Palindrome

I had grown accustomed to living alone, but now – with the house filled with people talking, laughing and yelling, I realised this was far better. The house itself seemed to take a deep relaxed sigh of contempt, even though the situation which put us here was gruesome. The return of William and me had lifted the spirit, and I smiled sitting around the table with my friends and family.

Samuel shook his head for the fourth time, “I can`t understand it. What is the meaning behind this? The eyes, the powers…” He watched wide eyed as I lighted the candle in front of him with my mind, making Oscar applaud. I stared at Samuel, “I`m going to make the zombies rest in peace, save the town. That`s my mission.” Belinda looked at me, concern evident in her beautiful features. “And what about us? What about the potion?” I smiled at her, calming her down. “That`s part of the package, it seems, don’t worry.” The time had gone by so fast, I had prepared the potion in solitude, counting on my instinct to guide me, preparing the two anvils with great care. The others had laid out a defence plan, they had figured out how to get me to the ruins of the Pevensy house. William would call for his Fathers when we were there and I could… do whatever needed to be done. Now Samhain was finally here, but the festivities of the day was bleak compared to previous years. This was the day the Dead walked, but what would the Dead do now, when they already had been walking for four months.

The sound of glass breaking made everyone jump up. “What was that?” Benjamin went in front of Oscar, shielding him automatically, and William reached for me, yanking me to his side. He gave a short laugh looking at Benjamin, “You would never stay behind me if I tried that, now would you love?” I shook my head, while searching for the source of the noise. “Never did, never will. Where did it come from?” The kitchen windows were all whole, we moved as a team into the living room, all seemed fine there. I frowned, “Is it possible for someone to break in? Have you strengthened the shield, Samuel?” He didn’t look at me but nodded. “Yes, both Bridget and me. But as any spell, they can be broken.” We had planned for us to take the fight to them when we were ready, not for them to break in to my house.

William was shivering, his body rippled with all the tension. “Do you want to change?” I asked him. “No, not before I know what`s going on.” He had a grim look on his face, we were the only ones who hadn`t fought the zombies face to face, but we were 7, all very powerful. We shouldn`t have anything to fear. Yet five Beasts had died, I reminded myself, no use in getting too cocky. I heard a roar from the study, we made up the back troop and were the last to enter the room. Benjamin and Oscar were already at the window, all I could see was arms and legs flapping and pushing. A growling sound overshadowed the sound of fighting, but it wasn’t the sound of a Beast growling. This was something else.

“A little help, please.” Benjamin sounded almost out of breath, and Belinda ran up to him – Natan trying to hold her back didn’t work. It was hard to see what was happening at the small window, but I could feel cold air blowing through the shattered class. Benjamin used all his strength and pushed someone hard, I heard a high-pitched scream that went through bones and marrow. Belinda, Benjamin and Oscar all stopped and stared at something outside the window.

“Ew.” Belinda wrinkled her delicate nose and walked into Natan`s open arms, shutting her eyes. I took her spot, curious to what was happening. It was a teenager, scrawny and tall. She had been wearing a dress when she went in the ground, but it had decomposed somewhat along with her body. I could see parts of her ribs and pelvis, the skin falling off in pieces. It looked like the upper layer was moving, but when I came closer, I saw that it was maggots. Lots and lots of maggots. Benjamin had pushed her with a piece of the broken glass in his hands and her head was hanging by a thin slice of dried skin. She was still growling, her protruding teeth clapping in thin air, looking for something, or someone, to bite. They were an abomination, but as I saw her bouncing on the ground, whatever twisted force keeping her alive – I knew they deserved pity. Once she was a girl, loved by family. I was just glad they didn’t see her like this but realised soon that someone in town was bound to have encountered someone deceased in their family. The thought of me meeting mum and dad struck me, their bodies would be destroyed by the car crash. I sent a silent prayer to the Goddess; I had enough troubles on my plate. As I watched the poor zombie-girl, Benjamin crawled over the edge and walked over to her. Without hesitating, he pulled his leg back and kicked her head with all his force, ripping it the last bit. I heard the soft thump when it landed somewhere in the bushes. The body stilled and Benjamin smiled darkly when he looked up at William and me, both stunned. “That`s how you handle them.” Something behind him caught my attention, and I crawled carefully over the edge as well, slowly not to be cut by the shards. “Good, any more tips?” He cracked his fingers, “Oh, a few. I can walk you through them.” I held out my arms, feeling William behind me. “Like now?”

The dead walked slowly but determined. Suddenly, like someone had said a codeword, they all started sprinting in our direction. Benjamin turned quickly, paling by the sight. “Heh, maybe a physical demonstration works better?” I looked wildly at Samuel behind me, “Any use in hiding in the house?” He rolled up his sleeves, showing his muscular underarms. “No. not now when they have breached the barrier.” I was hyperventilating, “Why are they like this? Because of the noise we made?”

Natan frowned, “They haven’t done anything like this before, it seems they`ve been heading this way for some time. They don’t move that fast.” I raised an eyebrow, looking at the zombies jogging up the hill towards us. Natan scratched his skull, “Well, normally they don’t.” I yelled at Benjamin to get the fuck out of the way, and then I pushed my hands forward fast, summoning wind to me. I could almost see the air move, and the zombies smacked to the ground when the blow hit them. Natan whistled and William shouted, “That`s my girl!” Belinda just snorted, “Men.” Sadly, it didn’t take long before they got up from the ground, intent on reaching us. “Can`t you just torch them?” Oscar piped in. I could, maybe. But the idea of them as things that needed to be killed had been replaced by pity and mercy. I didn`t know who the enemy was anymore.

Maybe the ginormous Beast landing in my backyard could tell me, his wingspan was easily five metres, the claws could grip a cow and carry it away. Although his eyes were pitch black, they shone with a disturbing fire, right from the pits of hell. William as Beast had struck me in awe, but this one screamed danger and death. I recognized the black eyes, was he here alone? Had he summoned the undead?

Goddess. Give me the potion. It`s time. The Prophecy is fulfilled. The Beast is stilled, the Flesh has risen from the soil. This is the Last day of the old year. GIVE ME THE POTION.

The Undead ran between his legs and stormed us, the family around me fighting them off. Once again, I was surrounded by the golden glow, and when I looked down, I saw I was hovering above the ground.

I was now at the same height as Noah`s eyes, and I met his dead, cold stare. Something was off.

“What do you really need the potion for?”

Noah didn’t have a partner, and he didn’t care so much for his children that he would go through all this for the sake of their happiness. There was a flash of anger over his hideous face.

I have killed them all before, I will again. I just need the potion and then I will kill every man. Only us, the mighty Beasts, shall live on this earth, along with the women of our choice so we can reproduce.

I knew he had a plan; I didn’t think it was that big though. I needed more time.

“You forgot about one thing. The Prophecy isn’t fulfilled. The First shall be the last.”

I had no idea what I was talking about, it was like someone was using me as a speaker.

“And although you wanted to, you aren’t the First, are you Noah?”

I might as well be, there is none older than me left.

I cocked an eyebrow. “Isn`t there?”

No, they are all dead. I made sure of that. The line should be mine and mine only.

I shrugged, not knowing where my confidence level came from.

“The Prophecy isn’t fulfilled until the First is the last.” I held my stare locked to his, dying to know what was going on below me, but I didn’t dare take my focus off him. I heard screaming, but not panicky, not yet at least.

Then you make it happen, witch! I have waited millennials for this, my time has come.

I laughed in his face, “Your time? It was never your time. You`re old. Look at you, blabbering about manslaughter. Do you really think I will help you now?”

There was a flash in his eyes, I couldn’t decipher it, but all the hair on my body stood.

Witch, or Goddess. Whatever you have become. At least I know what you will become. And if you don’t help me, your future will be ruined.

“What do you mean – what I will become?” I heard soft flaps behind me, the singing in my bones told me it was William. I was so tuned into him after our days – months – in Eden, I could pinpoint him in a dark desert.

A mother. You will become a mother. If everything ends well.

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