The Devil’s Herd

It didn’t take long for Zack to realize he was in way over his head. Petty Larceny was his forte. Shoplifting, purse snatching, and breaking into a car or two kept him in spending cash and put food in his stomach. It wasn’t a noble life, but he got by—until now.

Zack’s latest escapade involved breaking into a storage shed in search of fencible items. What he found was a hut filled with illegal drugs. Unfortunately for him, the storage unit had video surveillance and belonged to a local crime boss. Once the video was shown to the boss, he ordered his men to find Zack and bring him in for a face-to-face meeting. It didn’t take long for the word to spread along the town’s criminal grapevine. A friend told Zack about the order, and the thief knew it was time to leave town.

His getaway vehicle was an eighty-nine Chevy Cavalier with over two hundred thousand miles on the odometer. The tires were almost bald, and the engine had a nasty knock. Not the most reliable car for a hasty retreat, but if an old Junker is what you have, an old Junker is what you use. He filled it up with gas and oil and sped out of town in the dead of night.

Zack’s worn-out car finally gave up the ghost on a back road that connected Laramie and Medicine Bow Wyoming. He gathered up what items he could carry and started walking. During his trek through the Laramie mountains, Zack’s mind replayed all the events that led him to this lonely place in his life.

Zack blamed his father for abandoning his mother when he was just a baby. He blamed his mother for spending more time at work than she did with him. His teachers’ lack of understanding made his list of grievances. The only person who escaped blame free was himself. Once he got to his final destination, wherever that may be, he would change his life. No more petty crimes for Zack. He would become a crime boss and people would do his bidding.

The day was dark and windy as the clouds shielded the earth from the sun’s rays. There was a feeling of foreboding in the air. Tired, he stopped upon a ridge to rest. Thick dark clouds roiled around him and the wind howled like a banshee.

Zack was transfixed by what he saw next. A mighty herd of red-eyed steers came rumbling across the ragged heavens. Their brands were still on fire, and their hooves were made of steel. Their horns were black and shiny, and their hot breath he could feel. A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky, for he saw the riders coming hard, and he could hear their mournful cries.

Zack trembled with fear as the riders drew closer. He could see their gaunt faces and blurred eyes. Their shirts were all soaked with sweat as they rode hard to catch the uncatchable herd. The horses snorted fire as they thundered by him, then one rider called his name,

“If you want to save your soul from hell. If you want to keep from joining our quest to catch the devil’s herd, you must change your ways.”

The herd and wranglers slowly evaporated into the clearing sky. Zack gradually returned from his stupor, unsure if what he witnessed was real or a dream. Two things he was sure of. He would never return to the town he left behind, and he would never, ever steal again.