[DL] Journal Entry from posse member (long)

["Dr. Nukem" <dr_nukem@hotmail.com>]

Greetings!

Here is one perspective on a session I ran last week with my Sydney group.  
They are at the tail end of "Such a Pretty Face".

Friday, 31 July 1878
I write this from my sick bed, whatever that creature was it sure knew how 
to shoot. The Doc tells me it’s been a whole day since we were brought in. 
At least I don’t feel like I’ll buck out any minute. I hope I’ll be 
all-a-settin’ in a day or two, my new orders make it clear that I will be 
needed. That however is the only thing they make clear, everything else is 
suitably vague

I suppose I should start at the beginning.

The mornin’ after the rattler attacked, (I must tell Jackson what it was so 
he stops calling it a sand squid & soundin’ like a fool), we found Miguel 
without the horses he had been looking for which had been at camp at dawn.

We saddled up & cut for sign, eventually finding a clearing backed onto a 
bluff with wagons and a large fire in the centre. Around the fire was ten or 
so fellers who looked to be drunk & in high spirits, waving their arms & 
firing pistols in a right fandango. We dismounted & moved closer to see two 
people tied up next to the fire, a man & a woman.

While we debated a course of action one of the men began to menace the 
captives with a rifle. I couldn’t take the chance that he might kill 
innocents and I fired on him without warning. I can only pray that the Lord 
will forgive me. My round hit the man full in the chest but he didn’t go 
down, I had to fire at least 2 more times before he dropped.

Jackson had run ahead as I fired (the man has guts) & proceeded to attack 
several of the men with his saber. Miguel pulled out that scattergun of his 
& we began blasting away at the enemy. I put a few shots into them but they 
just wouldn’t quit & I had to resort to clubbing them with my empty rifle. 
The only thing that saved me was the Lord’s cross which seemed to repel 
them.

As I fought them up close I saw that they were all in very bad shape, teeth 
falling out, rotting flesh hanging from their bones & an overpowering stench 
of death about them. These abominations weren’t men at all but some kind of 
dead thing that walked. I thank the Lord that we were able to stop their 
repulsive “life”.

Throughout the fight several snipers had been firing on me though only one 
shot came close. After I cut the prisoners loose I spotted one on top of the 
bluff. A well-placed shot soon brought him down & Miguel went to finish him 
as I tried to tag the other one. Somehow I heard the soft crunch of brass & 
cardboard & knew that Miguel had jammed his piece. I yelled for him to drop 
it &as he flung it away the breech exploded & he was thrown backwards by the 
blast. The boy was damned lucky, if I hadn’t shouted he could’ve lost a 
hand.

I ran to him & killed the thing that was trying to attack him & called on 
the Lord to heal & cleanse him. It worked and he was fine after a few 
minutes. I managed to get the last of the dead men & was just about to 
reload my Spencer when there was a shout from one of the wagons.

I still don’t know what happened but a tall sallow man stood there 
brandishing a pistol at Jackson. I fired into his chest but it had no effect 
so I presented my cross to him & trusted in the Lord. My faith must have 
been lacking for the monster turned & fired several rounds into my chest & I 
fell into blackness.

I just an hour ago back in Pleasant Hills my mind crying out for a cigar. 
Apparently we were saved by Bligh & his crony, a man called Spinks, though 
Bligh was killed in the fight.

From Jackson says we got the calico out alive & she has been reunited with 
her father.

Jackson handed me a telegram a short while ago, the contents of which are 
fairly simple if a little vague. How they managed to find us here is another 
matter.

Hope ya enjoyed!
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