In the scorched deserts of post Civil War California, the once-thriving frontier town of Spring Jack Water is on the edge of ruin. The saloons still echo with poker games and whiskey fueled laughter, but something darker is stirring beneath the surface. Jack Ellington, a grizzled ex-miner and seasoned gunslinger, spends his days drinking, gambling, and trying to outrun memories of the war.But peace is shattered when mutilated livestock and blood-drained bodies begin appearing across the plains. Panic rises. Whispers of monsters spread through the desert wind. Partnering with Mae Hollister, a hardened cattle rancher with a sharp aim and a guarded heart, Jack is drawn into a harrowing investigation. What begins as a hunt for cattle rustlers soon unravels into something far more horrifying.Clues lead them from deserted mining camps to shadowed caves and into the heart of Lake Gulch, a place the locals fear to speak of. Along the way, they encounter gunfights, strange symbols, and a trail of death that defies natural explanation. As connections emerge between the killings, a secretive group in Lake Gulch, and the town's mysterious reverend, Jack begins to suspect they're not just dealing with criminals, but with something inhuman.Forced to face unspeakable horrors lurking in the shadows, Jack must rely on grit, instinct, and firepower to survive. With a revolver in one hand and a flask in the other, he prepares for a final confrontation where not all enemies bleed.In a land ruled by dust, greed, and vengeance, the greatest threat might not be man, it might be the monster that wears a human face.
