The Zombie Reaper

Lynuel looked out over the city at midnight. Everyone else was asleep and he rather liked this time of night. There was something peaceful in it that put him at ease and allowed him to think. At least usually. He was just glad that his room was close to the roof's entrance or else he doubted that he would have been able to make it on his own.

Tonight, the lights were unusually bright against the blackness of the night. He still had the feeling that something was wrong. Something was very wrong. He knew it down to the deepest part of his being and he couldn't explain why. He tried to make sense of it, but he couldn't. He didn't understand it. It was stupid really. Honestly, he should have been happy to be chosen for such a mission.

But he wasn't.

He was afraid actually. It felt as if he was at the edge of a precipice and that the world was about to change whether he wanted to or not. And he didn't want it to. He wanted the world to simply stay the way it was. That world he could understand. The world he was about to enter was a complete and utter mystery and the didn't bode well in his mind. "God help me," he muttered shaking his head.

"I have never understood the fascination that you humans have with that God character of yours."

Lynuel jumped, half of his weight landing on his injured ankle drawing a hiss from his lungs. "Do you really have to sneak up on people like that Joquay?" he asked turning to look at the older man.

Being a Nzombiy, Father Joquay was a dark skinned man. He blended in with the dark night, only his yellow eyes and white teeth visible with no lights behind him. He was chuckling at the moment and though Lynuel wanted to be mad at the other man, he couldn't bring himself to. "You know I cannot help it," Joquay said, his smile bright in the darkness. "It is in my nature. A very necessary nature," he pointed out. "You should know that better than any."

Lynuel shrugged. He couldn't argue that. Ever since he had met the older man some ten years ago, Joquay had never made a secret of what he was and the things that that meant for his life. "How have... how have things been going for you?" Lynuel asked a little anxiously. "I mean, with the attacks and all of that."

Joquay's smile grew sad as he looked away. "It is hard," he admitted. "People still don't trust us. We look just like you and you do not trust us. I wish I knew why this is happening. I don't want to believe that my people would deprive themselves just for some foolish suicide mission Lynuel. That they would jeopardize everything that we have and everything that we might gain simply because they do not like the humans or the life that they must have."

"Deprive?" Lynuel asked. "What do you mean? Are you saying that this would have to be a voluntary choice?" The thought made him sick to his stomach and even more afraid of the things that would be to come if this was something that someone would have to choose.

Joquay shook his head. "No. You must understand Lynuel, when I told you all those years ago that I must surprise people, it is truly because I must. We Nzombiy are the perfect examples of balance. We cannot overindulge in the things that give us pleasure. They are what keep us alive actually. You see if we do not find our pleasure, we slowly wither away and die. So either these Nzombiy are choosing to deprive themselves to make some kind of statement or they are being taken and forced to. But the thought that someone would know how to exploit this weakness..."

"Why haven't you told the government this?" Lynuel asked stepping forward. "Surely they'll do-"

"What?" Joquay demanded, his voice a little harsh. "I have told them Lynuel. I told them three weeks ago when someone stole my daughter!" he snapped.

The two men stood as silence settled over them. Lynuel felt shock reverberate through his entire being. "Someone took Imani?" he asked quietly. He hadn't expected to hear that. After all, it was, well, Imani. He wasn't sure what to say or what to do. The thought that Imani was missing, that someone had kidnapped her absolutely horrified him.

"Are you... are you sure? She didn't just go off on one of her crazy missions? She didn't have a vision from Nzambi?" Lynuel was desperate. Even he could hear that in his voice. But he knew that answer to his question already. Imani was responsible. She always told her father about her visions. She also always told at least three people whenever she was leaving. This wasn't like her which could only mean one thing...

"They won't do anything," Joquay whispered. Lynuel was silent as he watched his friend move forward slowly and grasp the railing. His hands were clenched around the metal and Lynuel wasn't sure what would break first: the man or the metal. "They won't even consider looking for my daughter Lynuel. What has she ever done to any of them? For all the progress we have made in your society, they don't care!"

"No, they don't," Lynuel agreed quietly. He wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't even sure what to think. That Imani of all people was missing was too shocking for him to fully comprehend. She was just so good and pure. Maybe that was why their relationship had never lasted. He flinched a little at the memory. Imani had been one of the only two girls he had ever dated. He had actually had a little bit of hope for their relationship. And then it had all fallen apart. It had been his fault of course, but he had never admitted that to his mother. He was a little ashamed to admit that to himself. Joquay had understood.

A priest couldn't have a girlfriend, not a human priest at least. Especially not when the girl was a Nzombiy.

"Do you think..."

"She's still alive," Joquay whispered. "That much I know."

Lynuel felt relief rush through is entire being. He had actually been afraid for a moment. The thought of Imani dead was more horrifying than he cared to admit. After all... he still....

No, admitting that wouldn't help anything. "We'll find her," Lynuel said quietly. "They've..." he paused for a moment. "You can't tell anyone about this Joquay. You can't even admit that you know about this. They'll have my head if you do." And as soon as Lynuel spoke those words he was fairly certain he was right, more right than he would have liked to admit to even his close friend. "Someone came to our order. The Council has put together an eight man team. We are... we are going to be hunting down the Nzombiys that are responsible for these attacks. I swear to you, if we find Imani, I will make sure she is not sure. I will do everything in my power to make sure that she gets back to you."

When Joquay looked up at him, there were light blue tears stained the man's eyes. "Thank you," he whispered. He stepped forward and hugged Lynuel tight. He hadn't expected that particular reaction. Joquay had always been so strong. He was a man who was full of laughter and life. he was a man who always loved to look forward at the good of life and the good that lived inside of each and ever man and woman. To see him this broken down actually horrified Lynuel. It also told him that he was right.

This situation was bad. It was worse than he had thought actually.

Now he knew for sure he didn't want this to be real. He was sure he wanted to wake up and have it all be some horrible nightmare. But that was never going to happen. He was doing what he had been trained to do...what he had signed up for in the first place. He flinched and looked away. He had simply never expected it all to be this real.

“You should go... before they realize you're up here. You know how GrandFather Nicholas feels about it.”

Joquay nodded, his face turning blank and his eyes straying away. “Yes, I know,” he whispered. “Be well Lynuel and please...”

“I'll tell you,” he promised.