Zombie and the Beast

- 4 -

Lara dropped the shovel, looked at the rising sun, and sighed. The sky had turned mostly blue while she was working. She'd have to hurry to make it home before the neighbours woke up. Especially before Ms. Curio, who loved to know what everyone was doing and wasn't afraid to look like she was spying. Nothing could stand in her way if it meant gathering information about her neighbours. She even proudly kept binoculars next to her window.

Lara looked around again, hoping to find her bearings amongst the tall trees and winding paths of the cemetery. Degawey might be one of the smallest towns of the kingdom of Biarney, but it had an impressive cemetery, filled with tall memorial trees that remained green all year long. Lara smiled as she spotted an exit nearby, relieved she wouldn't have to walk to long. She took a few steps and grimaced. Her back was sore from shovelling and her body was still stiff. She was barely able to bend her knees and each step seemed to take twice as long as when she was alive. She looked at the cargo bike. It would definitely be faster than walking, even though it meant she wouldn't be able to hold the blanket over her head to hide her appearance.

Then, the small wooden name plaque on her memorial tree caught her gaze. She walked to it and took it down, hoping it would take the guards longer without it to figure out who had been brought back.

"Thank Dragons Cal doesn't live far from the cemetery," she whispered, making her way towards the bike.

She stopped walking with a start, almost falling.

"Ahhhh," she whispered. "No grunting?"

A smile lit her face at the realization that her voice was back. It might not be very loud, but at least she would be able to communicate once she found Cal.

Getting on the bike, she pedaled until she reached living trees and plants. She looked back at the gray circle of death that surrounded her grave. "Sorry," she said before closing her eyes. Focusing on the energy around her, she harnessed as much of it as she could, glad to see her powers were still working after all.

Flames rose around her grave. At first green and so hot that she could feel them on her skin, they soon turned a more normal colour. Satisfied that the fire would consume the dead bushes and trees rapidly, buying her and Cal some time, Lara got back on the bike. Once she reached the exit, she turned around and extinguished the fire with a swiping movement so the light and smoke wouldn't attract attention too quickly.

Lara rode the bike as fast as she could until she reached home, stopping once in a while to self-heal just enough to make moving easier. Ms. Curio's blinds were still shut as Lara finally reached the door, her heart pounding at the idea of getting caught. A meowing cat made her jump. She looked back and quickly retrieved the key that was always hidden under the whitest stone in the potted plant next to the door.

The tiny house was completely quiet. Luggage waited next to the door, with two boat tickets to Islada on the narrow white table that Cal used for his mail and keys. She picked up the tickets, tears filling her eyes. With those, she could go home, see her parents, and forget everything. She froze as she saw the date on them. She'd been dead for about two months already. Did her parents know? Her hands shaking, she put the tickets back.

"I'll go to you soon," she said quietly. "But not now. I can't put you at risk too."

Lara closed the curtains and hurried to her room. The suitcase Cal had prepared for her would be unpractical, so she packed a backpack with clothes and her Symbiolism notes instead. Then, she went to the kitchen and fit as many things as she could in her bag. Once satisfied, she went through Cal's study to find the recipes for the healing potions he'd prepared for her. She found them in his black potion recipe book, hidden at the bottom of a drawer.

The last few pages were filled with notes detailing his experiments to calculate how much energy he would need to bring her back and which herbs and oils would help the most. Lara hoped the mix of Dragon-Magic and Symbiolism he'd used would be more effective in the long run than Dragon-Magic alone. She pushed that thought away with a shudder and put the book in her bag.

Lara went to the bathroom. The face staring back at her in the mirror made her want to scream. Hollow cheeks, discolored skin covered in strange dark patterns, sunken eyes, dirt-filled hair; she looked like a monster. She wiped her tears and gathered as much energy as she could to self-heal. It flowed through her veins, making her feel better but barely improving her appearance. Shaking, she decided to give up for the moment.

After a quick shower, she did the best she could to hide her death under a thick layer of make up. It didn't look entirely convincing but it would be fine from a distance. Then, she put on a thick black hoodie, long pants, and sturdy boots. The clock in the kitchen chimed.

"Seven o'clock already," she said, dread filling her stomach. It was more than time to leave. If the guards had taken Cal in as she feared, it wouldn't be long until they found her grave and came to investigate. She pulled her hood up and adjusted her backpack.

Breathing slowly to calm her quivering nerves, she walked to the front door. A peek through the window confirmed it; she had taken too long to get ready. Not only were Ms. Curio's blinds up, but the neighbour herself was in front of Cal's house, inspecting the dirt on Cal's cargo bike's wheels in her pyjamas. Lara quickly let the curtains fall back in place. Knowing the neighbour, it would take no time for her to come ring the bell, firing questions before anyone even had time to come to the door.

"Dragon's breath. How I am supposed to go now?" she asked herself, stealing another quick look at the bike.