A Steampunk Guide to Hunting Monsters 6 | Page 10

The train began to slow , and at that moment I realized that the ridiculous Percy Longville had been sleeping soundly through the commotion ! A zombie lunged to bite him , and somehow a wild courage overtook me and I shot it dead . It would not make a snack of my friend , no how ! And this , of course , woke the poor fool . Hammerhorn and Bamfield began tossing out weapons as the train came to a stop and the zombies burst fully into the car . Percy was handed a flamethrower and we all leaped out of the train and into the Necropolis cemetery !
“ Where is that poor woman , Vandenklamp ?” Hammerhorn asked .
“ It ' s too late for her ; we can ' t go back ,” said Missus Mister .
Mr . Longville tried to get the flamethrower working , figure how to put it on , and learn what all the doodads did , but he struggled most pathetically . It ' s a Mukow , Percy Longville , they practically operate themselves ! Even the advert states how they ' re safe enough for a baby !
The zombies stumbled off the train after us . The gun-mouth pushed past the less intelligent undead with a purpose . It fired a blast from its mouth and we all ducked behind some gravestones . I looked back at the train to see the biter coming through the swarm as well !
We all prepared our weapons for firing , when suddenly every grave plot around us began to open ! Corpses burst forth from the ground ! They grabbed ahold of Brunhilde Bamfield , restraining her against the ground . Hammerhorn used the back of his gun to smash the rotting limbs apart . We all stood and began firing at the dead as fast as we could ! But the grounds below us were giving way to the dead as well !
I shot my last , but the gun-mouth zombie was approaching quite quickly . I don ' t know if I was
thinking or if it was instinct , but I lunged forward , shoving my gun into his own mouth barrel . He fired at me then and his entire head exploded . It was not at all pleasant , let me tell you !
Our group was encircled by the undead , our bullets nearly spent .
“ Ah , you ' ve frightened the dears ,” said a voice . “ We only meant for you to be gently bitten in your sleep !”
It was Clothilde Vandenklamp . The zombies parted for her to approach . “ What is this !?” cried Hammerhorn . “ It ' s a Bokor ,” said Percy , seemingly breaking the flamethrower he was fiddling with . " The person who controls the zombies !"
“ You ,” said Mister . “ You are the one controlling these zombies ?” “ They are my friends and family , Missus Mister ,” said Vandenklamp . “ Just like you and all the other splendid people I ' ve met over the years . All so lovely , and all so very , very , incredibly rich . Biters , come forth !”
The zombies with mechanical enhancements on their jaws came forth . “ Please bite my dear friends , I need them turned , and it would be a dreadful sin to kill them first . Murder is a most unpleasant business .”
One biter moved towards Bamfield , but Mister threw herself in the way , knife drawn . The creature latched on to her and began to overpower her .
“ What is this ? What is going on ?” Brunhilde cried .
“ I ' m afraid I find myself stretched a little thin these days , my dears ,” said Vandenklamp . “ But as the sole heir to your fortunes , I shall find myself with the means to live a life of leisure for quite a few more years .”
“ You are not the heir to any of our fortunes ,” said Hammerhorn .