The Fifth Horseman

“The Four Horsemen”1

At dusk, the field didn’t look so bad.2

During the day, the clear blue of the sky and the bright, jovial rays of the sun just made the parched earth of Adam Lewis’s property look sad and barren. But when the sky darkened and the sun started to sink, the land would look almost alive. The gold-red light would bleed into the dirt and shadows would fill the deep cracks where seeds had once been sewn, making them look like swollen rivers.3

Adam could imagine that he’d be able to harvest a bountiful crop and make a good profit selling it in the village. He could imagine that the swine-like Randal Moore hadn’t lied through his teeth about the fertile soil of the property he hadn’t been able to sell until Adam and his family had come, sick and weary from a month-long wagon trip from Ohio. Adam thought about Moore’s fat face and grinning promises and he clenched his hands tight around the handle of his shovel, wishing it was the flesh of Moore’s neck.4

“Adam?”5

He turned to see June standing on the back steps, looking out at him with a haggard face and tired eyes. “Is there anything we’d be able to eat?”6

“The crop’s yielded nothing for the past two months, what makes you think there’d be anything today?” he scowled.7

June said nothing, only held the door open for Adam to enter the house. 8

“Papa!” a small voice called out cheerfully.9

“Yes, child?” Adam asked, smiling wearily as he knelt to take his young daughter, Polly, into his arms. Though she was ten, she felt much smaller and her blonde hair that had once been radiant was now brittle. She never lost her optimism, though; none of the children had, Adam reflected.10

“Benny’s talking! He asked for you!” she chirped. “He’s getting better!”11

For a second, Adam shared the girl’s unshakable enthusiasm. Six year-old Benny, his first and only son, had been suffering from a fever for about a week. The idea of his son’s recovery was like the end of the draught. 12

Adam stood and walked to the room that Benny, Polly, and eight year-old Alice shared. It was dark and quiet. Adam whispered his son’s name when he knelt by the boy’s bedside. He saw Benny stir, his red cheeks almost glowing, then open his bright eyes.13

“Papa?”14

“Yes Benny. Your sister told me you asked for me.”15

“I’m sorry, Papa,” the boy whined.16

“For what?” Adam asked, confused.17

“For wishing to get sick.”18

“What?”19

“First Jimmy Hart got sick and didn’t have to go to school anymore. Then Joey Bright. I had math lessons with them and was jealous because we had a test coming up and they wouldn’t have to take it since they were at home sick. And then I got sick and I was glad and then I heard that they died, and that the rest of their families were getting sick and I wished I’d never thought about getting sick. I wished I had to take a hundred math tests as long as I could get better.”20

Tears were streaming down Adam’s cheeks. He wanted to take the boy in his arms and comfort him, but knew he couldn’t put his small body through any more strain. He only kissed Benny’s searing forehead and whispered, “It’ll be alright, son. I know you’re sorry. And you will get better. I know you will.”21

“I love you, Papa,” Benny whispered, his eyes drifting shut. Adam held his breath, terrified, but relaxed when he saw Benny’s thin chest start to rise and fall, though only slightly, with the rhythm of sleep.22

An hour later, June went into the bedroom to check on the boy and Adam heard her scream.23

“Oh God,” she sobbed. “Oh God, my baby’s dead.” The other two girls started to weep, softly. Adam was about to go into the room and take the boy’s body out into yard for burial when he heard a sound. It was faint, almost inaudible over the weeping, but when it got stronger and more distinct - loud, steady pounding. He looked out the window and saw four figures on horseback. In the last of the sun’s rays, their shadows were longer and darker than they should’ve been.24

“June, take the girls to the other room and don’t some out until you hear from me,” he ordered, then walked out the front door.25

At first the four figures looked to be men normal as he, but when Adam got closer to them, he was horrified.26

One man was ancient, thin white hair and skin only pale folds over his bones. Another was gaunt and desiccated, clothes hanging off of his skeleton. A third was ghastly, bloated and covered with running sores. Their horses were as feeble, starved, and sick as their respective riders. The fourth was lingering behind him.27

“Adam Lewis,” the old one addressed him with a voice that was surprisingly deep and strong. “We’ve been after you for long enough, watching your family starve and fester with illness. Now our younger brother has made his visit to you and it’s your time to make a choice.”28

After he finished speaking, the fourth man’s horse stepped forward. The horse was a skeleton with a skeleton riding it. But they were the least frightening of the group, with only clean, bleached bones. The skeleton’s voice was strong and clear.29

“Adam Lewis, either you can stay here and die after your wife and remaining children or you can leave them and ride with us.”30

“Where are you going?” 31

“Everywhere. We visit every place eventually.”32

“But how can I leave my family unprotected like this?”33

“You’re a fool to think that you can protect them from death,” the skeleton said.34

He heard slow steps tapping behind him and looked to see a bloody mess of a horse ambling toward him. Skin was missing from his flanks and stomach, leaving only wet red sinew. 35

“Silver…” he whispered. “But I shot her two weeks ago. Her meat lasted us until three days ago, but she’s still gone.”36

“Not anymore,” the old man said. “The fifth horseman needs a horse to ride.”37

“Fifth horseman?” he turned and asked.38

“Yes. Vengeance.”