The Phantom Touch

A Friend to Zombies

"Do you think anyone's in there right now?" I asked as we stepped over to the storefront. The large windows were covered with thick black paper and the only thing that indicated it was more than an abandoned building was the help wanted sign tacked to the door. However, that sign didn't say where or when to apply and I wondered if I would have to hike out to Calista and Matias's home on the outskirts of town.

"I don't know," muttered Everett, his tone subdued and his expression blank. "It's still daylight so Matias wouldn't be able to be in there."

"That doesn't mean Calista isn't there," I said with a shrug before stepping forward and giving the door a knock. At the sound of my knuckles against the glass, I heard a shuffle of feet and what sounded like a few words of surprise. "I think someone is in there," I exclaimed as I turned back to Everett.

"Hm, well then, maybe I should get back to patrol."

"Oh, okay," I said, the disappointment in my voice forcing my lips to twist slightly into a frown. However, despite my hope he'd stay around for emotional support, it was a childish expectation and Everett didn't deserve my regret. So I took a breath and gave him a smile. "Wish me luck then."

He paused, looking me over as he considered how best to send me off. Just as he was about to say his goodbyes, the door opened and an unexpected face greeted us.

"Oh, it's you."

Stepping aside to avoid the swing of the front door, I found the zombie clan leader, Raid, peeking out of the store. As usual, he wore a leather bomber jacket adorned with several patches that I was never close enough to decipher. The head zombie didn't have the best first impression of me since I suggested Calista be autopsied when we met. At the time, I didn't realize that Calista was in fact alive and also that, though a zombie could survive an autopsy, they would be brutally maimed with no hope of healing. Protective of his clan, he deemed me an enemy and treated me as such. So it wasn't a surprise when he looked at me with bland disinterest in his green eyes.

"Uh, hello Raid. Is Calista in? I wanted to speak to her about her help wanted sign."

"That's between you and her," he said, stepping out onto the sidewalk, letting the door swing behind him. I probably would have been locked out again, had it not been for Everett's lightning quick reflexes, which stopped it just before it closed completely.

"Raid," growled Everett, who peeked inside the store, before holding the door open wide for me to go through.

"Hello, Sheriff," said the zombie as if the werewolf had intended to greet him instead of chastising him. "You're just the man I was hoping to see."

"Well, I'm a little busy at the moment," he said, urging me to step between the clan leaders and slip inside the store. "What is it you want?"

"It's important," replied Raid, his eyes sharp as they watched me slide by. "It's also a sensitive issue so I would prefer to talk about it in private."

For a moment, it looked like Everett may deny him the chance to talk. However, his job as Sheriff won out over what resentment he may have had for Raid's blunt nature. Everett gave him a nod, indicating to Raid that he should wait a little ways down the road. As for me, he turned with a fragile smile on his face and downcast eyes.

"Hey, Delilah. Good luck, okay?"

"Thanks, Everett," I replied, taking a step forward to give him a hug of gratitude, only to stop short. It should have been a gesture friends easily shared, but for some reason I couldn't commit myself to it, afraid of how he might respond. Instead, I bit my lip and sent a hesitant gaze up to assess his face. I found a look of wonder gazing back at me.