[ IP ] Ghost Riders

On a cold, dark night the four of them had gone out looking for revenge. Their bellies were filled with liquid courage, and their heads were full of rage. They would burn down an entire village if they had to. 
 
 One of their own had been scalped and left for dead just that afternoon. He'd been shot in the back and they'd stuck him to the ground with a couple of arrows before they'd taken the skin off his head. It was n't right. 
 
 Although their initial intention was to go after many, they got to talking about a particular man the town thought of as the `` worst indian who ever lived''. Black Cloud kept mostly to himself, mean scrawny man with a scar that traveled halfway down his face. Even other natives avoided him. 
 
 He was unlikely to have had anything to do with what happened to John, but they'd have someone's hide by the end of the day. He was as good as any and they were sure they knew where to find him. 
 
 Trouble does n't need to be sought after. It's more than willing to come to you. So it was for these four, who fancied themselves as bringing Hell down on this man. James was good at tracking, but they really did n't need it. Except when it rained, he liked to spend his nights sparking up a campfire under his favorite tree. The thing was in the middle of nothing, easy to spot. 
 
 They rode hard and sure enough, there he was under that damned tree. They rode around him in circles for a few minutes before Bill got down from his horse, spit on him and kicked him in the face. Then they all got down. Jacob and James tied up the horses while Mark just stood there, looking at the man like a dolt. 
 
 Black Cloud was n't bleeding. His nose was n't broken, his teeth were n't smashed in. There was n't even any dirt from the bottom of Bill's shoes, not so much as a smudge. Slowly the man looked up at them and smiled. 
 
 There was too much shadow on his face given the size of the fire he'd started. Too many shadows. It was getting hard to see. Bill looked around, trying to spot the bodies making them. It was n't his men. He could n't hear anyone else. 
 
 He pushed it to the back of his mind and lifted Black Cloud by the neck, forcing him to his feet. The man showed no resistance. Bill suddenly felt sick. He was forced to let the man go in order to steady himself. He reached up to wipe sweat from his face, but felt something soft give way under his hand. There was a lot more wetness. 
 
 `` My God, Bill, your face!'' said Jacob. 
 
 `` What did you do to me?'' asked Bill, looking at the handful of what had to be his forehead, complete with some hair. This did n't feel real. It was hard to focus. 
 
 Black Cloud became smoke. Thick, black and fast, he came at all of them. Smoke filled their lungs. They were burning from the inside. When it was over, the four of them were still standing, but their faces were gone. 
 
 Eyes replaced by two burning lights. 
 
 The sound of Black Cloud came from everywhere, both inside and out. `` Your evil thoughts allowed me to climb in and feast, White Devils. You belong to me. You and your horses came to the land of ghosts. I did n't come to you. You took from me, and I accepted your trade. You are cursed to ride, looking for others like yourself. You will meet their crimes with your own. This desire will burn in you, like I burned in you. You will chase them until they've nowhere else left to run. You will never find rest until the last evil man is dead.'' 
 
 [ Edit: Fixed it ] 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

