Escape from Pandemonium

By David E Waddell

Women throughout the Arizona Territory are being kidnapped and then taken to an outlaw sanctuary called Pandemonium where they become slaves of the outlaws who reside there. Every rescue attempt by sheriffs, marshals, and posses have failed, and the soldiers from Fort Apache and Fort Bowie are too busy fighting the Chiricahua Apaches to offer any help.

One wealthy rancher, Wallace Blanchard, whose two daughters, Ella and Laura, have been kidnapped and taken to Pandemonium offers a huge reward to anyone crazy enough to ride to the outlaw sanctuary, find his two daughters, and then bring them both safely back to him. Only a few men respond to the Blanchard's offer, and the few who do are killed attempting to rescue Ella and Laura. Just when Wallace Blanchard had given up all hope of ever seeing his two daughters again, two prisoners from Yuma Territorial Prison, named Isaac Hastings and Rusty Young, volunteer to try to rescue Laura and Ella in exchange for a full pardon if they are successful in their rescue attempt. Can Isaac and Rusty fight through hostile Apache Territory, survive demons from their past, and help Ella and Laura Escape from Pandemonium, or will they both fail, leaving Laura and Ella trapped in the outlaw sanctuary for the rest of their lives?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781641388085

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Escape from Pandemonium

David E. Waddell

Copyright © 2018 David E. Waddell

All rights reserved

First Edition

Page Publishing, Inc

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc 2018

ISBN 978-1-64138-806-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64138-808-5 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

ALSO BY DAVID E. WADDELL

A DIVIDED FAMILY

RANSOM

BIG MEDICINE

CANYON STATION

OLD WASHINGTON

I would like to dedicate this novel to my beautiful wife, Charlotte, and my two adorable daughters, Allyson and Reagan, for encouraging me to write Escape from Pandemonium.

No one ever escapes from Pandemonium. So don’t waste your time trying to. Not even God can help you escape from this place. You’re in hell and you’re trapped here forever!

One

Open that safe before you get a body full of bullets! Isaac Hastings ordered as he pointed his two revolvers at the bank teller.

I’m trying to, but the combination to the safe isn’t working, the nervous bank teller said as his right hand shook while he quickly turned the dial on the safe.

You’re turning that dial too fast. Slow down!

Okay, I’ll try, but those two revolvers you’re pointing at me are making me nervous, and my hand is shaking.

Did the teller get the safe open yet? Rusty Young asked after he walked into the bank.

Not yet, but he’s working on it, Isaac replied.

He better hurry up before the marshal and townsfolk find out that we’re robbing this bank.

The safe’s unlocked now, the bank teller said and then opened the safe.

Move out of the way! Isaac shouted to the bank teller as he slid his two revolvers back into their holsters on his gun belt and then walked toward the safe.

The bank teller obeyed Isaac and quickly moved away from the safe. Isaac picked up a couple of cloth bags that were lying next to the safe and started filling them with the neatly stacked greenbacks that were inside the safe. His partner, Rusty, kept his pair of revolvers pointing at the bank teller and two bank customers.

Are you almost finished? A curious Rusty asked.

Almost, Isaac replied and then asked: Are Gideon and Owen still with our horses?

They sure are.

Where’s Michah at?

He’s still sitting in that rocking chair outside the general store across the street from the Marshal’s office.

Good, Isaac replied. That means the Marshal hasn’t notice us robbing this bank yet.

We’re lucky so far but if we don’t get out of here fast our luck could run out, Rusty said.

Just one more bag to fill and I will be done, Isaac said as he continued stuffing handfuls of greenbacks into the last cloth bag.

Gideon walked into the bank and said, Michah is walking our way.

The marshal must have left his office, Rusty said. Help me tie up and gag this bank teller and these two other people while Isaac is getting the money out of the safe.

Okay, Gideon said as he grabbed a piece of rope from Rusty and started tying up a female bank customer.

Rusty and Gideon tied up the bank teller and two bank customers while Isaac continued stashing the greenbacks into the last cloth bag. Once he finished, he tied the top of the bag and grabbed the other two bags he had filled with greenbacks. He then turned around and walked toward Rusty and Gideon and asked, Are you guys ready to go?

We are now, Rusty said as he and Gideon finished tying up and gagging the bank teller and two bank customers. They stood up and left the three tied-up individuals lying on the oak wood floor and then joined Isaac who was standing next to the front door of the bank.

I don’t see the marshal or any suspicious townsfolk looking toward this bank, Isaac said as he looked through the large glass window next to the door. He then looked at his two comrades and said, Let’s get out of here before they discover this bank was robbed.

Isaac, Rusty, and Gideon walked through the door and then crossed over the wooden boardwalk to the hitching rail where their horses and Owen were waiting for them. Isaac put a bag full of greenbacks into one of his saddlebags while Gideon and Rusty each put a bag into their saddlebags. As the three of them mounted their horses, Owen asked, How much money did the three of you get from the bank’s safe?

We emptied out the safe, Isaac replied as he and the others finished mounting their horses.

The four outlaws spun their horses around and saw their partner in crime, Michah, riding his horse at a fast trot toward them. It’s a setup! Michah yelled. They knew we were going to rob this bank today.

How could they have known? Isaac asked as he drew one of his revolvers and then heard gunshots erupt all around him.

Somebody from our gang must have told the marshal, Rusty replied as he and the other outlaws drew their revolvers from their holsters as bullets whizzed by them and slammed into the buildings, boardwalk, and ground near them.

The five outlaws saw townsfolk standing on all the rooftops of the town’s buildings, pointing their rifles down at them. Let’s get out of here! Isaac shouted.

Isaac and the other four outlaws kicked their horses into a fast gallop as bullets hit the ground all around them. They rode their horses down the street and shot their revolvers at any townsfolk they saw shooting at them. As they approached the southern end of town, they saw wagons blocking the road with armed townsfolk standing behind them. They halted their horses when they saw the muzzle flashes from the townsfolk rifles standing behind the wagons.

Let’s ride toward the other side of town, and hopefully, they won’t have the road blocked at that end, Isaac suggested.

The five outlaws spun their horses around and rode them at a fast gallop toward the north side of town. Bullets slammed into Michah’s right shoulder and his upper back, knocking him off his horse. He landed face-first on the dirt road. As he tried to push himself up, more bullets ripped into his body, killing him instantly.

Owen felt a bullet rip some flesh off his left forearm as he rode his horse down the road at a fast gallop. He looked down at his forearm and smiled when he saw that it was only a flesh wound. His smile quickly faded away as he felt a bullet slam into the middle of his chest. He lost control of his horse’s reins and then fell backward off his horse and landed on his back. He looked up at the bright, sunny sky and then saw it replaced with darkness as he passed away.

As the three remaining outlaws approached the northern end of town, their hopes of escaping the ambush shrunk even more when they saw turned-over wagons blocking that end of town too. The three outlaws halted their horses and looked for a means of escape as bullets were whizzing by them.

There’s an alley over there! Rusty yelled. Let’s ride through it, and hopefully, it will lead us out of this town.

Both Gideon and Isaac nodded in agreement, and all three outlaws rode their horses at a fast gallop toward the alley. As they rode into the alley, bullets slammed into Rusty’s horse. As his horse stumbled, Rusty jumped off it and landed on his feet. He then turned around and saw his horse lying on its side. He ran up to his horse and retrieved the bag containing the stolen money from his saddlebag. He then turned around and saw Gideon riding his horse toward him.

Gideon halted his horse in front of Rusty and said, Put the bag of money in the empty pocket of my saddlebags and then jump up behind me.

Rusty started opening up one of Gideon’s saddlebags and stopped when Gideon yelled, Not that one! It already has a bag of money in it. The one on the other side of my horse is empty.

Rusty rushed around the back of Gideon’s horse and put the bag of money inside the empty pocket of Gideon’s saddlebags. He then tried to jump up on the back of Gideon’s horse but was stopped when the heel of Gideon’s right boot smashed into his chest. As he was falling backward, Rusty saw Gideon riding his horse away from him and wondered why his friend wouldn’t help him escape.

Isaac was waiting at the end of the alley for his two outlaw partners to catch up with him. He saw Gideon galloping his horse toward him and wondered where his good friend, Rusty, was. After Gideon rode past Isaac without stopping and headed for the openness of the Arizona Territory, Isaac saw Rusty running down the alley toward him.

Isaac rode his horse toward his friend and then halted when he caught up with him and then asked, What happened?

My horse got shot and then Gideon refused to help me after I gave him the bag of money I was carrying, Rusty replied and then jumped up behind Isaac.

Hold on tight, my friend, Isaac said as he felt Rusty’s hands holding onto his waist. Let’s catch up with Gideon and then we can both ask him why he refused to help you escape after you gave him your bag of greenbacks.

Rusty spun his horse around and then used the heels of his boots to kick it into a fast gallop. The horse headed for the end of the alley, carrying Isaac and Rusty on its back. As bullets whizzed by them, both outlaws smiled when they saw the vast Arizona Territory lying in front of them.

We’re almost there, Isaac said.

Good, Rusty responded. I can’t wait till we catch up with—

A loud squeal coming from Isaac’s horse interrupted Rusty. Both Isaac and Rusty fell forward as Isaac’s horse’s legs collapsed from underneath it. Both Isaac and Rusty landed face-first on the ground, and then they pushed themselves up off the ground and looked back and saw Isaac’s horse lying on its side. Bullets hit the ground and slammed into the wood siding of the buildings on both sides of them. They dove behind Isaac’s dead horse and then looked at both ends of the alleyway and saw townsfolk at both ends shooting their rifles and revolvers at them.

We’re pinned down! Rusty exclaimed and then fired both his revolvers at some townsfolk whom were shooting at him and Isaac.

We sure are, Isaac concurred as he fired his revolvers at the townsfolk too.

What should we do? Rusty asked.

I guess the only thing we can do now is surrender, Isaac answered.

I guess Gideon got away with two of the three bags of the money we stole from the bank.

He won’t get far. The marshal will form a posse and then chase after him.

I still want to know who set us up, Rusty said. The marshal and townsfolk knew we were robbing their bank today.

It must have been Gideon, Isaac said. Why else would he take your bag of money and then abandon you?

Because he’s greedy, Rusty replied. But he probably did set us up too.

Isaac and Rusty knew they would be facing a hangman’s noose or a long stay at Yuma Territorial Prison if they surrendered, but they also realized if they continued fighting, they would probably be killed since all the ways of escaping from the town had been cut off. After exchanging gunfire with the marshal and townsfolk for a few more minutes, they both shouted out that they would be surrendering. After the gunfire had ceased, they dropped their revolvers, stood up, and then raised their hands above their heads, indicating to the townsfolk and law enforcement that they were in fact surrendering.

We lost three good friends today, Isaac said as he and Rusty waited to be apprehended. Two were shot and killed while trying to escape the bank we robbed and the other one deserted us when we needed his help to escape from this town.

I wonder what Gideon will do with all that money we stole? Rusty asked.

Who knows, but I hope someone kills him before he has a chance to spend it, Isaac replied.

I hope someone kills him too, Rusty concurred.

Two

Leo and Sam halted their horses when they saw four human skulls lying on top of the ground. They both dismounted their horses and walked over to the four skulls and then knelt down next to them.

The Apaches buried these poor souls in the ground up to their necks and then left them for the scorpions, red ants, and vultures to feast on, Leo said as he and his partner, Sam, looked down at the four skulls with sad expressions on their faces.

Do you think they were trying to rescue Wallace Blanchard’s daughters? Sam asked.

Most likely, Leo replied. This is Chiricahua Apache territory, and no one ventures into this territory unless they’re attempting to rescue Blanchard’s daughters or they’re just plain crazy.

Maybe they were soldiers, Sam suggested.

I doubt it. They’re too busy protecting the ranchers, miners, and townsfolk living near and around Fort Bowie and Fort Apache.

Maybe they’re outlaws.

No, they’re not, Leo responded. The Chiricahua give outlaws a free pass.

Why? Sam asked.

No one knows for sure, but rumor has it that the Chiricahua believe the outlaws living in the outlaw sanctuary called Pandemonium possess ‘big medicine,’ so they leave them alone and allow them to travel to and from it without harassing or killing them.

How do the Apaches identify the outlaws when they pass through their territory?

No one knows how, Leo replied. It’s a well-kept secret between the outlaws from Pandemonium and the Chiricahua Apaches.

I wish we knew that secret.

Me too, Leo concurred.

I guess these four carcasses buried here were trying to rescue Blanchard’s daughters just like we are.

They probably were, and they were willing to risk their lives just like we are for the chance to receive the huge reward that Wallace Blanchard is offering for the safe return of his two daughters.

I hope we have better luck than they did, Sam said.

Me too, Leo concurred as he walked toward his horse and then said, Let’s mount up and start looking for the entrance to Pandemonium.

Where is the entrance?

Devil’s Canyon.

I heard there’s only one way in and one way out of that canyon, Sam said.

You heard right. It’s a box canyon, and the outlaw sanctuary called Pandemonium is located inside that canyon and that’s where Blanchard’s daughters are being held.

"What does the word pandemonium mean?" a curious Sam asked.

It means the capital of hell, Leo answered.

I wished I never asked, Sam said and then mounted his horse.

The outlaws chose the word ‘pandemonium’ to the name their outlaw sanctuary hoping it would scare people away from wanting to visit it, Leo said.

It’s starting to scare me, Sam said.

*     *     *

They’re two white eyes heading our way, an Apache warrior named Narsi said.

I see them, Tyee said as he and Narsi hid behind a large boulder and watched Leo and Sam ride their horses toward them.

They’re not signaling us with their mirrors so we are free to kill them, Narsi said as he checked to make sure his lever-action repeating rifle was loaded and ready to fire.

Which one do you want to kill? Tyee asked as he raised his rifle over the boulder he and Narsi were hiding behind.

I’ll kill the one wearing the blue shirt, Narsi replied as he aimed his rifle at Leo. You can kill the one wearing the white shirt.

Narsi and Tyee aimed their rifles at Leo and Sam and then pulled their triggers. They both fired their rifles as fast as they could, and both were determined to kill their enemies that were trespassing on Chiricahua Apache land.

*     *     *

Bullets slammed into the rock formations that Leo and Sam were riding their horses next to. They both jumped off their horses and dove behind some boulders that were nearby. They drew their revolvers from their gun belts and got ready to use them.

As bullets hit and ricochet off the boulders they were hiding behind, both Leo and Sam looked for their attackers.

Can you see who’s attacking us? Sam asked.

Not yet, but I’m looking for them, Leo replied.

How many do you think there are?

Not sure, Leo responded as he continued looking for someone to shoot at.

I can’t tell where the gunshots are coming from because their sounds are echoing off these tall rock formations.

Just be patient, Leo said. We got good cover here. If they want to kill us, they will have to move closer to us, and when they do, we’ll see them and that’s when we can shoot and kill them.

I’m going to make a break for our horses! Sam exclaimed. I don’t care about rescuing Blanchard’s daughters anymore and collecting the reward. All I care about is getting out of here alive and keeping my scalp.

Our horses were spook by the sounds of gunfire echoing everywhere and by bullets ricocheting off these boulders all around us, Leo said. Now our horses are too far away for us to reach. If you try to make a run for your horse, you’ll make an easy target for whoever is trying to kill us.

I can’t stay here any longer! Sam said with a frightened tone to his voice.

Don’t try it! Leo warned.

If you want to stay here and die, go right ahead, but I’m getting out of here! Sam exclaimed before he took off and ran as fast as he could toward his horse.

*     *     *

One of the white eyes is running for his horse, Narsi said.

He’s making it easy for us to kill him, Tyee said as both he and Narsi aimed their rifles at Sam.

You aim at his legs and I’ll aim at his upper body.

Okay, Tyee said and then pulled his rifle’s trigger.

*     *     *

When Leo spotted two Apaches shooting their rifles at Sam, he left his defensive position and ran toward the two Apaches who were no longer concentrating on him. He reached a small rock formation that was located thirty feet from where the two Apaches were and then threw himself on the ground and hid behind the rocks. He drew his revolver and then waited for an opportunity to kill both Apaches.

Bullets hit the ground all around Sam as he sprinted toward his horse. The closer he got to his horse, the more confident he felt that he could reach it and then ride away to safety. His confidence evaporated when he saw four Apache warriors come out from behind a rock formation with their rifles pointing at him.

Sam drew his revolver from his gun belt and pointed it toward the four Apaches and started pulling its trigger as fast as he could as he continued running. He saw muzzle flashes coming from the four Apaches’ rifles and then was thrown backward when four bullets slammed into his upper chest. He landed on his back and heard the four Apache warriors running toward him as his life quickly faded away.

After Leo watched four Apache warriors shoot and kill Sam, he decided it was time to attack Narsi and Tyee, who were both unaware that he had left the rock formation that he and Sam were hiding behind and was now hiding behind a small rock formation less than thirty feet from them. Leo stood up and then pulled the trigger on his revolver as fast as he could. Narsi and Tyee were watching their four friends scalp Sam when they both felt hot bullets rip into their backs.

Narsi and Tyee spun around and shot their rifles at Leo just before they both collapsed to the ground. Leo felt a hot burning sensation in his belly and started feeling dizzy. He looked down and saw blood seeping through his shirt before he fell backward and landed on his back. He glanced over at Narsi and Tyee and noticed that they were both lying on their backs and were no longer a threat to him. He then saw the four Apaches who had just killed and scalped Sam running toward him and pointed the barrel of his revolver at them. He pulled his revolver’s trigger and heard a click and then pulled the trigger again and heard another click. I shouldn’t have wasted six bullets on the two Apaches I just shot, Leo thought to himself as he tossed his revolver away from him and then pulled his hunting knife out of its leather sheath.

Leo swung his knife at the first Apache that lunged at him and watched his knife’s blade slice across the warrior’s upper chest. He kicked the Apache off him and tried to defend himself against the remaining three Apache warriors but lost the battle quickly after he felt three bullets penetrate his chest. He felt helpless as one of the three Apaches took his scalp, and then he died a few moments later, knowing that he and Sam would be added to the long list of men who were killed while trying to rescue Blanchard’s two daughters from the outlaw sanctuary called Pandemonium.

Three

Line up in a straight line and keep your mouths shut! a Yuma Territorial Prison guard yelled at the prisoners that were gathered in an open area outside their prison cells.

All the prisoners obeyed the prison guard’s orders and quickly