Sherlock Holmes: Zombie Slayer by Rob Parnell

Author:Rob Parnell [Parnell, Rob]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: R&R Books Film Music
Published: 2015-01-17T05:00:00+00:00

VI

I heard the Duke gasp, horrified. "Charity!" the man cried.

The poor woman's scream was halted abruptly as Holmes discharged his weapon, three times in rapid succession. Her body bucked. Blood exploded from her abdomen. The Duchess of Ashton fell to our feet with a wet thud.

Instinctively I bent down, as did the Duke.

"Don't touch her!" Holmes cautioned. "She'll no doubt be infected."

The Duke and I straightened, returning to a standing position.

Ashton stifled a sob. My heart began to feel for him. Holmes appeared cold and emotionless as he took out his spyglass and kneeled beside the Duchess. Face down on the floor, she was still breathing and moaning fitfully, blood issuing from her mouth, no doubt coming up from her newly destroyed stomach. Holmes examined the mess of gore around her throat and ear.

"The flesh seems to have been torn away from her head by teeth," he said in a matter-of-fact tone that I regarded as totally inappropriate. "Given that the Duchess was healthy at the time she sent the telegram - six forty five - we must assume the infection spread rather quickly. A five to seven hour incubation period perhaps. Watson, look at this."

Holmes swung his arm out, his hand holding his spyglass, without looking at me. I glanced at the Duke; he was in shock, staring down at the body of his wife in a catatonic trance. I kneeled beside Holmes, who pointed to deep scratches on the Duchess's cheek and forehead.

"What do you make of that, Watson?"

"The assailant clawed at the poor woman's eye - to perhaps gouge the orb out during a frenzied attack."

"But why?"

"I don't believe there is a why, Holmes. The Duchess's attacker was clearly beyond reasonable."

"Perhaps. But possibly driven by a need."

"I do so tire of your interminable logicality, Holmes. We're faced with carnage and horror and yet you still remain analytical?" Holmes ignored my words and stood to rub his chin. I too raised myself and held out the spyglass, which Holmes took mechanically and pocketed. The Duke then spoke.

"We should make her comfortable."

I couldn't help but agree. "She should be in a hospital," I said.

"No," said Holmes. "We cannot risk further spread of this infection."

"Good God, Holmes! Are you suggesting we simply leave her here to die?"

"No, no. Of course not."

"Thank heaven."

"We'll need to bind her and isolate her body post haste."

I was beyond anger at this point. "This is too much, Holmes!"

"Watson, calm yourself," Holmes barked. "You are not behaving with rationality. Your sentimentality is getting the better of you and it must stop. We're dealing with a Haitian zombie!"

"For the love of God, Holmes, zombies are a fictional creation. Borne out of deluded Catholic-inspired savages who mistake the Resurrection Gospel as fact. There is no such thing as a zombie!"

"And yet," Holmes said calmly, "we have one at our feet, man. Please, help me, Watson. Time is of the essence." Holmes bent down and lifted the upper part of the Duchess's body. I suppose I could have argued with Holmes further but I really didn't see the point.

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