SquidgeWorld Archive

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Texas Aries and Setcheti create The Dallas Central AU.

DISCLAIMER: I do not claim any rights over the Magnificent 7 characters used in this story, which has been written for the joy of writing only. Trilogy Entertainment Group, the Mirisch Group and MGM own the Mag 7 characters/aspects of the story.

NOTE: This is my response to the 24-hour challenge, to write a short fic starting with :- The road was empty. Not a soul was in sight as he walked along its side under the early morning sky. The rays of light just peaking over the lush tree line did little to cut through the chill that had settled deep in his bones. Ezra Standish was at complete loss as to exactly how he ended up there.

To See more background about the Dallas Central AU follow the URL: Dallas Central Introduction Page

The story can be read at the following URL: Dallas Central AU: Time of Vengeance

Check out my other stories by following this URL: Lone Tree Creative Preserve

The road was empty. Not a soul was in sight as he walked along its side under the early morning sky. The rays of light just peaking over the lush tree line did little to cut through the chill that had settled deep in his bones. Ezra Standish was at complete loss as to exactly how he ended up there.

Suddenly the southerner stiffened before dropped to his knees, curling up into a ball as he started to relived the last moments of his life. Ezra was totally unaware of a crow that landed beside him or of the motorcycle that was coming up fast behind him. His world had narrowed down to the betrayal and pain he had experience at his death.

Flash - Owen Travis ... no his insane twin ... pointing and firing a gun. The burning pain as the bullet past through his chest as the mad man and his goons laugh.

Flash - David Travis bending over to tell him that his friends would shortly be joining him and his brother at the bottom of the lake.

Flash - looking up at the light as he slowly sank into the depths of the lake as red ribbons of blood swirled upwards.

Flash - hitting bottom and coming face to face with a corpse. A corpse that was wearing the watch the team gave Owen Travis for Christmas.

Then everything faded into black nothingness of death.

Ezra slowly became aware of gentle hand combing through his hair. "I know it hurts to remember, but it will pass. Trust me I know."

Wiping the tears off his face Ezra struggled to set up with the help of the unknown man. Raising his head he came face to face with the stranger. The man looked to be between Vin and his age with dark almost black hair that he wore long ... longer than JD but shorter than Vin. He had the most unusual dark eyes for they showed Ezra the pain and sorrow that had marked this man but they also showed the stranger's compassionate heart.

"Who ... how?"

The stranger smiled as he nod his head to the crow that was standing by Ezra's hand. "Name's Eric Draven and your friend came and got me around three in the morning."

Ezra turned to look over at the Crow that was looking up at him. Somehow the southerner knew that the bird was here to help him. Him to protect his brothers -

Was he too late?

Were they already dead?

Turning to Eric he demanded, "What day is it?"

"Thursday."

"Then I have only been -" Ezra couldn't finish saying the word for it was too unreal.

"Dead. Your dead ... ummm?"

"Ezra ... Ezra Standish. I'm ... dead?"

Eric's whole face showed his sorrow as he answered Ezra question. "Your soul could not rest and it came back to set things right. I know because I'm just like you." At this, another crow landed onto Eric shoulder and Ezra got the same feeling from this bird as he did from his. That these animals were not truly wholly of this world but were a mixture of the here and now and the spirit world.

Draven got up and held out his hand to Ezra. "Come on. I think you have places to go and people to see."

Ezra grasped hold of the Eric's hand and was pulled to his feet. He had forty-eight hours to stop David Travis from killing his friends and to wreck his own vengeance on those who had killed him.

God help them for no one else will.

The End.