title: Gunflint Territory
author: Jay Steinke
description: Jay Steinke is an accomplished photographer residing in Duluth Minnesota. He specializes in outdoor photography and has authored 2 books and markets his work thru galleries and posters.
zlib_text: The Territory
  
  Bradley Denton
  
   **1993**
  
  Sam came awake and sat up choking. His chest was as tight as if wrapped in
  steel cables, and his heart was trying to hammer its way out. He gulped a
  breath and coughed. The air in the abandoned barn was thick with dust. There
  was just enough light for him to see the swirling motes.
  
  A few feet away, the skinny form of Fletcher Taylor groaned and rose on one
  elbow. "What the hell's wrong?" he asked.
  
  "Shut the hell up," the man on the other side ofTaylor said.
  
  "You go to hell,"Taylor snapped.
  
  "Go to hell yourself."
  
  "Let me sleep, or I'll send you all to hell," another man said.
  
  "The hell you will."
  
  "The hell I won't."
  
  Taylorshook a finger at Sam. "See all the hell you've raised?"
  
  Sam put on the new slouch hat thatTaylor had given him, pulled on his boots,
  and stood, picking up the leather saddlebags he'd been using as a pillow. "I'm
  sorry as hell," he said, and left the barn, trying not to kick more than four
  or five of the other men on h