AllFreeNovel
Share Us
They all slowly turned towards the direction of the noise. At first, there was the sound of more twigs breaking, but then a strange creaking noise began. Or was it more of a popping noise? He couldn’t quite describe it, yet he knew he had heard it before. But he just had a feeling it was wrong that he heard it here.
His eyes widened when out of the dense woods and fog a zombie shambled out. No…not a zombie…a ghoul!
* * *
Turney stared,jaw slack, when what could only be described as a zombie stumbled out of the brush. But it wasn’t a zombie like he was a zombie, it was like the zombies he had seen in movies. The creature had once been a man, that much was clear. His clothes were torn. The exposed areas showed peeling and cracking skin, as well as rotting flesh. In some places, bone was even visible. The creature’s left arm was limp at its side, as if it was about to fall off, and one of its eyes was hanging out of its socket. Could this be…a ghoul?
Oddly, when it had first appeared, he had felt a flash of fear come from Scarlett. Which logically, he knew that meant he should be afraid. Yet, the zombie, or ghoul, looked so broken down, like it would fall apart at any moment, that he was finding it hard to feel scared of it. Actually, Turney didn’t really feel anything as he looked at it. Which could have meant he was just in shock. A real possibility.
No one moved as it stumbled closer. Turney couldn’t help but wince at the sound of its joints scraping together. It was mere feet away, seemingly about to collapse when it let out a loud screeching noise and attacked.
Moving faster than he’d thought it should be able to in its condition, the ghoul was on him in an instant. Turney screamed as he went down. At the last minute, he managed to grip its wrists, preventing its boney clawed hands from reaching him. The thing’s skin felt leathery in his grip, as if it could easily peel off.
His hold didn’t stop it from trying to bite him. The ghoul’s teeth chomped at air, a strange gurgling moaning noise coming from its mouth. The scent of rotting meat invaded his nose. He was shocked he hadn’t smelled it sooner. It felt like he was holding back an unbearable weight, his arms shaking as he stared into soulless eyes.
That weight was soon lifted off him, Octavius sending the zombie flying back. The creature hit the ground hard, rolling, but was up in seconds, as if nothing had happened. Scarlett didn’t give it time to attack, as she plowed forward, fully transformed. Her skin was pale and cracking, her veins now bulging, lips and clawed fingertips now a white-blue color. Yet the ghoul who appeared to have been barely able to move before fended her off easily.
Octavius pulled him to his feet. The vampire’s eyes were filled with worry. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m…” He cleared his throat. “Fine.”
Octavius’ eyes seemed to scan him over for a moment before nodding. The vampire tossed his backpack to the ground before jumping into the fight.
Turney stood there stunned as he watched them battle. He flinched, eyes widening when Octavius was sent flying. The vampire landed much more gracefully than the ghoul, managing to push up with his hand as he hit the ground and flipped back to his feet. Blood ran down his cheek as he sped back towards the creature. Beside Turney, Min-ji began to chant something.
The ghoul kept fighting, seeming unfazed, even after losing limb after limb. He went to join in with the fight, but was grabbed by Henry.
“It’s best to not. Ghouls are not things one so young should mess with,” the vampire said firmly. “It’s best if all of us stay back, that includes you two brothers.”
He heard the wolves grumbling, but Turney’s gaze remained fixed on the fight…or rather it was more of a slaughter now. The vampire and zombie were tearing the ghoul to pieces. The fight ended just as quickly as it began. And even though the ghoul had been torn apart, the pieces still moved, desperately trying to get to them.
Min-ji suddenly stopped her chant and walked boldly towards the writhing body parts before she threw what looked like black dust over them. The pieces ignited then, and seemed to burn to ash in an instant.
Turney eyed the three as they walked back. Besides some small scratches here and there, Scarlett and Octavius looked…relatively okay, not limping or anything. Their faces were grim though.
“Why was it so strong? It felt like I was trying to lift a car or something.” Turney grimaced.
“I mean, you can technically lift cars now…easily,” Cormac said.
“You know what I meant!” he snapped.
Octavius took a deep breath. “Ghouls are animated by the very virus that keeps you alive. It has your strengths, but no thoughts besides to feed. No pain, no understanding of injury, no sense of self-preservation. They will fight to feed until incapacitated. And even then, they will continue to try until the virus dies inside them.”
“Based on its decomposition, that creature was made from a corpse way past its first year of death.” Scarlett sighed. She went to say more but stopped at the sound of twigs breaking again.
Except this time, it was not one, but hundreds.
“Theo, transform your eyes right now!” Cormac growled.
“Run!” Scarlett screamed, moments before what could only be described as a horde of ghouls came bursting from the forest around them.
Octavius pulled Turney along, praying none of his friends fell behind. His hold on Turney’s hand was iron clasped. He refused to risk them being separated. Behind them was a screeching, groaning, scrambling horde of ghouls. One false step was all it would take for them to be overwhelmed. Their luggage, besides what was on their person, had been long left behind.
“I don’t understand,” Octavius cried out. “Godric would never do something like this! He’s never turned anyone!”
“I can’t think this was him,” Scarlett gasped. His gaze flicked back, eyes widening in horror when Min-ji’s steps began to falter. Scarlett noticed his gaze and was there suddenly sweeping the witch up. The woman yelped but didn’t complain, even as she was thrown over Scarlett’s shoulder. The bookbag made it too awkward to carry her any other way at the moment.
Octavius felt bad. He should have thought of her sooner. A witch’s speed and stamina were no match for theirs. She could boost it temporarily but, in the end, she’d never be able to keep up.
