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With his arms full of firewood, Apollo approached the campsite with caution; he did not want to interrupt.

This was a real treat for the kids of the Galactica and Starbuck too. The fleet had come across a small, uninhabited planet that was rich with natural resources that could be used to make some much needed supplies. Skylar had also pointed out that the planet had a very pleasant climate for camping. So, for the first time in the Galactica's history, all the kids on her were granted furloughs, while the grownups worked.

Apollo smiled. The scene at the campfire warmed his heart. Starbuck had a big grin on his face and he was surrounded by kids; Boxey was sitting on his lap. Starbuck never had enjoyed a family campout when he was a young boy. Now he was loving it! Starbuck was always unwilling to talk about the time when he was an orphan. But Apollo knew the experience had scarred Starbuck's soul, deeper than he would ever admit to himself. Apollo swore, right there and then, that he would create as many family experiences, that Starbuck had never had experienced, just so he could see that grin on his love's face.

Lieutenant Skylar, as he was known in his human disguise, was telling a story.

It was decided that Skylar should take on a more human look while aboard the Galactica and not do any Life Spark magic. Not that Skylar would consider what he did as magic. But it was the concern of Apollo and his father as well, that if anyone of high power knew what Skylar truly was, the Council of Twelve would see him as a threat, like Count Iblis. Or worse, take advantage of the giving nature of the Life Spark. So, Lieutenant Skylar was created. That way Skylar could walk about the Galactica freely. The only thing he had to add to his human look was a pair of gold frame glasses. You see, the one thing a Life Spark could not hide from anyone was the Life Sparks in his eyes. The glasses filtered the sparks in his eyes and turned his blue-gray eyes to a less noticeable brown.

All of Blue Squadron knew what Skylar was, and only a handful of kids in the fleet knew Skylar's secret. And the ones, who did not know, did know one thing; if you were around Lieutenant Skylar, something magical was guaranteed to happen, and they never questioned it. That was one of the things that Skylar loved about kids.

All the kids at the campfire were making a big fuss as Skylar was talking, Apollo could not believe the expressions on their faces. But none of them were looking at the story teller and that seemed unusual to Apollo. Their attention was on the fire itself. The flames where an intermingling of colors. The kids at the campfire were making a big fuss as Skylar came to the end of his story.

*"Once the Stars were returned to the universe, the Dark Princess Sheba was locked in the Tower of Pain and Loneliness, so that she could never steal the stars ever again, or cause more pain to anyone. Her cries for vengeance were unanswered, as was fitting someone so cruel. The End."*

"Yhaaa." All the kids cried out.

After dropping off the firewood, Apollo sat next to his love. "Well, it sounds like I missed out on a good story. But why were you all looking in to the fire and not Skylar?"

A blond haired girl answered, "because Captain, Skylar said if you look into the fire as he's telling the story, you become the characters of the story."

"Oh, you mean you imaging you're a character in the story."

"Noooooo," all the kids said at the same time.

"You're joking, right?" Apollo looked at the kids who were shaking their heads no. Then he looked over at Skylar, whose only response was to look up at the stars.

"Apollo," Starbuck said in a teasing way.

Apollo shot him a dirty look. He knew what was coming.

Starbuck did not let that faze him. "It's a lot of fun. Come on, Skylar tell another one."

All the kids got excited. "Yes! Yes! Tell another one!"

Apollo had to put an end to this. Even though he did not want to be, he was still the Captain. "I'm Sorry, kids, but it's time for all good future Colonial Warriors to go to bed."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh!" said all the kids.

"Don't be a wet blanket, Captain. After all, I stayed up late every night when I was a kid and I turned out just fine."

Skylar winked, the kids took the hint and went yelling and screaming into their tents. Apollo fell over onto his side, laughing.

Starbuck was not amused.

************************************

Once teeth were cleansed and nighttime prayers were said, Apollo, Starbuck and Skylar found themselves back at the campfire. Skylar added more wood and the flames became more colorful than before. Starbuck put his arm around his love.

"Okay Sky, story time. The kids are asleep, so ahhhh, make it a sexy one."

*"Well, it just so happens I have this book that just might have the very type of story you boys are looking for. Now, both of you, look into the flames."*

"I don't think this is a good idea."

"Come on, Apollo. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Back on the Galactica!"

"Well, it's a good thing you did not leave this on the Galactica!" Starbuck gave his lover's full package a good squeeze.

Apollo actually giggled! "STOP THAT, STAR!!!"

*"Quiet you two. You'll wake up the kids."*

Skylar opened the leather bound book. As he read the words, each one gave off their own source of light, making the pages brighter and brighter. *"Forget what you think you know about Vampires and Werewolves and prepare to enter a new world of darkness and shadows."*

"Vampires?" He shuddered and lighting flashed. It was at that moment that Apollo noticed something about Skylar had changed. He was now very human looking and he had no glasses on or sparks in his eyes. He was dressed all in black; a long coat, shirt, boots, tight vest and pants that hugged his lean body. A red silk scarf around his neck and a black belt with a silver skull and crossbones buckle.

"Oh boy, this is going to be good, Apollo." You could tell from his voice that Starbuck was very excited.

Apollo looked back at his lover who did not look the same either. He had a similar outfit to Skylars, but the colors were more of light and dark browns. The long coat was a natural cotton. On his brown shirt was a silver star with the words, US MARSHAL on it. If Apollo had to put a word to describe the pair, he would have to say that they were the opposite of each other. One was Life and the other was Death.

Skylar went on. *"For here nothing is what it seems to be and living in the light can be a dangerous place. Be warned now, unexpected surprises are lurking around every corner. But as dark as this place can get, love does exist. In this world love tends to take on unfamiliar forms. But maybe it's you who doesn't recognize it as love, after all, the only thing foreign in this world is you. Allow me to take your hand and show you around. Who am I you ask? Well, I go by many names. But you can call me Kid Poison."

There was thunder and lighting as Skylar said the Kid's name. Apollo grabbed his love.

Starbuck spoke, "it's okay Deputy, I have you." Starbuck tightened his grip.

This was too much for Apollo. Nothing was making sense. "Skylar, STOP!"

Skylar... No, Kid Poison smiled. "It's too late, Apollo. We have opened the book."

Lighting flashed, thunder was heard in the distance and this time landscape changed. Apollo found himself in the middle of a desert. Kid Poison stood at Apollo's side holing Apollo's hand. The Captain, or should I say Deputy, was now an observer of a scene he had no control over and neither do you. "Welcome Apollo, and all of you, to Western Nightmares." He let go of Apollo's hand and walked off. "Feel free to have a look around, but be careful what door you open, you just might like what you see on the other side. Western Nightmares now begins."

*******************************************************************

Three men on horseback, all dressed in black, arrived at the outskirts of a town. There seemed to be something unusual about this trio. A ghostly fog followed their every movement. Just in front of them was a wooden sign. At the bottom of the sign, still in the weeds, was a Jack o' lantern. All three riders stopped to read the sign.

WELCOME TO BLACKWOOD

Population 113

Town's Marshal
STARBUCK

Outlaws Beware!!
WOLF

"What type of mother would name her son Starbuck?" asked the youngest looking man with a chuckle in his voice as he looked at the leader, Jesse James.

"Probably the same type of mother who names her son Persius, Persius!!" James flashed him a smart ass look, then he snapped his reins, and his horse moved forward, towards the town.

"Hey! That name has been in my family for centuries!"

(Hunter is a tall man and very muscular. He is dressed in all black leather and had a bondage kind of look to himself.) "I say it's time to get a new family, Persius!" Hunter laughed as he passed.

Realizing he was being left behind, Persius tugged on the reins to get his horse to catch up with the other two riders. Once he rejoined them, he dared to ask the leader a question. "You do know it's almost Halloween, right?"

"So?"

He slowed. "Well, some vampires think it's kind of rude to feed on the living on Halloween."

"Well those vampires aren't here are they?" (He paused.) "Anyway, by my watch, it's not going to be Halloween for another 45 minuets."

"Good point."

"Besides, the whole town will be dead by midnight anyway."

"Even better point," Hunter said with a grin.

The three vampires headed straight into the town. Lighting flashed from the night sky and illuminated the dead landscape and the sleeping town before them.

[Good things come to those who wait and you all have waited long enough: Welcome to Western Nightmares. The Nightmares now begin.]

_____________________________________________________________

The door to a small bunkhouse burst open. A bright light filled the once dark room. The source of the light came from a lantern that was being held by a young good looking man with brown hair and green eyes. His body was fit and pleasing to the eyes and you could not help but fall in love with him the moment you laid eyes on him.

"Marshal! Marshal!!"

The Marshal, Starbuck, shielded his eyes. He was lying naked on his bed. You could see his blond pubic hairs and part of his long thick dick just over the top part of the sheet. The rest of his dick, balls and legs remained covered by the sheet; two naked women of tarnished virtue lay on either side of the Marshal. Their backs were facing him.

Starbuck spoke, well truthfully he yelled, "GODDAMNIT, DEPUTY APOLLO!! How many times do I have to tell you?! Knock first! I might be naked in here!"

"But you are naked in here, Marshal."

"SEE!!"

"Sorry, sir!" he said while averting his eyes. "But the town needs your help!"

"Tell me something I don't know," he said, rubbing his hand thru his long blond hair.

"The Saloon is under attack by three vampires!!"

"I did not know that." Sighs "This is silly. Apollo, don't you know that vampires aren't real; they only exist in stories and myths.

"Begging your pardon, Marshal, but so do werewolves.

Sitting up. "Good point, you got me on that one Deputy. So, how do you know they're vampires any way?"

"Well Marshal, their skin is all pale and sick looking!"

"And?"

"They're dressed all in black!"

"And?"

Looking at the Marshal, he said, "and well... they're ripping the heads off the town folks and drinking the blood gushing out of the bodies and leaving them for dead."

"crap.... Ahhh, anyone I know?"

"Billy Hill."

"Well that tears it!" Starbuck jumped out of bed and grabbed his holster and hat. "No Goddamn vampire's coming into my town and ripping the head off of any man that owes ME money and getting away with it!! Kassia, hand me my gun!!"

"I'll get them for you honey, my mom is still sleeping."

She watched the Marshal as he slipped the long barrel of his gun into the holster. He was very skilled in what he did and she knew it.

"Well Deputy Apollo, let's go and kick some Vampire Asses!!"

"Ummm. Marshal, don't you think you're forgetting something?"

Starbuck looked down at his naked self. The only thing he had on was his holster and cowboy hat.

"What? Do you think I need the boots?" asked Starbuck.

_____________________________________________________________

The saloon had been turned into a slaughterhouse. Dead victim's bodies were discarded on the hardwood floor like unwanted bits of trash. Blood was everywhere. A naked cowboy's body, covered in its own blood, was hung from the chandelier. Hunter was licking the dead cowboy clean.

Persius was holding a saloon girl corpse on the stage; she had no head. The two new lovers were dancing while James played the blood stained piano.

Starbuck entered the saloon thru the swinging doors. The sight of the hellish scene did not seem to faze him at all. "Gentlemen, are we having a good time?"

"Who the Hell wants to know?" asked Hunter, his mouth was dripping with blood.

"Where are your manners, young man? Didn't your mother teach you not to talk with food in your mouth?"

James stood and glared at the Marshal. "Nice outfit."

Not wanting to overdress for the occasion, the only thing Starbuck added to his ensemble was his boots and red long john underwear. The top three buttons were undone, showing off his strong pecks that were lightly dusted with blond chest hairs. "Thanks, I needed a place to pin my star."

"So that makes you the Marshal then. Right?" said James.

"That's right." (Smile)

This time it was James' turn to smile. "Well, my friend, that makes you Dessert!!"

James made a quick dart towards the Marshal. James' movements were far too quick for any normal human to react to, but not for the Marshal. Starbuck jumped up onto the balcony and then he looked down at the stunned trio.

"Ah, ah, ah, "Starbuck said, while waving his index finger. "No desserts for you until you clean your plate first."

"You're no Normal Man, are you?!!" Persius said with a look of confusion on his face.

"Well, sir. Now you know what every woman in this town knows. And well, every woman in a 500 mile radius, as a matter of fact."

James stepped forward, trying to figure out what his next move should be. He decided it would be best to give it to someone else. That way he could see how the game might play out. "Hunter, he's yours. Finish him!!"

Hunter licked his lips in anticipation. He couldn't turn this down. The meal set before him was fit for the Vampire King. Starbuck's body was a sight to behold. He was fit and lean with no body fat. The veins on his hands and forearms were well defined beneath the skin. Hunter could see Starbuck's jugular vein pulsating with fresh, young blood. Yes, in the vampire world, Starbuck was the forbidden fruit, but just how forbidden remained to be seen. "With pleasure, sir."

Starbuck ripped a wooden rail from the balcony. "No, sir, the pleasure is all mine." Leaping forward, off the balcony, Starbuck was now a bird in flight. Hunter became mesmerized by Starbuck's graceful movement.

Persius dropped his corpse dance partner and moved as fast as a vampire can to aid his friend in his attack. But who is attacking who?

In mid-flight Starbuck's body started transforming into a wild creature of some kind. He seemed to be in complete control of his transformation. It began at his feet and moved up his legs. They became muscular, defined and covered in long blond hair. The transformation moved up his chest, arms, head and face with the same affect. Starbuck had become what one can only described as one very sexy werewolf. But inside the /werewolf/human body, he was still Starbuck the man and aware of his every movement.

With one arm stretched forward, Starbuck pushed Persius thru the front glass window and with his other arm he drove the wooden rail straight into Hunter's heart. Hunter's body burst into flames. When the smoke cleared the only thing left of Hunter was his charred skeletal remains.

Starbuck's voice growled as he spoke, "Now that I have your attention, I would think its best that you two boys move on now, before someone gets seriously hurt!"

Jesse James' eyes turned a bright red. "The only one who is going to get hurt around here is you. You FUCKING WHERWOLF!!"

"That's, You Fucking Awaraewolf, thank you very mu..." Starbuck did not have time to react this time. James was on him faster than a bolt of lighting. He fell to the floor. James was now beating down on Starbuck's face. It was one powerful blow after another.
Every now and then Starbuck would get in a lucky punch, but neither one was causing any real damage to the other one. They were equals in every way.

Without warning, and for the first time, the Marshal lost control; Starbuck's animalist instincts kicked in. He grabbed hold of James' coat and rolled him over onto the floor and bit James in his right arm. James cried out in pain!

Then the next thing Starbuck knew he was flying across the room and landing on one of the poker tables on the far side of the saloon. Starbuck shook his head to clear it. He was now in his human form.

James stood over Starbuck, looking down at him. "You Goddamn son of a bitch!"

Starbuck spoke, and even thought he was in pain, he tried not to show it. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"Hurt me! No, that would be a blessing! You've done far worse than hurt me. You bit me! I am now damned to walk on all fours in a life of eternal madness!! To be bitten by an Awaraewolf brings on the worst curse of all. Tomorrow night the moon will be full and I will be transformed, with no way of turning back into my true self! In time I will slowly lose all my memories of being a man, NO, a Vampire! I will have no control of my own destiny, for the beast will be in command! I shall forever walk as the lowest form of life in the food chain. Do you not see what you have done to me?!" "

"I made you a Republican?"

James grabs hold of Starbuck. The two are face to face. (Yelling) "You Fool! You have turned me into a Wanderingwolf!!"

At that moment Persius stumbled thru the saloon doors. His once beautiful face and body was now riddled with broken glass. He was clutching a piece of wood from the window's frame that had lodged itself into his chest, just piercing his heart. The injury would not be a fatal one to an older vampire; all he would have to do is pull it out without any great risk to himself. With age comes strength. But to a young vampire like Persius, it sealed his fate. For as powerful as vampires are, their hearts are the most fragile part of their bodies. It takes time to get the strength to protect it. But even with strength, some vampire never allows themselves to fall in love, for their hearts become too vulnerable when love is involved.

James never learned that lesson very well. All he had to do was to look at Persius to feel the pain of his friend... no, his Secret Lover. James never told anyone how he felt about Persius, not even Persius himself.

The young one fell onto the floor; James rushed over and held him in his arms. James saw the vampire's life fading out of Persius' body. He touched the soft, pale cheek of his love and Persius gave into it; loosing himself in the loving moment.

"Forgive me, James. I have failed you," he gasped.

"No, forgive me. I gave you the gift of being a vampire but did not give you enough time to master it before sending you into battle. I'm the one who has failed you, but not this time. I will give you a new gift that only a master vampire can give to the one he truly loves. Persius... I do love you. You are my sweet Persius."

'I...I Love you too, James."

James looked up. "Forgive him God for his sins and grant him peace." James took hold of the wood in Persius' chest and shoved it all the way in, finishing its job. Persius cried out, then there was no pain, only death. James was now holding the lifeless body of his secret lover in his arms. Persius was at peace. Now, in what seemed like an eternity, James felt tears falling down his face. He kissed Persius for the first and last time.

Gently, he laid his lover onto the floor and then James went to stand by the saloon doors. A ghostly fog from the outside come in thru the door and surrounded his body, as if it was taking hold of him.

"You have taken from me the only one I have ever loved." Images of man and a women kissing flashed in James' mind; it was the Marshal's future he was seeing. But as the two kissed, the Marshal's eyes were looking at someone else. The images gave him the key he needed for revenge.

James became part of the fog, fading into it, as the fog returned back outside and into the sky. "I only have one day to live as a vampire. I must go. For mortal death is calling your undiscovered love now. I will save your lover so I can return the favor to you." James vanished.

Deputy Jay came into the saloon and asked, "What do you think he meant by that, Marshal?"

"I don't know, Deputy." he said with a smile on his face. 'But I hope to God I never find out,' he thought to himself.

The young, fresh off the stagecoach doctor, Doctor Rusty Blade, rushed into the saloon with his black bag in hand. "Am I too late?"

"Nope you're right on time, Doc. Here's a mop." The Marshal handed a mop to him.

The Doc shook his head. "I should have become an undertaker. There's no money in this life.

_____________________________________________________________

Dead Rivers Junction

News
October 31, 1882

The good people of Dead Rivers Junction can now breathe a sigh of relief, for the town's black mark and embarrassment, The Poison Kid, was gunned down last night in the Boot Hill cemetery, by our own town's Marshal, Gethro Banana Bodain.

This nightmare started with a woman named Lilly Ann Reaper, a wealthy prostitute and bordello owner, who made her fortune sleeping with naive young cowboys and the innocent men who lost their way in life. It was no big surprise to anyone that she became pregnant with a baby whose father she did not know the name of.

On October 31, 1863, she gave birth to a boy who she named Jack Anthony Reaper. Normally a woman with a bastard son would be shunned by the God fearing community like areas. But her donations to the town's church made that rather difficult to do.

Some would say she was trying to buy her way into heaven for her past sins. "No man or women can fool their way past God. He will see right thru you no mater how much money you throw at him. It is not our job to pass judgment. The money Lilly gives us may have come the way of Devil, but it does God's work now," said Preacher Alouisus Harrington.

But as good as her intentions were, six years later, Lilly Ann Reaper was hung on Halloween night for poisoning the town's school kids with cookies laced with rat poison. Only her son survived. He was found with a half eaten cookie in his hand.

"It was an accident!!" Were her last words before she was hung by an angry mob.

Not too long after that it was soon discovered that the boy has some sort of supernatural immunity to all poisons and chemicals. They were as seasonings and herbs to him; the boy craved them. This left them with a problem of trying to find a suitable home for Jack.

"Well, that was the excuse," said Dr. Scott Randal. "The truth was that everyone in the town was scared to death of the little boy. No one wanted him." The problem was solved by the town's mayor, Steven Bowmen, who claimed the Reaper estate for himself, seeing as there was no other legal heir and having sold the boy to a traveling circus to be in their sideshow. "There was just no other choice. The boy was a menace to the whole town. Now, he will live with the other freaks where he belongs!" said Mayor Bowmen.

And that's how it was. Jack performed in Professor P.J. Rutherford's Side Show of Freaks and Human Oddities of the World. He was called The Poison Kid. The act was to see if anyone could come up with a concoction of poisons and chemicals to kill the Kid. Of course, there was betting involved and if someone challenged or accused him of being a faker, the Kid would let them drink the poison he had drunk. After the person was dead from drinking the poison, the Kid would claim the body as his prize. It is said that inside his wagon, on the walls, were the skulls and cross bones of the ones who challenged him and lost.

At the age of 16, the circus he was sold to, mostly burned down and the kid was once more on his own. With nowhere to go, he became a gun for hire, or in his case, poison for hire. He used his gift and knowledge of poisons and chemicals to kill his intended victims; at no time did the Kid carry a gun on himself. Nevertheless, the Kid was considered armed and dangerous.

Bodain now retells his chilling story in his own words. "Well, everyone said it was impossible to kill The Poison Kid. God knows thousands have tried. But I knew his weaknesses; it was all a matter of using them to my advantage. You see, every Halloween Eve the Kid comes back to home and rides up to Boot Hill to stand over his mother's grave, to pay his respects and to be with her on his birthday. So I decided to set a trap for him. I hid in an empty grave, that I had the undertaker dig for me the night before. It was all part of my well laid plan.

Just as I had expected, at 11:15 the Kid rode into Boot Hill on his horse, a mare he called Poisonous. The damn beast must have been a gift from Satan himself. It had eyes that seemed to glow red and her hair was a black as pitch.

If you saw the Kid riding her at night you would swear he was flying, because Poisonous' black hair matched the night sky.

When the Kid reached his mother's grave, he jumped off his horse. His feet kicked up dust all around him as they hit the ground. The dust danced around him like two little kids welcoming their father home. He turned to his saddle bags, my heart started to race and a dozen life and death questions went racing thru my mind. Did he hear me? Is he going for his guns? What will happen to my family if he kills me before I kill him? Did I remember to feed the cat?

BANG!!

The sound of my own gun being fired brought me out of my deep thoughts. I didn't even know I had my gun out. But there laid the lifeless body of The Kid Poison. At first, I thought the he was playing a trick of some kind, then I saw the smoke coming from the bullet hole in the Kid's back. I jumped out of my hiding place, keeping my gun aimed on him. One can never be too careful with a tricky little devil like the Kid.

I stood there for a moment, just looking at the body. Then it dawned on me. I did what no man could do and I did it single handedly. I killed The Poison Kid!

Then without warning that beast scared the shit out of me. I thought the mother fucker was dead. He started sobbing and muttering something to himself. I believe he was calling out his mother's name. He reached out and touched her tombstone and then he pulled out some flowers out from under his body. You know, now that I stop to think about it, it must have been the flowers he was getting out of his saddle bags, just before I shot him. Accidentally, of course. The Kid placed the flowers on his mother's grave then he turned over and looked at me. Choking on his own blood, he said, "Why don't you just get it over with and kill me."

I looked at him and said to him, with a grin on my face, "Quit your bitching. You're already dead!" The next thing I knew, the Kid closed his eyes. I can't help but laugh to know that the last thing the Kid saw was the shit eating smile on my face before he went to see his maker. But I was not that lucky. The Kid still had some life in him. So I aimed my gun at him a second time, only to have that damn beast of his knock me down to the ground. Would you believe it? That Demon of his tried to drag the Kid away from me. I had no choice. I shot her. Now, as a kid, I was told by a gypsy woman that if you kill an animal in a graveyard, just before the midnight hour, you condemn their sprit to the world of shadows. Well, that works for me! The last thing I need is to have that beast come and help the Kid from beyond the grave. Well, not wanting to freeze my ass off waiting for the Kid to die, I placed his dying body onto the back of my horse and brought him to Doc's office. Luckily for me the Doc was out for the night. I laid the kid on the examining table. To speed things up, I slit the Kid's wrist. You see, the Kid was worth more dead than alive, and I could not let the Doc spoil my reward money.

In shock, Eric put his newspaper down. "Good God, Bodain, don't tell me you actually slit the Kid's wrist?!"

The marshal looked up from behind the playing cards he was holding.

"Damn straight I did. And I'd do it again! After all, who's going to cry for that bastard? You?"

Everyone who was playing poker or gathered at the Marshal's table laughed, even Eric did. Everyone that is, except for a young man dressed all in black, with a red silk bandana around his neck and a black mask, like the one the Lone Ranger wore, on his face. But he wasn't the only one who had one on; it was Halloween night after all.

As the laughter died down, the young man spoke from behind his cards.

"You know, Bodain, if you play your cards right, your story could be made into a dime novel."

"Do you really think so?" Being immortalized with the rest of his cowboy heroes, like Wild Bill Hickock and Buffalo Bill Cody, would be a dream comes true for Bodain.

"Oh yes, of course! But it needs a good ending, something that will guarantee to make it into a real legend that people will remember for years to come. Let me think about it for a moment. Hummmm, I've got it. I can see it now. You just slit the Kid's wrist. Looking down at your knife, you see the Kid's blood has some sort of chemical reaction to the metal. It eats away at your blade. Panicking, you drop the knife on the floor and run out of the room to the town's saloon to have a drink, to settle your nerves, of course. One drink turns into two and then four. Soon you find yourself boasting to the newspaper reporter about your great victory. But in your absence, a vampire, named Jesse James comes to the Kid, offering him a new live, but in return the Kid has a task to perform for him. What choice does the Kid have? The alternative is his own mortal death. His body is weak from lack of blood, so the Kid agrees. James decides to feed and feed off his victim at the same time, just as the Kid was taking his last breath.

This had an unexpected result, or it may have been the way the Kid's body chemically reacted to the vampire's poison. Instead of the Kid's body becoming a vampire, his sprit became an energy vampire. Now to be a part of the physical world, the Kid has to possess the body of a living man.

With no choice, the Kid is forced to possess the body of his friend, Christopher West, in order to save West's life. But that is a story for another time. The next night, Halloween night as a matter of fact, a young stranger sits down at your table for a friendly game of poker. He is forced to listen to you retell your story over and over again.

One would think you would have checked on the Kid by now, to make sure he was dead. But not you, you're too busy living in the spotlight, being the center of action. By now, the young stranger has had enough and calls your bluff." He eyed the Marshal "Well, Marshal Bodain, show your cards."

Bodain wiped the sweat from his brow. There was too much truth in what the stranger had just said. The only way he could have known about the knife was if he was in the same room with him. The Marshal laid down his cards, two pairs.

He smiled. "Well, will you look at that; two aces and two eights, dead man's hand. The stuff legends are made of."

Bodain quickly stood, his chair falling over, as he pointed a finger.

"You're...you're The Poison Kid!!

Everyone laughed. They just figured that the young stranger was playing a Halloween prank of some kind.

"No, my friend, you killed The Poison Kid, remember. But in doing so you gave birth to me!" The Kid took off his mask. His eyes had become a glowing red; his skin had become very pale. The room is filled with a wind that seems to come from nowhere. Cards and objects fly about the saloon. "Say hello to your own creation, KID POISON!!"

The Kid turned his hand backwards. A single glass skull dropped into each hand. With the skill of a gun slinger, the Kid throws them as if they were bullets being fired out of a gun. He repeats this movement over and over again. The skulls shatter as they hit their intended targets, releasing their toxics gases. Each gas has a different affect on everyone. Some drop dead on sight. Others fall to the floor, moaning a painful death. While the unlucky ones watch in horror as the flesh melts off their bodies.

The wind keeps the toxics gases away from the Marshal and the Kid. Bodain can't move.
The nightmare that plays out for him is too much, he pisses in his pants. The Kid kicks him to the floor. While sitting on Bodain's chest he flashes a wicked smile.

"Like what I have become?"

"This...is ...no way to treat a legend."

"Silly mortal. I was not talking about how you became a legend, I was talking about how you made me one!"

"Oh, God!"

"It's a little too late to bring him into this. Take responsibly for your own actions. Now let's see what all the fuss is about vampire's drinking human blood."

The kid opened his mouth to reveal four sets of fangs on his upper teeth. The Kid bites then pulls back, fresh blood dribbles down his chin.

"Hey, not bad! But it could a little spice."

He holds up a blue glass skull.

He then rams the opening into Bodain's mouth. The Marshal gags and chokes; every now and then the Kid can hear some muffled cries for help.

"Quit your bitching! You're already dead!" The Kid bites down on him one more time, for a quick little sample. "Ummmmm, just like mother used to make!"

The Marshal is trembling in fear.

"Why Bodain, I do believe you are now ready to give up what I'm truly after!"

The kid grabs hold of some flesh in the Marshal's chest. Bodain's body comes alive with the energy of life, seasoned with fear.

The Kid absorbed it, all of it. Satisfaction is on his face as the last bit of life energy enters his body.

Bodain had been turned into a dry corpse.

The kid looks around. Death is everywhere he looks. "Life is good."

The sound of a group of kid's voices, speaking in unison on the other side of the saloon's doors gets his attention. "Trick or Treat!"

The Kid opens the door, his hands high in the air. "Is this a hold up?"

A blond girl answers. "No!! It's Halloween. Trick or Treat!" She holds up her bag as the others do the same.

"So it is. Well, I don't have any candy. But the grownups in here have seen fit to donate to your worthy cause." The kid hands out money, jewelry and other personal effects of the dead. After all, it's not like they can take it with them.

"Thank you!" the kids say as they leave him, but one little boy, about six years old, stays behind them. He's in his everyday clothes.

"There's blood on the windows," the boy said, pointing at them.

"Why that's just a Halloween decoration."

"Oh, I see. Mr. Poison, do you like what you have become?"

The Kid gets down on one knee and pins the dead Marshal's star on the boy's vest. The child reminds him of himself at that age.

(I can't lie to the boy. It's been my own experience that kids see things better than adults do. Somehow this boy knows the truth about me. ) "Do I like what I have become is not the question. The question is; what do I do with the power of what I have become? We have no control over what happens to us. Our lives are in the hands of the fates, or what one may call God.

It's what we do with the cards we are dealt that shows who we are, Good or Bad. Do I like what I have become? Well, the alternative was death. So, yes, I do. But right now I'm out for revenge and I have a job to do. I'm sorry for that, but please don't judge a book by its cover.

"Okay." The boy hands the Kid a large cookie.

The Kid sniffs it. "Rat Poison?!"

"Jack Anthony Reaper it's time to go!" A ghostly young lady stood on the street with her hand extended, a light was behind her. The boy ran to her side and hugged her. As he did, he became as ghostly looking, as she did.

"Mother?" he asked, with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Save your soul, my son. I can only save the innocent part of it. The rest is up to you. It's not too late, despite what you have become."

"How?"

"Find love, my son."

"Love?"

The ghostly vision fades away.

"No, wait. Mother, come back! I need to tell you something! I'm...I'm sorry! I did not know!" But it was too late, the ghostly visions had vanished. There was nothing there but the wind. Wiping the tears from his face, the coldness of a vampire's heart took over him. There is no time for this. Taking bites out of his Rat Poison Cookie, the Kid walks over to his horse, Poisonous, who has gained thru some major changes herself. She now has bat like wings and is more nightmarish looking than Bodain could possibly imagine. The Kid gives her the last bite of his cookie.

"Here you go, my precious. It's not like it's going to kill you. You're as dead as I am." The Kid climbs onto the saddle and snaps the reins. Poisonous' leaps forward, her back feet on the ground and her front feet high in the air.

"Poisonous, it's time to fly! We have a job to do!"

Poisonous leaps into the air, her wings are spread out and took to the sky. The stars and the moon show the way.

"Next stop, Blackwood! I hear there's a Marshal Starbuck who is dying to meet me. And if he's not, he will be! HA! HA! HA! "

***********************************************************

Lighting flashed, thunder clapped, and Skylar slammed the book shut. Everyone and every thing was now back to normal. With a smile on his face, Skylar said, *"well, now it's time for all good Colonial Warrior's to go to bed."*

Apollo was in shock. "What! You're kidding, right. I mean, you're not going to leave us hanging like this, are you?!"

Starbuck yawned. "What's wrong, Apollo?"

"What's wrong!? Are you nuts, Star! Skylar just ended the story just as it was getting good!" Looking at Skylar, he asked, "Why?!"

*"Well my good friend, sometimes waiting for something you really want makes you appreciate it more when you get it."* He eyed Starbuck. *"Know what I mean, Apollo?"*

With the sound of a denied child in his voice, he said, "I guess so."

Starbuck stood, ruffled his Apollo's hair and took his hands. "Come on lover, let's go to bed."

Apollo stumbled a bit as Starbuck pulled him towards their tent. Boxey was fast asleep inside.

Apollo then remembered this was a family campout. A thought came to him. He stopped at the tent flap and looked back at Skylar, who was stoking the fire. Something was not right. Then it hit Apollo, this was a chance for him to create one of the family experiences Starbuck never had. He kissed Starbuck lightly on the lips. "I'll be in a centon."

Starbuck nodded and slipped inside. He had a feeling he knew what his love was up to.

Slowly, he walked back to the Life Spark. "Look Skylar, when I was a kid and the whole family went out on campouts, we all slept in the same tent. It was a nice bonding experience for all of us. It's one of my favorite memories from when I was a kid. Well, any way, I was wondering if you would like to sleep with us in our tent."

Skylar did not know what to say. In some way, Apollo was saying that he considered Skylar as part of his family. The Life Spark looked at the ground. *"Thank you Apollo, that is very nice of you, but Life Sparks don't sleep."* That wasn't the real reason why, but Apollo did not have to know that.

"I know, but you could pretend to sleep, for the sake of Starbuck that is."

(*"Pretend to sleep. That would work."*) The Life Spark thought to himself. Then a new thought came to him. *"Is that the only reason you want me in your tent?"

"Yes!"

Skylar gave Apollo a knowing look.

"All right... no. Don't tell any one, but your story scared the pogees out of me."

The Life Spark laughed. *"All right then. I'll pretend to sleep, for the sake of Starbuck of course."

Apollo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks."

The two walked side by side to the tent.

"Frack!"

*"What's wrong, Apollo?"

"I forgot, we're on a foreign planet. Regulations say we have to have someone on guard to protect the camp."

*"Oh, well I have two violators for that duty."

"You do, who?"

Skylar pointed to the campfire. There sat Kid Poison and Marshal Starbuck, drinking coffee out of their tin cups.

"How did they get here? I mean, I don't think this is a good idea, Skylar."

Skylar was now inside the tent. *"Well, you can look at it this way, Captain. They're on the outside and we are in the inside. And by the way Apollo..."

"Yes?" he said, looking back at the pair.

*"You're on the outside, With Them!"*

"Good point." Apollo rushed in the tent, sealing the flap behind him.

Kid Poison Looked at the Marshal. "Did you hear what Apollo called the one who has the same name as you? He called him Star. Can I call you Star sometimes Marshal?"

"Only if I can call you Lover, Kid."

With a wicked smile on his face, he said, "One day you will, Star. One day you will."

The End