GOSALYN MALLARD RETURNS TO ZOMBIE ACRES (By Gosalyn Mallard)


CHAPTER ONE


PART 2


Evidence Of Possession


'The trans-dimensional portal into St Canard isn't one that many of the more intelligent demons favour. There's a reason for everything, whether that reason makes sense or not is a different bowl of crackers. Even though St Canard is a large city and its multitude of citizens make it as deliciously attractive as a giant rainbow flavoured sundae, there's a distinct problem. It is also home to a satellite hub for the great vampire support network. The support network has existed for a few centuries now. Status quo between vampires and kine is the watchword in St Canard and thanks to this efforts of everyone involved, the city at large is peaceful, calm, and unsuspecting.

To the demon known only as "Guachi", all this meant was "time for dinner".

Hidden in an abandoned corner of St Canard's grand central underground train station was the ritual summoning chamber. Replacing the failed electric lights were wick lamps. They were set on top of heavy metal stands and stood around the room, at the entrance and down the corridor beyond. There was a big circle painted on the back wall with a five-pointed triangle in the centre.

The guy operating the portal had an average height, standing in a monk's robe and holding a brand new staff. Behind him, he had four people, including an average sized dog dressed in a fire fighter's orange overalls, and a short duck in a grey-tone outfit with a matching black cape and grey fedora.'


'Short. That's all you have to say to describe me; Short?'

Gosalyn smiled sweetly at her father, 'Doesn't affect you from a psychological point of view in the slightest though, does it dad?'

Drake clenched his teeth, 'Do go on, child of mine who is still but half my height.'


"Here are four undead vampires for you to choose from, your lowness." The Necromancer said in an undefined British accent. He bowed to the demon entering through the portal. It was see-through in a ghostly shape of whitish blue-."


'Gosalyn, we don't know what colour the demon was without a host body.'

'Da-ad, quit interrupting!' Gosalyn complained, 'Nobody knows except Yamie but I've got to explain that scene because it was really weird and complicated-.'
'I'm all for pertinent details.'
'Scenery, dad.' Gosalyn told him sternly, 'If there's a tree, I need to write a tree. And Miss Songson told us we get extra marks for putting lots of description in.'

'In that case,' Drake backpedaled, 'ghostly white and blue sounds great. And you might also want to mention the floor was wet because of a busted water pipe and that the council had mysteriously lost several workers sending them down into that section to fix it over the past few days.'
'Oh, yeah, like you noticed all that while the Necromancer had hijacked your brain. Anyway, the council workers don't show up till way later in the zombie scenes so that bit isn't important right now.' Gosalyn snorted.

'I hate zombies.' Drake shuddered. 'You know I have over a thousand case files that you could have chosen from and you've helped me out plenty of times. Why does it have to be the one about the Nutty Necromancer?'
'Because this story has it all!' Gosalyn exclaimed excitedly, 'It's the height of heights, the lowest of the lows, romance, betrayal, danger and an action packed climax filled with zo-ombie slaying! By yours truly; Gosalyn Mallard.'

Drake chuckled, 'Okay, kiddo, go on then.'


'Anyway, the demon known as Guachi had thought itself lucky to have gotten into correspondence with a negotiating Necromancer from this realm, and was pleased to see everything going according to schedule when it came through the trans-dimensional portal.'

"And where did you find these, Yamie?" Guachi asked.
"They were hunting, of course. I would never present a customer with weak vampires." Yamie the contract Necromancer answered.

"What is this one?" Guachi looked at the first vampire. He had a tall dog stature and was dressed in a strange orange and yellow outfit, with a huge helmet over his head.
"That is a firefighter. This one is a security guard." Jamie pointed at the short duck beside him.
"How dull." Guachi considered the glassy eyes and empty expressions. They were all currently under the Necromancer's mind control.

"This one is strange." He considered the one on the end that was dressed in grey and black, wearing a grey mask and a floppy oversized hat.
"That's a vigilante. Actually he looks a bit like that annoying Negaduck that-."
"A what!" Guachi had an instant fit of nerves.
"Well, it's not as though you have to take up their occupation, if it doesn't suit you." Yamie advised, "You can do something else."

The Necromancer pointed to the last of the four. "That one is a lawyer." He pointed at the third one in the line, another tall dog like the fire fighter.
"That is a more reasonable occupation, but I don't like the cut of him." Guachi shuddered at the gangly, scruffy-looking dog creature in the suit. "The ducks have more compact forms. I'm less likely to trip over my feet."

Guachi considered the two ducks, the security guard and the vigilante for a long while. "I've decided." Guachi stated. "I choose that one." The mass of unformed bio-kinetic energy pointed at Darkwing Duck.


'Retrospect is a great thing.' Drake mused, sitting on the sofa looking down at Gosalyn, 'The only two people who knew at the time were those two conferring conspirators.'
'Shh, dad!' Gosalyn roused with her pencil in her hand. 'Do you have any idea what would happen if I handed in my story with your alliteration?'
'Oh, so you've finally learnt the perils of plagiarism. Honker will be relieved.'

Drake stood up, 'Drink?'
Gosalyn smiled up at him from her seat at the coffee table, 'Oh, a malt shake would be great, dad; thanks!'

'Coming right up.' He tousled her fringe before heading off to the kitchen.