Dawn turned away and helped Peter to his feet.
“So where’d you get the bats?” Emily asked.
“Just kind of found them,” Connor said. “And that busted door at the Arrillaga Sports Center . . . I’m totally not responsible for that.”
“It was probably the zombies,” Emily said with a knowing grin.
Todd made a lunge for the door, but Connor quickly spun and grabbed him. Connor threw the would-be wizard against the wall. “How do we kill the zombies?”
“Stop the brain activity,” Todd smirked.
“Sounds a little slow. How do I kill them all at once?”
Todd’s smirk grew more malicious. “You need the candle for that. But you already put it out, genius.”
“Come on!” Connor said, grabbing Todd and shoving him toward the door and slipped out. He tried to slam it shut behind him, but couldn’t move it quickly enough. Connor stormed from the crypt and punched Todd, knocking him to the ground.
Emily, Dawn, and a limping Pete followed Connor and Todd out of the crypt. The zombies that remained in the area took notice of the fresh meat. Though the dozen or so zombies were far less than the hundred that had surrounded the crypt earlier, Dawn was worried. She, Emily, and Connor would have problems protecting Peter, keeping custody of Todd, and fighting four to one odds with baseball bats.
Connor tossed his bat to Pete. “Lean against the building for support and aim for the head,” Connor said to his roommate as he pulled another bat from his bag. To Dawn’s surprise, he handed the bat to Todd. “You want to live?”
“Yeah,” Todd said, suddenly looking less smug as his ghastly creations marched toward him.
“Then be smart. Five to twelve we can do. You go off on your own, these things’ll be picking you out of their teeth by dawn.”
Connor turned and prepared to face the zombies. He expected Todd would ultimately attack him. He didn’t expect it to come so soon. On instinct, Connor turned and grabbed Todd’s bat with his free hand before it could connect with the back of his head. His swing having been caught, Todd pushed the bat forward. It slid through Connor’s hand and nailed his forehead like a pool stick hitting a cue ball.
Todd released the bat and ran. Two zombies broke off and chased him. Connor prepared to follow, but Emily grabbed his arm. “We need you here to protect the womenfolk.”
“I got you back, man,” Pete said as he attempted to limp away from the wall and fell on his face.
Dawn swung at a zombie, but it grabbed her bat. She quickly kicked its knee. Zombies feel no pain, but the force of her kick knocked the zombie’s leg from under it. It went down onto its knees. Dawn brought the aluminum bat down in a crushing blow to the zombie’s skull.
Connor and Emily hacked a path through the zombies. Other zombies, oblivious to the carnage the group of demon fighters was wreaking, noticed only food and continued their deliberate march forward.
Hearing a scream, Dawn turned to see three zombies swarming on Peter. She ran to his side and hammered one zombie in the back of the head, decapitating it. She swung again, knocking another away. The third stumbled back as Pete pushed it away.
Dawn set her bat down and tried to lift Pete. He was too heavy for her to carry. The two zombies stumbled back toward Dawn. She reached for bat, but it was too late. A zombie had knocked it over and was already on top of her. Pete swung, hitting its back. But from the ground, he had no leverage and could get no force behind his swing.
Dawn pushed away from the zombie and groped for her bat again. The other zombie was right behind the one attacking her. Suddenly, a fist flew through the air. It knocked down Dawn’s attacker and continued on to slam the other zombie in the face, driving it back as well.
Pete looked up in awe of his roommate, who’d just thrown the most spectacular punch he’d ever seen. “Holy shit, that was awesome!”
“Here,” Connor said, giving her his bat. “Don’t put it down again.” He reached down and picked up Pete. “Does anyone have a car nearby?”
“Willow’s is close,” Dawn said. “And she knows magic. She can fix this.”
“I hope so.”
“So, um, Connor?” Pete asked. “When did the acid get slipped into my drink?”
**
Willow and Kennedy had the books on zombies spread over most of the living room floor.
“I should be out there,” Kennedy said.
“Not until we know what we’re facing!” Willow insisted.
“Zombies,” Kennedy said. “Duh.”
Willow began to protest, but Kennedy was already on her way to the door. Kennedy threw it open, but froze. “Oh my god! What happened?”
Peter was relatively unscathed. Dawn, Emily, and Connor, however, were bruised and bloody.
“Had trouble finding a zombie-free path from the mausoleum to your place,” Connor answered as he set Peter on the couch.
“I need a shower,” Dawn groaned, looking down at her dirty and bloodied outfit.
“I need a doctor,” Emily said. “I think my shoulder’s broken.”
“Here,” Kennedy said, walking to Emily. “Let me see your shoulder. Get out of that costume.”
“Hey!” Connor said jokingly as he flopped onto the floor. “You coming onto my girlfriend?”
“She’s trying to help her, you pig,” Willow scowled.
“I’m joking. A little levity in the midst of a zombie holocaust.”
Kennedy shook her head. “Yeah, Will. Chill.”
Dawn gave a giggle. “Will chill,” she said with a goofy grin.
“So, I was promised backgrounds and explanations,” Pete said.
“Zombies,” Connor said. “Slow moving, dim-witted things that crave human flesh.”
Willow rolled her eyed. “Just like . . .” She glanced around the room. “Never mind.”
“No,” Connor said. “Finish. Just like what?”
“Guy I knew in high school,” Willow said. “You don’t know him.”
“Zombies?” Peter said disbelievingly.
“Zombies,” Dawn said. “Get used to it or go to sleep.”
“Did any of you see how they were summoned?” Willow asked.
“It was at the mausoleum,” Dawn said. “I didn’t see it happen, but there was a candle on top of a coffin and a student was sacrificed.”
“Ooh,” Willow exclaimed, scrambling across the floor on her knees to one of her books. “Did the body in the coffin rise?”
“I don’t think so,” Dawn said. “The coffin was still closed.”
Willow frowned. “This is not good. With this spell, each of the zombies’ victims will turn.”
“Oh no!” Dawn said, grabbing her arm. “One of them bit me.”
“They have to kill you,” Willow said. She smiled and held the book up. “All we have to do is put out the candle by drenching the flame with the blood of the sacrifice!”
Connor decided to take the blame for Dawn. He held his hand up as if he were in school. “Um . . . problem. The candle’s already been put out. I kind of . . . smashed it.”
“Idiot!” Willow yelled.
“We were trapped in the crypt by zombies! They were going toward the candle. The only way we could get out alive was to smash the candle.”
“They weren’t going toward the candle,” Willow said angrily as she flipped through the pages of another book. “They were going to the one who summoned them. As long as the candle was lit, the summoner had control of them. But now . . .” Willow put the book down.
“An incantation?” Kennedy said, looking at the page. She read the passage silently. Connor and Willow read along with her. They all glanced at each other when it was done.
“What?” Emily said.
“Nothing,” Willow spoke sullenly. “Morgana Blackhurst wrote this text. She puts all her spells in bad rhymes.”
“We need Todd in order to complete the spell,” Connor said sadly as he read over Willow’s shoulder. “I have to find him by daybreak.”
“I’ll do it,” Kennedy said.
“You don’t know what he looks like,” Connor said. “Besides, I know how to track him.”
“And how exactly can you do that?” Kennedy asked.
“I have to perform the spell,” Willow quickly interrupted. “You don’t have the mojo. All you have to do is get him there.”
Connor shrugged. “I don’t see the difference. Not really.” He looked at Dawn and Emily. “Can one of you take Willow to the mausoleum?”
“Let me change into a less cumbersome outfit,” Dawn said. “Then I’ll take her.”
“Fine,” Connor said. “I have to go.”
Kenned held out a small battle axe. It was long enough to do some damage, but short enough that Connor could easily hide it. “For the zombies,” she said.
Willow looked at Connor sadly. “Connor,” she called. He looked back. “When it’s over, everything will be better.”
“We’ll see,” he said quietly.
***
Todd ran from the mausoleum toward the Oval, a circular driveway at the end of the road that connected Stanford’s Memorial Church to the shopping district of Palo Alto. Todd stormed into the church. The larger-than-life paintings of angels, saints, and Christ himself seemed to stare down at him angrily.
The zombies stormed into the church just behind Todd. The creatures were slow, but they were everywhere. Every time he outran one, two more seemed to catch his scent. He wasn’t sure if the church wasn’t consecrated ground or if consecrated ground made no difference. As he stared up again at the seemingly angry visages of the church’s heavenly protectors, Todd wondered if the zombies could enter because God refused to stop them. To be killed by his own abominations was, after all, poetic justice. Perhaps the saints and angels had held their hand to let the zombies give Todd what he deserved.
Todd ran no farther. He dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together. If God had abandoned him, then he supposed he deserved what came next. Still, he closed his eyes and cried out with all his might and in complete sincerity.
“I’m sorry!” Todd yelled. “Oh, god, please! I’m sorry!” He lowered his head to the floor and began to weep. He could try running further, but his mind was made up. He would wait here for the will of god to decide his fate.
A cold, powerful grip closed on Todd’s shoulder. He whimpered, but still did not move. He could hear more zombies shuffling. The zombie bent low, preparing to bite. Todd could both feel and smell its putrid breath. God was not coming. No one was coming. He could hear another zombie running quickly up the aisle and knew this would be his end. But . . . zombies didn’t run.
Todd turned just in time to see the head of the zombie fly from its body. It slumped to the ground to revel Connor standing behind it.
Todd’s tears of terror changed seamlessly to tears of joy. He threw himself at Connor’s feet and hugged his legs. “Thank you!” he sobbed hysterically. “Oh, god, thank you!”
Connor grabbed Todd by the neck and pulled him to his feet. “Get off of me!”
As soon as Todd was on his feet, Connor shoved him to the ground again. He turned and saw two zombies in Halloween costumes approaching. Connor knew they must be fresh.
Connor spun, swinging the axe. It sliced through the first zombie’s head. Connor quickly reversed the swing and hacked through the other.
“Hey you!” someone called as flashlights shined from the door. Connor turned and held his hand up to block the light. Police. Two of them.
“Drop the weapon!” one called, pulling out his pistol.
Connor dropped to the floor and rolled into one of the pews. “Stay down!” he hissed to Todd.
Connor quickly scampered through the row of seats. As he passed across the aisle between pews, one of the policemen opened fire. Connor jumped up, over the pew and came down, drop-kicking the cop. He spun quickly, raising the axe just in time for it to catch a bullet from the other officer’s gun. Connor ducked again as more bullets flew toward him.
The cop heard Connor scampering along the floor and ran to cut him off from the door. Just as the policemen stopped, Connor jumped up in front of him. The policeman was taken totally by surprise as no human could have covered so much ground so quickly on their feet, let alone crawling. Connor punched the cop in the center of the forehead. The cop’s eyes rolled back and he slumped to the ground.
Connor turned and walked slowly toward Todd, still kneeling in the middle of the church. Todd’s hands were still clasped together and he was muttering, as if in prayer. After all, his prayers had been answered. He’d asked god to spare him and Connor had arrived to do just that.
“Get up,” Connor said, gripping Todd by the shirt and pulling him to his feet. Connor shoved him toward the door. “We’re going back to the mausoleum. We’re going to fix this.”
“Yes. Yes, yes of course. Oh god, Connor, thank you so much. I’m so sorry. I’ll do whatever you need.”
Connor nodded grimly, knowing that Todd would indeed do whatever was needed.
****
“So Connor,” Dawn said as she led Willow to the crypt. “What do you think he is?”
“What do you mean?” Willow asked, paying more attention to her bag of magic supplies than Dawn.
“He’s fast. Like super fast. And way too strong for a guy that skinny. Way too strong for a guy, period. And then there’s the tracking. Do you think he’s a werewolf?”
“He’d have turned during the full moon.”
“But maybe he can control it, like Oz.”
Willow looked at Dawn. “You know what? You’re probably right. But we should just not talk about it. When Connor feels comfortable explaining his powers to us, he’ll probably do that.”
They arrived at the crypt. Connor was already waiting inside with Todd. Willow glanced at the geeky looking wizard with pity.
Connor looked mournfully at Willow. “Willow . . . this is Rad.”
“I’ll set up over here,” Willow said as she kneeled by Jeff’s body. “Dawn, you should wait outside.”
“Why?” Dawn asked disappointedly.
“Just do it,” Willow snapped.
Connor handed Dawn the axe. “Take this. Yell if you need us.”
Dawn rolled her eyes and walked out. She wanted to protest that she wasn’t a child, but couldn’t figure out how without sounding exactly like a child.
“What do I do?” Todd asked, anxious to help.
“Just wait,” Connor said quietly.
Willow spread candles on the floor. Then slowly, she repeated the passage from Blackhurst’s Codex:
From this tomb this one did raise
One body each from each fresh grave.
A sacrifice here was made.
A price to evil here was paid.
The candle now burns no more.
So we bring the wizard to this floor.
Before the rise of sun, which will be too late
This wizard shall share his victim’s fate.
His victim now, the wizard will join.
He pays the same price in the very same coin.
Willow pulled a long dagger from her supplies.
“Pay in the same coin?” Todd said, looking at Connor in terror.
Connor looked back with a look of sadness and disgust. “I’m sorry,” he said in a quiet and sad, but determined voice. “This is the only way.”
“We could hunt down all the zombies. I‘d help!”
Connor shook his head. “How many people would they kill before we could find them all? And each one they kill, they’ll become a zombie, too. It would take us weeks to kill them all. You wanted to help. This is how.”
“What is this?” Todd cried out in fear, frustration, and disbelief as tears burst from his eyes. “You saved me from those things just so you could bring me here to die?! You sick bastard.”
“You should talk!” Connor shouted, violently grabbing Todd. He threw Todd to the ground. “You brought this on yourself. On all of us!”
Connor grabbed Todd and began dragging him across the floor of the crypt toward the witch and her waiting dagger. He glanced to the corner, almost expecting to see Darla. He wanted to see Darla again. He wanted anything that could relieve him of this terrible duty. It was all the more difficult because of Todd’s passive compliance. Had the aspiring dark wizard struggled, Connor could have put him down easily and felt a rush of justified anger in doing so. But Todd was truly sorry. Truly repentant. Even before he knew his fate, Todd wanted to undo what he had done.
With one last shove, Connor threw Todd to Willow. He looked up at her with such sadness that she couldn’t help but feel sorrow for him as she slashed her dagger across his neck. Todd’s blood sprayed across Jeff’s corpse laying where he’d been sacrificed only hours before.
Todd’s body jerked as his blood and leaked out of him. He gasped for air, but none came.
Connor felt moisture on his face, as if Todd’s blood had sprayed him. But Todd’s blood had sprayed in the opposite direction and Connor’s face was perfectly dry. Connor didn’t move to wipe the imaginary blood from his face. He just stared at Todd’s dying body and fought to hold back a flood of tears.
Finally, Todd went still. Connor could see that Willow too was crying softly.
Connor closed his eyes, then opened them again. But it wasn’t a nightmare. He was still in the crypt. Willow still held the dagger over a body. Todd was still dead.
“Do you think . . .” Connor just stared for a moment, unable to think how to finish his sentence. “Do you think that someday . . . we’ll be able to forgive ourselves for things we’ve done.”
Willow looked up at him and wiped her own tears away. “This was the right choice, Connor. The only choice.”
Connor shook his head slightly. “I was thinking of something else. From before.”
Willow looked down again and gave a sad chuckle. “So was I.” She shrugged. “Love makes you do the wacky.” She knew her joke was out of place, but she had to say something.
“Who said it was for love?” Connor asked.
“What else would it be for? It’s always about love. Love of a woman. Love of money. Love of evil.” She looked at Connor again. “Which was yours for?”
“Woman.”
Willow laughed again. “Mine too. But in the end, we both wound up on the right side.”
“I’m not on any side. I don’t do this anymore. I don’t fight vampires or demons or anything. It’s not what my father wanted for me. And it’s not what I want for myself!”
“I know how that feels. And I know other people who felt that. But it’s not that simple. This is in your blood, Connor. Maybe you wish it weren’t, but it is.”
*****
The walk back to Willow’s house was a somber and quiet one. Dawn had wanted to know what happened, but knew better than to ask when she saw Willow and Connor come out alone.
Connor entered the house first and immediately hugged Emily. “I love you so much,” he whispered, burying his head in her neck and crying. “I need you so much.”
Kennedy welcomed Willow home in a similar fashion. Dawn glanced at Peter on the couch and considered hugging him. But it would be hollow. It would be because she wasn’t Emily, with Connor’s arms around her and Connor’s head buried in her neck and Connor’s voice whispering that he wanted her and needed her.
Without realizing how she got there, Dawn was sitting on top of the basement stairs crying. What was it about Connor? He wasn’t muscular. He wasn’t hot by traditional standards. But his eyes were so deep and blue that Dawn felt like she got lost in them like sailors got lost at sea. Those eyes had pain and wisdom in them. Connor’s eyes seemed deep because he was deep. Dawn had grown past teen crushes and shallow attractions. She needed a man who‘d seen the horrors of hell and had not flinched or turned away in fear. Connor was everything she wanted. And now that she knew that the personification of her dreams existed, she could accept no other man.
Willow looked sadly toward the kitchen as the sound of sobbing penetrated the basement door.
“I’ll go,” Connor said sadly. “I . . . I should have talked to her before. I just . . . didn’t.”
Connor opened the door to the basement and gave Dawn a strained smile. “Hey,” he said as he sat on the step next to her. “The thing is . . . like, I’m not that great a guy. You could really, really do so much better. I mean you’re smart and you’re beautiful and I-”
“Stop it! Just stop it. Don’t you understand this is tearing me apart? Don’t you know that I’m so infatuated that I’ll cling to anything I can perceive as a sign you like me?! So don’t buy me chocolates and compliment my clothes or say that I’m pretty or beautiful. Don’t risk your life to save me from werewolves or zombies or whatever else. Because every time you think you’re being sweet, you’re really just torturing me!”
Connor stared at Dawn slack-jawed as she rose and stormed from the basement. He continued staring at the door in shock, even after he heard the door to the house slam. Another couple minutes passed before the door opened again. Emily sat next to Connor.
“What . . . what’d I say?”
Emily shook her head. “I think . . . no matter how hard we try, this is really hard on her.”
“Well, she needs to get the hell over it.”
“Or,” Emily said cautiously. “Maybe she needs to not have us thrown in her face so often.”
“I guess maybe you should come over my room more often.”
“When . . . when I do, she always knows where I’m going.” Emily sounded sad and pained. “Even when I lie.”
“So what can we do?”
“I think . . .” Emily took a deep breath for courage and pressed on. “I think maybe we need a break.”
“A break from what?”
“Each other.”
“What?!” Connor yelled. “What do you mean? I mean, I know what you mean, but why?”
“It’s just Dawn-”
“Stop it!” Connor yelled, standing up. “Stop it with Dawn this and Dawn that. I’m sick of Dawn! I’ve bent over backward for Dawn and now you’re leaving me because it’s still not enough?”
“Connor, it’s just a little while.”
“I love you,” Connor said, verging on tears. “And you said you loved me.”
“I do,” Emily protested.
“But you still don’t want to be with me?”
“No, I do. Connor, it’s just a break.”
“It’s not just a break,” Connor said, suddenly lacking the energy to keep his agitated state up. “It was the same with my girlfriend in high school. When we went to college, she said we’d take a break for the school year. But you know what I found out? When it’s over, it’s over!”
“It’s not over. It’s just a-”
“Break,” Connor interrupted. “Yeah. Right. Well, how long’s this break going to be?”
“I don’t know,” Emily said, now choking back her own tears.
“So I’m just supposed to wait forever?”
“What does that mean?”
Connor glared down at her with more malice in his face then Emily thought he could ever muster. “What if I meet someone?” His voice was nearly a hiss.
Emily knew he was just angry, but his words cut her. “I guess . . . I guess I couldn’t ask you to wait-”
“Know what that means,” Connor interrupted in his most bitter voice. “It means it’s over.” Connor stormed out of the basement.
Emily put her head in her hands and began crying. “It’s just a break,” she sobbed.
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