by Brown, Wayne
They followed this scent all the way down till it finally stopped at a site in the woods where they spotted the ZOMPIRE feasting on the flesh of the SSS officers it had killed earlier. It seemed rather too engrossed on its meal and it didn’t even notice the movements of the vampire clan.
The vampires untied their bait, took off the tape covering her mouth, pushing her forward then ran to their various hiding spots behind trees with huge trunks.
The Zompire, now aware of some of the movements and the screams the bait made as she hit the ground after being pushed by the vampires, decided to find out who it was that could dare to distract him from his meal.
Just a few steps he took and he came in contact with the bait. On sight of this dirty green monstrosity, the lady made an effort to run away but to no avail.
He angrily grabbed at her and lifted her by her frail neck, staring deeply in into her eyes with his huge ugly soul searching eyes. At this point she literally stopped screaming for help and slumped in his arms. He didn't let go still, he carried out his ritual of blood sucking before settling down nearby to start devouring her soft womanly flesh.
While starting to feed on the hot blood flowing from her now dead body, the vampire clan pounced on him as planned. The alpha male of the group aimed at his neck with the machete but missed as the Zompire obstructed that machete swing with his arm, inflicting a deep wound in his arm. He suffered loads of cuts and bruises but these were of no use because his wounds seemed to heal mere seconds after being inflicted, and he seemed not to feel the injuries. The deepest cut he got was by the female vampire who chopped him in the face flush on with the axe, and that injury too healed within seconds, right before their very eyes.
The vampire clan momentarily had the upper hand although the injuries inflicted on him weren't long lasting. The female vampire amongst them then decided to make an attempt to suck some of the Zompire’s blood. That was absolutely the worst decision any member of the clan of vampires made that night, as his body fluid was poisonous to them, which they wouldn’t have known before. It was a dark greenish sticky liquid which was poisonous to “regular” vampires.
She fell to the ground in agonizing pain with her whole body jerking. This shifted the attention of the vampire clan from the Zompire to their now injured member, giving the Zompire beast enough time to flee from the scene.
With the Zompire now out of sight, the vampire clan knelt beside their fallen female member, having to watch her writhing in pain and agony, not knowing how …IF…..they could help alleviate some of her pain. A few moments later, her body became motionless, and the axe that she had firmly grasped on in her hand, fell from within her now lifeless hand. They mourned their counterpart there before slowly moving back to their new residence with a feeling of mixed anger, hate and defeat.
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Having carried out multiple tests and experiments, Dr Fisher and the rest had still not been able to develop any new chemical weapon with which to fight the Zompire. They however noticed that the draculin gave up oxygen and experienced a temperature increase when Silver trioxonitride was added to it. They planned to give this a try so they begun a speedy process of creating a serum encapsulated in a dispersible bullet which when fired into its body would give way allowing the spread of this chemical in the creature’s body. This was going to take about a day to be reproduced in large enough quantities. Everyone in the VCA had their hands on deck. The earlier they finished the reproduction the earlier they would get to move out to test the serum on the beastly Zompire.
While they were at this, the Zompire who had now made the woods his home, went out at random, attacking the human population. Even the State security service was frustrated because all their fire arms couldn't deter this monster. They had given up on firing bullets and even using grenades as it only destroys neighboring buildings having negligible effect on him.
The people of the State were now angered seeing that the SSS couldn't do anything to save the situation at hand. Many cried to the government for help, a few even wanted to hold rallies in the streets as they felt that the government had abandoned them to die and showed negligence but the fear of being fed on by the vampire kept them from this. The streets of the cities which used to be roaring with activities, were now reduced to emptiness. It was the semblance of an abandoned city.
The media aided in the infliction of more fear into the mind of citizens by reporting inflated number of casualties and making false description of the monster; descriptions like he is twelve feet tall, has a rock like body and can see through objects. He was indeed tall but just about six feet nine inches and his body wasn't made of rock even though it was not harmed by bullets and can heal wounds instantaneously.
The Governor was under pressure to end this menace and the same pressure he subsequently metered out on the scientists making them work even faster. By the next day the rifles and silver trioxonitride serum bullets were ready and now the VCA had invited the SSS officers to aid them in the planned attack. They arrived at the VCA headquarters in no time with armed vehicles and a fifty-man troop ready for action. The doctors gave the SSS chief a low down of the serum and how it works asking them to get close to him before firing so as to enable the silver trioxonitride disperse deeply into his bone marrow.
This time they chose to go into the woods searching for the Zompire so as to be able to get him when he least expected it. So at about 11:00 am they set out another attack on the Zompire hoping this one turns out successful. Every SSS officer armed with fire arms loaded with the specially formulated bullets. The SSS officers went by road in their armored trucks while the doctors trailed them in a helicopter.
On getting to the woods they split into 5 groups of 10 so as to aid the easier spotting of the enemy. The instruction was which ever group saw him first should radio the others so they would all converge to take him down. So they split and went in various directions still in the woods each man swinging his rifle with every tree branch that drops. This search continued for close to an hour with each man being very watchful with their walkie-talkies held close.
One of the five groups eventually arrived at a small deserted wooden house. After much deliberation one of he SSS officers courageously stepped towards the door and knocked it down with one fierce kick. As the door fell down flat they all had their rifles pointed into the house should the Zompire be in there. The house was deserted and empty except for the bones of the campers which the beast had eaten days before. They snooped around the house seeking any clues that might be helpful but found none. Another group of SSS officers also in the woods stumbled on a pack of bones close to the stream. The bones of yet another individual killed by the creature. They kept on for an hour more, then noticed a figure sitting underneath a tree eating the remains of some large animal it seemed at first. Upon closer observation, they noticed it was a deer carcass. The officer in charge of that group then ordered his men to stay calm while he radioed the rest over. As he begun to speak to them the Zompire noticed the scent of humans. As he looked around the officer in charge of the troop ordered his men to launch attack before the Zompire charged at them or got away. They fired countless bullets with the serum contained bullets at him and into his body. At the sound of gunshots being fired, the other groups came to support them also with gunfire. The bullets seemed to have little effect on him at first. As more bullets rained on him, he got more aggravated and while trying to attack them, they fired even more at him. The last of the other groups finally merged with theses groups and they too started firing at the beast. He began staggering and the serum at that moment seemed to be having some effect on him. He gave up trying to attack them and he ran off deeper into the woods, falling every now and then and even though running away fast, he seemed quite disoriented. They noticed this and they started celebrating …..maybe celebrating a tad bit too early.
The SSS officers went back to their base celebrating, and so did the VCA. They didn't let down thei
r guard as they kept watch, waiting for the return of the Zompire. The VCA team felt a partial sense of fulfilment. Two days on and they didn't get any news and or reports of the Zompire. No attacks, no sightings…NOTHING! The whole city started to get back to normal as people can now move on the streets and businesses reopened although a few people had their reservations. As expected the media reports started rolling out. Newspapers had headlines like "The End of the Zompire Freakazoid" , "The Destruction of the Destroyer" and all other eye catching headlines.
In no time the news of the Zompire's demise reached the vampire clan. They were happy at first but they were not so convinced as they felt he might just be somewhere recuperating.
One week past and there was still no news of the Zompire's reappearance. Almost everyone in the city now bought the idea that the Zompire was no more. The state security service withdrew a few of their officers from the streets since the enemy was gone although two officers were still placed at every street corner as opposed five officers as assigned previously.
The VCA decided to retain the services of Dr. Fisher so as to assist Dr. Lenzo in other subsequent researches. While both were in the lab working on a possible reversal chemical substance which can be used to reverse the effects of the serum which regenerates dead cells, testing their every thought provoking theories on lab rats, a staff came in with a phone in hand.
"A call for you from the Governor sir," the staff said.
"Thank you" the doctor replied with arms stretched forth collecting the phone. He took a deep breath them spoke into the receiver
"Good day Sir"
This time the voice tone of the Governor was way lighter and even more friendlier. The Governor replied
"Hello Doctor" …. "Good day!" ….."How do you do?"
"Very well Sir …… How do you do too?" said the doctor.
"I'm fine thank you."
“The SSS Chief have informed me of the success of their last attack on the Zompire and how peace has been restored to the state ever since." He then made a brief pause.
"I would like to congratulate you and your team and also thank you for helping to restore sanity in the state. I will also like to urge you not to relent but rather together wage war on the remaining vampires in the state even thought they too have been quiet for a while. Let us eradicate these menace at once instead of waiting for them to attack us first."
In a voice cracked due to being silent for quite a while Dr. Lenzo replied
"Okay Sir. We will involve the SSS as soon as possible."
"Don't worry about that" said the Governor,
"I have already informed the SSS Chief. He is on his way to you as we speak."
"Okay sir"
"Good! Now I want you both to make me proud and also make the people of the State proud. We are counting on you."
"Thank you Sir. We won't let the people down"
"Okay Doctor. Have a nice day. With that he ended the call.
Chapter 9
Just as he hung up, he looked outside the glass enclosure of the lab and he sighted the SSS Chief approaching. He waited until the SSS Chief got into the lab before he uttered a word. This time pleasantries and salutations were exchanged before he told Dr. Fisher and the chief what the Governor had just told him. They then moved from the lab to their lethal weapon armory still on the VCA compound. They already had an inexhaustible collection of specially designed weapons for fighting the vampires. They drove to the armory in a military truck and on getting there, filled the truck with as much weapons as they could. There was this smile in the face of the SSS chief whenever they packed weapons getting ready for battle. Well, as an ex-military man it wasn't so weird.
They chose an experienced team and moved into the woods this time in search of the vampire clan. Fully equipped and this time with a lot more confidence than they had when going to battle the Zompire the squad drove to the entrance of the woods. On getting there they parked and alighted from their vehicles.
The search was long as they brushed through the woods all day and found no one even in the former camp of the vampires. Unknown to them the vampire clan had relocated to a far away place, a place where it would be almost impossible for them to go checking for them there.
This search went on for days and nothing yet was heard …..neither of the vampires nor the Zompire. But this was not for so long as the Zompire who also fled for his life from the SSS during their last attack on him had settled in the woods nearby a small village in the outskirts of the state, coincidentally the same village the vampires settled in. The vampires would stay indoors all day due to the burning sun and came out only at night to find their catch. After sucking their victims dry they dragged their lifeless bodies back to their residence and dropped them in an old well behind their house so as not to attract the attention of the media. Although news of some people missing was going round, it couldn’t be traced to them. The Zompire also did same feasting on whoever dared come close to his part of the woods. His feeding was however far from adequate and hence he healed at a slow rate. After this time, the Zompire was now fully healed of his bullet wounds and decided to go out in search of his arch enemies first, his old friends, the vampire clan. For no apparent reason, he seemed to feel it would be easier to deal with them. Perhaps he needed to assert himself before he could face the security services of the human population.
The vampire clan continued their normal routine of staying in all day and coming out only at nights to feed. The Zompire waited till it was dark before he made move searching for the vampire clan hoping to pick out there scent from the midst of the humans. He roamed in and around the village with a heart full of anger and the quest for revenge. He tried to stay away from the public attention as that was the last thing he wanted at the moment.
He ensured he avoided the major roads taking little passages between blocks and killing any unlucky person he found moving alone in the dead of the night.
The Zompire however made no success that night as his main goal which was to hunt down the vampire clan was not accomplished and he instead ended up hunting down an unlucky human individual. He dragged the body back into his part of the woods and settled down to his meal. The SSS and VCA officers had carried out days of fruitless search for the vampires, brushing through every major city of the state; and the state being one blessed with thick vegetation and tall trees. They also searched in the woods closest to these cities but all this searching came up empty handed.
The next day the SSS Chief stopped its men from searching in the woods and the streets. He called them for a secret meeting held in the SSS office and in attendance were also some members of the VCA merged with them on the present mission.
At about 10:45 AM, the meeting began. After all the formalities and roll call the Chief then started …..
"I called this meeting to discuss our recent failure in catching up with the vampire clan. They seem to have moved to an unknown location or have outsmarted us although I would not like to believe that. I have also received the news of people's disappearance in the outskirts of the state. Something tells me that the disappearance have something to do with the vampire clan. How else can these disappearances be explained? If it were kidnappers we would have heard of their requests for ransom. These incidents have been occurring in Twint Town. I say this is our cue and that we move to curb this menace. Does anyone have a contrary opinion or contribution?”
They looked around at one another and shook their head as everyone saw the Chief’s suggestion as the best cause of action.
"Very good, we have an hour to get all we need ready for the journey and converge at this same point before we take off. Understood?"
"Yes sir"
"Parade dismissed!"
They left the hall speedily, grabbing extra pieces of clothing, uniforms to be precise then other necessities. In less than an hour, they converged at that same point.
At twelve o'clock they took off traveling by road as there was no airport around that c
ity and it would take one too many helicopters to lift the entire troop. The journey being a four hour one was indeed long but smooth. By a few minutes past four they had arrived in the town but still drove a few minutes to the nearest State security service camp where they settled and prepared for the possible battle at night should they come in contact with the vampire clan.
While the SSS and VCA squad briefed and prepared themselves, the Zompire couldn't wait till nightfall to continue his search for his former group, the vampire clan. In no time the skies turned dark so both the Zompire and the SSS and VCA squad headed out vampire hunting. They both had different approach towards the hunt as the Zompire preferred searching the streets while the SSS and VCA choose the house to house surveillance.
The Zompire, on its own part was roaming the streets in a frenzy, seeking the scent of vampires.
The SSS and VCA personnel went knocking on suspicious looking houses showing their identity cards and going on to search the property. This they carried on without success till about nine p.m when they came up to an old house which looked abandoned and had all its lights turned off. This time they did not walk up to the door to knock instead they went in through the side, over the fence. Not all men went in, some still stood close to the door while others went on to check other houses. One of the men who went over was inspecting the vicinity while the other broke into the house through the back door. He went in with his rifle in one hand and a torch light in the other. He breezed through the house and found no one. It didn’t look like a house evacuated for quite a long time as would be expected that the apartment would be filled with spider webs but that was not the case. His suspicions even heightened when he found a book on the table which was opened and faced downward. On touching the book, it was clean. No visible trace of dust was found on it.
