was the sheriff deputy. He was a nice man. He’s married and his wife is pregnant. “The brothers Al and Ray Cox they escaped from jail. They were wanted for robbery and killing and officer.” Jake didn’t like Keya grandfather but she was known to be and honest person. He knew he would have to check it out but he wouldn’t alarm anyone.

“Let’s go and check to see if they set themselves up in that abandon building.” Said Jake.

Keya left and went to visit Kate for a while. She needed to get out the house and calm her nerves. The men scared her and she was worried more about her dogs than herself. She didn’t want the men to shoot at them. She had a good time seeing her little cousins. She played with the little ones and spent the day helping around their farm which was smaller than hers and grandpa. She hadn’t had fun in a while. She really couldn’t find anything to smile about. At twenty-one she still didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life. She would think about it in the next coming months but right now she was content. Grandpa left her money and her house so she could do what she wanted. It was getting late so she slept over Kate house. Her dogs laid right by her side.

It was morning Black and Blackie woke her up so they could go out. She got up and let them out. Everyone else was still asleep. She always gets up around dawn she had a inside clock like her grandfather. She grabs her jacket and keys and decided to go on home and check on her house. “Let’s go you two.” They jumped inside the truck and Keya drove them home. It was cold this morning she felt the chill but she had no heat inside her truck. The truck was old and on its last leg. She promises herself she would to look into getting something new since she now had the money. She pulled up in front of her house and Black and Blackie starts to whine and bark at the same time. She grabs her gun under her seat. Maybe the strangers decided to come back this time they weren’t leaving. She was going to put them down now that she knew they were criminals. She looked around and didn’t see anything. She put the dogs on their leash she didn’t want them to attack or run. She got out and they got out and she stayed close to the truck. She looked around she didn’t see nothing. Her doors were locked and she looked around the house for tracks like grandpa taught her she saw nothing. She stood in front of the house but Black and Blackie wanted to run towards the other direction. Black and Blackie sense danger down the road. She decided to let her dogs lead her to what they sense. She grabs her other gun and put it in her leg holder. She walks with her dogs the dogs were leading her up the road.

She had and idea what the dog sense. The strangers were down this road. She told the dogs to be quiet. She took them off their leash and told them to look at her. “Do not run. You are to show me what it is and you are to keep quiet.” Blackie woofs as if he understood. Keya didn’t walk down the trail that leads to the house but instead takes another road that she knew that lead to the house. Black and Blackie followed her lead. Her dogs knew to lay low. She didn’t see anything as she was walking up. The air was quiet but cool and this was Arizona there wasn’t much in the desert. She smells blood and continue to walk until she sees a police car by the abandon house. She recognizes the car as Jake the sheriff. She remembers him telling another officer that they were going to check out the abandon house. Keya at first didn’t see anyone she wanted to know if they caught the strangers. Blood was a scent she recognizes whether it was human or animal. Someone was bleeding and they were bleeding badly. Keya was alerted now and she begins to walk quietly. There were patches of tall grass so she hid behind them as she got closer to the house. She grabs her gun and look through the binocular to look around for the sheriff. The sheriff’s car door was open. She hears the car radio talking but there was no one in the car. She saw blood on the steering wheel and look around to see who blood it could be. She back out the vehicle and looked around she saw blood leading into the abandon house. She creeps around the side to look inside a window to see inside. There she saw some of what was going on. The sheriff was shot and standing in front of him was one of the strangers. He was talking to the other stranger that she shot the other night. She saw his injury where she shot him. She hurt him badly but he kept grabbing his leg. He was also bleeding profusely. The other officer was not moving and she couldn’t tell he was dead. He was lying very still on the ground. The sheriff must of came in and wasn’t aware that these two were armed. Keya saw the first stranger coming out and he drags the injured man out with him. They were trying to make a run for it by using the sheriff car. She ordered black and blackie to disarm them. Blackie and Black quietly walk up and grabs the stranger by the arm holding the gun. The man feels the bite and drops it. He drops the injured guy and they grab his hand and he dropped his gun. Keya comes around and pointed her gun at the strangers “Put your hands up.”

“Oh, if it isn’t Mrs. Bitch.

“Put up your hands mister! I already prove to you I will shoot! Now put them up!” The stranger puts his hand. “Can you call off your dogs. I’m no longer armed.” The stranger dropped the injured man and runs into the desert. She called her dogs back. The injured man managed to get his gun and pointed it at her dogs. She shot him and she kills him. She didn’t mean to but she wasn’t going to let him shoot her dogs.

“Get back boys.” She could see the stranger ahead he got a little farther. She let him go because she knew the sheriff was hurt and she had to see how badly. She went back in and saw he was shot in his left shoulder. She didn’t say anything and neither did he. She walked over to him and grabbed his good arm to help him up. He got up and they moved towards the car him limping and she trying very hard not to drop him. She put him in the passenger seat barely making it and he was losing a lot of blood. She opens the back door and her dogs jumped in. She went back in to check on the other officer and found out he was dead. She about to leave when she heard whining it was his dog Sparky. Sparky was shot in his chest. Keya could tell from its wound it wouldn’t survive. She shot it and put it out of its misery. Why did he have to shoot Sparky he was old and would not have attack that really pissed her off. She ran back to the truck and drove Jake to the hospital. She pulled right up to the emergency door. She pulled him by his arm and told him to hold on. “Thank you, Keya. I know you didn’t have to help me.” Keya looks at him and smiles. “This isn’t the time sheriff. Just get better.”

“Keya, do me a favor?’

“What’s that sheriff. He picked up his head and look her in the eyes. She can see him struggling with his pain. “Get that bastard.”

“Would you like him dead or alive sheriff?”

“I just want you to lay him down.” Two nurses came to help him unto a stretcher to take him in but not before he gave her a wink. He mouthed the words “Get him.”

Keya got back in her truck. She had some of the sheriff’s blood on her shirt but like he told her she was going to go and find that stranger. Not because of the sheriff but because he shot James and Sparky. James was expecting a baby and that crazy stranger killed them. She was going to try to bring him in alive. But if she, couldn’t she be going to lay him out. She got back to the abandon building and got out to look for his tracks. He was headed into the desert. She got black and blackie out of the car and she bend down to talk to them. Let us go and get that stranger. Black and Blackie moved quickly. She kept them on the leash she didn’t want to let them go just in case the stranger was hiding. After walking for about a mile both dogs sat down. That was their way of telling her the stranger was up ahead. Up ahead was and abandon shed. She shushes the dogs by putting her fingers up to her mouth. They walked quietly and she saw and opening where she could see inside. She looked around and she didn’t see him. She moved around with her gun pointed and ready. The stranger was walking out the shed. “Put your hands up.” He put them up and as she walked towards him. He tries to run again. “Get him!’ Black grabs him by his leg and Blackie got him by his arm. He falls to the ground. There was some rope in lying on one of the shelfs she tired the stranger up hog style.

Sheriff Jake came by after he got out the hospital. She thought he was going to go back to his old self. He walks over with his arm in a cast and his morning coffee. “Hey there Keya.”

“Hi Sheriff.”

He walks over and pet her dogs. “If you ever need their help let me know. “Your grandpa taught them well. It probably took everything he had to say something nice about grandpa. She knew then they would be friends.

The End

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