30 Days of Fiction: 18

A single dim light could be seen in the darkness. I could see it pulsating in and out as I drew nearer to the source and it grew brighter. A tall figure began to take shape and soon I stood a few feet away from a tall man in a long dark overcoat. His face was covered by the brim of a wide black hat until he lifted his face as if he just realized I was there.

"You him?" he said as he lift the right side of his coat to reveal a Colt peacemaker. He put the cigarette out on the leathery holster and looked up. 

"I'm the one you've called for. To come out to the edge of this field. In the shade of these trees to meet," I said, hoping he would mistake my nervous chatter for rugged indifference. 

The man looked me up and down with distrust and curiosity and then said, "Well, alright. Come with me, then."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what this is all about, Mister Carter," I said and added quickly, "with all do respect."

His face softened slightly after my "with all do respect" and he walked forward and leaned in close. He took a firm grip on my shoulder and whispered, "You'll see." He smiled as he turned and started to walk into the darkness of the forest. I was compelled to follow. After about twenty minutes of slow, silent meandering through black cottonwood and red alder another glowing light was beginning to grow and widen. 

Approaching the raging bonfire my heart quickened as the figures of men began to take shape against the light. They circled the fire, all with the same hats, jackets and soulless eyes and among, somewhere, was the one I had followed here. Stepping closer to the fire, almost joining them, I began to notice that they were all the same. Not just in dress but in their faces as well. Fifteen clones all looking at me, waiting for me to take that last step. 

What happens if I join them, I asked myself. Would I become one of them or would they devour my flesh and through my bones in the fire? Or should I run for it? 

Just then a voice came from one of them and none of them saying, "All you need to do is take one more step and we will tell you why you are here. Why you have been chosen.  I will tell you everything. But first, you must join us in the circle."

They stared and my foot began to rise up and I stared at it as it dropped forward compelling the rest of my body forward. As soon as I felt the ground underneath me the world began to spin and the bright light of the fire faded sharply to black. 

A moment later I was back in my room, my eyes adjusting to the darkness and my mind adjusting to the rude awakening of reality.