Chapter 7. Gyre


    1890 The Kalgoorlie Goldfields, Australia


    Before he closed the front doors, Pastor Fields made sure all the


    windows of the Chapel were firmly shut. He stood outside on the


    alcove stairs and watched the towering outer wall of the dust storm


    as it moved towards the town.


    There was no denying how menacing it looked. There was a primal


    inevitability in it''s slow approach. Last years dust storms had


    blanketed the town and surrounding goldfields for days, blinding and


    choking anyone unfortunate enough to be out in it.


    The Pastor smiled, it was going to be an excellent cover for dealing


    with the bothersome visitor in town. For some days now the man had


    been asking questions and poking about in affairs that whereThe author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    none of his concern. The only thing the Pastor knew about the man


    was his name - Ithaniel.


    Tonight that was going to change, he''d reached out and invited him


    to dinner. His men knew what he wanted done. Their reputation


    was enough to keep trouble at arms length, but they did have a bad


    habit of getting carried away and beating senseless people the


    Pastor wanted to talk to. The sky began to darken.


    *


    When he reached home the Pastor was surprised to find


    Ithaniel sitting by himself at the dining table.


    "Good evening Pastor Fields, I would introduce myself but I


    am certain you already know who I am."


    The Pastor said nothing.


    Ithaniel poured himself a glass of wine and then another for


    the Pastor. "I must confess to being impressed by how much


    influence you have in this community. The networks you''ve


    quietly built. Take a seat, your house keeper was kind enough


    to put out some soup and bread before she left."


    In my own fucking house the Pastor thought bitterly.


    "There is usually a man by the front door to greet guests such


    as yourself." he said as he sat down.


    Ithaniel soaked a piece of bread in the soup.


    "I hope you don''t think I am doubting your hospitality. Your man


    and his colleagues greeted me when I arrived earlier today."


    "And yet," the Pastor said. "here you are, by yourself."


    Ithaniel buttered another piece of bread. "You really should try


    some of this soup."


    "Where are my men?"


    "All dead I''m afraid." Ithaniel said.


    When the Pastor tried to push away from the table Ithaniel


    stabbed the knife he was holding into the Pastor''s hand pinning


    it to the table. Pastor Fields started to shake as he looked


    at his hand.


    "Your brother Maurice was part owner of a mine that collapsed."


    "That had nothing to do with me." the Pastor said.


    Ithaniel dipped a spoon into his soup and sipped. "I''m going to


    ask you some questions about his partner, a man named Innis,


    and you are going to tell me absolutely everything that you know


    about him."


    The winds of the dust storm howled through the town''s empty


    streets and no-one heard the Pastor''s screams.


    *