Deceased Dora

by Claire Chilton

  The couple leaned closer and kissed each other, seeming oblivious to the dome cracking and disappearing around them while howls of werewolves filled the air.

  Dora turned towards the doors.

  Why aren’t they stopping?

  She glanced back at Terrance and Carissa, who were still kissing. The newlyweds appeared oblivious to the carnage at the entrance of the church.

  She shook her head and ran down the aisle when she saw Pooey knocked aside by large werewolf claw and slammed into a wall.

  She let out a growl as she charged at the mangy wolf, but someone grabbed her arm, yanking her back.

  She stumbled back into a hard chest and turned to scowl at Kieron, who was gripping her arm.

  He shook his head. “You can’t. You’ll die. Stay here!”

  She frowned as he raced past her, ripping off his jacket and shirt. His giant wings flashed out of his back, spanning across the room as he flew into the fray. Blasts of white light shot from his hands as he pushed back the oncoming armies.

  What? I’m supposed to just stand here? Kiss my ass!

  But on some level, she knew that he was right. The second she used her powers, she’d just pass out like a limp rag anyway.

  She sighed and watched the fight, itching to smash something every time she saw someone hurt her friends.

  Lucian cast dark purple energy at a pack of werewolves, sending them flying back through the doorway. Meanwhile, Pooey had jumped up and launched himself at a nearby vampire.

  “Why isn’t the wedding working?” Pooey yelled from on top of a vampire. He paused to bite the creature’s ear, making it howl in pain. “What the fuck is going on?”

  “I don’t know.” She stared at her friends, and a feeling of helplessness washed over her. They were all fighting for their lives against a mass army of creatures, and she was just standing here.

  What good am I to anyone if I can’t fight?

  “Screw this. I can still fight as a human,” she muttered as she watched a werewolf making a beeline towards her mother.

  Her mother stood in front of the pews with wide eyes, her hand hovering over her mouth. She stared in awe as a giant wolf bounded towards her.

  Dora narrowed her eyes and hunched low as she charged at the wolf. She ploughed into it with all her human strength, knocking it into a wall.

  The wolf shook its head and blinked a few times before snarling and turning on her. Its yellowing teeth were dripping with saliva as it menacingly growled at her.

  Her pulse raced, and she stumbled and fell back onto her ass.

  A shiver of fear shuddered down her spine as it stalked towards her, emitting a low growl.

  Its eyes seemed to bulge out as the church’s sanctuary lamp crashed into the top of its grey furry head. Then the creature’s face took on an almost comedy pose as its tongue lolled out of its mouth, and it slumped sideways onto the floor.

  Dora glanced up to see her mother holding the heavy golden stand of the sanctuary lamp. She was watching the wolf with fury in her eyes as she bonked it on the head again.

  “I think it’s out cold, Mom.” Dora glanced at the unconscious wolf in awe.

  Great, even my mother is a better fighter than I am.

  “Better safe than sorry,” her mother said as she hit the wolf on the head once more.

  “Shiii—t!” Pooey’s cry echoed behind her and ended with a loud crash.

  She jumped to her feet and spun around to see Pooey sliding down a wall with bits of broken vase and a heavy bronze donation plate falling with him. The plate bounced off his head and rolled across the floor, stopping with a loud clatter a few feet away from him.

  “Mom, stay back here!” She called behind her before dashing towards Pooey, who lay in a crumpled heap on the floor.

  As she raced across the room, something hard slammed into her side, knocking her off her feet.

  She rolled onto her back to see a pair of vampire fangs descending towards her face. Her fingers brushed against the edge of the fallen donation plate.

  She grabbed it, sliding it in front of her face like a shield.

  There was a loud clank and the sound of teeth grinding on the other side of the bronze plate.

  “Oww, you broke my fucking tooth!”

  Her breath whooshed out of her as the vampire hovering over her landed heavily on top of her. She peeked over the plate to see Pooey mounted on his back.

  “We’re not finished yet, bitch.” Pooey snarled at the undead as he smacked him on the top of the head with a clawed paw and dug his talons into the vampire’s nostrils before pulling his head back.

  The vampire yowled in agony, rolling sideways and taking Pooey with him.

  She sat up and watched the tiny demon wriggle out from beneath the creature, who jumped to his feet and faced the little were-bear.

  Pooey raced behind the vampire and bit him on the ass.

  The vampire howled and ran for the doors with an angry Pooey attached to his backside by his teeth.

  She was about to laugh, but it got stuck in her throat when the doors flew off the church. Shattered pieces of wood, brick and masonry exploded into the room as a massive beast with wolf-like features broke through the entrance.

  The beast’s vicious claws ripped their way through the vampires in her path to get to Pooey, who had released the vampire he was biting and appeared to be frozen on the spot.

  Her fur was long and dark, her giant body a combination of rippling muscle and bulky fat.

  The matriarch. Dora realised as wolves bowed to her when she passed them.

  A loud cry made Dora look left to see her mother pinned to a wall by a vampire.

  Her father leapt onto the creature’s back, knocking it down onto the floor. He pinned it down with his body and began slamming its head into the stone floor, knocking the undead unconscious with the assistance of her mother, who was still brandishing the sanctuary lamp.

  A blinding flash of light lit the room.

  Dora turned to face it, seeing Kieron glowing with pure golden light.

  He turned to face the matriarch and strode towards her. His wings flapped, blowing gusts of sharp winds against her armies.

  The wolves cowered back, but she stood and faced him with a sadistic smile on her face.

  The Ancient One flew at her from the side with a roar, his sharp fangs glinting over his goatee.

  The matriarch flicked him away like a bug with her massive paws, and he crashed into the right wall.

  Kieron flew at the matriarch, his tanned skin glowing golden, and his muscles taut and tensed. He didn’t get within two feet of her before she knocked him sideways.

  Four wolves leapt onto him, tearing into his wings with their sharp teeth.

  No!

  Dora jumped to her feet and tried to dash towards Kieron, but a vice-like grip grabbed her wrists and pulled her backwards.

  An arm wrapped around her throat, and she struggled to get free. Whatever was holding her was so much stronger than she was, and she helplessly watched as a pack of violent wolves tore into her angelic boyfriend.

  She barely felt the teeth graze her neck as she watched Lucian throw himself into the pile up, trying to pull the wolves off Kieron.

  Why isn’t he using his powers?

  It became clear that he couldn’t when he tried to cast and only a purple fizzle shot from his fingers.

  Pooey flew past her and slammed into the choir room door. She was pretty certain she heard tiny bear-bones crunching as he slid down the old oak door with his eyes closed.

  Let me go you son of a bitch!

  She fought against the hold on her, punching and kicking out into fresh air.

  The creature behind her grunted in pain as she kicked back and connected with his kneecap.

  He hissed, spinning her around and hoisting her up into the air by her throat.

  She gasped and choked in his grip, staring down at the bloodied teeth of the vampire before he slammed her back down onto one of
the pews, knocking the air out of her.

  His cold fingers wrapped around her neck, pinning her down. She stared into his dark eyes that gleamed with a wicked glint as her vision blurred.

  “Normally, I like it when they struggle.” His sharp voice filtered through the fog that had settled over her mind.

  He leaned over her, and she could feel his torrid breath on her cheek. “But now really isn’t the time. I’m just here for some fast food.” He opened his mouth and descended onto her neck with lightning speed before she felt his sharp fangs sink into her flesh.

  She tried to ignore the grotesque gulping sounds as he drank her blood. She struggled to try to get free of his grip, but he was too strong, and she was too weak.

  All she could do was push against an iron-grip that wasn’t going to move anytime soon and get increasingly angrier over her own pathetic humanity.

  Fuck this. Better a demon than a vampire snack.

  She fought against her frustration, closing her eyes to concentrate on summoning up all the power inside her and call forth her demon form.

  Her skin heated up, and her blood seemed to boil inside her as something dark shuddered through her body. She used her lessons from Hell and directed all of her hate at the vampire that was sucking on her neck.

  A dark ball of energy in grew her chest, expanding into every vein and pulsing power through her body.

  The vampire coughed and pulled away from her, holding his throat as he choked. Black blood spilled over his lips as he fell to his knees before her, gagging.

  As the black liquid rolled down his chin, it left burned skin and pustules behind. Like acid, the black liquid was eating away at his flesh.

  She glanced down at her hands. They were glowing red with long black claws extended from each finger. She smiled. Even though she knew it might be her last fight, she felt powerful and strong.

  She stood up and faced the vampire. “That’s what you get for drinking demon, idiot.” She told him as he keeled sideways, and the glint faded from his eyes.

  She strode down the pews to the end of them, feeling power course through her veins as she turned to face the battle.

  She focused on the matriarch as she headed towards the growing armies streaming through the doors. Wolves and vampires leapt at her, but she knocked them back with strength that she shouldn’t possess.

  She felt her body shifting into something else, something new. She raised her hand, expecting to see a tiny crossbow on it, but finding a heavy sword carved in black stone in her grip instead.

  She twirled the sword in her hand with expertise that she didn’t possess as she advanced upon the creatures.

  She didn’t stop the think about how she felt as she sliced her way through the supernatural beings and rushed at the matriarch.

  “Get the hell out of my house.” She roared, knocking wolves and vampires aside with ease.

  The blood seemed to drain from the matriarch’s face as she neared her.

  Dora glanced at Kieron. The wolves had climbed off him to stop and stare at her. Kieron was staring at her too with concern in his bright blue eyes.

  She shook her head. It didn’t matter what happened to her as long as everyone was safe.

  She swung her sword at the matriarch with all of her might, intent on clearing the church of every invader before she lost her demonic powers.

  Rather than hitting the giant beast, the blade smashed into a million shards on impact, and the room froze.

  Dora frowned, dropping the remains of the blade.

  The hilt hovered in the air as if frozen in space.

  She stared at it for a moment in shock.

  What the fuck?

  She glanced around the room. Everyone was frozen in place, and the room was silent.

  Shit! What did I do this time?

  She ran to Kieron’s side. He was snarling with a dark look that she had never seen on his face before as he clawed the werewolf out of his way to try to get to where she had been standing. Both of them were frozen in time.

  She reached out a hand to touch Kieron’s face. It was ice cold.

  “What the fuck is going on?” she cried, and her voice echoed around the silent chapel.

  She spun around to stare at the frozen room, wincing and covering her eyes when a blinding white light exploded all around her.

  Kieron watched the matriarch fall backwards after Dora’s blow.

  He jumped to his feet and flew at the massive creature, intent on finishing her off.

  He was knocked back before he reached her by a force of energy that exploded into the room and sent him, and everyone else, crashing into the walls as a flash of white light lit the room before it faded.

  He shook his head to try to clear it as he watched the crowd of creatures in the entrance all do the same.

  He winced as he pulled a wolf claw out of his side, pressing his hand over the open wound and ignoring the pain.

  I guess someone is missing a claw.

  Glancing beside him, he noticed Pooey slumped against the wall a few feet away.

  “Hey.” He reached across and shook the little demon. “Pooey?”

  “Fuck off,” the were-bear muttered as his eyes fluttered open.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Do I look okay?” Pooey ground out.

  Kieron stared down at him. His fur was ripped off in places, and he had cuts and gashes all over his body.

  “Er, no.”

  “Well spotted, dumbas—” Pooey’s eyes widened as he stared ahead of him.

  Kieron turned his head to face the armies ahead of him too. He frowned. They were all scrambling into a kneeling position and facing the altar with their heads bowed. Vampires and werewolves knelt beside each other in submissive poses.

  He eyed the matriarch, who was not kneeling, but shrinking.

  “Get up! Fight!” She shrieked in a girly voice as her fur fell from her body, and her muscles diminished before his eyes.

  She was turning into a human. A short one with blonde ringlets, he realised as her body shrank, and her canine features disappeared.

  “I command you to fight!” she cried, but none of the creatures acknowledged her existence.

  “Did Dora do this?” he asked Pooey, and the little bear shrugged.

  There was a rustle of curtains to the side of them.

  He turned and peered past Pooey to see Terrance and Carissa slipping out of the confessional booth, holding hands. They both wore a satisfied smile while giggling and whispering in each other’s ears.

  “I think someone finally got laid, and did this.” Pooey grinned.

  The werewolves and vampires all bowed their heads as the couple approached them.

  “Well hello, fellow supernatural beings,” Terrance said. “Have you come to celebrate our joyous day?”

  “What? The day you finally get laid?” Pooey asked.

  “Our wedding day!” Terrance appeared appalled by Pooey’s comment. “How dare you speak so rudely before my innocent bride?”

  Carissa punched him in the ribs. “What?” She growled.

  “I mean my beautiful wife.” Terrance quickly amended his words while gasping in pain.

  “Better,” she muttered. Then she stared at the kneeling masses, and her eyes locked onto the matriarch.

  “Mother?”

  “I think it’s the Queen Mother now.” The small blonde ground out. “Can I at least get a frikkin shirt to put on?” She was crossing her arms over her naked body.

  No one moved to assist her, so she rushed into the choir room and came out shortly afterwards wearing something that resembled a red tent.

  “God, it’s awful.” She glanced down at the gown.

  “You shall wear that in the dungeons until you have paid for your sins as a …” Terrance trailed off under the glare of his new bride.

  “Sorry dear, you were saying?” He turned to Carissa, offering an apologetic smile.

  “You shall be banished back to Malto
n until I forgive you,” Carissa said.

  “Nooooooo!” her mother cried. “I hate that place. It’s creepy as hell!”

  Carissa nodded at the army of creatures ahead of her. “Take her away. Then leave this church, and go back to your homes. This war is over.”

  Kieron watched in awe as the vampires and werewolves all stood and turned towards the doors.

  Those near the matriarch restrained her, leading her, kicking and screaming, out of the church.

  “This war is not over!” A red-haired witch cried as she stood up and began casting a murky grey ball of energy in her hands.

  “Down bitch,” Lucian muttered as he got to his feet and shot pale blue energy at the coven of witches.

  Their glossy hair all spiked out in a frizzy mess, and hair extensions fell to the floor around them. Each witch screamed and put their hands on their heads.

  “No master! Do not take away your gift,” a brunette witch cried as her face sagged with instant age, and her two front teeth fell out onto the floor.

  “Beauty is in the eye of the … ah, screw it. You’re not twenty-four anymore, sweetheart. Get used to it, and get lost.” Lucian shook his head as his coven ran from the room screaming, their bodies and faces all ageing with each step.

  Kieron’s stomach flipped over as the one who had snogged him stumbled by, looking more like an old age pensioner than a hot witch.

  He pushed himself up the wall until he was standing. He was relieved that the battle was over. Every muscle in his body ached, and he just wanted to sleep for a week.

  “You are under arrest, demons!” The Black Bishop stepped forward, pointing a gun at Terrance.

  “All of you, put your hands u—eeeeeeeee!” His command was cut short as Pooey raced forward and bit him on the balls.

  “Dude, you’re going to need mouthwash after this battle,” Kieron said to the little bear, who nodded while still biting the bishop and making him shriek louder.

  Agents of PISS ran forward with their guns all pointing at Pooey, but they stopped when Theodore rushed down the aisle, waving some kind of printout in his hands.

  “Halt in the name of the Pope!” he cried.

  Everyone turned to stare at Dora’s father, who hurried towards them while gasping for air.