Chapter 27

A tense silence filled the ice box as Maggie and Andrew abandoned Joe and Missy and went to stand behind the cluster of people. Everyone seemed to be sizing everyone up and Joe couldn't help but think that this was high noon at the OK corral. He risked a look at Missy who was carefully studying each face of the people before them as if she could see through the masks. There was a nagging inside him that warned him of danger, and though he couldn't explain how he knew, but he knew that the Grave Digger was there. Now, what he could do about it was a mystery. Even if there was a huge neon sign that pointed directly to the guy, there wasn't any evidence to tie him to the killings. But the fact that the police were all just a safety word away gave Joe some comfort.

But only some.

Missy didn't seem to notice Joe's fears. She was too caught up in the flood of energy and emotion in the room. She could pick up on excitement, hostility, nervousness, eagerness, and…something darker. Something that couldn't really be explained…it was like lust, joy, rage, need, and anticipation rolled into one and she was sure that this was the killer. All she had to do now was figure out which one of the seven the emotions coming from.

"You wanted to ask us about the Grave Digger," said the funeral director's costume stated, and there was something familiar about his voice that Joe couldn't place exactly.

"Yeah, we know that you're…" Joe paused here, trying to choose his words carefully, "Your order favor the grave yards. We need to know if there is any who have been threatened or have seen something or..."

"Or could have done the murders?" this from one of the jester.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Joe said, looking her in the eye.

"And are we suspected because we are freaks to your kind?" the jester hissed out, meeting Joe's challenge.

Joe inwardly sighed, 'Frank, this is so not my thing. Damn it why did I have to agree to this, I'm so going to blow it….'

"We're not calling you freaks. Have we called them freaks Joe?" Missy said while Joe was thinking.

"No," Joe answered, glad that Missy had jumped in.

"We don't think that because you are…zombies…you go around killing every living thing you meet. We think that because the Grave Digger is killing everything he meets he would come to you to hide him because you are zombies," Missy continued, making it a point to look at each member. She was hoping that she could shake the killer up enough to make him act.

"Well said," said the funeral director, "You'll forgive my jester, she is a bit rash."

"It's fine," Joe said, "there's a madman going around stealing corpses and killing people, i don't really care what she's pissed off at as long as we can stop this guy."

The seven exchanged meaningful glances before the director looked at one of the robe clad members and nodded his head. The member stood and moved into Missy and Joe's direct line of vision, blocking the thrown from view.

"I represent the street members of our order. The ones who stay in the grave yards at night. I'll tell you what they've told me."

Missy and Joe both let out breathes they hadn't known they were holding and said, "Thank you."

"Several of our Order have seen a man walking the grave yards of Old Wales, St. Josephs, Holy Cross, St. Mathew's, and St. Paul's. Each time they thought they recognized one of ours and each time was scared away. These meetings all happened a few days before a robbery."

Joe and Missy exchanged looks of hopefulness, there were witness? "Can any of them describe the man they saw?" Missy asked, trying to keep her voice toneless.

"A tall man in all black. A zombie keeper mask covered his face and a hood hide his head."

"What's a zombie keeper?" Joe asked, as Missy continued to scan the seven as best she could.

"Much like your pastors or clergy except they preach from the book of the dead."

"Is there anything else you can tell us? Anything about the grave robberies?" Joe asked, nearly pleading.

"Like what?" the robed figure asked, tilting their head slightly.

"You said that the man they saw was a zombie keeper, that he's like a pastor or something…is that anything like Voodoo?"

"We do not practice Voodoo," was the reply.

"But you have rituals?" Joe pressed on.

"Yes."

"These rituals have anything to do with graves? Like is there a grave side ceremony?"

"There are several. One for burial, one for rising, and one for keeping the dead, dead."

Joe felt the familiar rush when he was on the verge of a clue, "Could you describe them?"

The robed figure looked behind them for conformation before turning back to answer. Just as they were about to speak one of the others stood and then three things happened at once;

First, the figure tossed several small smoke bombs into the room spraying white smoke everywhere and nearly blinding everyone. Second, Maggie screamed as the same figure grabbed hold of her and began to drag her out of the room. Third, Joe called out "Shit!"


Frank was about to head off to the pizza place when all hell broke lose.

"That was the safe word, get your asses in gear!" barked Jenkins over the radio, "Renny, Smith, Martin, and Booker get in there now! Davis, Marks, Green you're back up! Somebody get VICE in here! Hardy stay put!"

Frank cursed as he climbed out of the van and moved to get a clearer view of what was happening. He wanted desperately to know what was going on inside the house, but he knew he couldn't risk asking. So he was stuck with the sickening knowledge that either Joe or Missy had said the safe word which meant something had gone really, really wrong and now the police had to go in and drag them out.

"Please let them be ok…please don't let it be Joe…please let them be ok…" Frank kept repeating over and over again as he watched police flood in and panicked kids run out, hoping that one of them would be Joe.


In the ice box all hell had broken lose and it was impossible to distinguish anything. Missy could feel bodies slamming into her as they desperately tried to orient themselves and escape the smoke. She could hear Joe a ways in front of her calling her name between coughing fits and she could hear Maggie screaming somewhere off in the distances….

There was a blond haired boy to faraway to see clearly…

"Get…Maggie…!" she called out to Joe, the smoke chocking her own voice.

"Can't …see!" was the forced reply.

"Follow…voice!" was the last thing Missy said before she stumbled after the screaming girl and her attacker.

The prize of some dark and twisted game…

Maggie stumbled along every now and then calling out to Joe to make sure he was still there. He was, and he was getting closer to her, but he was still behind her. Another scream tore through the smoke and Missy got a glimpse of light just a few feet away from her. She knew that light had a tendency to bounce off smoke, but the blast of fresh air reassured her and she headed for the light. She could sense Joe following her same instinct and no longer worried about calling out to him.

She beckoned…

Missy hit the hallway and took a moment to catch her breath. She was exhausted by the smoke and her body was ready to collapses. But another scream tore her out of her haze and she took a look around her. The hallway was long, poorly lit and straight. There would be no hiding, no escape route. When she caught up with Maggie and her attacker, she'd only have one shot at the guy.

"Oh what fun…" she mumbled to herself as she headed off at a run.

Vaguely she could hear Joe calling out behind her, but she didn't have time to respond; Maggie's latest scream had just gone suddenly silent.

The prize of some dark and twisted game. She beckoned. The Blond ran scared…The red head slipped away. The figures fell into shadow…

Joe stopped to breath and watched as Missy moved on down the hall. He could hear Maggie screaming and as much as he wanted to save her, he couldn't force his body to take another step until he got air. Suddenly though Maggie stopped screaming and all thought of rest was forgotten. Joe took off at a sprint, calling out to Missy as he did, hoping that she would wait for him to catch up before she reached the killer.

"I saw you there, did you see me?

This game we play, it just isn't fair.

What do I have to do,

To get the chance to meet you?"