I don’t fully understand what Toby doesn’t want me to see. He knows my status and the fact that whatever atrocities I witness will have little emotional impact on me.

I stand firm, hearing but not listening to his pleas for me to leave.

Associate Bradbury’s carcass continues to cackle and command  – “Do It Tobes! Your life really isn’t worth much. Blow your head off. Gay brains: soft, pink, and fluffy – they’re such a delicacy, what a treat for my first meal,” it says, while licking its lips in a grotesque and exaggerated manner.

I see a questioning look cloud Toby’s face, “Tobes. It’s calling me Tobes?” he says, the firearm still pressed firmly to his head.

 “Pull the trigger TOBES!” screams the carcass, with glee.

……

The bang of the firearm zooms through my ear-holes and ricochets round the reanimate basement.

The impact knocks Toby off his feet and sends him hurtling backwards. His carcass slams onto the concrete floor with a thudding force. A hot, smoking odor floods my nostrils, which is swiftly accompanied by the delicious smell of fresh blood.

The firearm comes to rest by Toby’s head, clouding smoke rising from its battered barrel.

I swipe the blood that pools by his head, it tastes: sweet, mild, kind – it tastes like Toby. A soft sadness accompanies the flavour – it is bittersweet.

……

Associate Bradbury’s carcass shakes and jolts with sudden violent movements. The head swivels from left to right with an increasingly rapid motion. Thick green gunk seeps from the: eyes, ears, and nose, splatting on the basement floor, infecting the space with a vile odor.

Without Toby to explain these actions and emissions, I assume this is the final stage of her reanimation.

I ready myself for the re-awakening. I won’t let this reanimate consume Toby – our battle will be fierce.

……

Casey sprints into the basement, “I heard a gunshot…” she stops and stares at Toby. Her body begins to shake, almost like Associate Bradbury’s carcass. Her quiver turns into a jelly legged jiggle as she wobbles towards Toby. I’m uncertain whether her trembling legs will carry her to his side, so I walk with her, in a protective manner.

……

Associate Bradbury continues to seep soup from every orifice. Casey is so consumed by her human feelings that she is oblivious to the other horrors that surround her.

I catch her as she collapses by Toby’s carcass and lower her gently to her knees. She wipes the blood that seeps slowly from his temple and looks at it closely – to ensure it is real. There is considerable hurt and guilt in her words, “Toby, I’m so sorry. I didn’t notice your despair. Why didn’t you talk to me…?” She continues to ask him question after question, until her tears take over, rendering her speechless.

Her tears mingle with Toby’s blood, creating a deliciously fragrant cocktail  – I’ll call it a Casetobe, a heady mix of two of my favorite friends liquids. I resist the urge to slurp it up; even I can understand that that would be wholly unacceptable under these circumstances.

Self Discipline – for a reanimate, this is real progress.

 …….

“I guess he’ll be OK, probably concussed from the impact of his fall.” Casey jumps at the sound of The Officer’s voice.

Her face takes on a look I read as pure hatred, “You shot him?” she shouts, her words drenched in spittle as they shoot from her mouth.  

“No – I shot the gun he was gonna shoot himself with – outta his hand, just in time. He’s lucky I have a good aim, and a steady hand.”

……

Associate Bradbury’s horizontal carcass begins to slowly rise from the basement floor. “Holy freaking Moly,” says The Officer, wonder filling his eyes.

The rigid carcass hovers at my waist height.

“This is just how it happens in the movies,” says The Officer.

“What movie – what’s happening?” asks Casey.

“Every freaking horror movie,” says The Officer, rushing toward the carcass and swiping his hand underneath it. “Man, this is happening, it’s real, no tricks, she’s levitating,” he says. I read excitement in his voice. 

The carcass continues to rise until it reaches the Officer’s head height. He grapples in his pocket, pulls a device from it, hands it to Casey and standing under the floating carcass, says with a big smile, “Quick, take a picture Casey, this is amazing!” 

“Are you serious?” asks Casey, confusion and disbelief in her voice.

“Sure I am. Hurry, before it floats too high. I gotta show this to my wife; she’s a medium, speaks to dead people, that kinda stuff. She’ll be real pissed she missed this. Hurry up – we gotta get outta her and down to the detective business.”

I see the beginnings of a smile flicker around Casey’s mouth as she puts the device up to her eye.

…..

The carcass hits the ceiling just as Toby’s eyes open. He focuses on Casey, “What happened?” His face has that crumpled look that humans have when they have just woken from a deep sleep. He rubs his head and struggles to pull himself into a sitting position.

Casey kneels next to him, "Toby, things got way too much for you. You took The Officers gun..." Toby snaps back into life and jumps to his feet, "Yep, it's all coming back to me. Man, what was I thinking – where's the carcass, it was about to reanimate?"  He looks at Casey – “And it called me Tobes,” he says, with that question in his voice again.

The Officer answers, “The carcass – it’s licking the ceiling as you recover from your suicide attempt."

Toby glances upwards, I read a look of awe flood his face, "Oh my God like icon, this is the first time this has happened, and we’re witnessing it. It’s rising, trying to force its soul upwards – fighting its reanimation!" says Toby.

The Officer continues to look at the images on his device, his face carries a soft smile, “That’s good to know Toby. But, I won’t lie; I’m real pissed with you. Don’t ever take an Officer’s firearm, and don’t ever think of taking your life again. Now’s not the right time, but we’re gonna talk when we finish up here – you hear me?”

“Yes – but run – FAST!” hollers Toby, sprinting toward the door.

……

THWACK. SPLAT. SPLURGE. 

Something wet and warm smacks my face with a considerable force. My sloppy assailant hits the floor and explodes, drenching me in a deluge of wet warmth. I look down at Associate Bradbury’s rotting, deflated lungs, which have slapped and slopped my half dead face. When I look up, I’m battered by her liver, heart and adipose tissue. But I remain a firm upstanding reanimate.

I have taken the brunt of the gore that exploded from the carcass as it slammed from the ceiling onto the concrete floor.

Toby, wiping blood from his face says, “The Dark Side have abandoned her animation. This looks real bad, but believe me – this is real good.”

The Officer flicks out an eye that has lodged in his ear. It bounces on the floor like a novelty horror ball.

Associate Bradbury's bouncing eyeball seems to make light of the carnage that engulfs us. The Officer actually laughs, much to the horror of Casey, who has escaped most of the gore, "You find this funny?" she asks, incredulous. "It's either laugh or cry Casey. And I won't let The Dark side ever move me to tears – never!" he says, with fight in his voice.

CNN NEWS


An Officer from The Oregon Police Force today returned students from Arlington High who had remained trapped inside the school following the recent violent rampage that resulted in significant injury to Police and students alike. However some students still remain unaccounted for, and Oregon State Police have asked for a media embargo while they continue to carry out their investigations into what they describe as – ‘a very worrying situation.’

……

After a feed and purge, Mom fusses over me – happy to have me home.

She applies the finishing touches to my make-up, "Oh my, you look handsome as hell," she says.

"Wrong choice of words honey," says Dad, as he heads toward the door. He is on his way to meet with Dr Shaheed to discuss my 'breakthrough.'

The fact that I resisted the urge to eat human guts and gore while in the basement is a significant finding for The Association, and a first in reanimate history. I’m a trailblazer.

……

Mom and Dad are bursting with pride.

……

Mom talks to me like I'm fully human – I like this.

……

Mom answers her cell phone with the warmest of smiles:

"Hello Jess."

"Kirk's doing just great, thank you sweetheart."

"Of course you can come on over, you're welcome here any time, you know that. You have your key, right?"

"Good. Come on over, Kirk would love to see you."

"Who?"

"Oh Toby, no he's not here Jess. I know you’re worried, but I’m confident he’ll be found safe and real sound. It's so cute how you call him Tobes...”