The Devil’s Herd

The Devil’s Herd

(inspired by “Ghost Riders in the Sky”)

It didn’t take long for Zack to realize he was in way over his head. Petty Larceny was his forte. Shoplifting, purse snatching, breaking into a car or two kept him in spending cash and put food in his stomach. It wasn’t a great life, but he got by— until now.

Zack’s latest escapade involved breaking into a storage shed in search of fencible items. Unfortunately for him, the storage shed had video surveillance and belonged to a local crime boss. Once the video was shown to the boss, he ordered his men to find Zack and bring him in. It didn’t take long for the word to spread. An associate told Zack about the order, and he knew it was time to leave town.

The day was dark and windy. There was a feeling of foreboding in the air. Tired, Zack stopped upon a ridge to rest. Thick dark clouds roiled around him. Zack was transfixed by what he saw next. A mighty herd of red-eyed cows came plowing across the ragged sky. Their brands were still on fire, and their hooves were made of steel. Their horns were black and shiny, and their hot breath he could feel. A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky, for he saw the riders coming hard, and he could hear their mournful cries.

Zack trembled with fear as the riders drew closer. He could see their gaunt faces and blurred eyes. Their shirts are all soaked with sweat as they road hard to catch the uncatchable herd. The horses snorted fire as they thundered by him, then one rider called his name,

“If you want to save your soul from hell and keep from joining our quest to catch the devil’s herd, you must change your ways.”

The herd and the wranglers evaporated into the clearing sky. Zack slowly returned from his stupor, unsure of what he witnessed was real or a dream. One thing he was sure about. He would never return to the town he left behind, and he would never ever steal again.