CLAIREMBER 2022
Day 17 - dark side

Alexia flicked the syringe of purple liquid. "I was going to test your little friend first, but then your brother decided to drop in on us."

Claire stopped struggling against the double-bladed battle ax Alexia had buried effortlessly in the stone wall behind them, pinning Claire to the throne Alexia had thrust her on.

"Chris is here?!" she said.

"Indeed. And I thought, 'What a marvelous opportunity this presents!' You took away my dear brother, so I'll take away yours."

Alexia forced Claire's head to one side and plunged the liquid into her neck. Pain, hot as fire, burned through her veins.

"What did you put in me?" she croaked.

"I gave you the gift of Veronica. Once the virus has coursed through your entire body, you'll be susceptible to my will. I shall be your queen, and you my faithful servant."

"I'll never bow to you."

Alexia smiled. "Oh yes, you will."

"There she is! Claire!"

From the darkness, Steve and Chris appeared. Chris aimed a Magnum at Alexia while Steve covered him with Chris's Glock.

"Let her go!" Chris said.

"It's too late. I've already blessed her with Veronica. She's mine forever."

Alexia stroked Claire's hair. Claire shook as she fought to shrug her off, but she couldn't. It was like her bones and muscles had turned to steel.

Steve trained the Glock on Alexia. "Cure her!"

Alexia laughed. "Do you really think the likes of you two could intimidate a superior being such as myself?"

"Cure her or I'll plug you full of lead!" said Steve.

"Last chance, Alexia: cure her and let her go," said Chris.

Alexia waved her hand.

The burning spilled into Claire's skin. It bubbled and greened, melting into scales.

"Run!" Claire screamed.

Anger, as pure and primal as hunger, filled her so full she bloated, splintering the ax handle. Her clothes and boots grew tight and then split apart as spikes and claws burst through her crocodilian skin. Her teeth sharpened into fangs that crowded her mouth so tightly she couldn't close it.

Then the dark room lit up and everything went red. Reddest of all were the two puny things that stood before her, their little metal things that spit little metal balls lowered.

They stared at her, then turned and ran.

Kill them, a sweet voice told her.

She grabbed the big, splintered stick and chased them.

As she reached them, she swung the stick. Both little creatures smacked against stone. Their metal things skidded away.

She raised the stick, preparing to beat them until they burst open like an infected wound.

They were saying something. She could understand only one word:

"Claire…Claire…Claire…!"

It was a name. How did she know it?

Kill them, the voice said again.

Now they were saying more words she knew: "Brother…friend…love…I love you…"

Chris! Steve!

She remembered them now! Chris, her brother who'd raised her after their parents died – Steve, her friend who'd helped her and watched out for her as she'd done for him – they loved her and she loved them back because she was Claire!

I said kill them! the voice demanded.

No, not a voice. Alexia.

Claire turned. Alexia now sat in the throne where she'd pinned Claire with the ax. Claire felt Alexia's confusion. That confusion had frozen her thoughts.

Claire rushed the throne and ran it through with the ax handle. She stepped back.

The handle had pierced Alexia's gut, pinning her to the throne. Blood soaked her purple dress, staining it black. As she shakily pulled the handle free, the blood ignited. The dress and her long, blond hair fell away in a sheet of ash. Flames crowned the throne.

Claire grew hot again – hotter and hotter until fire engulfed her. The scales fell away, then the spikes, claws, and fangs. They wreathed her, smoldering and smoking.

She stood naked, her brown hair billowing around her. She was Claire again: a college student who liked motorcycles and boys and pop music and who'd survived two zombie outbreaks.

Only…she wasn't just Claire anymore.

Now she was also Veronica.

Stepping over her burnt sheddings, she made her way to Alexia.

"No. No. No, no, no," Alexia was saying.

"Oh yes," said Claire, putting her hand over Alexia's face. "It chose me."

Fire erupted from Alexia. Grabbing Claire's wrist, she screamed and screamed until she sank into the throne, a blackened husk.

Claire let go. The husk fell sideways and shattered. The flames died as Claire sat on the throne.

Steve and Chris ran to her.

"Claire?" said Steve.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked.

She smiled. "I'm wonderful. I never knew power like this could be mine. But it chose me. It chose me over her. I am the true heir of Veronica!"

She laughed and laughed even as Chris and Steve exchanged a look. They were worried – she could feel it. They just wanted Claire back.

They do have Claire back, she thought. But now Claire goes where Veronica goes. And they will learn to accept that and know their place – or else.