The date is February 13th, 1864 on a foggy and damp Friday morning, the Hell on Wheels caravan had left Washington state over a month ago and are just now crossing the Oregon-Idaho border on their way to the open plains of the Northwest territories. The wagon train was moving along smoothly for a change, clipping along at an astonishing two and a half miles an hour, the caravan averaging 13 miles a day. This mobile town carried along with it a variety of individuals, from drunkards, tradesmen, several families, an assortment of whores, and also former outlaws. This veritable motley crew had but one thing in common, they all sought another life, a life better then what they had left behind them. The wagon which lead the journey across unionized and border states alike, was in the hands of a retired soldier who served as town sheriff. Jim Dekker was a most detestable man known for frequent drunkenness and outbursts of violence.

A second smaller wagon brought up the rear of the convoy and was driven by Marcus Jamerson, a semi-famous gun slinger. Directly in the center of the caravan rode Reverend Handcock, his wagon overflowing with his makeshift tent. His services were appreciated by some of the residence, while others merely tolerated its existence. It did however provide a welcome break in the monotony of stumbling from the tent where the whores dwelt and the rickety walls of O'Brian's flimsy, termite infested plywood saloon. Toward the middle of this rag-tag fleet of wooden wagons there were several complete family units consisting of a mother, father and children. There were also two additional families heading up the rear of the caravan, one of them Asian and the other Swedish. A family of freed slaved had joined the Hell on Wheels caravan that morning, taking their position within the traveling township as a permanent addition.

In this day and age some people might not feel comfortable, or accept traveling within a wagon train comprised of those normally deemed undesirables by the majority of society. Even though the inhabitance of Hell on Wheels have had their problems in the past, including troubles between the races and struggles between certain class structures. The small portable town has recently become even more diverse with the addition of the family of freed slaves from the south. Still, the fact remains that most of the people in the town have been slaves in one manner or another, and frankly most of them were far too poor to have owned slaves in the first place. Every single citizen within the town had come from lives filled with hardship and misery, as a result, the inhabitants of Hell on Wheels are able to reap the benefits which come as a direct result of relative peace.

The reality is that the caravan was far too busy with the excruciating long journey across America to even think of anything else, and when they were not traveling everyone was too exhausted to take part in any type of in-fighting among themselves. The only times the town remained in a place for an extended period of time was during the winter months and the rainy seasons, which were also particularly troublesome. In a matter of a few weeks it will once again be time for the caravan to stop the Northwest march across the beautiful and budding country. The journey that they had embarked on was an excruciating and tremendously difficult one. No one was starving to death, but they certainly were not living the high life of luxury and excess, far from it. Prospects were good however for they knew that they would eventually reach the Sawtooth mountain range in the newly named state of Idaho.

The mobilized town had to make an unscheduled stop when the right front wheel of the food-wagon broke apart from general ware and tear. This stop was only for a single night, by morning the caravan will be on its way again. It had decided a long time ago that among the chores which the older children in the town were obligated to perform was the gathering of wood for the nightly bonfires. On this night the townsfolk had set up a massive bonfire which attracted the attention of every citizen, the entire town gathered around the fire that night. The good ol' boys within the town would always entertain the others with vividly detailed tales of the glory days of the old west, which the youngsters listened to attentively. By morning the town was on its way, just as was planned. They still had several more weeks of traveling to do, this was done purely by necessity, as bad weather was sure to come. Soon it will be time to erect the small town of Hell on Wheels.

All citizens of Hell on Wheels had been warned that if they should ever venture off from the main train they were to make sure to stay within eying distance. The plains of the Northwest were still inhabited by Indians who had no great love for the white man, they of course had good reason to hate those who had stolen their lands and segregated many of their people. Of all the laws of Hell on Wheels; of which there were few, this was the most strictly adhered to. Unlike the more socially based infringements it was seriously and severely enforced, as such behavior could potentially harm not only the one who has disregarded the law, but the innocent as well. The unsuspecting residence were unaware of the Indian crouched down in the foliage, waiting for his chance to attack, one most likely not all too happy that white foreigners had extended themselves into his ancestor's tribal lands.

The identity of the stranger in the woods was soon revealed to be that of an Indian with elaborately war-painted features, consisting of a complete white face with two black stripes running horizontally across his eyes and mouth. This Indian was particularly outraged by the fact that many American Indians had allied themselves with the same white men that were bent on exterminating their race, and this anger he intended to act out on the unsuspecting inhabitants of Hell on Wheels. This brave Indian, named White-Owl had witnessed the 'Massacre of Cheyenne Indians' earlier that year, when a 700-man force from the Colorado Territory militia attacked a village of friendly Cheyenne encamped in southeastern Colorado Territory, killing and mutilating 163 Indians, about two-thirds of whom were women and children. This unfortunate incident mirrored the Sawtooth massacre of 1721, which resulted in the brutal deaths of 435 innocent and friendly Shoshone Indians, once again the majority of those killed were woman and children. The coincidence of these two horrific and tragic events would result in something which the inhabitants of Hell on Wheels could have never fathomed, this miraculous and supernatural event would begin at the Sawtooth mountain range in Idaho.

“Yui, brush my hair please?” Helen Porter crawled across the rocking wagon to the woman. Snuggling into her lap, the five year old giggled. Daiyu smiled down at the girl and slowly ran a brush through her soft blonde locks.

Melanie Porter was attempting to get Patrick to finish putting his shirt on but to no avail. “Patrick, you must put this on...now, please.” The exasperation in her voice made harsher by the woman’s exhaustion. Melanie had spent most of the night in a quiet argument with her husband. Quiet enough that the children did not hear but Daiyu did. Melanie had again been questioning her husband as to what he hoped to accomplish by dragging them all on this journey. Daiyu had been wondering the same thing but it was not her place to question.

The wagon was in a steady rock as Nathan Porter made the horses follow the rest. He was following behind the Reverand’s wagon.
As Daiyu tied the little girl’s hair back with a ribbon, they all jostled. Nathan brought the wagon to an abrupt stop. Melanie, already annoyed, “Why in heaven’s name are we stopping?” Giving up on the half dressed seven year old she climbed forward to see out the front.

Nathan’s calm voice met his wife’s hard stare. “Horse has a stone. It's faltering. Would you rather I leave it and let it make us lag behind more? Or tip us?.” Melanie scowled. "It's always something." Nathan climbed down to check on the state of the horse. It wasn't terrible, pebble and he had caught it early. There would be no damage done but they were a little further behind the rest now.

In the back of the wagon, Daiyu set the little girl to playing with her doll and holding up Patrick’s shirt, helped the boy get into it. Without his mother there nagging him, Patrick quickly dressed and even let Daiyu fix his messy hair. He smiled at the Chinese woman. “Thank you Yu.” Daiyu nodded to him, a small smile on her lips.

She picked up the mending. Threading the needle she began on the task. Patrick had a large rip in the leg of a pair of his pants. With small and graceful stitches, Daiyu worked. She began to sing softly to the children and to herself as she worked on the mending. She had gotten good at doing it while the wagon was moving but it was always easier when they were stopped.

The children were still happily playing and generally staying out of mischief. Nathan climbed back aboard and the wagon began moving again to fall in with the rest. Daiyu sang, her mind on the material in front of her. Her ears were listening though.

“We need to settle someplace, you can’t expect the children to live like this, and what about me? “ Melanie’s voice was a harsh whisper in an attempt to keep the children from hearing. Nathan didn’t keep his voice down however. “It is fine. You think we are the only family? Look at them all. It isn't just us. Mel, love, just a little longer and we can see what comes of this. I promise it’s for the best.” Nathan gave his wife a soft look. The woman scoffed slightly.

Daiyu cast her eyes to the front. She could barely see out the front. Daiyu kept singing. The wagon kept moving.

Nathan Porter had unknowingly stopped his wagon only a few yards distance from where the renegade Indian was hiding in the bushes. The young brave was so close that he had actually witnessed the horse acquiring the stone in his shoe. Where Nathan was standing was within striking distance and even though the Indian was a known killer of the white man, he did not take the opportunity to act. White-Owl steadied his murderous intentions and watched Nathan as he attended to one of his horses, squinting his black painted eyes he began to size up the man before him. Feeling that the man was no match for him physically he opted not to attack, if he was going to risk being discovered it would not be for such an unworthy adversary. After relieving the horse of the stone Nathan climbed back onto the wagon, taking the reigns in his hands he snapped them with a forceful slash. Taking the hint the horses trotted off in a cloud of dust and debris, the wagon wheels sending the dirt wafting into the bushes where the Indian lay in wait.

White-Owl, who was crouched in the bushes suddenly raised himself up on his haunches when he saw the young Chinese girl in the back of the Porter's family wagon. From that very moment he became fascinated with the young woman, having never seen a female of her particular race before. The young Indian was a quick judge of character when it came to ones place in life, and he could see that this young woman was nothing more then a slave to white people that she traveled with. Also a brilliant tracker White-Owl waited to pursue them, allowing the path to clear and for a sizable distance to be made between himself and the wagon train. Once sufficient distance had been accumulated between himself and Hell on Wheels White-Owl left the site and returned to his own horse which was hidden in a little wooded area just off the main trail. White-Owl mounted the white horse with black patches on its neck and the lower portion of its back legs. Sounding to the horse with a clicking of his tongue against the roof of his mouth White-Owl took off after the wagon train.

Daiyu finished mending Patrick's pants. Melanie was sitting now, sulking in silence. She had done of a lot of that since Nathan had told them that they were loading up a wagon with their belongings and making for a new place. To the children it was a grand adventure, to Nathan the prospect of so much and to Melanie, it was just the worst thing she could have imagined.

No one had asked Daiyu what she had wanted to do, course what she wanted did not matter. The Porter's treated her well and she could not really complain but this was not the life she would have wanted. Daiyu pushed the thought away and picked up another piece of material. She had cut a few scraps into the shape of a person and stuffed it with hay, stitched it shut and added some yarn for hair. Now, Daiyu focused on embrodering the little doll with a face. It would be a gift for Helen. Daiyu would make a dog next for Patrick. Her singing kept going, softly.

In front of her Patrick was playing with some rocks he had gathered before the caravan had pushed out that morning. The wagon's movement kept jostling the little pile over, frustrating the boy who was trying to build what appeared to be a tiny house with them. Helen was playing with her little stuffed bunny, talking happily away to it. Daiyu paused in the midst embrodering the mouth to look out the back of the wagon. There was not another wagon behind them. The horse's stone had caused them to fall to the end of the line. Nathan seemed unconcerned.

Daiyu enjoyed the unobstructed view. Behind her dust was settling for the horse and wagon's passage but to the sides were trees and wild flowers. It was peaceful and quiet, despite the horse hooves as they kept moving. Melanie broke the silence snapping at Patrick for the noise of the rocks rattling. The woman rubbed her head. Daiyu closed her eyes and breathed in softly. She raised her voice just slightly as she sang, a calming song to help ease the tension. Her eyes still focused on the road behind them as she did so.

Helen at some point climbed into her lap, snuggling close. Daiyu smiled but did not stop her song. It would be a short time now and the wagons would stop to water the horses, feed the children and allow people some relief from the jostling movement of the wagons. Daiyu sang, Helen dozed, Patrick played.

The sun neared noon and the wagons slowed. Eventually, Nathan pulled them in with the rest. He quickly slid out to tend to the horse. Daiyu moved Helen from her lap and climbed out the back of the wagon. She raised her arms to help the little girl down. Placing Helen down, Patrick jumped down to join his sister and the two immediately running off a short way.

Melanie climbed out, "Daiyu start the food please. Children!" Her voice was harsh as she called the pair back. "Stay close." Melanie began to help Daiyu. The two pulled out some bread and a couple of apples. Nathan finished up with the horse and was chatting with a few of the other men as the women put out the small lunch. Someone began to pull on Daiyu's pants. "Yui...Yui...I need..." Helen's eyes were wide and the child's dancing made it clear she need to relieve herself.

Smiling down at the girl, Daiyu took her hand, "Helen..." Daiyu started to tell Melanie what she was going to do when she was cut off by the woman, "Just take her. Patrick too. Patrick! Go with Daiyu." Daiyu sighed slightly at the woman's rough treatment of the children but escorted the children a distance away into the bushes.

Letting the children relieve themselves, Daiyu scanned the ground for plants. A small colourful gathering of plants caught her eye. Sweet white and purple flowers nestled in green leaves. Daiyu took two steps and crouched to pick them. The sight of the small blooms made her smile. Picking them she stood and turned back to the children.

The Indian brave had stayed with the caravan as it traveled across the open fields of the northwest plains, making sure to keep some distance between himself and Hell on Wheels wagon train. The wide open expanse eventually gave way to lightly wooded areas of considerable size. This allowed White-Owl to ride much closer to the wagons, as his movements were sufficiently blocked by the bushes and trees which lined the route before them. Having learned the intricacies and habits of the wagon train White-Ole was able to discern before-hand when the white travelers would need to stop their caravan.

The Indian dismounted and grabbed his bow, arrows, and his single-shot Springfield rifle, replacing his knife in the sheath strapped to his thigh, he crept slowly through the woods toward Daiyu and the children. The young lady did not hear the man approaching her position, her senses being no match for his experience in stalking victims and hunting animal pray. Having returned to Daiyu's side after doing their business within the woods the three young frontier travelers started to walk back to their wagon. White-Owl still crouched within the bushes slowly rose to full standing position as he simultaneously drew an arrow from the quiver on his back and placed it against his bow in firing position.

White-Owl was aiming for one of the children, with the intentions of taking out the other immediately after. The Indian had the drop on them and there was little hope of escaping his precision and speed, many tales tell of the speed of experienced warriors like White-Owl. Accounts of Indians being able to fire over ten arrows in the time it takes a settler to reload his musket were not mere legend. The sudden galloping sound coming from behind the Indian brave and the surprise of its appearance caused the young warrior to misfire, sending the arrow speeding toward a nearby tree in which it became embedded. Before White-Owl could react to the threat Jess Anderson struck the brave in the back of his head with the butt of his Winchester rifle.

The children returned and Helen with Daiyu's flowers. Tucking a purple bloom into the girl's hair, Daiyu began to lead the children back towards the wagons. The sound of hooves caused Daiyu to pause, grabbing each child by the arm, dropping her flowers in the process. An arrow hit the tree just behind them. Helen screamed and Daiyu's eyes went wide. Patrick got excited, 'Indians!" The boy yelled alerting everyone.

From the area with the wagons there were shouts by the men, screams of the women calling their children to wagon and safey. Melanie screeched for her two and Daiyu released them, pushing them in the direction of their mother's voice. She stood and stared to where the arrow had come from. There were two men, one was on the ground and the other was standing over him, rifle in the air.

Daiyu stood frozen to her spot. Men from the caravan came running, guns at the ready. Daiyu, eyes wide stared from the two men to the group of men. Nathan come over to her. "What happened? Are the children okay?" Daiyu opened her mouth but she could not say for sure what happened so she simply nodded.

Nathan turned to the men, "The children are safe, it's alright." The group of men left Daiyu standing there to see to this downed Indian man. "Well now. What are we going to do with him?" One of the men inquired. "Good thing you were near by." Nathan addressed Jesse. "Those were my children you saved."

Daiyu, her hands shaking, stood there as the men walked to join the other man, standing over the painted man. She looked at him on the ground. Had he really been trying to kill the children or her? Judging by the arrow he had ready, he was intent on someone. Turning she tried to calm herself. Slender fingers reached out to gather the dropped flowers as Daiyu crouched. She was scared but it was over with now.

Standing, flowers in hand Daiyu rejoined Melanie and the children at the wagon. Melanie was in tears, hugging Helen. Patrick was regaling a few boys with a more harrowing version of the incident. Melanie's eyes turned to Daiyu as the girl approached. "You should have been watching, he could have killed my babies." Daiyu simply cast her eyes downwards and went about finishing the lunch for the children.

Jess looked up from the unconscious Indian laying upon the ground before the men of Hell on Wheels and wondered as to who they were. Patrick Porter was traveling with his family in search of a new and better life, Sven Hansen from Sweden had recently come to the new world with his family, joining the caravan shortly before it parted for the Northwestern territories. Bob Durnum and his brother Alex are former outlaws who had only recently giving up their villainous ways for the prospect of greater fortune in the Sawtooth mountain range. The Willard family who had remained in their wagon all throughout the commotion were a typical American family. The whores who had run away from former lives remained in their wagon, though Missy Reynolds and Beverly Mills watched on with great interested in the new man in town. Reverend Miller was quickly approaching the men standing around the young Indian brave, the pretty male youth in his care stayed behind also.

Walking briskly to the gang of men surrounding the Indian the reverend pushed his way through and spoke. "You must not do harm to this poor youth. Don't you understand his soul is being controlled by the devil? We must have pitty on him. I can calm his brutal ways." The reverend turned his head toward Jess as he spoke his first words, "I don't know anything about that Rev." Jess looked up from beneath his hat before walking back to his horse. "Please Mr?" Alex Durnum asked. "Anderson. Jesse Anderson, just call me Jess." The starnger retorted. His brother Bob knowing what his younger sibling was about to suggest chimed in, "Please Mr. Anderson stay and join our train. We could use another strong hand around the town. Jess wasn't quit sure what the shady character standing before him meant by his suggestion, but somehow he did not like the tone. It was for this gut feeling more then anything else which made up Jess' mind to join Hell on Wheels.

The men of Hell on Wheels were a buzz with the talk of this stranger's timely arrival, the Indian he took down and the saving of the children. It didn't take long before word spread through camp that not only has this man saved the two children but he was joining the caravan.

Some of the women, both married and single whispered about him. Wondering if he was married, if he was friendly and the other typical female gossip. Nathan helped the Reverend bring the Indian into the camp. A new level of chatter arose as the painted man was mostly dragged into the camp and to the Reverend's wagon. Melanie stared holes into the man as they moved past the Porter's wagon.

Daiyu watched. She was sad for the man, that he had been hit and was now being taken with the caravan against his will. She knew what that was like. On the other hand, Daiyu's stomach knotted remembering that the man had intended to shoot them with his arrows. The other men all entered the camp, and headed towards their wagons. Daiyu looked at the stranger. Melanie approached the new man.

"You saved my children. Thank you." Daiyu watched Melanie and the man. When his head turned and it appear he might be looking in the direction where she was standing, Daiyu turned her eyes to the ground and finished preparing the food. Helen sat down as Daiyu handed her a piece of bread and apple. Patrick ran up to the stranger but Melanie turned the boy away and towards Daiyu before he could bother the new man.

Patrick sat grumpily to eat his lunch. Nathan returned from the Reverend's wagon. "The brave is secured in the wagon. He has become the Reverend's problem." He walked past Daiyu, taking his food from her as he moved. Standing next to his wife, Nathan took a bite of his bread. "We owe you, Mr Anderson. Let us know if there is anything we can do for you."

The Porter's turned towards their wagon and their meal. Daiyu chanced one last glance at Jesse before she took a bite of her bread.

Several of the men standing around the brave bent over and lifted the man into the air, essentially dragging the unconscious body to the preachers wagon, Bob and his brother made no secret of their contempt for the reverend and in no vague terms expressed their hatred for Indians. Jess who had been walking several feet behind the men had heard their comments and had observed the attitudes of the settlers toward strangers. Jess considered how they might have treated him if he had not saved the lives of the children, would they except him? Especially if they knew his past, who could say. The other men were loading the Indian into the back of the reverends wagon as Daiyu looked on, just then the Indians eyes opened briefly as he looked at the young lady from the corner of his right eye, Daiyu was the only one who had seen this. Melanie had walked up to Jess and thanked him for saving her children, to which Jess smiled slightly. "No need to thank me Ma'am." The inflection in his response hinted to his general attitude of detachment and uncaring, this was fortunately lost on Melanie and so all she saw was a brave man who had risked his own life to save her offspring.

Melanie would perhaps not be so friendly and courteous to Jess if she had known about his past life and his association with the trafficking of children, many of whom were the age of her own. The day had been a harrowing one filled with fear, danger and intrigue, no one felt much like traveling and so the settlers decided to set up Hell on Wheels in their present location. As usual the brothel was set up first, just in case, as the reasoning went, the men became tired from the drudgery of setting up the town and needed a little relaxation, including the married men among them. Next to be erected was of course Pete Bottoms chantey style saloon, the last buildings to be erected were the family dwellings. Though several of the families had welcome Jess into their homes he felt more comfortable sleeping outside in his own bedding. Night soon approached and everyone was safely nestled inside their makeshift homes, while within the covered wagon belonging to the reverence a young Indian brave was struggling to release himself from the bondage which had been forced upon him.

The reverend and his young fair skinned assistant didn't have the sense to keep a watch on their guest, thinking him to still be unconscious from the blow delivered by the stranger Jess Anderson. The brave was young and strong and yet he could not break free of his bindings, but then something horrifying occurred. In his anger and frustration the brave began to exhibit the typical reactions one would expect to find in an injured animal locked within the steel embrace of a hunters foot hold trap. That morning the reverend woke up to discover that the Indian prisoner had escaped from his wagon. The only remnant of the braves incarceration were the shredded scraps of rope strewn over the inside of the hooded wagon.

The cry went up to set camp. Immediately the brothel was set up and the children tucked away. The saloon went up and between the two many of the men were detoured from setting up their families arrangements for the evening. The women, Melanie and Daiyu included kept the children inside the wagons.

Nathan insured his family was set for the night before heading off to the saloon. A game of cards was calling his name. Melanie, the anger clear in her voice read a bit to her children before tucking them in for the night and laying down herself. Daiyu, still shaken from the day slid quietly out of the wagon and moved to the central fire. A few of the men were sitting around, keeping watch until all the dwellers of Hell on Wheels had settled in for the night. Daiyu sat apart from them, some mending in her hand. Under the guise of needing the firelight to sew she sat.

She could not get the image of the Indian's face, his eye looking at her out of her head. She cast a glance to the reverend's wagon. No one stood guard and she knew he was not unconscious as they thought he was. Daiyu's eyes turned to where the new man lay on his bedding. He was going to sleep outside. Her eyes turned back to the mending that sat on her knee. She fixed the hem of Helen's petticoat and a few buttons on Nathan's shirt before she headed back to the Porter's wagon.

Climbing in, she lay on her blanket. Slowly the camp became quiet. The men stumbled back to their families or passed out in the saloon. Nathan climbed in sometime later and he and Melanie began a quiet, harshly whispered argument about money he may have spent. They two eventually fell into an uncomfortable silence.

At some point Daiyu drifted off to sleep. The camp grew completely still and in the dark no on had noticed the Indian escaping from the reverend's wagon.

A cry awoke the majority of the camp the next morning. Nathan climbed out, Patrick close on his heels as he went to inspect the wagon along with a great deal of the men.

Melanie grumbled, "I have a headache. Take care of the children Daiyu." Daiyu nodded and steered Helen out of the wagon. She ushered the little girl into the bushes, not as far as the previous day so that she could relieve herself. That done they returned without incident to the wagon. Daiyu set the little girl about playing with her doll while she gathered the children clean clothes and some breakfast.

The meager meal was prepared, the children dressed and made presentable and their wagon ready for the road. Nathan had returned to eat telling Daiyu about the mess in the reverend's wagon. There was plenty of speculation as to how the brave had done it but the only certainty was that he was gone. Nathan expressed that he felt the man gone permanently, knowing better than to attack the caravan again.

Daiyu was not sure, she had seen the look in the man's eye. Nathan changed into a clean shirt and pants. Around them the camp was torn down and readied for travel. Waiting for the call to move out the Porter's climbed into the wagon and waited. Melanie still lay on her blankets and Daiyu kept the children quietly playing, not wishing to disturb their mother.

"Yui sing please? It will help momma's head and Patrick will be quiet." Helen stuck her tongue out at her brother. Daiyu smiled at the girl and pulled her into her lap. Patrick came to sit closer as well. Daiyu began to sing softly, loud enough for the children but not enough to disturb Melanie. It carried out the back of the wagon, a faint noise on the wind as they waited for the caravan to move.

It was now midday on the 68th day and the caravan of horse driven wagons were far from the former location where the town had set up for a day. The individual wagons had settled into their usual formation as they plowed threw the high grass of the plains. The bucolic surroundings disguising the dangers which lay hidden within the tall green blades, unbeknownst to them something was watching the traveling circus which was Hell on Wheels from underbrush. The untraveled plains in this part of the country were virgin, but now a group of wagons and horses were trampling the ground and disrupting the pristine Oregon plains. Jess who had been traveling toward the rear of the train sped up his horse in order to reach the head wagon driven by Marcus Jamerson.

Jess did not let it be known but he was aware of the retired gunslingers reputation, though Jess had never met him face to face, untill now. Jess had come to the front of the caravan to tell Marcus that they would soon reach the old ghost town of Hope Falls and how imperative it was that they not stop there. Jess had heard some strange tales regarding the town and even though he never put much faith in the supernatural his gut told him otherwise. Jess also knew that they would soon reach Fort Anler's, thinking that it would be far safer spot to rest Jess suggested they head straight for the fort. Fate it seems had other plans.

The wagon moved out, the wheels rolling in the grass. Daiyu could see out the back that no wagons had come this way before. Every jostle, every bump mad eMelanie moan or complain. The woman had eventually got up and moved to sit with Nathan in the front. Even the sight of the lovely untouched land before her did nothing to lighten her mood. Nathan on the other hand was talkative, revelling in the sun, the trees and the wild countryside. "So full of potential my love, just look at it." The man smiled at his wife.

In the back, Daiyu had stopped singing, Helen was napping peacefully and Patrick was playing quietly. Daiyu had seen the man that had saved them on his horse, he was riding near them in the back of the caravan. At one point she could hear the horse hooves as he pushed the animal forward. With everyone distracted Daiyu released her dark hair from it's ponytail and brushed it out with her small comb. It was pretty thing, her mother's and she thought of the woman as she slid the teeth of the comb through her hair.

Dark strands were brushed straight and smooth, eventually retied behind her head. As the wagons moved on, Daiyu stared out the back of the Porter's wagon and thought about her family.

The Chow family nearly always lead up the rear of the wagon train and among all the inhabitants of Hell on Wheels they had made it a point to keep totally to themselves. They were even aloof with the young Asian woman in the employment of the Porter family, thinking her inferior as she did not belong to the same social class as they. Once the caravan of hooded wagons had taken off again the Chow family took up their usual position in the rear of the train. Daiyu and the Porter's were the only members of the train that had noticed the family slip from the position in front of them to the last, but thinking nothing of it Daiyu's attention drifted off. The wagon belonging to the Chow's had slowly been drifting further from the main caravan until at last, it was a considerable distance away.

Jess Anderson had been riding close to the first wagon but then decided to fall back and join the Porter's, he had a feeling. Now riding his horse close to their wagon Jess pulled up the side of the canvas covering. "How are you doing?" Jess asked the young woman, receiving in answer a slight smile. If Jess hadn't understood her situation he might have taken such a non-response as an insult, but knowing that Daiyu was not particularly happy with her status in life and within the hierarchy of Hell on Wheels, he had not. At that exact moment something was stirring in the high grass of the plain, some unknown creature which was sticking close to the ground and running at a tremendous speed. This thing, whatever it was, was quickly gaining ground and almost on top of the caravan.

But then it suddenly stopped its advance when in quick secession both the reverends and the main wagon struck an outgrowth of gagged rocks which were hidden within the dense weeds, each receiving severe damage to their wheels. The reverends wagon completely lost its wooden wheel and nearly flipped over, while the main wagon's damage was a little less severe, though not by much. It was very dark this night and there was no moon to speak of, having spent most of its time hidden behind the clouds which floated in the nighttime sky. After striking up a lantern the reverend turned to his left and away from his broken down wagon to discover a medium sized sign which read ""Hope Falls, est 1820. Population 64.""

Daiyu smiled at Jesse. She wanted to thank the man but could not bring herself to say anything. To the Porter's the man had saved the children, not her and he had already been thanked.

Daiyu opened her mouth, thinking at least a small thank you might be alright when something began happening at the front of the caravan. Nathan pulled hard on the reins, stopping his horses before he collided with the wagon that was stopped just in from of him. Melanie was frowning, "Why are we stopping?" Nathan shook his head, "I don't know love. Something has happened."

He stood in the wagon and shouted up to see if someone could let those at the back know what was occuring. Yells came back of the reverend's wagon taking extreme damage and the main wagon also having hit rocks. Orders went out for all wagons to pull into Hope Falls and we up for the night. It was too dark to fix anything now and no point in moving further until they were fixed.

They started moving again and Nathan pulled his family's wagon carefully around and into the city. Melanie looked at her husband, "I don't like this Nathan..." Daiyu, kept the children seated, Patrick was trying to get Jesse's attention.

Patrick, "Can I see your gun? Do you like to shoot it? Is this a ghost town?" Daiyu smiled slightly at Jesse. "Apologies..." She pulled the little boy back to sit down. Her oval face peered out the back. It was dark, very dark and other than the sounds of the caravan settling in it was quiet.

Melanie climbed into the back. "Daiyu feed the children something small, we will go and relieve ourselves as a group. I won't have you taking my babies alone out there is this place..." Melanie shook her head, "I don't know what your father was thinking taking us on this..." She was talking to herself now.

Daiyu handed the children some bits of dried meat and bread. When they were all ready Nathan escorted the women and children out to find a place to take care of things. His rifle was in hand as he kept watch. "No cards for me tonight Melanie love, I will be keeping watch."

Around them the camp was setting up but there was an air of wariness.

With a flick of the brim of his hat Jess excused himself from Daiyu presence and made his way to the reverends wagon to see if he could lend a hand with repairing the broken wagon wheel. The reverend told Jess that he had all the help he needed in his young servant. With a light kick Jess commanded his horse to move on, this time he made his way toward one of the abandoned buildings. There was very little that needed to be set up for the night, seeing as there were plenty of empty buildings in the old abandoned town. A few of the residents of Hell on Wheels had grown tired of the ceaseless travelling and had their doubts about the fortune which supposedly awaited them in the Sawtooth mountains. It had crossed several of their minds that the town of Hope Falls would be a great place to set up a permanent residence, completly unaware of the towns history. There were still many hours before dawn and so the men started one of their immense bonfires, for which the townsfolk of Hell on Wheels were famous for.

On this particular night the huge fire helped to illuminate the creeping darkness which engulfed the dilapidate dwellings which stood backdropped against the pitch black night. The introduction of light within the town created strange shadows which protruded from the holes and breaks in the old buildings, casting their eerie patterns upon the ground. As the others settled around the fire and told ghost stories Jess was standing within the old church at the far end of the town. The church pews of this godforsaken place were in varying degrees of disrepair, with many of them being nothing more then splintery-stumps. Neither Jess nor the townsfolk were aware of the figures stalking toward their position.

Melanie and the children settled in for the night. Nathan sat up front with his rifle. The bonfire had illuminated a great deal of the town. He was looking over the buildings, his own thoughts echoing those of some of the other men around the fire. It would be easy to set up here, the buildings were there and while there was some repair needed it would be little work compared to setting up someplace with nothing. They could revamp the town and make it a place for travellers to stop at on their way to the new frontier. Nathan's mind whirled iwth possibilities.

Daiyu could not sleep. She tossed and turned in the back of the wagon. She was afraid of waking Melanie or the children. Quietly she sat up, grabbed her small pile of sewing and slipped out the back of the wagon. The bonfire made it easy to see the town but it cast odd shadows into the surrounding wilderness. Daiyu could see the reverend's wagon a short distance away. In the morning they would set about putting a new wheel on for it and if it was unfixable he had offers to join a fmily or two in their wagons.

Daiyu's eyes scanned the grass, the shadows of the buildings. She couldn't help but feel like there were eyes watching them. Clutching her sewing to her chest she hurriedly moved to the fire. Finding a seat with a few women who were also tackling some mending tasks by the firelight, Daiyu sat a little aways from them. She was safer with the women than in a random spot with the men but she was not truly welcomed or accepted. Daiyu sat on the ground, her legs crossed and began to finish up the last of the mending before she turned her attention back to the doll she was making for Helen.

Around her the people talked and the fire crackled. Daiyu's eyes lifted occassionally to the shadows. No one else seemed bothered by it. Perhaps she was simply imagining it. Daiyu sat, patiently sewing a small dress for the doll, for a long time. Eventually she was the only woman left sitting as the others had finally moved off to bed. She barely noticed as she sat by the firelight.

Several hours had passed since Jess had first entered the old church with no one but his thoughts to keep him company. Being completely engrossed with the memories of better times Jess had lost all sense of time and of his surroundings. The last of the men who had attended the saloon that night had finally stumbled back to his adopted home, leaving Jess and Daiyu as the only conscious individuals in the entire town. Jess' thoughts of his past would come to an abrupt end as the sounds of the encroaching strangers grew louder and had become more careless with the placement of heir steps. Having made their presence within Hope Falls quite clear the four enemy scouts proceeded to make their way to the first building that housed a new resident.

Within a matter of a few brief minutes the Chow family were completely torn to shreds by the savage marauders. The sound of the screams ripped Hope Falls new inhabitants from their sound sleep, then in a single movement they all jumped from their bedding and ran outside. The Chow family was nearer to the abandoned church and so Jess was the first to respond to the situation, and the only man to have actually rushed to assist the family, the others stood in front of their homes in complete shock and confusion. The thick and impenetrable darkness shielded the savages true identities, but everyone was sure that it was the young brave and perhaps a few friends.

Jess would have also bought into this assumption if he had not noticed the queer body structures that the four invaders possessed. Their bodies seemed disproportionate from the waist up, perhaps evidence of superior strength and tone. If Jess had not known any better he could have sworn that they each had horns of some type, or perhaps monstrously pointed ears. Jess then screamed for assistance from the men who were still standing outside their precious new homes. "One of you sorry bastards get your ass over here."

Daiyu, still sitting by the fire when the screams broke the air. She stood, dropping the doll. Daiyu began looking around for what had caused the screaming. It was the Chow family. She could see Jesse run from the church to the family's camp. Around her all the other inhabitants were stirring. Daiyu was scanning the shadows. Her hands were shaking.

Immediately men stood there, guns in hand but no one left the fronts of their camp. Nathan was standing outside the wagon and he and another man were yelling back and forth, speculating on what was going on.

Nathan, "Animal do you think? Scared them maybe? Attacked on of the children?" He glanced back where Melanie sat in the wagon, her arms wrapped around a frightened Helen and a squirming Patrick. "Nah, it's that brave I bet. Pissed off he got caught and back to cause trouble." The other man nodded at Nathan. "No animal would be so bold."

Nathan frowned, "One man though? I mean..." The other man spat on the ground, "Likely brought help." In the back of the wagon Melanie whimpered. Patrick wriggled from his mother's arms. "Pa, Daiyu isn't here. Did they get her too? Is it cause they were all orien...orie...you know from China? Nathan shook his head at his son, trying to keep calm.

"Patrick, Daiyu is likely alright. And I think this has nothing to do with anything but easy target. The Chow family weren't well armed." Nathan held up his rifle. "I am going to see if I can find Daiyu." Nathan looked at Melanie. The woman shook her head, "Worry about protecting your children and your wife." Her tone was full of anger and fear.

Daiyu was still standing by the fire, alone. She was frantically searching in the shadows, afraid that something might come out and attack the whole camp. She could hear Jesse shout for assistance.

Nathan heard the call as well. "I am going to help him Melanie love, he saved the children, if he needs help I am going to go." With that he began a small jog across the camp to the Chow's set up. He spotted a slim figure by the fire and hoped that he was correct in thinking it was Daiyu.

Nathan came up beside Jesse and stopped dead at the sight in front of him. "God save us...." Was all he managed as he gazed on what remained of the Chow family. He tried to compose himself. "What....or who....what did this?"

Nathan meandered his way up to Jess and stopped beside him, questioning him as to what kind of individual could do something so savage. Jess turned his head to the left and looked toward the shadows which protruded from the building next to where the Chow family had settled. "Perhaps someone like them." Nathan looked over to where Jess was starring and noticed the dark figures of four strange individuals, all of whom looked deformed and yet menacing. Jess cocked his Winchester rifle and was about to raise it and pull the trigger when all of a sudden, one of the figures bolted away and in a flash had jumped onto the roof of the Chow residence. The individual who had hidden their identity with shadow now revealed itself to be more animal then human as it ran on all fours across the roof. Jess followed the creatures movements with the front-sight of his weapon, but before he could get off a shot the thing had jumped down the back of the structure. Turning his attentions instead to the remaining intruders standing by the Post office who had unfortunately taken off the instant their partner had ran.

Nathan looked to where Jesse was pointing into the shadows. There was something there but he couldn't make out what it was. As the man raised his rifle one of the things broke away from the darkness and leapt onto the roof. Nathan stared. He couldn't even bring himself to raise the gun he was holding. Wide eyes stare in astonishment. Around the camp yells went up as the movement and the thing caught attention.

The thing on the roof jumped down and was gone. Nathan followed Jesse gaze to the remaining figures but they too were gone now. Nathan looked at Jesse, "What the hell were they?" His hands were shaking. Then the thought of the children and his wife came to the forefront of his mind.

Daiyu, standing still by the fire saw the outline of the thing on the roof. Her hand went to her throat stoppingg her from crying out. There was movement in the shadows now, something or things were running. She turned and tried to see what was there but her eyes had a hard time adjusting with the firelight casting odd shapes. Her body trembled now as Daiyu became very aware that she was alone and unarmed by the fire. Around her she could hear the families stirring, calls and yells of fear and confusion filling the air. She just kept staring into the shadows.

Muttering a prayer in chinese, Daiyu backed up to be closer to the fire hoping that whatever was out there would not risk coming so close to the flame and light.

"Step away." Jess whispered to Nathan. "We must leave this town immediately, we must get as much distance between us and this hellish village as we can. If we stay we will surly die." Turning his head and looking behind him, screaming. "Everyone, we must move. Now!" Cocking his Winchester once again Jess took off down the street which separated the line of crumbling building which stood on each side of the haunted thoroughfare. The settlers were still reeling from the horrifying experience of moments passed and initially had not complied with Jess' suggestion. Now raising his rifle straight into the air Jess pulled the trigger, the blast from the weapon sounding like a thunderous echoes roar. "NOW!! Goddamn it" The sudden irrationality of the episode startled the settlers as they were unknowingly introduced to the darker side of this 'rescuer of children and protector of innocent.'

Nathan nodded at Jesse and he turned to run back to his wagon. He quickly began hitching up the horses. Around him other's seemed to be delayed in listening to the man. Perhaps they hadn't heard the screams or saw the creatures. Nathan began yelling as he worked. "Move now, listen to him!" A gunshot went off.

There was suddenly a massive shift in the camp. The men began yelling for everyone to head out, feet pounded, horses whinnied and children were crying. In the Porter's wagon the children were huddled with their mother who was staring wide eyed in fear. Nathan climbed aboard and readied himself to head out.

The Reverend, his wagon still missing a wheel hopped aboard one of the other families wagon. The camp was pulled up quickly and began to move out in the dark. The fire was left burning as the settlers decided fleeing was more urgent than the safety of the ghost town.

Around her Daiyu could hear the chaos. Screaming, gunshot and noise. Her back was still to the fire and she was crouched low to the ground. Daiyu kept her eyes on the shadows. There was no place for her to go. To run now meant entering the darkness to get back to the wagon. There were far too many shadows between the fire and the Porter's wagon for her liking.

She heard the call to move out and Daiyu stood. "No..." She looked around her. Wagons started to move out of the town. If she didn't run now there was a chance she would be left behind.

Nathan began to move out, his wagon pulling ahead and slowly following the wagon in front of him. Behind him he could hear Helen crying. "Where's Yui?" Nathan cast a glance at his wife and Melanie shook her head. There was no way they were stopping to look for the girl. She didn't know what was going on but she wasn't going to risk anything for the chinese girl. Nathan opened his mouth as if to tell his wife that it wouldn't take much to find her, he was sure Daiyu had been by the fire but Melanie shook her head again. Nathan kept the wagon moving.

Daiyu could hear them, the roll of the wheels and hooves of the horses. She chanced a movement to the darkness and then stopped, there was still something out there, she could tell. Tears stung her eyes. She wasn't sure what to do. The fire was making it hard to see if there were others who hadn't left yet, other wagons that maybe would let her on for a short part of the ride. "Help..." her voice was soft as she looked around.

Everyone had pulled out off the ghost town leaving Daiyu scared with nothing but the decreasing flames of a quickly ebbing fire. The creatures were weary of little, but for all of their strengths fire was the one thing that terrified them. As the flames died down the shadows which had been cast about the town were quickly fading away, soon there would be naught but darkness. The churning wagon wheels spat up dust and small rocks as they rolled over the gravel which separated the town from the soft grassy plains. Soon the sound of the grinding wheels faded as silence once again reclaimed the surroundings. The bonfire which stood in the south side and in dead center of the town was about to die off completly, its last few flames were now Daiyu' only companion. The shadows on the north side of town were decreasing in intensity and number as the buildings were once again reclaimed by the night. As the buildings on both sides of the thoroughfare dimmed the creatures that had been hiding there made their appearance - two, four.

Daiyu shook her head, tears in her eyes. The flames behind her were dying, the shadows crept closer. Why hadn't the Porter's come looking for her? She had heard Helen crying but there was just no way for her to get there. They just left her, the entire town just left her standing there with whatever was out there in the dark.

Daiyu faced the dying fire. Getting onto her hands and knees her hands sought out a piece of wood to light from the last of the flames. It was all she could do. Fingers slid in the dirt and she crawled frantically in the small circle of dying light. Her hand bumped something. It felt like wood, wasn't very big but it would light. Holding it into the embers, Daiyu waited until it caught on fire. Holding it before her, the frightened girl made a quick run for the closest building.

Once inside, her small torch illuminated the interior of the small home. Daiyu slammed the door behind her. She had seen them, the figures in the shadows that appeared as she ran. Her eyes searched the floor for the root cellar door. She spotted it and lifted the heavy thing open. She extinguished her flame, knowing that she couldnt' take it down with her, lest she set the house on fire. Daiyu crawled down into the cramped, dank room. It was small but the slim girl managed to slip in and under the floor boards. The family who had owned the home must have stored very little down here. Daiyu lay on her stomach listened. It was only a matter of time before the things came looking for her. She swallowed and dirt inched into her nose as she tried to breathe. Daiyu thought of her family, of Patrick and Helen. She closed her eyes and waited.

In the caravan, guilt was eating at Nathan. They were not that far from the town, he could turn back but every time Melanie thought her husband looked to be folding and about to turn back she would snap at him. Finally, he could take no more. "Jesse?" Nathan called out to the man on his horse. "I....we lost Daiyu. I think she was by the fire still when we all pulled out of there in our fear. I can't go back but I feel...." Nathan looked at his wife. Melanie's eyes were full of anger. Nathan cast his gaze back forward, unable now to look at the man or his wife. "Never mind." It was all the man managed to mumble out. In the back Helen was crying, "Yui? Where is Yui?" Her brother was hugging her. Patrick knew that his parents had left her there and hatred for them began to seep into him. How could they have just left her behind to the darkness?

Melanie looked at Jesse, "Can't be helped. The children are more important that some girl who almost got them killed."

Frankly, Jess was torn as to what he should do regarding the young Asian girls situation, his past association with the human trafficking of children did much to convince him that deep down he really didn't care about what might happen to Daiyu. On the other hand, the fact that he had already saved her life once before made Jess feel that somehow it was his job to protect her, he certainly had no respect for the Porter family who had kept the girl in slavery, perhaps as a result of his past involvement with similar activities. The wagon train had traveled another half mile before Jess made up his mind to save the girl, Melanie's last comment being a big factor in his decision.

After casting a bitter look toward Melanie Jess pulled the horses reins to the right, signaling for his stallion to turn. Riding away from the caravan Jess made his way back to Hope Falls, as the others, who themselves were either too frightened or simply to cowardly to follow his example, turned to watch Jess ride off. After Jess was some distance away Bob Durnum came riding up to the Porter's wagon, catching up to the wagon on Melanie's side Bob spoke to her about Jess Anderson. "I think I know who that man is, and he is no friend to your children." When Nathan turned to look at Bob he turned his horse away and returned to the wagon being driven by his brother.

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Back at the abandoned ghost town of Hope Falls two of the feral creatures from the shadows at the other end of the town enter the house where Daiyu is hiding. The only way for her to see was through the slats of the wooden floor, looking up Daiyu was confronted with something she could hardly believe. The beings from the shadows were in fact animals, but with forms that were anthropomorphic in nature. Unlike wolves these creatures walked on two legs and completely upright, they were the size of an average human male.

Their bodies were lean and sinewy, with strong chests and arms that were elongated, they also had large hands and feet. Their faces seemed to be in a state between the flattened facial structure of human beings and the elongated snout of the canine. The eyes of the creatures were yellow and they had thick black eyebrows which were curved and pointed.