So I literally just got home to find that my husband has slept from 11:30 p.m. to about 3:30 p.m.
He’s rocking in his recliner watching some show with John Cena in it. He stops rocking and leans over and says so what about some haunted guns??? I give him the strangest look like he has lost his mind and ask what he is talking about.
Last night while he was watching tv in the bedroom, I had already nodded off and there was a big boom on the tv. I rolled over and said, “It must be the haunted guns.” I am a sleep talker which he knows. It must have been some sort of dream… I’m finding this hilarious that I was dreaming about guns for more than one reason. That sounds like a sweet dream….

BOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!

Thunder shakes the abandoned outpost that we have managed to find in the dark. Belle Starr is brushing down the horses in the barn and Ashley Oakley is gathering up firewood. Mama K has started dusting off the table. Little Britches and I are checking the couple of rooms for provisions left behind.  We don’t find much just an old candle and a holey sock.

Mama K hollers from the kitchen for us to all sit down.

“I found this in a cup over there. Might be nothing but I thought I might see what it says.” She says.

I grab the lamp and sit it down beside her.

To whoever finds this,
 It has been months since anyone has stopped by. All of my men have left to go back to their homes and I am all that is left. We have stayed for as long as we have felt needed. Nobody comes this way anymore. Guess they like going by rail more. There is 5 shotguns out in the barn. Only the chosen will be able to shoot them straight and true. They belonged to good men. They are in the ground now. Take good care of them. They will take care of you.
Respectfully,
 Lt. Ezekiel Masterson

We all sat there quietly. You could have heard a pin drop.

“The rain is starting to let up.” Ashley Oakley eyed all of us.

Little Britches chuckled and didn’t even get her chair scooted before she was tripped by Belle Starr. Mama K let out a shout but it was lost in all the commotion.

I made it to the door before the rest did.

“EASY!!!” I shouted.

“Ah come on, Kalamity.” Belle Starr said.

“We are gonna do this together.” I said. “We ain’t gonna act like fools.”

“Alright, alright.” Little Britches said.

I open the door only to be knocked out of the way by the lot, so like the rest of the bunch besides Mama K, I took off toward the barn.

We searched the thing from top to bottom. We couldn’t find them anywhere. They weren’t in the hay loft or hanging up on the wall. They were nowhere we could find.

“Mama K” Little Britches asked. “What did that note say again?”

She read it over again. “There is 5 shotguns out in the barn. Only the chosen will be able to shoot them straight and true. They belonged to good men. They are in the ground now. Take good care of them. They will take care of you.”

I’m standing in the middle of the barn and take a step. It feels solid where I’m standing instead of where I just stepped from. I stomp my foot.

“He ain’t talking bout the men being in the ground. He’s saying the guns are!!!” I shout with excitement as I go down on one knee and start searching the floor for a handle, a latch, a hole, something to open up the floor. They’ve all started searching with me.

“Here!” I shout and grab the edge of the wood. It starts to give from all the time sitting  here rotting. It creaks a couple of times but I manage to get it open. The sky sounds like it has opened up outside. Mama K holds the lantern to steady as we all stare at an old plain box. Belle Starr and Little Britches get ahold of each end and hoist it up.

There is an old lock on it but after one kick from Ashley Oakleys boot and it gives.

“Must be rusted good.” She shruggs.

We all gather round and open the box to find 5 double barrel shotguns. They have the prettiest filigree on the barrels and our initials are on the stocks.

“Lookie there.” Mama K points in horror at the initials.

The thunder booms louder this time and lighting cracks when it hits a tree outside.

I look over my shoulder at the girls and whisper, “It must be the haunted guns.”

~Kalamity