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r4punz3lTitle: Vampires vs. Zombies PRT
Chapter Rating: R, for language, ultraviolent zombie mayhem
Chapter Summary: In which an unexpected confrontation occurs
Disclaimer: #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement
All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Word Count: ~1400
Author's Note: Beta-reading courtesy of the marvelousthemistoklis.
Previous chapters
Chapter 30
“Did you hear that?” Ivy whispered.
“Yes,” Rebecca said flatly. “And whatever it is knows that we’re here. There’s no point in whispering.”
Ivy made a face at Rebecca. Rebecca made a face back, as Rachel stepped across the campfire circle and peered down an aisle toward the front of the store.
The security gate rattled again. “Come on, come on!” a voice called out. “I know you’re in there. I just want to talk.”
“Oh, my God,” Ivy said. She sat up straight, and clenched her hands into fists.
“Is that who I think it is?” Stephen asked.
“It’s Beck,” Ivy said through gritted teeth. “What is that bastard doing here?” She stood up suddenly. Jon stood, as well, but Stephen got to her first, stepping behind her, and holding her tightly by the shoulders.
“Calm down,” he said softly. “We have to play this cool.”
“I want him dead,” Ivy said.
“I though death was too good for him,” Adam said.
“I’ve changed my mind,” Ivy retorted.
“That’s not allowed,” Rebecca said. She watched as Rachel slowly made her way down the aisle. Rebecca made a move to follow, but Rachel stopped her with a gesture.
As Rachel slowly made her way past bare shelves, she stepped carefully, not making a sound as she approached the security gate. There was a figure kicking at it and swearing softly. A flashlight beam played across the floor. Rachel stopped, just past the beam’s limit, and watched.
It was Beck, all right. He stood outside the gate, a mass of twitches and tics. Every few seconds, he would look behind him, out at the street, scanning the concrete expanse behind him. Then he would turn back to the store, pressing forward, as if trying to slip through the bars. Rachel could see Beck’s face plainly. Pale with a faint sheen of sweat, Beck’s face reflected any light, and made him stand out in the darkness like a neon sign.
“Come on!” Beck complained. “I don’t have much time.”
Rachel stepped forward. “What do you want, Beck?” she asked coldly.
“You’ve got to help me,” Beck said. “Please, I swear.”
“You swear what?” Rachel asked, taking another step. “That it’s not your fault my friends are dead? That you didn’t really mean to turn everyone into zombies?”
“Well, no,” Beck admitted. “I mean, that wasn’t my original plan. O’Reilly warned me not to go to her, but I made him take me.”
“O’Reilly’s in on this?” Jon asked, stepped out from behind Rachel. Stephen stood behind him, and the three students were not far off. Rachel sighed. So much for not revealing our full numbers, she thought.
“O’Reilly introduced me,” Beck said. “But he doesn’t trust her. And he’s scared of him.”
“Who the hell are you talking about?” Ivy burst out. “It’s all your fault this happened.”
Beck glared at Ivy. Rachel glanced back at the girl. Her face was pale, and her lips compressed into a thin line. Her fists were tight, and held near her jaw. She was ready for a fight. The only reason she was in one place was because Rebecca and Adam were physically holding her back, while Stephen had planted himself in between her and Beck.
Beck pointedly ignored Ivy and spoke directly to Rachel. “You know who I’m talking about. You’ve seen her, at least.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Rachel said.
“Yes, you do,” Beck said. “You don’t know her name, but you know exactly who I’m talking about.”
“For those of us who don’t know, would either of you care to explain?” Jon asked.
“No,” Rachel said.
“I can’t say her name,” Beck said, pressing closer to the gate. “It’s bad enough talking about her like this.”
“Why?” Rebecca asked. Ivy jerked forward, but Rebecca tightened her grip on Ivy’s arm and pulled her back. “Are we talking about Voldemort here, or what?”
“Exactly!” Beck cried. He tapped his nose with an index finger. “Exactly. If you say her name, she’ll find you.”
“Bullshit,” Rebecca muttered.
“How do you know about Voldemort?” Adam asked. “Aren’t you one of those guys who thinks Harry Potter is Satanic?”
“Just the books,” Beck said defensively. “The movies are fantastic.”
Ivy made a growling sound. “Calm down,” Rebecca hissed.
“What’s with the rabid dog?” Beck asked. He seemed more relaxed now, though he did keep scanning the street.
“Her name is Inigo Montoya,” Adam said. “You killed her father. Prepare to die.”
Beck frowned, as Rebecca burst into giggles. Ivy glared at Beck for a moment, before finally cracking up herself.
“I don’t understand,” Beck said, frowning slightly.
“That’s nothing new,” Ivy said. Her voice was rougher than usual, but at least she was speaking. “My dad was a huge fan of yours. One night, we got into a fight at dinner about watching your show while we ate. Then he had a seizure, and bit my brother. He went to the hospital in a coma. That was a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea if he’s alive or dead.”
“I’m sorry,” Beck said. He sounded genuinely apologetic. “This isn’t what I intended. Really. I just wanted everyone to get along.”
“What have you done, Glenn?” Jon asked.
Beck shook his head. “I can’t tell you,” he said tearfully. “She’ll kill me.”
“Who will kill you?” Rachel asked.
“I will,” a voice called from outside.
Beck whirled around in a panic. “Orly Graves!” he cried.
“What are you doing here, my dear?” Orly asked. “You’re supposed to be working.”
Beck stammered out something that was meant to be an explanation. But no one heard him, as Orly stood in the street, illuminated by one of the functioning streetlights.
She raised her arms, and looked skyward “Come!” she cried. Her voice was impossibly strong, shaking Rachel’s teeth in their sockets. “Come, my friends. Come and feast!”
Then the moaning started. It was loud, and impossibly close. Rachel locked eyes with Beck. He was pale and trembling again. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed, before turning and running as fast as he could.
Rachel looked out at the street again. Orly Graves stood in the street, surrounded by a shambling horde of the dead. She looked at Rachel and smiled, before turning away herself, and disappearing into the crowd. Rachel gazed after her, staring. It wasn’t possible, she told herself. It couldn’t be. Orly Graves was the woman from her dream.
“Rachel!” Jon cried, jolting Rachel out of her thoughts. “Little help here!”
The undead had reached the security gate, and were dragging on it. The gate was holding, but each tug and pull made the metal shriek alarmingly. Ivy had a crutch and was bashing at the hands that tore at the gate. Rebecca and Adam swatted at the hands, as well, but they were more concerned with keeping Ivy safely out of reach. Jon and Stephen were trying to hold the gate in place, but could not maintain a grip. The zombies kept snapping at them, and they had to pull away, to avoid infection.
“Retreat!” Rachel cried. She cupped her hands over her ears and sent out a mental cry for help.
Jon grabbed Ivy and shoved her away from the gate, back towards the pharmacy. Rebecca and Adam dragged her away. Stephen followed, his arm reaching out behind him for Jon’s.
“Rachel!” Jon yelled. He held out his hand. Rachel opened her eyes, and took it, still screaming inside her head. Her panicky side, released from her mental box, took over the cry, while her rational side noted that dying in a mob of the undead would not help anyone. She raced after Jon, and was the last one inside the cramped pharmacist’s office. She barely got the door shut behind her, as the security gate gave a final shriek, and crashed to the ground. The sound of moans and snarls increased, but without a visible target, and with the scents of lotions, balms, and potpourri filling the air, the zombies lost the trail. Instead, they began to wander aimlessly through the store.
“How long until your friends get here?” Stephen asked.
Rachel turned, and slumped against the door. “I don’t know,” she sighed. “They’re close, but Beck’s zombies are between us.”
“So, what?” Ivy asked. She perched on the corner of the desk. “We just wait?”
“Yep,” Rachel said. She slid to the floor, legs stretched out in front of her. “Get some sleep if you can,” she advised. “This is you last best chance for it.”
Chapter Rating: R, for language, ultraviolent zombie mayhem
Chapter Summary: In which an unexpected confrontation occurs
Disclaimer: #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement
All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Word Count: ~1400
Author's Note: Beta-reading courtesy of the marvelous
themistoklis.Previous chapters
Chapter 30
“Did you hear that?” Ivy whispered.
“Yes,” Rebecca said flatly. “And whatever it is knows that we’re here. There’s no point in whispering.”
Ivy made a face at Rebecca. Rebecca made a face back, as Rachel stepped across the campfire circle and peered down an aisle toward the front of the store.
The security gate rattled again. “Come on, come on!” a voice called out. “I know you’re in there. I just want to talk.”
“Oh, my God,” Ivy said. She sat up straight, and clenched her hands into fists.
“Is that who I think it is?” Stephen asked.
“It’s Beck,” Ivy said through gritted teeth. “What is that bastard doing here?” She stood up suddenly. Jon stood, as well, but Stephen got to her first, stepping behind her, and holding her tightly by the shoulders.
“Calm down,” he said softly. “We have to play this cool.”
“I want him dead,” Ivy said.
“I though death was too good for him,” Adam said.
“I’ve changed my mind,” Ivy retorted.
“That’s not allowed,” Rebecca said. She watched as Rachel slowly made her way down the aisle. Rebecca made a move to follow, but Rachel stopped her with a gesture.
As Rachel slowly made her way past bare shelves, she stepped carefully, not making a sound as she approached the security gate. There was a figure kicking at it and swearing softly. A flashlight beam played across the floor. Rachel stopped, just past the beam’s limit, and watched.
It was Beck, all right. He stood outside the gate, a mass of twitches and tics. Every few seconds, he would look behind him, out at the street, scanning the concrete expanse behind him. Then he would turn back to the store, pressing forward, as if trying to slip through the bars. Rachel could see Beck’s face plainly. Pale with a faint sheen of sweat, Beck’s face reflected any light, and made him stand out in the darkness like a neon sign.
“Come on!” Beck complained. “I don’t have much time.”
Rachel stepped forward. “What do you want, Beck?” she asked coldly.
“You’ve got to help me,” Beck said. “Please, I swear.”
“You swear what?” Rachel asked, taking another step. “That it’s not your fault my friends are dead? That you didn’t really mean to turn everyone into zombies?”
“Well, no,” Beck admitted. “I mean, that wasn’t my original plan. O’Reilly warned me not to go to her, but I made him take me.”
“O’Reilly’s in on this?” Jon asked, stepped out from behind Rachel. Stephen stood behind him, and the three students were not far off. Rachel sighed. So much for not revealing our full numbers, she thought.
“O’Reilly introduced me,” Beck said. “But he doesn’t trust her. And he’s scared of him.”
“Who the hell are you talking about?” Ivy burst out. “It’s all your fault this happened.”
Beck glared at Ivy. Rachel glanced back at the girl. Her face was pale, and her lips compressed into a thin line. Her fists were tight, and held near her jaw. She was ready for a fight. The only reason she was in one place was because Rebecca and Adam were physically holding her back, while Stephen had planted himself in between her and Beck.
Beck pointedly ignored Ivy and spoke directly to Rachel. “You know who I’m talking about. You’ve seen her, at least.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Rachel said.
“Yes, you do,” Beck said. “You don’t know her name, but you know exactly who I’m talking about.”
“For those of us who don’t know, would either of you care to explain?” Jon asked.
“No,” Rachel said.
“I can’t say her name,” Beck said, pressing closer to the gate. “It’s bad enough talking about her like this.”
“Why?” Rebecca asked. Ivy jerked forward, but Rebecca tightened her grip on Ivy’s arm and pulled her back. “Are we talking about Voldemort here, or what?”
“Exactly!” Beck cried. He tapped his nose with an index finger. “Exactly. If you say her name, she’ll find you.”
“Bullshit,” Rebecca muttered.
“How do you know about Voldemort?” Adam asked. “Aren’t you one of those guys who thinks Harry Potter is Satanic?”
“Just the books,” Beck said defensively. “The movies are fantastic.”
Ivy made a growling sound. “Calm down,” Rebecca hissed.
“What’s with the rabid dog?” Beck asked. He seemed more relaxed now, though he did keep scanning the street.
“Her name is Inigo Montoya,” Adam said. “You killed her father. Prepare to die.”
Beck frowned, as Rebecca burst into giggles. Ivy glared at Beck for a moment, before finally cracking up herself.
“I don’t understand,” Beck said, frowning slightly.
“That’s nothing new,” Ivy said. Her voice was rougher than usual, but at least she was speaking. “My dad was a huge fan of yours. One night, we got into a fight at dinner about watching your show while we ate. Then he had a seizure, and bit my brother. He went to the hospital in a coma. That was a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea if he’s alive or dead.”
“I’m sorry,” Beck said. He sounded genuinely apologetic. “This isn’t what I intended. Really. I just wanted everyone to get along.”
“What have you done, Glenn?” Jon asked.
Beck shook his head. “I can’t tell you,” he said tearfully. “She’ll kill me.”
“Who will kill you?” Rachel asked.
“I will,” a voice called from outside.
Beck whirled around in a panic. “Orly Graves!” he cried.
“What are you doing here, my dear?” Orly asked. “You’re supposed to be working.”
Beck stammered out something that was meant to be an explanation. But no one heard him, as Orly stood in the street, illuminated by one of the functioning streetlights.
She raised her arms, and looked skyward “Come!” she cried. Her voice was impossibly strong, shaking Rachel’s teeth in their sockets. “Come, my friends. Come and feast!”
Then the moaning started. It was loud, and impossibly close. Rachel locked eyes with Beck. He was pale and trembling again. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed, before turning and running as fast as he could.
Rachel looked out at the street again. Orly Graves stood in the street, surrounded by a shambling horde of the dead. She looked at Rachel and smiled, before turning away herself, and disappearing into the crowd. Rachel gazed after her, staring. It wasn’t possible, she told herself. It couldn’t be. Orly Graves was the woman from her dream.
“Rachel!” Jon cried, jolting Rachel out of her thoughts. “Little help here!”
The undead had reached the security gate, and were dragging on it. The gate was holding, but each tug and pull made the metal shriek alarmingly. Ivy had a crutch and was bashing at the hands that tore at the gate. Rebecca and Adam swatted at the hands, as well, but they were more concerned with keeping Ivy safely out of reach. Jon and Stephen were trying to hold the gate in place, but could not maintain a grip. The zombies kept snapping at them, and they had to pull away, to avoid infection.
“Retreat!” Rachel cried. She cupped her hands over her ears and sent out a mental cry for help.
Jon grabbed Ivy and shoved her away from the gate, back towards the pharmacy. Rebecca and Adam dragged her away. Stephen followed, his arm reaching out behind him for Jon’s.
“Rachel!” Jon yelled. He held out his hand. Rachel opened her eyes, and took it, still screaming inside her head. Her panicky side, released from her mental box, took over the cry, while her rational side noted that dying in a mob of the undead would not help anyone. She raced after Jon, and was the last one inside the cramped pharmacist’s office. She barely got the door shut behind her, as the security gate gave a final shriek, and crashed to the ground. The sound of moans and snarls increased, but without a visible target, and with the scents of lotions, balms, and potpourri filling the air, the zombies lost the trail. Instead, they began to wander aimlessly through the store.
“How long until your friends get here?” Stephen asked.
Rachel turned, and slumped against the door. “I don’t know,” she sighed. “They’re close, but Beck’s zombies are between us.”
“So, what?” Ivy asked. She perched on the corner of the desk. “We just wait?”
“Yep,” Rachel said. She slid to the floor, legs stretched out in front of her. “Get some sleep if you can,” she advised. “This is you last best chance for it.”
