1. Graveyards at Midnight
The wind moaned as it brushed through the trees, a cloud flitted by the full moon casting a brief shadow. Cassie sighed, she loved nights like these, but Cassie had work to do.
Drawing a long, wickedly sharp machete from a sheath on her thigh Cassie took another deep breath then in one smooth motion cut, letting the dark red blood flow onto the earth. Catching the last few drops on the fingers she let the now dead chicken fall to the ground. As a shimmering mist rose from the ground Cassie hurried to harness the power she had just summoned. Cassie crossed herself then drew the proper sigil on her forehead, murmuring a prayer as she did so. She could feel the power entering her, filling her with a wild warmth. With the fierce power coursing through her Cassie Called, "Olivia, Olivia Taylor. Rise," She commanded. At first nothing happened then suddenly a hand burst out of the ground at Cassie's feet and the dead rose.
Cassie Rivera, sophomore and necromancer, stared down the zombie that rose from the grave at her feet. The corpse was that of a young woman, newly dead and attractive. The look in her eyes was not that of intelligence but of hunger, she had tasted blood and wanted more. Cassie however had other ideas.
"Olivia Taylor, I have summoned you from your rest," Cassie incanted using the zombie's name to bind it, "Obey me and I shall return you to your slumber." Looking at Cassie the zombie seemed to fade a bit till it looked about with almost human intelligence.
"Where… where am I.. what happened?… the club…" the Zombie, Olivia, muttered looking around with fear. "I'm sorry I don't remember, who are you..?"
Cassie sighed; she hated this. Sometimes when you raise a zombie they know that they're dead but far more often they don't remember, sometimes they didn't want to be reminded. "Hi, my name is Cassie, can you please tell me the last thing you remember..?"
"Umm well me and Deb went to that new club, Toxic, you know…? And well we danced, then I was here..?" The Zombie sounded confused and a then a little panicked.
"No Olivia, I'm sorry. Olivia, think very carefully. You went to the club with Debbie three months ago, you died that night." Cassie said it softly, she needed Olivia to believe because she needed her to remember. Olivia was murdered. Raped then murdered, and she wasn't the only one. Olivia Taylor was the fifth woman killed in the by a serial killer the media had dubbed "The Lotus Killer." The Lotus Killer raped then killed women, leaving behind no trace of evidence other then a single lotus blossom. Cassie wanted to stop him. Her plan was to question the one witness the police would have over looked: the victim. "Please, Olivia, I need you to try to remember as much as you can."
The zombie looked at her, panic was now in her eyes, "No, no… Look here, I don't know who you are but.. but stop. Its not funny."
"I know its hard but please, you were murdered and you weren't the only one," Cassie tried again. She had to try but she had a feeling that it wasn't going to work. Olivia already struck her as the 'I'll believe it when I see it' type and those were always the hardest. Cassie had been raising the dead for long enough to know that even zombies had mental breaking points. Push Olivia too far and her mind, and memories, would be lost forever. It's easy to use a zombie as a mindless minion, as long as you keep them well bound they will do whatever you ask, but a case like Olivia required great delicacy. In order for Cassie's plan to work she needed Olivia's mind to be intact. To raise a Zombie with its mind intact required several things: it had to be a fresh corpse, no more than 3 or 4 months old. The brain had to be intact, no major head trauma or decomposition and they had to be at least slightly willing to talk to you. Unfortunately for Cassie she was running out of time. She needed to try for the information soon or she wasn't ever going to get it. Cassie took one more deep breath, "Olivia, the night you went to that club you were raped and killed by the Lotus Killer, anything you remember could help us catch your killer and stop him from hurting more people."
Olivia was starting to look a little sickened and her eyes filled with horror clearly finally remembering. "No…nononono..no…" she sobbed. "Please please jujjust let me go… I..i won't tell, I I promise.. a scar he, ahhh!!" she screamed. Her sudden panic gave her strength and she flung herself away from Cassie and tried to run.
Fortunately for Cassie she had shielded the area in preparation for her summoning. She knew better to try and raise a zombie unshielded. If you're not careful it can break your control and if a zombie was to escape Cassie could only imagine the headlines that would appear in the local news. As Olivia slammed against the barrier Cassie fell to her knees. Quickly she shouted, "Olivia Taylor, I Command you to return whence you came. Rest!" With a sigh Olivia crumpled to the ground and almost languidly rolled onto her grave. Slowly she sank back into the earth and disappeared from sight. Now it was Cassie's turn to sigh, sitting back onto the ground. She was bone tired, raising a zombie was hard work but she wasn't quite finished. Groaning now she clamored to her feet and ran her finger over her head chanting as she removed the sigil. Once that was done she carefully walked clockwise around the perimeter she had raised around the grave gathering the power she had laid as she went. Once she had walked it three timed she took her knife out and cut through the line of salt and herbs that's had serve as the physical anchor for her magic. Once the magical was dismissed Cassie walked around one more time this time to scuff the carefully drawn salt line into oblivion.
"Fuck!" swore Cassie looking at her watch; it was already 1am. The ceremony had taken longer then she thought and she stared school in the morning! Still cursing under her breath Cassie grabbed the duffle bag that held her 'equipment' and pulled out the garbage bag she had stowed there. Walking back onto the grave she picked up the headless chicken making a face as she did. "Mmmm delicious and nutritious my ass this is just gross!" she muttered still searching for the head.
Cassie might ahem possibly be bases very loosly on Anita Blake, from Laurell K. Hamilton's books. I put some links in my profile too. Soooo what do ya think?? RR PLZ!!! thabks!