THE DEVIL'S HUTCH

THE DEVIL'S HATCH

Evil comes alive at night.

I moved from the big city to an outback tiny village, never really thinking about the culture change. For starters people in the village were not that friendly or helpful so I put it down to being wary of strangers. I sort of had this mind set that small country places were community minded and welcoming. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Well too late I am here now and I just have to get on with doing what I needed to do to settle in. It was a lovely summer December night and I was putting stuff away in the shed, it was getting late so I went to shut the shed door and felt something brush my toes when I looked down I saw the biggest Eastern Brown Snake and I was wearing our Assie Footwear, the good old rubber thongs.

I stood absolutely still, Ok a big snake! I dare not even breathe, the snake just slithered into the shed. Right I'll close the door, went to reach for the door knob when I felt something going over my toes again, I look down, not breathing and a second Eastern Brown Snake also slithered into the shed.

Ok they are in the shed and I figured they must have been living there for quite a number years. I decided that they were not worried about me and the shed is their's at night and mine during the day. Wow! What a welcome and I am laughing thinking how lucky I am. Finished for the night and my bed looked awfully good.

Next morning I am looking at the shed from the decking porch when I noticed the cat looking at something, then I see it and another younger slightly smaller snake. OMG! If the cat moves it will surely die. Goodness the cat gets up and went over to the snake which reared up. Oh GOD! I can't help the cat and what happened next, is the cat and the snake touched noses like kissy kissy. Then the snake slithered off leaving the cat standing there. Wow! I thought Fluffy was an extremely amazing cat.

The day must have reached about 48c for it very hot and I am thinking this must be the Devil's land for sure, it certainly felt like Hell. Ants all over the place, blowflies that are very annoying. About 15kms out of town is a hill that has a sign which reads DEAD MAN'S HILL.

I was told the story of unnamed Asian Miner who was murdered for his gold and tools, for the outback is full of Gold Mines and old wells dating back to the Gold Rush Era. The night is black as black in the bush and unlike the city where one can not see the Stars properly, out here the Stars are beautiful like a million fairy lights.

I settled into the life and 4 years had past since I came here and then things started to happen, I would hear voices from my bed and banging on the house. Someone stole my chickens, broke into my house while I was asleep. Then one day I was talking to a lady in the next town and she told me that there is an evil man, every so often he would attack older women, rape and do horrible things to them. These women were never the same after their ordeal. Some killed themselves, so sad to hear this.

I asked if they know who it is and the lady told me that they only know what he wears. She said "He wears a cowboy large brim hat and a very long coat like the Dry as a Bone brand." I asked "Where does he live?". She said "Nobody knows because he disappears, just disappears!" I went to leave and the lady called out "This evil man has been doing that to women for many years, make sure you lock your doors and windows. Be alert ok". "I will do" I told her.

After she told me about this evil person, I too felt a little uneasy going to bed at night for I lived alone. If I didn't check outside and inside once wasn't enough, two or three times I would go check at the slightest noise.

I bought two knives at the Shopping Centre 200kms away, we only have one policeman in town and sometimes he was away, so if you were in trouble, it be hour or more before the police could attend. A person could be dead by the time help arrived.

Some weeks passed and news had mentioned about a woman that had been attack brutally while her husband was away working.

A reward was offered to anyone who knew who the man was. My mind was working overtime just trying to come up with a plan on how to get rid of the evil that cursed the women. I was just about to fall asleep when I heard my name being called outside my window, Gosh! My heart was racing and I pretended to be asleep. I had my knives under the blankets as I slept with them everynight. The morning came and I decided that the only way to get him was to play detective. "Right, have to figure out how that was going happen?" talking to myself, damn if I'm going to live in fear. "All I need is courage."

I was coming back from my shopping trip quite late, the sun had just gone down as I drove up the hill and in the distance I saw someone with a long coat and a large brim hat and it did look odd because it was very warm. Mmmm..... no-one dresses like that when we are in the middle of a heat way. Then I realised who it was and got home as quick as possible because I was about to follow him on foot. "Courage girl, courage" I told myself.

I could see a house in the bush but not far from the village so I figured he must be headed to that house. I quickly got my shopping inside, grabbed the knives and took off on my mission.

As I got closer to the house I heard screaming and cries of help, I looked through the window and a lady was face down on the bed, her hands tied behind her back. Poor woman she was naked and he was on top her, he had his pants down and his feet hanging over the bed.

"Well that's it, I have to do something" I told myself. I was really quiet sneaking into the house and there at the bedroom door, I took my knives one each hand and I stabbed his feet. I put the knives so far in, the handles touched the skin. My heart was pounding and I ran like hell and hid behind a huge tank of water sheltered by a huge old Pear Tree.

He came out yelling "I'LL GET YOU, I'LL GET YOU".

I peaked and saw he was bleeding badly and having trouble walking, so I followed taking care he couldn't see me. After awhile I saw he stopped and brushed the sand away. I saw him pulled up a wooden hatch door out of the ground. I saw him get in with blood pouring out of his feet. He closed the hatch and I decided to wait a few minutes. I tell you, I saw he came out and his feet was like nothing had happened to him. Then I saw his face, it looked almost decayed (like death). An ordinary man would have needed stitches for what I did to him. He came out of the ground like new again.

I waited in silence until he went back down into the ground closing the hatch door, as soon as it was safe I locked that door because I need to get back home. I ran fast like I was in a race.

When I finally got home, I locked every window and the doors, I had a shower then got more knives out of the kitchen draw.

I went to bed, I really needed to sleep it off at what I had seen.

It must have been about 2am when I heard a bang at the window, my name was being called. Crikey!

My heart was racing hard and I thought Evil had come for me, quietly I peeked out of the window. Wow! the relief I felt, turned out to be my cousin and her husband. They had driven up from the city to stay for awhile. I told them what had happen and together we decided the Devil needed to disappear completely. Armed with a can of petrol, matches and a bible, we arrived at the Devil's Hutch, we opened it and threw the Bible into his hideout, poured the petrol down then we set him alight saying prayers to GOD. I felt good because women don't have to be afraid anymore. I had no guilt or remorse for that Devil of evil.

The three of us made an oath to never ever mention what we did.

Written by Marilee R Burtt