Goblin Gulch - The Curious Story of Milton, Nevada

[JayRay]

Chapter 7: Pay No Attention to the Man behind the Curtain

"Once I had received my key to my room, which I must say, wasn't nearly as modest as I would have imagined at first, I began to do a bit of meandering; sight-seeing, so to speak. I found that the rail line ran in the south of the city, where the wood shanties and other 'Old Milton' establishments were. To the east were the stockyards and other places of industry, out of the sight... and smell of would be travelers. "

Albert nodded slowly, before tipping his pipe into the ash urn that sat to the side of the urn. I too looked at the stub that was once my cigar, and let it fall into the urn as well.

"Trust me when I say this, you would be blessed to stay upwind of those stockyard. To the north of the town, new houses and mansions set on cultivated yards, cobblestone streets and flagstone paths. Gardens and greenhouses, a verifiable oasis in the otherwise scant arid contrast of the rest of the state. And in the center? A stone edifice for their courthouse, and another for five buildings. An assayer's office, where folks would barter and trade on the price of gold, copper and silver, the aforementioned courthouse, a Bathhouse that took advantage of a warm spring from beneath the fair city. A place of education, like a college but... smaller, and of course, a church. I believe at the time, there were plans for a library as well, but... "

"The downfall.." Albert sighed, raising an eyebrow. My long-windedness had got the better of me, as I watched his countenance grow weary of the appetizers, eager to savor the meat, or... get to the dirt of the matter at least.

"Yes... " I inhaled. "The downfall. Needless to say, the curse that comes with any plot of ambition is that there is always someone who wants you to fall. Even before the mosters started coming out of the caves, people were taking sides against one another, with secret plans to watch those others wither and die as they prospered. Anyway. September 7th..." I adjusted myself in my seat.

Albert, as though like a pantomime, mimicked my adjustment.

"I can tell you the one who led them was human. Or at least human-like. He commanded them, strategized with them. After the lightning storm, they poured out and went after the first thing they could, a cattle range of one Wyatt Janson. I would dare say that was a good strategy... food and provisions for the troops so to speak. But well, Janson didn't take to the idea of his cattle being dragged off to the caves... So, he hired men to take over the threat, confusing the goblins for a local native tribe. I was not privy to the exact travesty that befell Janson's men, but I DO know on the next night, the Goblins attacked a few other farms, wearing the clothes that the Janson roustabouts had on, and well... you can imagine the confusion and misidentification that ensued."

"Oh my... this does not sound like simple and mentally inferior monsters, but more and more like an invading army." Albert nodded.

"Yes, and invade they did. They started attacking the ore shipments from the copper mines, the silver and gold, and with it, were able to start curring alliances with certain folks, people who were gullible enough to believe that once the monsters had finished their claims of power, they'd simply leave those that stood by them alone, save for the occasional parlor and tea. But I digress. Alliances indeed were made, mistakes made and well all we could do was watch the town fall asunder."

Albert nodded slowly... "Let's say that I believe there's a remote possibility that people could enter a curtain of light from one place and arrive in the other. Did you hear of anyone... going back?"

"No. It was as though God himself was barring us from entering the curtain."

"Us? So... So you went into one of these caves? And tried to enter one of these portals?"