The Vampire from Hell

Chapter 12 - Zombie Nightmares

Chapter 12 - Zombie Nightmares

After viewing the video of a zombie eating a security camera a few too many times, I felt sick to my stomach. "Zombies here." With my head low, I strolled to the kitchen for more holy water. I took my time pouring the liquid into the glass water bottle and selected a yellow straw this time. Well who cares if this stuff kills me now? I thought. 

The voice inside my head offered, "You won't make it out alive against those zombies. They look nasty." 

Don't I know it, I responded. 

When I returned to the living room, I opted to sit on the couch, facing the group huddled around my computer desk. They were examining every frame of the video, every movement the zombie closest to the camera made, even when he snarled and munched down on the camera, ripping it out of the wall. Michael glanced at me and asked, "Are those the creatures you were dreaming about?" 

I nodded emphatically, grabbing my bottle to guzzle more water and wishing I had the gift of invisibility. My pre-meeting was not going well. Had the pre-meeting started? I wasn't sure actually. Maybe the zombie outbreak had canceled it, and hopefully my meeting with G. I was not looking forward to speaking to that person on the other end of J's Bluetooth headset. I sighed loudly. 

J looked over at me, and then Michael. "Excuse me? You've been dreaming about what exactly?" 

Setting my water bottle down on the wooden coffee table with a thud, I swallowed hard and stared at the seashells and fish lining the outside of the glass. Absentmindedly, I began chewing on my lip, remembering the sea dragon sighting I had this morning. I longed to be on the terrace, watching the ocean. 

"Rayea, answer him." Lightly, Blick tapped me on the shoulder. 

Like a robot, I commenced reporting my nightmares. "Yes, sir. Big, scary green snakes. Huge. The size of buildings. With faces like Father's and Stephanie's. Chasing. Chasing. Chasing. Always chasing me. Then zombies show up. They surround me. I fight and fight and fight. But I can't stop them. They're too strong." I stopped and took a big swig from my water bottle. By their confused expressions, I realized I had been talking rapidly. 

J acknowledged my rambling as if he understood it perfectly. He advanced the video forward a few frames. Then he turned to me. "Do your zombies look like this one in this video?" 

I already knew the answer, but I respectfully peered at the monitor screen and took note of the monster staring back at me. The human-looking zombie was frozen in a state of rage. His mouth had unhinged itself to separate the front and lower jaws further than any human could do. His grimace was filled with those pointy shark teeth, same as Father's. I knew I was staring into the pit of Hell looking at that creature's face. "Yes," I muttered. Icy fear tore at my insides. 

"Do you think you have any of your father's blood in you still? Or would it be safe to say you've replaced it with your angel blood transfusion?" J's voice rang with a gentle command that I found pleasing, yet deserving of respect. 

I continued chewing on my lip because I knew I had drunk a lot of Michael's blood. However, I didn't want to admit that to J. Quietly I said, "Likely it's all gone, sir. I'm clean." 

"What would that have to do with these creatures?" Michael stepped away from the desk. 

"I'd venture to say that her father has been using his blood flowing in her veins as a tracking device, trying to find her." 

I stopped slurping my drink just as Blick grabbed the water bottle and slammed it on the coffee table. "Enough," he snapped. 

The energy buzz I had gained from the holy water died in my veins. I was in shock as I processed the meaning of J's words. My eyes widened. "Could Father be here? He followed me?" My voice cracked. "And it's my fault? Those people turned into monsters? It can't be connected!" I pointed a finger at the computer monitor accusingly, fear whirling around in my stomach.