A fantasy short story by I.M. Gerhi
Derek Ingel is a drifter, a man untethered to place or purpose, haunted by ghostly figures that trail him wherever he goes. When he rides into the town of Brishting, he expects nothing more than a meal and a brief respite before moving on. But fate has other plans.
A deceased man’s will names Derek as the heir to Quarter Bluff, a rugged homestead unlike any other. The townspeople believe Laxman Walbert, the former owner, had the Sight—the ability to glimpse the future. And now, Derek is drawn into a legacy that seems impossible to refuse.
Is Quarter Bluff his salvation—or the end of the road?
A tale of destiny, redemption, and the weight of the unseen, In Good Stead blends supernatural mystery with classic frontier grit in an unforgettable journey.
At the moment In Good Stead is only available as part of the short story collection Night Light Tales.
Read a sample:
Just after daybreak, while the shadows still lie long upon the land of Traus, a lone man rides into Brishting. No longer young, but not yet old, he is stiff getting out of the saddle. He had reached the age when a ride through the night had become an ordeal.
The man’s name is Derek Ingel.
Brishting is a town large enough to have most of what makes a civilized man comfortable. The main street has an extended line of merchants, shopfronts, and buildings supplying for all basic needs.
Derek Ingel checks his horse in at the livery stable and ambles down the main street to the town cafe. On the way, he notes a general store whose display announces they have received an order of shirts. Next to it is a barber who seems to have made a brisk trade. At the cafe, he orders breakfast. This morning it is sausages and eggs and black coffee.
Halfway through his breakfast, a man comes and stands by his table. Derek notices the dark suit that does not have a speck of dust on it. It contrasts with his own frayed and grimy shirt cuff. He keeps his head down, eating his eggs.
“You are the stranger who rode into town this morning?” says the man.
Derek looks up. It is a much older man, sporting a distinguished white beard. Something that requires the attention of a barber at least once a week. He runs his hand over the stubble on his own chin.
“I don’t want any trouble,” Derek says.
…end of sample
In Good Stead © I.M. Gerhi