A/N - The new story for Undead Nightmare! This is a sort of spin-off from Where the buffalo roam. This involves Jack and Eva and is completely independant from the other story. What happens in this will not affect Where the buffalo roam. You don't have to read W.T.B.R but having a quick skim and understanding it would help. There will be some Jack/OC, but not as much as W.T.B.R, however, there will be lot's of zombie killing! Yay! Enjoy! And happy Halloween!

Chapter 1 – On a night like this.

Thunder rumbled overhead as clouds as dark as coal rolled in. A storm was approaching from the south west and presented a menacing front. The town of Blackwater was swallowed into darkness by the monster as it circled above us. I stood petting my horse's velvety muzzle as my hazel eyes were turned skyward, watching the ominous clouds with growing apprehension. The storm looked strong and dangerous, bringing with it the promise of heavy rain and the dreaded thunder and lighting. The day had started fine, the autumn sunshine now seeming like a long lost memory. I turned my eyes from the sky to watch Jack as he emerged from the gunsmiths. I offered him a smile and held out his horse's reins to him. "Did ya get what ya need?" I asked, nodding towards his satchel. Jack nodded in confirmation.

"Yep. I sold a few pelts and bought some ammo." Thunder rumbled overhead like an angry beast and Jack looked up to the heavens. Adjusting his hat he said, "That storm doesn't look too good. We oughta' be gettin' back to Beecher's Hope before it rains." I also looked up and felt the first droplets of rain hit my skin.

"Yeah... let's get goin'."

Jack and I mounted our horses and galloped back to Beecher's Hope, Jack's home. On the way, what started out as a few innocent droplets turned into a light shower, signifying the start of the storm. It was enough to dampen my clothes and make the outer layers stick uncomfortably to my body. Jack eyed me before offering me his jacket. I stubbornly shook my head and told him I was fine. "You sure? You're lookin' a bit damp," he said, chuckling at my soaked hair, clothes and thoroughly dampened spirit. "I said I was fine. I aint gonna let a little bit of rain make me uncomfortable," I said, pouting at the dark clouds. Jack again chuckled and plucked his hat off his head. "Well at least wear this to keep your head and neck dry." Slowing Dash down and drawing him closer to Jack's golden stallion, I took the hat and put it on, adjusting it on top of my tied in a bun hair. "Thank you," I said, blushing and moving Dash away from Jack's, giving the horses space. Jack smiled and nodded in return.

We slowed as we came to the north entrance of Beecher's Hope, where the sparse, open grasslands of the Great Plains met the pines and oaks of Tall Trees. Beecher's Hope was a lovely, small ranch that Jack had grown up on. It had a homely house, with plenty of rooms and space, as well as a barn and small paddock, and a silo for corn. It also had a gazebo to the side for basking in the summer glow as well as a fence boundary stretching around the property. This place was like a little patch of heaven, despite its rundown appearance – caused by lack of Jack's presence and attention. We turned in at the gate and trotted down the winding path to the farm house. I could see the silo looming in the distance as well as the tree on the nearby hill, swaying with the wind. On that hill were three graves; one for Jack's father, one for his mother and one for his Uncle – who wasn't actually his uncle, according to Jack. The graves were small and had homemade headstones, constructed of wood. Engraved into the wood were meaningful messages as well as the names and dates of birth and death. I remembered the first time Jack had brought me to the graves. He had quietly explained the story behind them and together we stood in a solemn silence, Jack reminiscing about past memories and me thinking back to my own pain. My mind had reeled with a barrage of emotions as I thought about how Jack must feel. Jack must have been so lonely...

I snapped out of my inner thoughts and looked to the hill as we approached and - not expecting anything – was terrified to notice a lone figure standing by the graves. My heart rate increased rapidly, even skipping a few beats and my stomach churned. I was sure I let a little squeak slip past my pale lips in surprise. Jack turned to me and asked, "Is everything alright?" I shook my head no as my hand moved towards my trusty revolver.

"Up there on the hill, there's a man," I stated, pointing in the direction of the startling figure. Jack frowned in confusion before he too noticed the strange man.

"What the..." he muttered as he slowed his horse to a stop.

We were now halted near the empty silo, gazing up at the intruder. The figure turned slowly and waved down to us. I gulped down my confusion and fear and turned to the man beside me. "Do you know him?" I asked. Jack shook his head and frowned.

"No." He slipped his feet from the stirrups and climbed down from the saddle, taking his horse's reins and passing them to me. I accepted them without objection.

"Wait here while I go see what he wants," Jack ordered, eyeing the man suspiciously. The figure just stood still, turned towards us, but I could almost feel the grin radiate off him. I shivered, whether it was from the bone chilling rain and biting wind or the overall creepiness of the situation I don't know. Either way, I couldn't deny the swell of curiosity the rose within me. "But Jack, I wanna know who he is too!" I objected. Jack shook his hatless head, whipping a few droplets from his hair.

"No Eva, he could have a gun on him and he might not be here for friendly reasons." I opened my mouth to argue but hesitantly agreed after receiving a sharp look from Jack. I sighed, "Fine, but please be careful." Jack smiled and patted a wary Dash on the neck.

"I will," he said before turning and marching up the small hill.

I watched with baited breath as Jack approached the unknown man and was nervous to see what this amounted to. Would he pull his gun out? Was he an old friend? Was he here for friendly reasons? All these questions and more swam through my head as I watched carefully Jack and the man exchange unheard words. Once I saw Jack relax a little I let out a sigh of relief but reminded myself that this guy could still be dangerous. Just remember Eva, he could pull a gun out at any second. I narrowed my eyes and debated whether to go over and back Jack up. He had ordered me to stay, but my stubborn streak was shining through, telling me that I deserved to be a part of this. What if something happened? My presence beside Jack jus' might well save his life! Mind made up, I spurred Dash into a walk and led Jack's stallion and halted them near the small paddock behind the barn and looped their reins over the wood. Patting Dash, I looked up at the two figures on the hill. The rain had worsened and was coming down increasingly heavy – leaving me soaked through to the bone. I sighed at the weather before walking towards Jack and the strange man.

I ascended the hill and drew closer to the two men. I walked over and under the protection of the tree, slipping out of the relentless downpour and into a little shelter. The fresh smell of rain filled my nostrils and the patter of the droplets colliding with the ground filled my ears. Lightning cracked in the background, splitting the sky in two. For a few seconds it illuminated the man in an almost heavenly light before it disappeared and the world descended into gloomy darkness, thunder following suit. The mysterious man grinned and nodded respectfully towards me, spotting me standing with my arms hugging myself. "Good evening Eva – or do you prefer Evelyn?" The man was dressed in a neat suit, with a large top hat perched proudly on his head. His words rattled within me like a coiled snake. How does he know my name? This was the first question in my brain as I frowned warily at the man. Then, almost automatically, I added, "Eva's fine."

The man chuckled to himself while Jack took to my side. "I thought I told you to stay?" he said firmly, frowning at me. A shot of guilt echoed through me, resonating off my dampened bones at Jack's obvious disappointment. I shrugged and gave him a sheepish grin, hoping to make amends. "I know... but I couldn't help myself. You know how I am." Jack rolled his eyes but cracked a smile.

"Unfortunately, I do."

However, our attention was snapped away from each other and towards the grinning stranger. "I know everyone, Eva. And I know everything about them," he answered cryptically. Jack and I both stared at him dumbfounded. "What does that mean?" I asked, perhaps a little rudely. But his words didn't make no sense! The man chuckled again and clasped his hands together behind his back. "Don't worry. Perhaps you'll understand someday." He turned towards the farmhouse and gazed out over the land. "You know, it was on a night like this – three years ago – that it happened." I shot Jack a confused look that he returned.

"Three years ago what happened?" Jack asked, voicing both of ours question and putting his hands on his hips and slipping his thumbs through his belt loops.

"That the dead rose from their graves." I started and frowned heavily, my heart beat increasing. The dead rose from their grave...? I thought in alarm. What rubbish! That sounded like somethin' people would tell their children to scare 'em straight. Jack lent forward slightly in confusion. "What're you talkin' 'bout, friend?" he asked. The enigmatic man shook his head. "Of course, you don't remember... I made sure of that."

I frowned at this and so did Jack. "What are you talkin' about?" Jack pressed again. The man turned his cool gaze from the house to the graves, staring particularly at John Marston's grave. "You'll be meeting him again soon," the man said, ignoring Jack's question.

"What? My pa?" Jack asked, his hands falling to his sides and clenching into fists.

The man shrugged before saying, "It's that time again. Time for the dead to rise and judge the living." After saying this, the man spun on his heel and strolled leisurely away, leaving a dumbfounded me and an irate Jack. "Hey! What're you talkin' 'bout?" The man ignored Jack's shouts. "Get back here! We have more questions!" With a hum he glanced over his shoulder. "Don't worry; all of your questions will soon be answered." He turned back and faced forward, continuing on his way away from us and into the heavy rain. "Do say hello to your father for me, will you?" he shouted back, not sparing us another glance.

Once the man disappeared into the rain I turned to Jack with a concerned look on my face. I knew how sore a subject his father was. "What was that all about?" I asked. Jack remained silent, staring after the man. I stood worriedly at his side, wanting to reach out and comfort him but not knowing how. After a while, he broke the silence. "I don't know," he began, his voice sounding distant. "But I don't like what he said."

"You mean the whole, 'dead risin' from their graves'? What a load of bosh."

"Yeah... that and he mentioned my pa." I fell silent as Jack and I stood under the tree, listening to the sounds of the storm. Normally I would have found the atmosphere of the storm slightly thrilling, but there was a certain twinge with his one, like an un-natural force was looming. I looked out at the rain and at our impatient and drenched horses. My horse looked miserable, hunched over and ears laid back, preventing droplets from rolling in. "Perhaps we should head on in," I suggested, motioning towards the unrelenting rain. Jack nodded and together we walked away from the graves and to the farmhouse. Jack's eyes lingering on his father's wooden headstone.

"You be headin' on in, I'll put the horses in the barn and give 'em plenty of fresh hay and feed," Jack said, taking the reins of our horses and squinting at me through the rain. He was drenched from head to toe, especially the head because his custom hat was now sitting on my head. I nodded and wrapped my arms around myself, expressing how cold I was. It was approaching winter and they could be pretty harsh here on the plains. This area was likely to be covered in icy snow and whipping winds. Jack and I parted ways, Jack heading with the horses to the barn and me turning and fleeing towards the inviting farmhouse.

Once inside, I set about making a fire to warm us and the house up. I grabbed some wood from the indoor storage and began to build the fire up inside the wood burner. Once it was lit, I warmed my hands on it and pulled Jack's saturated hat off my head. It had done little to protect me in the onslaught of rain. I sighed tried to run a hand through my hair, but my long fingers got entangled between the knotted tresses. I groaned and dreaded having to drag a comb through my hair. I was hopin' to have a nice relaxin' bath before tackling the untamed mess that sat upon my head.

I heard the door open and close and looked up, away from the hypnotic flames of dancing crimson and tangerine, to see Jack enter the room, shivering slightly from the cold. "It's rainin' cats and dogs out there!" Jack cried, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the front door. I giggled at Jack's overall downtrodden and soaked appearance. "It really is. Now, I suggest we get changed before we catch our death."

Jack nodded and mumbled in agreement before stiffly shrugging his jacket off, the material resisting and clinging to his body. Once Jack had managed to wrestle the coat off, he began to tackle his boots, which was a momentous task. The boots clung to his feet, the water and small space creating a glue-like suction. I observed his battle as the man began to grumble to himself, cursing the rain and cold, while his struggle with the boots wore on. His shirt that was under his jacket was also soaked, the water seeping through to his core. To my surprise and secret pleasure, It had gone see though. By now I was used to my wondering eyes and temptation and would discreetly observe him when he wasn't lookin'. However, just because I allowed myself to do this didn't mean I didn't blush and get embarrassed by it. I would still blush redder than a prostitute's lipstick.

Jack managed to pry one boot off his foot by pulling it with such force. I watched guiltily at how his muscles moved under his shirt. I felt the blush burn onto my face and quickly averted my eyes. Jack looked up after draining the water from his boots carelessly onto the floor and stared straight at me. "Perhaps you shouldn't sit so close to the fire," he suggested, pointing accusingly at the flames. I nodded and slowly stood up, moving away from the warm flow of the crackling fire.

I paced around the room, moving towards the window and peering out of it. The rain seemed to be letting up, but only slightly. Outside, the world was encased in blackness. The man's words echoed through my head, "The dead shall rise from their graves." An involuntary shudder wracked my body. I tore my gaze away from the window, scared I would see something I'd regret and turned to Jack. "Do you think..." I began, hesitating slightly. Jack looked up questioningly. "That the man was tellin' the truth?" Jack sighed.

"Ignore him. He was makin' up a load of lies that were best kept in books." Doubt was in my mind, eating away at my confidence.

"I-I know but..." I trailed off, losing my voice.

"Don't be scared, it aint gonna happen. And if it does I'm sure we can scare them off with your bed hair." My face dropped and I pointed accusingly at Jack.

"Hey! One time that happened, and it was the wind!" Jack just laughed at me, making me huff in playful annoyance.

Jack's attempts at cheering me up worked and my confidence grew back. 'Jack's right, that man was tellin' fibs.' I walked out of the room and into another, grabbing some towels to help dry us off. "Here," I said, throwing a towel at Jack that landed clumsily on his head. The fabric draped over his face like a curtain. He pulled it off, playfully glaring at me. I averted my eyes and giggled. A sudden crack of thunder illuminated the house before thunder tore the sky apart. It startled me and made me jump. My body was filled with adrenalin and I was ready to run or fight. Jack blinked momentarily before chuckling. "Calm down, It's jus' a little thunder an' lightnin'." I stuck my tongue childishly at him.

"It startled me, that's all."

My eyes cast over to the window and scanned the outside. Rain was still fallin' but had lessened more. I walked over to the window, pulling my hair painfully from its bun and drying it with as best I could. With my head to the side I stood so close to the pane of cool glass that my nose touched it and my warmer breath made foggy clouds on the glass. I linked and looked out through the haze. I thought I was an animal in the distance – perhaps a horse caught out in the open and separated from its herd. But this figure was too thin to be a horse, it was walking – or rather lumbering – on two legs and looked disturbingly human. I gasped and moved upright, staring at the figure. It was approaching the ranch and was tripping rather clumsily over a hole in the fence. "J-Jack..." I breathed, the towel falling from my hands. Jack answered with a hum. "Come look at this... now, please," I ordered my heart rate increasing. He man's words were haunting me, my mind conjuring up the worst case scenario. The living dead.

Jack came to my side and peered out of the window, rubbin' the back of his neck with his towel. "What?" he asked. I nodded towards the figure.

"T-there's someone out there. " Jack stared at the awkward moving figure and frowned.

"Probably some drunken fool got lost in the storm," he said, also dropping his towel haphazardly on the floor.

I swallowed, "I-I don't think that's a drunk." Jack sighed and nudged me.

"Now don't you go believin' what that man said. There's no such thing as the undead." Jack stepped back and moved towards the fire. I tore my gaze from the figure and crossed my arms protectively across my chest. "Could you g-go get rid of it?" Jack looked hesitant. "Please..." I begged, giving him the sweetest look I could muster but also with a hint of fear. He sighed. "Fine, I'll go get rid of the drunk," he said, stressing the words drunk. He began pulling on his boots.

"Thank you," I said, smiling at him.

Jack walked outside, the opening door allowing a whipping wind in. The wind curled around me, licking ever inch of exposed skin with an icy touch. I shivered but followed Jack carefully, my repeater clenched in my hands. My knuckles had turned white. Jack glanced back, givin' me a reassuring smile before walking under the cover and towards the figure. I was close now and clearly human. It walked awkwardly, with a limp, dragging its right leg. It was a man, in his late years and he was soaked to the bone, but it didn't seem to affect him. The man let out a low moan, an eerie sound that echoed through the air. Jack in front hesitated. "J-Jack?" I asked softly, coming to his side. Together we watched the creature draw closer. "What the..." Jack muttered, frowning heavily. "There's no way," he said. He advanced and jumped over the deck fence, into the rain. "You can't be the livin' dead!" Jack marched up to the man and stood with his hands on his hips. I panicked and was desperate to call Jack back. The words seemed stuck in my throat. "Jack, watch out!"

The figure seemed to lurch for Jack, but he luckily stepped back in time to miss the falling body. The figure collapsed to the floor but it stumbled back to its feet, uttering another eerie moan. Jack raised his hands, trying to show the man that he meant no harm. But this wasn't a normal man, this was something unnatural. "J-Jack!" I cried, running to the fence but stopping and pointing my gun. The creature swiped at Jack again, his hand reaching out and trying to grab him. Jack shouted to me, "Shoot the damned thing!" I complied and aimed for the head.

A bang resonated through the ranch before the creature fell dead on the floor, a last groan leaving it before it died. I climbed over the fence and jogged to Jack, the two of us staring down at the body. It had a sickly glow, with yellowed eyes, and blood dripping from its oddly angled jaw. Skin was missing from parts, showing the flesh underneath. Blood was smeared along with dirt and other grime over the rest of it, and a bone was protruding from its side. It made me feel sick to the core. Jack gasped out, "What the hell... was that?"