Mana Pool Snippets - Keystone

Part 5

“Help me!” Andrea feared for her life, and Katie wished she didn’t see that horrified face on the little girl.

“I’m right here, don’t you worry.” Both girls came together and hugged tight. Some of Katie’s charged mana was smeared on Andrea’s shirt but was disappearing already. “Please tell me they didn’t hurt you. I promise I will lay a ton of protection spells on you once this is over.”

“No, I think, but… they are not my parents anymore,” Andrea explained. Arana was confused.

“You think? Where’s that idiot Ralph? Did he go nutzo?” Scott asked.

“His name is Jaruka. He protected me.”

“What!”

If the living room window was not smashed the couple would be on the lawn explaining themselves.

Jaruka flew out of the house screaming, glass shards slicing through exposed flesh. In the air for a second, then crashed and rolled on the grass up to the terrans, laying on his back afterwards. He blinked looking up at the stone-faced couple and distraught child.

“I hurt… all over,” he said.

“Yes,” Katie said. Arana shook her head.

“And I dropped my pistol.”

“I can see that,” Scott said.

“And those assholes are Reaper cronies.” Jaruka pointed.

The zombies pulled back the white curtain and stared at the group with vicious intent. The blood covered most of their faces and stained their sweatshirts. The broken backs made them lean as the pain was but a footnote. The couple and totems yelped from the gruesome sight, especially Katie. Then Morgan and Beth produced the well-known zombie howl they could be heard for miles.

“Not this again,” Scott said, raising his bat. Keeji started barking.

Katie’s tattoo’s flickered, but she knew that zombies have to die, even if it’s old friends. Arana screeched. “Stick behind me honey,” she said to Andrea.

Jaruka quickly stood up, but without a weapon, he was willing to go all fist with the two.

Then another howl from a distance. And another.

And another.

Until the neighborhood was singing in zombies.

“Ah great, just my luck,” Jaruka said.

“Slaughter the witnesses!” The zombie parents screamed.

Sounds of smashed wood and broken glass came from the houses. Over twenty zombies flooded the street: young, old, and child. More zombie howls and growls of hunger. Even neighbor Joe was amongst them, eyes dripping with deluded blood and holding a pitchfork.

“Well this brings back memories,” Scott said. “Keep them away from us as we get out, Katie.”

“Got it. Sciath chosanta!” Katie brought her hands together, tattoos blazing even more, took one step forward and a blue wall of light flowed out like a wave, streams of mana came out of Katie’s arms to fuel it. It was five feet in height but it was growing higher. It phased through the Jeep but violently pushed a couple of zombies including the parents ten feet back.

“Wow,” Andrea said.

“Terrans can do more than that,” Arana said. “Get to the car, we’re getting out of here.”

“No, I want Mom and Dad to get better.”

“The bird’s right, kid,” Jaruka said, “once enthralled they are—”