Free How the Stars did Fall by Paul F Silva Page B

Adler, as far as Daniel could tell, was not armed.
    When they came out of the train, it was night and Daniel discovered Berryvale was not much of a town at all. There was a post office and a sheriff and two or three buildings more and nothing else.
    “Come,” Adler said. “There are no inns in Berryvale but I am known to the sheriff and he will let us sleep in his office. Not like they use it for anything.”
    And the sheriff did greet Adler warmly just outside his office, as old friends, and led them to the back of the building, where a well had been dug up, and they filled their skins and drank to contentment.
    “Nothing like a well to lay stake to a savage land, right?” Adler said. Then he added: “Could you spare us some room to sleep, my good sheriff? It is dark out and we’ve nowhere to go.”
    “Mr. Adler, you know well I want nothing but to accommodate you. In fact, it is my sworn duty as a keeper of the peace to accommodate fine folk such as yourself. But I can’t invite you into my home, because, frankly, we ain’t got the room for you and my wife would likely leave me if I did bring anyone in.”
    “I don’t expect to sleep in your house, Sheriff. Right here would be fine, same as before.”
    “That’s the thing. I got a man in the cell.”
    “I see. Well, that’s no problem at all. We’ll keep an eye on him for you.”
    “I won’t deny you if you really wish to stay here, but I must warn you. This man I detained is dangerous. Now, I can keep his hands shackled and he’ll be in the jail cell, but after I jailed him he shit all over the cell. I can barely sit at my desk for more than twenty minutes because of the smell. And he’s been known to attack other men with his head and to bite and spit. The madman’s like a rabid beast.”
    “What charges are levied against him?”
    “Rape and murder.”
    “I think we’ll be fine, Sheriff.”
    “Alright, suit yourself. Come on, now. Just stand back. Let me shackle him up.”
    “That won’t be necessary.”
    “You sure about that?”
    “Yes, go on home to your wife. And kids? You have kids, right? Two boys?”
    “Yes sir. Jeremiah and Luther.”
    “Go on to them, now.”
    Coming into the office, the first thing that struck Daniel was the smell. It smelled of shit and piss and blood mixed together and fermented under the noon sun. And the vortex from which these smells issued was a man sitting on one of the bunks, his head tilted downward, his gaze fixed on the floor. As soon as the sheriff left, the prisoner, as if awakened, got up and stalked around in his cell like a lion, his eyes full of hate and his hands contorted in strange ways. Adler ignored the prisoner at first, finding in a drawer a pair of thick blankets and pillows. One pair he gave to Daniel and the other he spread on the floor for himself. Both of them lay there trying to sleep when the prisoner began to howl and scream and curse. Daniel looked to Adler for an answer but the man still lay there with his eyes closed. Then, finally, Adler got up and stood in front of the cell. The prisoner ceased his ruckus and lunged towards Adler, sticking his arms through the bars in a violent fashion. Adler remained calm throughout, shushing the prisoner by pressing one of his fingers against his lips. To Daniel’s surprise, this seemed to subdue the crazed man and when Adler gestured for the man to come closer, he did, pressing one side of his head against the bars as if waiting to hear some grave secret. And Adler whispered something to the prisoner and the prisoner’s eyes opened wide at hearing whatever words had been uttered. On his way back to his bed, Adler blew out the lone candle that had been burning on the sheriff’s desk and Daniel was left with only the horrible sound of the prisoner turning and running his own head into the wall with every ounce of strength available to him. It took several attempts but eventually the prisoner succeeded in killing himself, the last thump