A to Z Challenge: F – Fear Gortach

Greetings, mortals! You caught me catching a snack. Just some bone meal…hehehe. Well, I don’t eat much. But, in today’s story I will tell you about someone that does. Hungry would be an understatement…

The cemetary keeper had reported incidents of grave robbing.

As deputy sheriff, I was tasked with keeping an eye out for the robber. Now, camping out next to the graveyard is not a task I fancied, but it was my duty as a lawman to put a stop to all crimes. I waited by the edge of the cemetary, hiding behind some rocks. I kept my eyes peeled for any trespasser. A few minutes past the midnight mark and halfway through my can of beans, I noticed a pale figure approaching the graveyard. I unholstered my six-chamber colt, and snuck into the graveyard.

As I got closer to the figure, I realised that it was a man unlike any I had seen. He was stark naked, and his bones stuck out visibly. He looked famished. No, he looked emaciated. As he began digging a grave, I called out to him with all the courage I could muster.

“You there! Stop!”

The pale man stopped and turned towards me. Even in the moonlight, I could make out that his teeth were razor sharp, and his eyes lacked any sign of life. I willed my hands to stop shivering.

“Grave robbing is an offence under the marshal law. You are under arrest.”

The pale man calmly responded.

“Sir, I mean you no harm. But, I am hungry. So hungry. I only eat that which is already dead. That is the only way I can stop myself from consuming those that still live. If you walk back now, and leave me be, I promise to continue staying away from living men. My kind are not known for showing such consideration, mind you.”

His kind. The fact that I could occassionaly see through his body, confirmed my suspicions. I holstered my pistol and backed away from the man.

I never wanted to cross paths with Fear Gortach, a phantom of hunger, again…

(Word Count: 318)

Did the deputy sheriff really neglect his duty? Or did he just make the smart choice. I think he just wanted to get back to his can of beans. Just as I will get back my bone meal now. Adios, mortals. Until next time!