“Good. Because I really can’t take living with my parents for much longer.”
“I couldn’t live with mine, either,” I say, my mind going to the Martins. I look at Betty and realize there’s so much she doesn’t know. Fuck, I wish I had some wine right now. “Are you feeling okay?” I ask.
“Yeah. I feel fine, just like I did before.”
“Good. You should be fine,” I repeat, needing to say it again. “Do you have any snacks? I’m so hungry.”
Betty laughs and gets up. “I do. My lunch is in the back. And we still have popcorn in the back.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
We go into the backroom of the store together, and I immediately go for the microwave. The backroom is where we house deliveries and extra books, as well as the breakroom. We have a small kitchen back here, and Kristy and I used to keep it well-stocked with coffee and snacks. I tear open a new box of popcorn right as Danielle comes in with us.
I extend my arm to open the microwave when the hair on the back of my neck prickles. I whirl around, looking at the empty shelves. Scarlet comes trotting over and sits by my feet. I open the microwave and put the popcorn in.
Then Scarlet growls.
I turn around again, magic sizzling at my fingers. Something scurries across the top shelf, hissing and gurgling. The undeniable scent of roadkill wafts over us all, and I bring my hand up to my nose, doing my best not to gag. A raccoon, looking like something from a zombie movie, peers over the top shelf and growls.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I huff, conjuring a ball of white light. Scarlet runs forward, barking at the raccoon, which is bigger than she is as a puppy. I can feel both Danielle and Betty step close behind me. All three of my familiars shadow forward, and Scarlet turns to me, wanting me to take her collar off and set her free.
“Not now,” I whisper and take another few steps toward the raccoon. The thing is undead, brought back with necromancy, and by the way it’s surveying me, I think someone is controlling it.
“You know what?” I say, eyes narrowing. “I’m getting really sick of you messing with me. Just attack me already and get it over with.” The ball of energy in my hands grows brighter. The raccoon hisses. “Too scared to come after me yourself, huh? You have to resurrect roadkill and send it after me. Pathetic, Ruth. Real pathetic.”
The raccoon lunges at me, and I release the energy ball. Betty screams as the ball hits the raccoon, and the thing explodes, raining bits of rotten flesh and gooey, thick blood down on me. The smell alone is enough to make me want to puke, but feeling the putrid juices from the things intestines run down my cheeks has me gagging.
“Could you get me a towel?” I ask, turning with my eyes closed to keep zombie raccoon guts from dripping into them. Someone scurries past me into the bathroom to grab a roll of paper towels.
“Are you okay?” Betty asks.
“Mh-hm,” I say, not wanting to open my mouth. I’ve smelled my share of dead and rotten bodies, but this one might take the cake.
And it’s on my face.
“Here,” Danielle says, and I blindly reach forward, taking a wad of paper towels from her. I wipe my face and open my eyes. My familiars check out the rest of the shelves, making sure there aren’t any more zombie animals in here.
There aren’t.
I go into the bathroom and clean myself up the best I can, but it’s clear this outfit is ruined.
“Dammit. I liked this dress,” I mutter as I pick another clump of fur from my chest. I wipe myself down once more and pull the garbage bag from the trash. My stomach is still queasy from the smell of singed fur and rotten flesh. The last thing I want to do is clean up the floor.
Betty and Danielle are still standing by the door, staring at me. Danielle wanted to know she wasn’t crazy for believing in the supernatural, and I think she got one hell of a show today.
“Are you okay?” Betty repeats and takes a small step forward, pulling a gooey-looking tendon from my hair.
“I’ll be better after I’ve showered ten times,” I tell her. “But I’m fine. That was an easy kill.”
As soon as I say it, it hits me. It was an easy kill. An undead raccoon is gross, annoying, but not really a threat. If I wasn’t worried about Danielle or Betty seeing my familiars in their true form, I would have let them handle it, and I wouldn’t be standing here covered in guts.
And the hex bag…that one was dangerous. It required fast action and a quick spell. But it wasn’t like the curse put on Lucas. Why would Ruth go backwards in her attack? Did the curse take everything out of her and this is what she has to resort to?