THE VAMPIRE/ZOMBIE WAR TGREAPER 2009 I could barely see the wet ground in all the rolling fog. Moonlight washed the graveyard in pointed shadows. I stood among the dead, powdered resurrection in my hands. I sprinkled the chemical mix throughout the Potter’s Field section, choosing cadavers that no one would ever miss. From that area I could see the Parlor estate, where Vlad Parlor was no doubt watching me prepare for his nightmarish attack. The estate appeared one night in the fall; it had been a field before that. No one ever saw the construction of the place, it was just there. Soon afterwards animals were found with puncture marks on them. The townsfolk started blaming the chubricabra, the infamous goat sucker. But that was just ridiculous. No such thing. The truth was, the war was coming. Vlad was raising his army of vampires, I was raising an army of the dead, and the city would be ground zero. A pack of wolves sang off in the distance, his children of the night. Then I remembered. My God. Tamisa was back at the lab, and Igor was alone with her. I could hear her slamming into the cage as I entered the building. I ran straight to the lab, which was at the far end of the dark hallway. Igor was standing in the doorway, loading the tranquilizer rifle. He saw it and tossed it to me just as Tamisa slammed into the cage again, this time breaking the gate open. She landed on all four, her nose sticking up in the air, no doubt trying to smell our blood. She looked beautiful in her wolf form, standing under the moonlight, just below the lab window. I took aim, closed my eyes and squeezed the trigger. The dart slammed into her side, sending her smashing against the wall. She fell to the floor in a heap, already turning back to her human form. I covered her up and had Igor take her to another cell. She begged me to help her, and I had every intention of doing so, but first, I had to rid the world of Vlad. The next day was spent loading my guns with special bullets, empty shells filled with holy water and wolfs bane. I had some vampire blood saved up from one of my many kills, and I had Igor rub it under Tamisa’s nose. I wanted my best weapon ready for battle. I knew I was just using her, but she could forgive me later. Sunlight was ending quickly and my army still hadn’t come down from the hill where Potter’s field was kept. I started to worry that I didn’t use enough powder. Moonlight was just starting to wash the land when I heard his voice. “Human! Come out here and face me. How dare you attack my minions!” Vlad’s voice was dripping with anger. I grabbed my rifles and instructed Igor to go fetch Tamisa. I was going to need all the help I could get. I draped my neck with my crucifix and started towards the back door. I peeked through the window on my way out. The parking lot was filled with vampires, with Vlad standing at the center. I didn’t have enough ammo to take so many out. I checked my weapons, including my handgun that was full of silver bullets, just in case, took a deep breath, and then stepped through the door and into the night air. The vampires were poised, ready to pounce. I aimed my rifle at Vlad, who grinned. “Human. My shields would never let a single bullet touch me. Why not surrender yourself now and allow my children to feed?” “I’m no one’s dinner, Count!” My voice gave away my fear. The army of vampires slowly closed in, stalking me from all sides. I was going to die tonight. My powder didn’t work, and Igor was taking his sweet time with Tamisa. By the time he would get here it would be way too late. I closed my eyes and waited, I always thought I would go out with guns blazing, but right now it seemed so useless. “Protect me my children!” Vlad screamed out from behind the wall of vampires. I opened my eyes and saw them all turning, facing the army of zombies that were charging from the hill. Better late than never. I ran back to the door just as it burst open. Tamisa charging out in full wolf form. She liked the smell of vampire blood and wanted more. Igor limped out behind her, grinning ear to ear. “Fantastic, Igor!” I said. “Thank you Master,” he replied. “Igor, you can call me Doctor Van Stein.” “Docktor Van Swine. Yes master.” Igor had the worst time trying to pronounce my name. We’ve had this conversation before. He would start calling me anything that sounded remotely close to my name, until I would give up and tell him to call me master. For some reason, going through the name slaughter again sounded like a pain in the ass. “Igor, call me master,” I sighed. “Yes Master,” he replied, and then added under his breath “Narcissist bastard.” He never was very good at whispering. The zombies were being swarmed. Several vampires were biting down on them at all areas of the body, then, in turn, would burn up into ashes. The holy water I added to the powder mix was running through their veins, and the re animated hearts were pumping it throughout the bodies. Vlad watched in horror as his army burned away in front of him. He must have been really distracted because he didn’t see the blood soaked werewolf until she slashed his throat with her paws. His eyes bulged as he looked at Tamisa in disbelief. Pedicure in holy water really did the trick. She slashed him again, taking the head off of his body. Just like that, the war was over. Two zombies were left, and Tamisa made short work out of them. I pulled my handgun out and aimed it at her. She looked at me with demonic eyes, her curse demanding my life as well. She charged as I emptied my gun into her. The impact sent her backwards through the air. She landed among the burn marks in the parking lot. “I’m sorry Tamisa, this is the only cure I know of,” I said, staring into her lifeless human eyes. Igor had already started picking up the zombie parts and piling them into a cart. He would cremate them later in the basement’s boiler room. I instructed him to cremate Tamisa as well. He acknowledged me then called me more names under his breath. I would have to replace him soon; he was really starting to try my patience. But first thing’s first, and I had a cadaver waiting under a sheet in the lab. While in the cemetery I found a fresh grave that had a usable brain in it. It used to belong to a serial killer, but since he was executed, he wouldn’t need it now. The weather channel had predicted a thunderstorm tomorrow night with plenty of lightning. If my experiment worked, and I could recreate life…real life, not the temporary zombie stunt I pulled, the medical world would finally take me seriously. Frankenstein would live again.