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She wasn’t making me feel any better. “Sounds “Probably canceling Halloween tonight
like a good idea. You’re right. I need to lie ‘cuz they think you dumb hippies are going to
down. My head’s spinning.” go and protest it.” That was Eric Sable, a nasty
Grandma smiled just a bit; I could tell piece of work who never had a good word
she was happy telling me her two cents worth. concerning anything.
“You go to your room,” she said, finally I wanted to say something quick and
moving sideways so I could get past. “Just clever right back, but I’m one of those folks
make sure you sleep on your side. Don’t want that can’t think of anything smart until two
you throwing up in your sleep and choking on days after. Then I’ve got a million comebacks. I
your own vomit.” just shook my head.
“Will do,” I said. “Kids?” Mr. Palace said. “There’s going
Once I was in bed I couldn’t sleep. My to be lots of you talking over the next few days
mind raced with images of the Long Fellow. and we didn’t want there to be any rumors.
No one would believe what’d gotten me sick. You’re all old enough to hear the truth.”
The Long Fellow was something the kids sang Get on with it, I thought. Come on.
about - he wasn’t real: “We lost Jenny Lou Harrison last night.”
His voice broke saying her name; he lowered
“When the night gets long his chin and he put a thumb to his forehead
And the day goes quick, before looking back up.
You better hide inside, My chest felt numb. How could she be
Or you might get sick - dead? The Long Fellow wasn’t supposed to kill
Out come the Long Fellow, you, after all, just leave you an empty soulless
Playing his tricks, shell. I was there last night. Did anyone see me? Are
Sucking your soul, they going to make the connection and pin me at her
Through your fingertips...” house? Are they going to arrest me? What am I going
to tell them? That the Long Fellow did it? I felt dizzy.
All of us knew the rhyme. We grew up Clutching the sides of my desk, I took a long
singing and scaring each other with Long deep breath.
Fellow stories. “She passed away in her sleep. No one’s
Legend was he came down from the sure exactly why, but we’ll let you know as soon
mountains on Halloween every year to feed on as we do.” He made himself stand straight and
kids. He’d put out his hands and pull your put his hands to his hips like a drill sergeant. “If
essence from your fingertips, leaving them you feel you need to talk about this, please let
black and shriveled. You’d never be the same. one of us know or see your guidance
So what was I supposed to do? I knew counselor. Does anyone have any questions?”
what I’d seen, but knew no one was going to Eric Sable raised his hand. “I do.”
believe me. Well, I thought. Just keep your mouth “Shoot.” “Does this mean we’re going to have
shut and forget it. to cancel Halloween tonight?”
I raised my head and body on the pillow. By the time third period rolled around, I
My stomach felt better being elevated. It wasn’t knew I had to sneak out of Harvest Hill High.
as comfortable as being all curled up, but “I think Steve Woodworth got a visit from the
eventually sleep found me. Long Fellow too.” My good friend Jules
“We’ve g ot some bad news this Shepherd bent my ear while we were switching
morning.” That was how Mr. Palace started books at our lockers. “He’s got the same black
homeroom. Before the bell, I spotted him fingers you were telling me Jenny Lou had. I
chatting with Mr. Block, our science teacher. saw him leaning on Mr. Strabb and going
Something about the way they stood with their inside.” He showed me his fingers. “I wonder:
backs to us made me believe they were sharing if the Long Fellow gets me, how would anyone
secrets. know? My fingers are already black!”
The Outlaws of Hill County By John Palisano -- 5 --
I smiled. Jules always tried to make light down and saw his fingers, black and shriveled.
of things. “Jesus,” I said.
“This is too messed up. Kids are getting “Keep going,” she said. “Don’t look.”
sick. We’ve got to cruise down to the nurse’s “Why?” I asked. “What happened?”
office.” Jules wiggled his nose just a bit. It was Steven had the same affliction as Jenny Lou.
a habit he’d had ever since I’d first met him. She nudged me and we passed Jules. He
When he was scared or excited he tended to was wide-awake and smiled at me. Not the best
punctuate his sentences with a little twitch. “We faker, that’s for sure. “You’re room’s in the
got to play sick.” back,” she said.
Nurse Lorraine wouldn’t buy Jules’ story. From there Nurse Lorraine guided me in,
“You look just fine to me, Darling,” she said - I sat, and then she had me lie down. “Put this
and was right. Even standing still, Jules looked under your tongue.” She nodded and bent
like he might just pounce any second. “But I down a bit. As she did, a sliver of tie-die poked
guess if you want to put your head down it from between the buttons of her nurse’s shirt.
won’t hurt. Just in case.” Nurse Lorraine was cool after all. She was one
Jules stuttered. “Okay. Great. Good idea. of us. She suddenly looked a lot prettier to me.
I am dizzy now that you mention it.” Funny.
She forced a grin. “Last room on the “Okay, so keep that under your tongue
right,” she said before looking at me. “And you, for five minutes. I’ll be back to check you out.”
Mr. Rogers, you look pale as a ghost. What’s She nodded and I gave her a thumbs-up. I
going on?” watched her walk out of my room and did not
“My stomach,” I said. “Been killing me blink once. I couldn’t help but see her
since last night.” I placed my hand on my gut. I differently. Suddenly her straight long blond
didn’t have to imagine anything. hair and thin body made sense. She didn’t have
“Last night?” she said. “That so?” I her hair up in a bun. She didn’t wear a ton of
nodded. “Yup. Just about 9 o’clock.” She makeup. She didn’t look like my mom or any of
reached up and adjusted her green cube-shaped our normal teachers who all looked stuck in
hat. It looked kind of like a military hat worn Leave It To Beaver. Nah. Nurse Lorraine was a
on the front lines. hippie. Peace. Love. I dug her.
“Huh,” she said. “Not cool.” We all had I put my hands behind my head and
reason to believe Nurse Lorraine lived two closed my eyes. The first thing I thought about,
lives: one where she took care of us kids at the after Nurse Lorraine’s secret other life, was the
school, and the other where she got really into whole situation with Jenny Lou and Steve.
her Mary Jane and her Dead records. Maybe it Trying to think that the Long Fellow hadn’t
was because she wasn’t much older than us. come seemed impossible because I had
“I don’t think I’m really too sick,” I said. evidence right in front of me.
“But I just thought I should get checked out in But who would believe me? Who could I
case.” go to for help? None of the adults were likely
“You look a little green around the gills. to believe me.
Why don’t we get you lying down?” Someone charged through the front door
I agreed. of the nurse’s office. “We’ve got another one,
Nurse Lorraine stood up. “Come on,” Lorraine.” It was Mr. Strabb. “Something bad’s
she said. “Before you pass out.” She smiled but going on here. I think we need to call the
didn’t look me in the eye. capital or the State Department or someone in
The rear of the nurse’s office had several the district. I don’t know.”
small open rooms, each with its own cot. As we Her chair squeaked on the tile and I
neared the back, I could see Steve Woodworth heard her get up. “Jeff ? What happened?”
lying on a cot, his hands by his sides. I slowed “Not sure,” he said. “I don’t feel so hot.”
The Outlaws of Hill County By John Palisano -- 6 --
I took the thermometer out, read it and Jules tugged at my sleeve. “This is outside
leaned up on my elbows. I was just over 99 everything. What makes you think he’s going to
degrees. believe us that the Long Fellow’s here?”
“Hey?” It was Jules. “Let’s go,” he said. “I “He’ll believe me,” I said. “I’ve never lied
think we’ve seen enough around here. Don’t to him.”
you?” “People lie all the time.” We made it a
“I didn’t even hear you get up,” I said. little ways down Telegraph Hill. “Asking
“What’re you doing?” He looked toward the someone to believe there’s a monster in their
nurse’s receiving area just as we both heard Jeff town is a little hard to do, isn’t it?”
Scranton. “It hurts!” he yelled. “Oh, God! I nodded. “Sure is,” I said. “But you believe the
Help!” Long Fellow’s here, don’t you? You ain’t seen
Jules shrunk back inside my room. “My him in person.”
fingers! I can’t move my fingers!” “Calm down, We stopped and our eyes met. “You saw
Jeff. We’ll figure out - ” the Long Fellow?” “I’m going to wait and tell
“No! I need to go to the hospital. We you and Rob what I saw at the same time,” I
need to call the police. The Long Fellow did said. “You still want in? Or do you want to go
this.” home and not help out?”
Mr. Strabb’s voice turned stern and deep. “It’s Halloween?”
“You’ve been reading too much Famous “So no one’s going to think twice about
Monsters, mister.” why we’re outside late hours. Who else do we
“It’s not that,” he said. “It’s real.” have on our side? If Rob says he’s not going to
Their footsteps became louder. Jules help, then it’ll be just us two. Not sure that’s
looked to me. “We’ve got to sneak out,” he going to do the trick.”
whispered. “Soon as their backs are to us we We rode our bikes down to Rob’s place
have to run.” and found him relaxing on his porch with a
“Okay,” I said, putting the thermometer beer and his Martin acoustic. “That’s one sorry
back in my mouth and lying back down. Jules looking excuse for a Halloween costume,” Rob
curved around the corner and out of view. said. “I can’t believe you’re even related to me.”
He looked at me for a moment and I He pointed toward my head. “Who’s going to
shut my eyes. Then I heard them hurry past. believe a black kid and his hippie friend with
“Oh, God, Miss Minerva, it really hurts,” Jeff long hair who’s wearing Army clothes?”
moaned. “Are you going to bring me to the “You?” I said.
hospital?” Rob took a big sip from his Pabst Blue
“We’ll do everything we can.” Ribbon before resuming picking at his Martin.
They passed and I opened my eyes. Jules “Your hair’s long,” I said. “And you wear black
waved. “Come on,” he said. “Quick.” We leather jackets like all the greasers used to in the
hustled out of there. ‘50s.”
As we made it to the main room I heard “They were riders too, just like me.
Nurse Lorraine. “Lew? Where are you going? There’s a relationship.” He winked. “There’s no
Do you have a fever?” connection between G.I. Joe and Haight,
The door closed and we were around the friend.”
corner by the time she called again. I pointed to the peace symbol I’d painted
“We’re going to Rob Cash’s place?” Jules on the breast of the jacket. “Look,” I said.
didn’t sound excited. Then again most folks “Peace. Love. I’m wearing this as a protest. I
weren’t too thrilled with my cousin. He ran the can be an Outlaw too.”
local biker gang, The Outlaws of Hill County. “Not really,” he said. “You just look
“He’ll know what to do,” I said. “He’s confused to me which side you’re on.”
used to dealing with things outside the law.” “I’m a hippie. I don’t believe in war. I
ain’t going.”
The Outlaws of Hill County By John Palisano -- 7 --
“You’re 16. The war will be over by the Claimed there was a way the guy sucked the life
time you’re old enough to get drafted. It’s going out of his brother. Rob was the one who had
to be the ‘70s in a few months.” to take the hit on it though. His story could
Jules said, “We’ve got to be out of Nam never be verified. Judge Robbins gave him
soon, right?” involuntary manslaughter for five years. Said
“Hope so,” I said. “And, yeah, talking they’d probably both been drinking too much
about that, we need to talk about what’s going and probably Rob had egged him over the
on in town.” edge. I didn’t buy it, but the law’s the law. Like
“I seen some real messed up shit,” Jules Creedence sings, you fight the law, they’re going
said. “The Long Fellow’s back.” to win every time.
Taking a moment to register what he’d “You kids are fucking with me,” he said.
just heard, Rob just said “Really?” and then “I ain’t got time for this.” “The Long Fellow’s
kept strumming. It sounded a lot like here,” I said. “We’ve got to stop it.” Rob kick-
something Peter, Paul and Mary might play. started his gold Harley Davidson motorcycle.
“I seen him last night,” I said. “Outside The cylinders purred; the engine vibrated. He
Jenny Lou Harrison’s house, Rob. I saw that reached inside his jacket, pulled out a Zippo
thing sucking the life right out of her. And and lit up a Camel. Rob squeezed the clutch on
when he was through with her he came down one handlebar and rolled the gas on the other.
the tree over my head and I could smell his On the shoulder of Rob’s leather jacket, I
breath. Worse thing I ever smelled. Made my spotted his hand-sewed gold “Outlaws” patch.
stomach hurt awful.” “Don’t ever bring this up to me again,”
He stopped playing and looked up so that he hollered as he rode off, giving us the finger
our eyes met. “You shitting me?” over his shoulder.
“Uh-uh,” I said. “That thing’s come back “He didn’t believe us,” Jules said.
because it’s Halloween - knows it’ll blend in, “There’s got to be someone that can help us.”
knows it can use it to hide with.” As we rode our bikes through town we
“Her fingers looked like she had frostbite realized Harvest Hill was deserted. “It’s 3
on the ends?” Rob asked. o’clock in the afternoon and everyone’s
I nodded. “Yup. That’s right. Steve missing,” Jules said.
Woodworth came in to the nurse’s office with “Everyone’s getting ready for the
the same thing. Then Jeff Scranton.” Halloween assembly at the school tonight,” I
“I don’t know,” Rob said. “Sounds said. “They’re setting it all up right now, I bet.”
suspicious.” Jules and I looked at each other. “So we have to go back there?” “Unless
Rob was supposed to believe us. “Isn’t that the you’ve got a better idea.”
same thing that happened with Dave?” I said. As me and Jules pulled inside the Harvest
Rob looked Hill High parking lot, none of the lights were
at me, then Jules. I knew I shouldn’t have on and all the doors were locked.
mentioned his brother, but I was desperate. “Looks like trouble.” Jules peered into
Jules shrugged. “Who’s Dave?” the lobby through the doors by cupping his
Rob charged Jules, grabbed his collar and hands against the glass. “This makes no sense.”
snarled. “That thing took him seven years back,” Grabbing his arm, I pulled him from the
he said. “That thing has come knocking around window. “I’ve got to say I’m agreeing with
again looking for me now.” Rob turned to me. you.”
“Is that what you’re trying to pull?” Someone was walking on the roof over
“Hell no,” I said. “Not like that.” My our heads. We both craned our heads trying to
cousin, Rob’s brother, died under mysterious see who it could be. “Hello?” His eyes went
circumstances. Rob claimed that some fellow wild. “Shut up!” he whispered, but I’ll bet he
with really long claw-like hands came down and wanted to
rooted his brother right up from the ground.
The Outlaws of Hill County By John Palisano -- 8 --
shout. “We don’t know who’s up there. We I retched again, only this time nothing
don’t want to give ourselves away.” He looked came out besides a string of sticky spittle. It
me up and down. “What kind of Outlaw you hurt worse than anything.
going to make, anyway?” What’s this thing want?
Not knowing how to act or what to say, I It should have been eating Jules, or at
backed away from the doorway. We both heard least taking him away. It should have used its
skittering again. Something thumped behind us, sickle-arm to cut him.
like someone had jumped off the roof and It’s probably already eaten half the town.
onto the sidewalk. Standing between the two of The Long Fellow spat another blast of
us and the parking lot, a large figure pointed poison, missing me. It leapt onto the roof and
at me. The sun was in back of him, so neither vanished.
of us got a good look. “Jules?” My best friend was lying a few
“Hey, man. We don’t want any trouble.” feet away. I stared at his rib cage - it was
Jules stood behind me. “We’re just looking for moving. He grunted. “We’ve got to go.”
our kin.” I squinted and tried making out his Inside the school the halls were dark.
face. He pointed his finger toward Jules and Paper jack-o’-lanterns and scarecrows stared
hissed. My eyes got used to the light. The thing down from the walls. We’d made them to
he gestured with was not a finger at all - it decorate for our Halloween assembly. I leaned
looked much more like a sickle-shaped claw. my forehead against one of the cold small
The Long Fellow hissed again. “Jules?” I asked. rectangular classroom windows. The lights were
Jules pushed past and stood between the Long off. A desk lay overturned near the front of the
Fellow and me. “I know, I know,” he said. “I room and appeared covered with thick dark
see him.” “H-him?” fluid. Small bits of what appeared to be
The Long Fellow jutted forward, bending chewed-up food dotted the floor.
at the middle. Opening its jaw, I imagined the “Someone attacked us.” Jules rubbed his
thing must have been eating rocks to sport so head and moaned. “Hit me over the head.”
many busted teeth. Some were black and sharp, “The Long Fellow,” I said. “Come here
like the edges of broken bottles. to fight.”
A rancid smell like gasoline and spoiled “Yeah, well, my stomach hurts worse
seafood overtook us. The Long Fellow’s breath than anything. I’m in no condition to fight.”
was poison. “Mine, too.” I reached out my hand. “But
My eyes filled with water and my guts we’ve got to do something.”
went all tight. From the other end of the hall someone
The Long Fellow let out an ungodly threw up. It came from just outside the doors,
sound that I heard through a daze, like he was on the back patio where some of the students
on TV in another room. hung out between periods.
I hurled on the sidewalk, turning away Something smelled fishy and rancid. We
from Jules. Keep yourself standing unless you want crept toward the back door. I wasn’t sure who
that thing to get you. was out there, or who would actually not be in
From the corner of my eye I spotted class at that moment.
Jules huddled on the ground. He’d had his own Whoever it was made another heaving
sick and wasn’t moving. My head spun - I’d sound that was followed by a nasty large
never felt so dizzy in all my life. I wanted more splatter-like thump on the concrete. We could
than anything to fall down and sleep. hear him sighing and gasping.
Another blast of poison spewed from the Jules made his way to the far side of the
Long Fellow’s mouth. I tried to turn to see the hallway and signaled for me to follow. As we
thing, but the pain was too strong. neared the end of the corridor we spied Eric
Sable hunched over just outside the back door.
The Outlaws of Hill County By John Palisano -- 9 --
A bright red trail of spittle wavered in the loud. Something scared them backward. I
air from Eric’s lips toward the ground. thought that it had to be another Long Fellow -
Blood. More blood. a mate. As the crowd spread themselves away
More vomiting followed. Eric put an arm from the door a half-ton Harley Davidson
out against one of the posts and retched. rolled right through them instead. The Outlaws.
Backing out from the rear hallway, we walked There’s something in the pitch of those
away as quickly as possible. engines that sounds just perfect. I don’t think
We made it to the gym, where music I’ve ever loved hearing that sound more than I
played inside. As soon as we were through the did that Halloween. I couldn’t help though but
doors we knew where everyone had gone: to wonder where they’d heard the Long Fellow
the Harvest Hill High gymnasium for our had come, or how. I imagined Rob signaled
annual Halloween show. In one corner a large them somehow, left them some kind of
tin bucket sat full of water and apples. Miss message.
Deloitte was watching the kids try their luck As the first of the Outlaws rolled into the
bobbing. To her right several small clusters of gym, spreading the crowd against the walls, the
kids and students mingled and talked. Most second bike drove inside. It was Rob.
importantly, to me at least, was seeing The I still couldn’t move. My fingertips were
Amphibians jamming there right on the floor. turning dark and my stomach wrenched on
Acid rock filled my gym. That was cool. Nurse itself. I felt like I might fall down any second.
Lorraine was stage left, nodding her head, The band was still playing. Jules was
sipping something from a straw. nowhere to be seen. It seemed I was alone,
“Quite the party,” Jules said. “So what’re standing inches from the Long Fellow while he
we going to do?” drew my life from my hands.
We wouldn’t be waiting long for our Rob’s Harley roared. The bike raced toward us;
answer. I heard the back door open and saw the Rob hunched down low toward the handlebars,
Long Fellow walk inside. For a few moments his teeth gritted, his mouth snarling.
no one but Jules and me even noticed. The Long Fellow turned in time to see
“Nice costume,” someone said. The the front wheel lift from the gym floor. The
Long Fellow lowered his bony head and smiled. Harley was up on its back wheel. How the hell is
Everyone around him scattered. With one Rob strong enough to pull a wheelie on a Harley? I
graceful leap, the Long Fellow made it to the thought. Those bikes weigh half a ton.
center of the gym. But he had and, impossible as it seems,
It stared right at us. “Holy Shit, man!” I the Harley drove full speed toward the Long
hollered. It hopped again, this time landing 10 Fellow. In a flash the front wheel bashed into
short feet from us. My eyes locked with the the Long Fellow’s chest, sending the creature
creature. My stomach hurt again, just as bad as backward dozens of feet, breaking its
it had the first time. My arm rose like someone connection to me.
had it on a string. My fingers spread out; so did Two more Harleys raced right behind
the Long Fellow’s. I noticed that the veins on Rob right as I fell to my knees. Once the
top of his grey hands pulsed. connection to the Long Fellow was gone, what
He squeezed his fingers as though he little energy I had left wasn’t enough to keep
were milking an orange. me up. My hand tingled like it’d fallen asleep. I
My life-blood rushed to my own fingers tucked it into my shirt without looking at it. I
where it seemed to pool. I couldn’t move a didn’t want to know the damage. Not yet.
muscle. I couldn’t even take my eyes off the On the other side of the gym near the
Long Fellow no matter how hard I tried. band, the Long Fellow lay on the ground and
“No!” Jules said. “Not again.” Rob was circling behind it. The crowd
The crowd hurried toward the rear gym screamed and gasped.
door. Something pushed them back. Something
The Outlaws of Hill County By John Palisano -- 10 --
The Outlaw with the red hair drove up and Rob put both feet up and steered for the
near the Long Fellow and swung a massive back door.
metal chain around his head. His bike bucked a The Outlaws guarding the gym raised
little; he lost his balance for a second because their arms to keep people back as Rob and Red
he was riding with one hand. dragged the Long Fellow across the way. At
The Long Fellow jerked toward him, its one point it dug its claws into the varnished
mouth open, swinging its sickle- shaped claws. wood flooring, scratching long ruts in its wake.
Red flinched but didn’t stop rotating the chain It hollered as if struck, but it was one of its
over his head. It was getting faster and faster. black toenails that’d caught in the ruts. The
On the opposite side of Red, I saw Rob doing Outlaws pulled the Long Fellow, breaking the
the same thing. nail off in the process. As soon as it’d passed, I
Red whipped his chain at the Long spotted Jules run toward the nail, wiggle it free
Fellow and it wrapped around the creature’s and put it in his pocket.
middle. Then Rob threw his chain and it The Amphibians kept right on playing.
wrapped around the creature’s neck. Their long hair completely covered their faces
Screaming and protesting, the Long and they never turned their attention from their
Fellow threw out its arms. The chains fell off instruments. I don’t believe they missed a single
and you could see a big black mark across its psychedelic note. “Hey, there?” Nurse Lorraine
chest where Rob’s tire had struck. I saw little bent over me, her eyes darting left and right
splotches of blood throughout the wound. That real quick, scanning me.
thing bleeds red just like me, I thought. Isn’t that I showed her my hand, careful to keep
funny? By then I was curled up on the gym floor my eyes on her and not look at it. “It got me a
watching the whole thing sideways. little,” I said. “Hurts.”
Red bent down to pick up his chain and I held my wrist so that she could see.
the Long Fellow swung. Red dropped and “We need to get you out of here,” she said.
rolled onto his back. It looked like he’d fallen “Are you cool otherwise?”
off his bike before and knew how to fall Wobbly on my feet and doing my best to
without hurting himself too bad. The Long get up, I said, “I’m cool.” She held me by the
Fellow swooped down and hit him again with crook of my arm.
its sickle-claw, slashing Red in the back. His Before she walked me out of the gym
leather jacket split. He stood up, although he and away from the music and the scattered
was limping a little bit. crowd, we watched the Long Fellow screech
The Long Fellow made to strike again, and claw at its chains as the Outlaws rode into
but Rob managed to hoop his metal chain the night. I hoped they took the damn thing
around its neck once more. That gave Red time somewhere far away, and I hoped I never had
to hop back on his bike and twirl his own metal to see it again, and I hoped they made it pay for
chain. The third Outlaw, one I’d never seen Jenny Lou and for me and my hand and for
before, got a chain around the Long Fellow too. everything it’d done to Harvest Hill.
Toward the back of the gym we spotted several Just outside the gym, Jules caught up with
more Outlaws watching the scene, although me. “So wasn’t Rob the guy who gave us the
they seemed to be keeping folks out of the way finger earlier?”
more than anything. “Yup,” I said. “Guess he had a change of
When I turned around Red was nodding heart.”
at Rob and the Long Fellow was wiggling like a “Can’t believe that thing’s real,” he said
stuck pig. It tried to jump and Rob jerked and produced the nail for me to see. “At least
upward a little. He pulled his chain tight so that I’ll have this to remind me.” He put it away.
the Long Fellow couldn’t raise itself more than I showed him my dark fingers. “And I’ve
a few inches. Red did the same. They nodded got these,” I said. “And hopefully I won’t have
anything to remind me. Hope that that thing’s
The Outlaws of Hill County By John Palisano -- 11 --
The end.