Elswen Cemetery. Not the only the cemetery on the island but it was surely the biggest. The moon was full but due to a low fog, it was barely visible amongst the mist billowing over the gravestones. Kendal hesitated before stepping through the gates, a large tome tucked under her arm. Swallowing, she walked down the path.
Kendal stopped at a fresh mound of dirt, surrounded by flowers, little gifts, and pictures. On the tombstone read Samuel Davidson, Loving Husband and Friend. She couldn’t cry. She had no more tears left. There was only a stone-cold determination.
Kneeling, Kendal pulled three crystals out of her coat pocket. Setting one on each side with a final in the middle to form a triangle. The book she place in front of her, already opened to the page she bookmarked. Taking a small knife from her pocket, she drew the blade across her palm, a streak of red oozing from the gash. Kendal placed her hands on the ground at each side of the book.
“Pectus ut pectus, animus ut animus, audite mihi manes. Heart to heart, soul to soul, hear me spirits of the dead.” she said softly. There was the sound of a chime as each of the three crystals lit up to a soft yellow glow. “Crux crucis flumen Styx addo mihi absens. Cross the river Styx and bring me the lost.” Another chime sounded as a small yellow orb swirled in to formation at the center of the crystals.
“Reverto ut vita. Consurgo ex sepulchrum. Consurgo. Return to life. Rise up from the grave. Rise up. Rise up!”
DONG. The crystals went out and the orb vanished. Suddenly, it burst sending a magical shockwave flowing outwards over the entire cemetery. Mist furled as the night became eerily quiet. Kendal waited, but nothing seemed to happened. It didn’t work… he was still gone…
Wearily she reached out to retrieve the crystals, but suddenly a hand shot up from under the earth grabbing her wrist. She grabbed a hold of the arm, pulling it as well as body up out of the dirt!
“Sam…?” The body shook it’s head, blank soulless eyes finally resting on her face. It looked like him, but his flesh was starting to rot away and what wasn’t gone was a grotesque white. Kendal let go of his arm, scooting backwards trying to pull her wrist free from his grasp, but it was painfully solid. Soft moans could now be heard all around her, but she didn’t take notice! Sam’s body crawled further out of the grave. A hand reached out from behind, wrapping over her face, the sharp pain of teeth digging in to her shoulder!
BANGBANG! BANG!
Kendal was suddenly free from the creature behind her and the body of Sam tumbles backwards when a shot hit his chest. The entire graveyard was alive with the sounds of people crawling up out of their resting places. Decayed bodies mixed with fresh dead, shambling towards the smell of living blood.
“Kendal, get up!” called a voice, but it sounded so far away. Kendal couldn’t seem to find the will to move, watching with blurry tear filled vision as Sam’s body wretched to his feet again to stumble towards her. “Damn it, woman! Get up!” She could hear footsteps over grass and gravel. More gunshots and the dull thud of something cracking bones. Arms wrapped around her waist hauling her to her feet. “C’mon. We’re getting out of here.”
“But Sam…”
“It’s not Sam, Kendal.” BANGBANGBANG! An arm locked around her waist, with a gun shooting down zombies that shambled too close, he hauled her out of the cemetery. More carrying and dragging than walking. Pushing Kendal in to the car, he dropped in to the driver’s seat and picked up the radio.
“Code 76 at Elswen Cemetery, ordering immediate damage control. Repeat. Code 76 at Elswen Cemetery. Entire zombie outbreak.” he tossed the radio in the backseat before taking off in the car towards Autumn Manor.
Kendal was scarcely breathing looking down at her hands. “What did I do…?”