Case of the Returning Dead Part 2

An awful, putrid stench hung in the air as we entered the small, cozy house. Other than the smell, it seemed an idyllic place to live. It was thick enough to catch the back of my throat, causing me to gag and choke on my own saliva.

"Sorry," said Karima as I plugged my nose. "We've tried everything from opening the windows to lighting candles. Nothing seems to help with the smell."

I don't even know how you could live in these conditions. Glancing at Fleur, I said, "It's alright. Though I have asthma, so perhaps I can see her outside? Is that possible?"

Karima nodded. "Sure, you can go out to the backyard and we can bring her out to you if that's easier?"

I nodded. "That's perfect," I said. Then, leaning into Fleur, "You can have a look around the house and see what you find."

She nodded in return. "I can do that," she whispered. "I'll let you know."

Tabia nodded as she motioned for me to follow her. Nodding in return, I walked past Fleur and Karima. As I did, my eyes scanned around the place. There were candles lit along every corridor and in every room. There were so many that I worried the place could burn down at any moment. Seems not a bright idea to leave the house with some many lit candles.

Just then, my eyes fell upon a most peculiar sight. My eyes narrowed as I approached it. "What's this?" I asked, as I looked closer at what was hanging from the ceiling. It was a ring, with lines of string threaded in a strange pattern. It reminded me much of a Blackarach's web.

"Oh, that?" replied Tabia as she turned toward me. "That's a dreamcatcher. I'm from Atlantea, you see, and in my culture, they're used to keep away bad dreams and dark spirits."

My lips pursed at the thought. I could sure use one of those. But it inspired another thought of my own. "Do you perhaps have any cultural traditions in regards to Risen?" I asked her, gazing at her. "I'm terribly sorry if that's an inappropriate question."

She laughed. "Oh, that's quite alright. I don't mind," she responded before she pondered it for a moment. "Yes, actually. It's traditional for our people to cremate the body, to allow the spirit to go free."

"Why didn't you cremate your daughter's remains, if I may ask?"

She sighed, as her eyes were drawn to a photograph hanging on the wall. As I looked, it appeared to be of the three of them at the lake. They all seemed so happy together, splashing water at each other. Razan, their daughter, was dark skinned with her black hair tied back, contrasting with her chocolate-brown eyes. "She was beautiful," I said softly.

Tabia choked a laugh. "She is beautiful," she replied. Then shaking her head, she looked at me. "I don't know. . . I know it sounds stupid, but I just want it to be her. I need it to be her. I don't know if that makes any sense."

I smiled softly, looking at her. "It does. You miss your daughter. And it's a terrible tragedy for her to be taken from you so soon," I replied. "As a psion, I'm able to see ghosts. And my father's spirit appears to me every once in a while. Part of me wants him to remain her forever, with all of my heart. But, another part pains for him to move on."

"That sounds rough," she said, smiling softly. "For what it's worth, I think your father raised a remarkable daughter."

"Thanks." My smile spread across my face at the sound of those words. "So, was Karima the reason you didn't cremate? Did she have some reason for not wanting that?"

She shook her head furiously. "No, no. You misunderstand," she said, wiping her eyes on her dress sleeve. "That was me. I guess. . ." she hesitated as fought back her tears. "A part of me thought that if we didn't, then. . . She's not really gone. But it was foolish. It was stupid."

I shook my head. "No, I don't think that was stupid at all. It's not stupid to want her back or to want to believe that she has come back to you," I responded as I gently rested a hand on her arm.

She sobbed, covering her face with her other hand. "I still want to know what happened to her necklace. . ." she muttered.

"What do you mean?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. Could that be important?

She glanced up at me. "Oh, when we got her body back from the Maji Guard, it was included in her personal effects, and we specifically wanted her to be buried with it. But when she returned. . ."

"She didn't have it?" I finished for her. She nodded, pursing her lips. I thought it over as I stared at the photo on the wall. For a moment, I'd completely forgotten about the stench in the home. The necklace came with her, the parents wanted her to be buried with it, but she did not have it when she returned. This could be important.

Just then, I felt a vibration in my pocket. Pulling my comm stone out, the image of my sister immediately appearing before me. "Uh, this is weird. You might want to get down here," she told me, staring at something that I couldn't see.

"What's happening?" I asked, offering my hand to Tabia, who was now staring at me, her eyebrow raised.

"Well. . ." replied Zoe. "I'll put it this way. I'm beginning to wonder if there's a dead convention in town we don't know about."

I choked a laugh as I shook my head. Okay, this sounds bad. Clicking off the stone, I turned to Tabia. "I need to meet your daughter now."

"Oh, right," she replied, as she started leading me to the backyard, as planned.

The backyard was pristine, with a layer of freshly mowed grass and trimmed hedges lining the wooden fence. This yard is pretty well-manicured for a couple going through such a tragedy. I turned to Tabia. "Your yard is really nice," I said with a smile.

"Oh, thank you. That's Karima's doing. Since Razan, Karima spends pretty much all of her time out here, working in the garden, trimming the bushes, everything," she responded. I nodded as she spoke. That makes sense.

I smiled and said, "When my father died, I lost myself in books and mysteries, so I understand."

"We really do all grieve in our own ways."

"Indeed."

Finally, Karima emerged in the doorway, followed by Fleur and a lumbering figure. Its movements were erratic and slow as it stumbled forward, following after Karima like a trained Abyson. The skin was almost grey, devoid of all colour, with a huge gash just visible at the neckline where the Hammerox must have bit her. Its eyes were lifeless, the pupils almost white. Its hair hung loosely in clumps. 

I can see what Kairima meant. Compared to the girl in the photo, this is nothing like her. The life in the photo is all gone. A pit formed in my stomach as images of my dad's ghost flashed before my eyes.

Shaking the thoughts from my mind, I approached it, bowing before it. Never did I think I'd be bowing to a Risen, but here we are. "Hello, Razan," I said. "My name is Kairine Kamuya. It's a pleasure to meet you. Your parents have told me so much about you."

But there came little response from the Risen as it stood there, staring at the yard with its lifeless eyes. This is. . . different. Risen don't normally act like this. Ever. I looked at Fleur as she stared at it with a raised eyebrow.

She approached me. "What are you thinking?" she asked me, in a hushed tone.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't Risen typically. . . violent? Aggressive?" I said, my eyes scanning along the body. Nothing is really standing out to me. Though she is indeed missing that necklace. "Tabia told me that she's missing a necklace that was meant to be buried with her."

She stared at me with furrowed brows. "That sounds significant, Kairine."

"My thoughts, too," I replied, turning to the couple. "Do you mind telling me about the mortuary?" 

Karima glanced at Tabia. "There's only one in town, and they handled the burial and everything, I think. Why?" she said.

"No reason, just a thought." Only one mortuary in town. That may be a clue, but I can't be sure.

I turned to Fleur and whispered to her, "Zoe and David called. We should get to them quickly."

She raised a brow. "What on Terr'ahna is going on here, Kairine?"

Shaking my head, I stared at the Risen as it just stood there, lifeless. "I really don't know."

***

Fleur and I ran through the streets like our lives depended on it. I didn't know what my sister was going to do, but I hoped that she would listen to me and leave the Risen alone. Though, knowing her, she was more likely to use them as target practice.

Suddenly, we came to a dead stop as we stared at the scene before us. Stumbling through the street was a horde of not one, not even ten, but by my count at least twenty Risen, all of them coming right for us.

"Kairine!" shouted my sister's voice from my left. I turned to see her and David ducking behind a building. Fleur and I moved quickly to join them, while keeping an eye on the undead horde. They're not responding to us. That's weird.

"Kairine, do you want to explain to me just what in the world is going on here?" asked Zoe, in a hushed tone.

I could only shake my head. "Honestly, I really have no idea," I responded. "I met Tabia and Karima's 'daughter'. I think I have a couple of clues, but not enough to go on. What about you? What have they been doing?

Zoe shrugged. "Nothing. Just walking."

Just then, I had a thought as I glanced at the horde, then back at her. "Zoe, remember what I said about no fireballs?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah. . ." she replied.

"Forget I said anything. I want you to attack them."

Fleur stared at me with a raised brow. "Kairine, have you lost your mind?"

"No. I just want to see what they do," I replied.

She looked at the horde for a moment as it waltzed past, paying us no mind. "So you're wondering if they'll react if we try to stop them?" she asked, to which I nodded. "I have to admit, that is clever."

Zoe shrugged. "Who cares, I get to blow something up!" she responded as she moved out the edge of the alley, sparking a ball of fire in her hand, taking aim at one of the zombies. A moment later, she flung it and it hit the target square in the shoulder.

The Risen slumped over to the ground. Then, a moment later, it rose again to its feet, turning its gaze toward her. She took a step back as it began to approach her. "Um, Kairine. . ." she said, her voice shaking.

"That's a response. . . Run!" I turned and started running as fast as I could, tugging on my sister's sleeve as I did. David turned as he started pelting the zombie with more fireballs, but it just kept coming.

"Aim for the head!" I screamed at him.

But before he could, he crashed into a garbage can, tipping it over and falling over in the process. Fleur stopped to hold out her hand to him just as the Risen lunged for her.

Freezing in place as I turned back, I focused my mind on the garbage can, slinging it directly at the enemy.

"Good shot, Kairine!" called out David as he scrambled to his feet, pulling Fleur along with him and starting to run after me. "Maybe all that practice on Brannick paid off!"

Smirking, I said, "Thanks!" and turned around the corner with them in tow. Once behind the building, I stopped and huddled as I looked back at the zombie. It stumbled slowly to its feet and looked around it. Left. Then right. A moment later, it turned back around and continued back down the road. Curious. That isn't typical Risen behaviour, either. 

I raised a brow as I turned to my companions. "I think we should check out the mortuary, next," I said, pondering over everything. The dead are rising from their graves and going home. They only react when they're attacked, and then apparently once the attackers are no longer in sight, rather than giving chase, they continue along their way.

There was also the clue of the missing necklace that was supposed to be buried with Razan. Something tells me that is important.

Fleur motioned to the horde of undead. "I think we should follow them and see where they go," she said.

"Good idea. Zoe, you come with me to the mortuary," I said, looking at my sister, then at David and Fleur. "While you two follow the Risen."

Fleur and David nodded and started on their way. When they were gone, Zoe looked at me. "Why am I going with you?" she asked me.

"So I can keep an eye on you. Come on," I responded as I turned around and started in the opposite direction.

"Kairine, you were the one who told me to blast it!"

"Zoe, you're trigger happy, and you'd blow up a convenience store if I didn't stop you."

She scuffed her feet at the ground. "Oh come on, that time in Sapphire Port wasn't my fault! Lay off it already!"

She continued on like that the entire way there but I just ignored her. I had other things on my mind. Why are the Risen behaving so differently from usual? I hoped that the mortuary might provide me with some clues or at least a direction of where to look next.

***

I had gotten the directions to the mortuary, Pine Springs, from Tabia and Karima. It took us to the eastern side of the town. The night was late, and the moons hung high in the sky as dark clouds drifted past. We arrived to find a small building, which actually looked more like a house. Smoke steamed from the chimney as a dim light lit the windows.

We walked up to the porch, which wrapped around the house. The floor boards creaked beneath our weight as we stepped across. I glanced at Zoe and she nodded as she reached for the door knocker. As soon as I saw it, I felt a chill run down my spine. It was as though I were looking straight into the eyes of a lich. That's a disturbing piece to have as a door knocker.

Moments later, the door opened to reveal a tall, slender man. He wore a black tuxedo with a red bowtie around his neck. A thin mustache painted his upper lip as he looked between us with his muddy brown eyes. "Yes?" he said, his eyes landing on mine. "How may I help you?"

Bowing before him, I said, "Hello. My name is Kairine Kamuya, and this is my sister, Zoe." I  smiled. "And I wondered if we might have a moment of your time to ask a few questions?"

He raised a brow. "I suppose," he responded coolly as he stepped aside and motioned for us to enter. Okay, we got in the door at least.

"Thank you," I replied as I stepped inside. "If you don't mind me asking, you're up pretty late, aren't you?"

As he closed the door, he turned to us, clasping his hands behind his back and looking at me with a straight posture. "I am a person of the night," he responded, his lips curling upward in a smile. "I might say the same of you."

"Well, that's what we wanted to talk to you about," I replied, glancing at Zoe.

“We’re here ‘cause my sister’s investigating reports of dead people rising from the grave,” Zoe rolled her eyes as she looked at me.

"And they're returning home."

He stared at us both for a long time, and for a moment, I thought he might throw us right back out. Then, finally, he sighed, shaking his head. "I swear, that assistant of mine is an idiot," he muttered under his breath.

I raised my eyebrow. Does he know something? "Excuse me, sir?"

Exhaling sharply, he looked back up at me with a cold expression, as though all emotion were vacant from his eyes. "You will have to excuse me, ma'am. Like you said, it's late, and I have clients to meet with in the morning," he said finally, turning and reaching for the door to show us out.

I shook my head. "But wait, you haven't answered our questions," I said. What is going on here?

"I'm sorry that I can't be of much more help to you. I wish you all the best. Good night," he said, motioning for us to leave.

Narrowing my eyes, I focused on his mind. That damnable assistant is going to get people killed one of these days. How dare he awaken Brazius's curse! His voice echoed in my mind and I could feel the knot of anger welling up inside him.

"Sir, what can you tell us about Brazius's curse? What is it?" I asked suddenly, and his eyes shot open wide.

"You. . . are an outsider. . ." he murmured with a shake of his head. "How could you possibly know about that?"

A smile spread across my face. "I am a psion, and I deeply apologise, I really didn't mean to or want to invade your privacy, but you left me little choice."

He sighed as he shut the door. "Follow me," he said as he stepped past us and led us down the long narrow hallway before us. Alright, this is better. Though it pains me that I had to resort to that. I bit down on my lip hard as a sharp pain stabbed through my heart. Just what is this curse of Brazius and what has him so worried? Something tells me I'm not going to like the answer.

To be continued.