The Dark Lord of Oklahoma Read online

  The Dark Lord of Oklahoma

  An Unconventional Story

  Ethan Richards

  Copyright © 2018 Ethan Richards

  Copyright © Kay County Renaissance, Limited Liability Corporation

  Copyright © Ethan Richards

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 1727834623

  ISBN-13: 978-1727834628

  DEDICATION

  To Pug,

  You were loved by your family.

  Table of Contents

  Extended Prologue - Part 1

  Extended Prologue - Part II

  CHAPTER 1: CHICK FLICKS AND ICE CREAM

  Elena Doolin Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 2: THE VIKING FINANCIAL ADVISOR

  Jon T. Chance – Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 3: ELENA’S NEW DOG

  Elena Doolin - Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 4: RECURRING NIGHTMARES

  Elena – Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 5: THE WALKING MAN

  John T. Chance - Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 6: INCIDENT AT THE WILSON COUNTY STORE

  Elena - Henryetta, ok

  CHAPTER 7: THE THIN LINE BETWEEN ECCENTRIC AND MADNESS

  Elena - Henryetta, ok

  CHAPTER 8: THE PAST

  Gavan Jenkins – Henryetta, OK

  CHAPTER 9: FALL FROM GLORY

  Chance - Henryetta

  CHAPTER 10: A DAY AT THE RANGE

  Elena – Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 11: HENRYETTA LOST AND FOUND

  Elena Doolin - Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 12: RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY

  Elena - Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 13: HUNT FOR A NOMAD

  Chance - Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 14: ALIEN EARS

  Elena - Henryetta

  CHAPTER 15: CRIES-FOR-WAR

  Elena - Henryetta

  CHAPTER16: THE VIKING-GOD THAT FAILED

  Chance - Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 17: AN INVESTIGATION AND A BBQ

  Chance - Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 18: REVELATION

  Chance - Henryetta, Ok

  CHAPTER 19: A DISAPPEARING ACT

  Henryetta, Ok.

  CHAPTER 20: A PLOT REVEALED

  Elena - Henryetta, Ok

  Part II Freeborne

  CHAPTER 1: THE BROKER

  Gavan – Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 2: THE SEARCH BEGINS

  Chance Or Gavan – Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 3: THE PATH TO RAGNOG

  Chance - Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 4: THE FRAT SQUAD

  Gavan- Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 5: RAGNOG

  Gavan - Ragnog, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 6: RAGNOG, PART II

  Gavan - Ragnog, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 7: THE RED SLOUGH

  Gavan - Mccurtain County, Ok

  CHAPTER 8: OKLAHOMA’S MOST WANTED

  Gavan - Mccurtain County, Ok

  CHAPTER 9: INTO THE OUACHITA MOUNTAINS

  Gavan - Mccurtain County, Ok

  CHAPTER 10: THE BIRTH OF JON TECUMSEH CHANCE

  Gavan - Mccurtain County, Ok

  CHAPTER 11: THE FINANCIER

  Gavan - Mccurtain County, Ok

  CHAPTER 12: THE NIGHTMARE CONTINUES

  Elena - Creek County, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 13: ZILES

  Elena – Creek County, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 14: ZILES’ DEPARTURE

  Elena - Creek County, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 15: GREENOAK

  Chance - Creek County, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 16: THE SONS

  Elena - Creek County, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 17: THE ORCSLAYER

  Chance - Creek County, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 18: MYTHOLOGICAL DIPLOMACY

  Chance – Creek County, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 19: THE PLOT THICKENS

  Elena - Creek County, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 20: SAM OTTO

  Gavan - Henryetta, Oklahoma

  CHAPTER 21: SAM OTTO

  Gavan - Ponca City, Oklahoma

  PART III The Witch-Queen

  CHAPTER 1: THE PONCA CITY LIBRARY

  Gavan/Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 2: AN ODD PAIR OF COCONUTS

  Gavan - Ingalls, Ok

  CHAPTER 3: I AM PICHER

  Gavan - Picher, Ok

  CHAPTER 4: I AM PICHER, PART II

  Gavan - Picher, Ok

  CHAPTER 5: I AM PICHER, PART III

  Gavan; Picher, Ok

  CHAPTER 6: DR. NORWICH’S TAPES, PART I

  Sasha Ferrell - Picher, Ok

  CHAPTER 7: DR. NORWICH’S TAPES, PART II

  Sasha Ferrell - Picher, Ok

  CHAPTER 8: DR. NORWICH’S TAPES, PART III

  Sasha Ferrel - Picher, Ok

  CHAPTER 9: DR. NORWICH’S TAPES, PART III

  Sasha Ferrell - Picher, Ok

  CHAPTER 10: A NEW FIGHT

  Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 11: RECONAISSANCE

  Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 12: THE MARLAND MANSION

  Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 13: THE NORTH SALON

  Novatorio - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 14: THE OUTER LOUNGE

  Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 15: THE NORTH SALON, PART II

  Novatorio - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 16: LYDIE MARLAND’S BEDROOM

  Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 17: THE INNER LOUNGE

  Marion - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 18: EW MARLAND’S BATH

  Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 20: PORTE COCHERE

  Asher Cries-For-War - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 21: THE INNER LOUNGE, PART II

  Marion - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 22: EW MARLAND’S BATH, PART II

  CHANCE - PONCA CITY, OK

  CHAPTER 23: THE INNER LOUNGE, PART III

  Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 24: EW MARLAND’S BATH, PART II

  Chance and Elena - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 25: PORT ECHERE, PART II

  Chance And Elena - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 26: EW MARLAND’S BATH, Part II

  CHAPTER 27: THE INNER LOUNGE, PART IV

  Marion - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 28: THE HALL OF MERRIMENT, Part II

  Chance And Elena - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 29: EW MARLAND’S STUDY

  Chance And Elena - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 30: HALL OF MERRIMENT, PART III

  Chance and Elena - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 31: EW MARLAND’S STUDY, PART II

  Asher And Chance - Ponca City, Ok

  CHAPTER 32: REUNION

  Chance And Elena - Kay County, Ok

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Extended Prologue - Part 1

  Transcript of an audio recording of witness testimony

  Dinah Knave 11/11/20

  Detective Bart Masters: Ms. Knave…

  Detective Bart: You seem stressed, Ms. Knave. Do you know why you are here?

  Dinah Knave: No.

  Detective Bart: Do you have any idea?

  Dinah: No.

  Detective Bart: You are here…

  Dinah: Why? Why I am I here.

  Detective Bart: You are here because you were the last person to see Deacon Andrews alive.

  Dinah: No. It is not that interview that scares me.

  Detective Bart: Are you scared?

  Dinah: Aren't you? Isn't everyone in this town? Isn't everyone in Oklahoma?

  Detective Bart: [coughs, and says something inaudible] I am sorry, I think I may have started this wrong. How did you know Deacon A
ndrews?

  Dinah: I worked at the Buffet for the last three years. From what the managers said, people never held meetings or anything like that in the restaurant. But in the last two years, a man named Deacon Andrews started the Oklahoma Historical Society. There was…I don’t know, five or ten members. If I remember right, they met at the restaurant first Tuesday of the month, I think, at dinner time. The meetings had gone on for the past two years, and I was working whenever they met. What was different was that this last time I saw him, no one showed up but Deacon.

  Detective Bart: You said he started a historical society? Was he a History teacher or something like that?

  Dinah: That is what was so funny about it. Deacon reminded me of Santa Claus; he was an old man, and he always seemed happy. His wife had just died, and I remember feeling really bad for him. I remember thinking that this historical society was something he had created to keep himself busy. But then I recalled that he started this club even before his wife died. One time, before she died, his wife came to a meeting. It comes to mind because she said that the whole historical research thing he had gotten into was the weirdest thing she had ever seen. She said he was a farmer and loved football, but the History channel had never been on in their house in his life.

  She told me one day I would get married, and I would think my man was crazy too. I laughed, but then she called his new interest in history "unnatural."

  Detective Bart: Unnatural?

  Dinah: Yes. Those words stuck with me, but I didn't dwell on them. To be honest, I hadn't thought anything about that, until all this happened. I hadn't thought about the Deacon either. It's a small town, you know everyone, but we aren’t close. It was raining so no one from the historical society was there except for the Deacon. He was just sitting there at his table…just kind of looking sad.

  I guess Deacon looking sad kinda distracted me.

  Detective Bart: Distracted you?

  Dinah: Yes, because I looked up from the cash register and there was this.... this albino phantom figure standing in front of me.

  Detective Bart: A phantom figure? Did you see a ghost? Don't you think that is a little melodramatic?

  Dinah: Are we going to do this interview, or are you going to insult me?

  Detective Bart: I'm sorry, I've never heard a witness call someone that before.

  Dinah: Well, then none of your witnesses have seen this "man" before. This man looked like a ghost and you’re insulting me.

  Detective Bart: I'm sorry, Ms. Dinah. Please go on.

  Dinah: When I saw the person standing in front of me, he seemed so odd that I even opened my mouth to say something to him. But, I just stood there gaping like a fish.

  Detective Bart: He had been standing there awhile?

  Dinah: I-I honestly don't know. I just looked up, and that...man was there. He was just there standing in front of me, looking very odd.

  Detective Bart: What do you mean by "odd?"

  Dinah: You know how some older men have their wives dress them? That probably sounds worse than I mean. I just mean the old guys' styles don't always match.

  Detective Bart: What do you mean by that?

  Dinah: I mean old guys. Their styles don't always match. Like a shirt from the 90s, a hat from the 40s, sunglasses from the 80s, and moustache from the 70s.

  Detective Bart: He stuck out because he was a bad dresser?

  Dinah: Not exactly. It's like he was from multiple decades.

  Detective Bart: I'm not following you.

  Dinah: [sighs] I don't know, it's hard to explain. [Snaps fingers as if to recall information] That's what he looked like!

  Detective Bart: That's what who looked like?

  Dinah: The phantom man. That is what the stranger looked like!

  Detective Bart: Like what?

  Dinah: My boyfriend is a comic book geek. He talks about comic books, even when it’s clear I am not listening. It can get very annoying. Anyways, he showed me these pulp fictions characters or whatever he calls them. You know? The magazines before comic books? He showed me these old newspaper clips that had the old action heroes. They looked different from the guys in my boyfriend's comics. A lot of them had fedoras, with masks underneath them. This guy reminded me of that. It was bizarre. He wore this brown fedora. It showed signs of wear, and even with the rain, I could smell the dust. Maybe it wasn't from the hat. I don't know why, but the contrast in the black and brown made me feel...

  Detective Bart: Uneasy?

  Dinah: Yeah, it's weird. His clothes reminded me of the colors of a Nazi uniform from those Indiana Jones movies. Underneath his hat was even stranger. He wore these glasses that looked like goggles. They looked like the goggles Steampowered Giraffe, my boyfriend’s favorite steampunk band, sometimes wear. That band wears all black, with a brass temple, and the earpiece wrapped all around the ear, except I could not see the tops of his ears. Of all the things that stuck about him, his ears were the weirdest.

  Detective Bart: A man comes into your restaurant, dressed like that, and the thing you remember the most is his ears?

  Dinah: Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. This whole thing is sad, but it is crazy, too. The phantom's ears were large, and the top part was covered by his hat. His gloves were odd as well. They were black with their fingers cut out. His fingernails were long and pointy; they were not too long but went over his fingers. The gloves had this weird protection on the knuckles. They looked like those special gloves cage-fighters wear only his had more padding, like a soldier’s. To add to his odd appearance, he had this white paper thing on his face.

  Detective Bart: A surgical mask?

  Dinah: Yeah, that's it. When I was in an airport in Tokyo, everyone had those things on. I have not seen it so much in Ponca City, though. If someone was so sick they needed that, why would they go out in the rain? I was so shocked by his fashion that I almost didn't catch the color of his skin. His skin was white.

  Detective Bart: White? Why is that so shocking?

  Dinah: I have a friend who suffers from albinism, but this person’s white skin looked different. But he looked albino in an unnatural way. His skin was white, and so was his hair which was tied back in a ponytail that fell over his shoulders.

  Detective Bart: Would you describe this man as old?

  Dinah: No, I wouldn't call him that. Not because of anything I saw…it was just a feeling. The way he walked, the way he moved, he still seemed to have spunk. His skin looked like an old man's. I was scared of him.

  Detective Bart: You said you felt intimidated by him? How so?

  Dinah: Just a feeling. My dad always told me to listen to that feeling, you know the one in your gut? He said if I’m ever around a man who makes my stomach tighten, I need to get away from him. This man did that.

  Detective Bart: What did he do after that?

  Dinah: He said nothing but he handed me a note that said: Oklahoma Historical Society.

  I couldn't point to Deacon, I was too scared. My friend, who was also at the desk, pointed to him.

  The figure stared straight at me. I think he was smiling under his mask. Then he went to sit in front of Deacon. They had some sort of conversation. Deacon, whose face had become white as a sheet, got up and walked out the door. As he was walking out, I called out his name.

  Detective Bart: Take your time.

  Dinah: He turned back to me, grabbed his cowboy hat and tipped it to me. He said… [sniffles and clears throat] he said, "Take care of yourself, kid." Then he walked out the door. In an instant, he had transformed from that old man I knew to this...I hate to say it but…this sexy guy.

  Detective Bart: [clears throat] "Sexy guy?"

  Dinah: Yes. He had a strength I never noticed. And I thought of him baling hay to feed his cattle. He stood tall and, for the first time, I noticed how muscular his arms and how broad his shoulders were. He was like a man from a movie with a mysterious past. I saw confidence in him I had never noticed. It was this confidence I found so attractive. There was
a business to be taken care of, and Deacon would get 'er done [sic]. I-I- can't describe how I knew this. But he looked like one of those hardworking men from the past, going out and doing work. Like a hard-charger rolling his sleeves up, right before going out to the farm. I looked at him, and then he left. And a few minutes later, that pale-faced man followed him out of the restaurant. And that was the last time I ever saw Deacon.

  [End of audio transcript]

  Extended Prologue - Part II

  The night of Deacon Andrews' disappearance

  Deacon moved away from the counter where Dinah had been. He stormed out into the deluge and went to his red El Camino in the parking lot. Deacon was a strong man, but not much of a runner. His movement was as fast as he could move while still walking. Finally, he reached his car. After unlocking the door, he quickly jumped into the driver’s seat. Inside the El Camino, Deacon reached out and opened his glove box.

  There was something different about the inside of the car.

  Deacon sniffed the air. There was a stale smell. Instantly, the smell took him back to his youth, when he visited Alabaster Caverns. It reminded him of something from a cave.

  The slender pale figure stood out in the rain, staring at Deacon as he rummaged through the cab, tossing aside empty paper coffee cups and plastic wrapped newspapers.

  The glove box was empty.

  Deacon gritted his teeth and punched his leg. He pulled a cell-phone from his pocket and quickly jabbed at the buttons.

  "Come on," he muttered.

  His desperate call was answered.

  “It's me, Deacon," he spoke into the phone. “They have my gun...I don’t know...Real China Buffet...Just one of them."

  The old farmer listened for a second. He fumbled with his keys while keeping a watchful eye on the albino. The keys fell. His fist slammed into his leg again. He tossed his phone onto the passenger seat and reached his hand to the floor, searching for the lost keys. Grabbing the keys he started the engine. He turned on the wipers, and picked up the phone.

  "Sorry, dropped it,” he said. "I don't know who they are, but they've done their research."

  Outside the figure watched. It stood motionless in the rain. Deacon put the car into reverse.

  "I think your boys have some work cut out for you," he said as he pulled his car into reverse, and then drove onto 5th Street. As he started to accelerate away, he looked outside, and saw that the phantom-like figure had vanished.