~~~
Two days later, the Gillants stood side by side at the spine of the slope above where they'd first tracked the gremlins to the cave. They'd found another entrance where the colony escaped from after the blast. All they had to do was wait for the nasties to come out to forage.
The Gillants stood ready to finish the job.
But this time they didn't stand alone.
Doc Wal put the word out and every farmer and rancher that lived on the outskirts of town came.
Jake held the crossbow, giddy to start the show and shoot flaming arrows into the little suckers. He'd teach them never to mess with his family. 'Course they wouldn't be alive to actually learn the lesson, but that was a moot point, he decided.
He glanced at Cael. He and Henry both tried to talk the teen into staying out of this one because it was going to be loud, but Cael had been adamant in seeing this through. Stubborn ass. Even though Cael's headaches had already lessened, Jake still spied his sibling grimacing now and again. He'd made certain he had the doc's pills in his dad's SUV for when this was through. Jake smiled, enjoying giving Cael crap about taking animal medicine at every opportunity.
"First one's out of the cave," Henry whispered, holding up a hand to signal the ranchers to wait, let more gremlins come out before Doc Wal detonated the cave mouth. There were at least twenty good ol boys watching for Henry to give them the okay to start firing. A second gremlin skittered from the entrance, sniffing the breeze.
"Aim your stream high so it will arc into them." This time Cael's propane torch was equipped with a larger tank. He was actually their best shot with the crossbow, but couldn't work it right now with his wrist in a cast.
"I know, Jake." Exasperation oozed throughout his quiet tone.
Jake grinned, grateful beyond measure that he still had Cael to tease. Cael nearly died. Dad nearly died.
Lost in his thoughts, his palm tightened around the stock of the crossbow and he missed his father's signal. Fire erupted around him, flames arcing into the gulley, streaming into dozens of gremlins. Bullets whined through the air. An abrupt explosion punched through the ground, blowing the cave entrance, swallowing it flat as the hill above crumpled on top of the cave, cutting off any of the nastie's retreat back inside.
It was like shooting fish in a barrel. Only taking the time to light them up, Jake shot burning arrow after arrow, wholly satisfied every time he hit the mark and a gremlin exploded. He felt like a kid at an arcade, screaming joyously beneath the noise, "Die you suckers, die! Burn, babies, burn!" His only regret was that it all went down too quickly.
When all was still and smoky, burning husks of gremlins were strewn across the little gulley.
Jake found Cael sitting on a rock, forehead wrinkled tight. "How's your head?"
Cael attempted to smooth out his features, but it didn't work. "It's fine." Which was Cael code for hurts like a mother. But the kid was grinning like a loon, pleased at finally chalking this up to a successful job so Jake let him be.
Henry and Doc Wal walked over, trailed by another guy. Had to be a farmer because no rancher would wear that funky straw hat.
Henry pulled some pills out of his pocket and handed Cael a water bottle. "You okay?"
"Fine," Cael huffed, all teenage petulance, but took the pills anyway.
Henry extended his hand to Doc Wal, clasping it tightly. "I can't thank you enough." He glanced at Cael. "For everything."
"My pleasure. If you folks hadn't come along, we'd still have a nasty infestation on our hands." Doc patted Jake's arm. "If you ever need anything…anything—" He cocked his head meaningfully. "You know where to find me."
Jake nodded. It was always handy to have a medical professional willing to help without raising eyebrows.
Henry handed a slip of paper to the farmer next. "My number. If it turns out this isn't the last of the creatures, call. I'll come right away."
The farmer took the paper, nodding, and patted his shotgun. "Appreciate it, but I think we'll be able to handle ourselves."
Henry grinned. "That I don't doubt. This county's in good hands."
The farmer pulled his own slip of paper out and handed it to Henry. "Can't speak for the folks in town, but if you and yours are ever in need, come round to any of our outlying farmsteads. Gillant is a name we won't soon forget."
Henry thanked him and handed the slip of paper to Jake. "So, a bunch of demons got past you?"
"Yeah. Too many. Think the guys will help track them?"
"They live for it." Henry smiled.
Jake grinned back and looked at the name written on the paper. "You are freakin kidding me. McDonald?" He chuckled. "Well then, E-I-E-I-O."
Epilogue