James dropped the backpack near the door and his boots sounded heavy as he walked over to us. He kept his sights on me all the way.
“You have done nothing to prevent the apocalypse yet.” He insisted.
“What do you mean?” I asked confused.
I did quite a lot – I kept an entire group of people alive and killed like over three hundred of the undead single handily. What did he mean I did nothing?
“How often do you think the dead try to take over the world?” He asked, “Every other month. It is the slayer’s duty to ensure they do not succeed and here you are hiding out in a cafeteria.”
“What would you want me to do?” I asked.
“Your job.” He insisted, “You had to stop the zombie apocalypse before it happened – not stare out the window and watch it happen.”
I was not impressed with his attitude. He was nowhere to be found when I needed him so I took initiative to keep people alive. Now he wanders in from nowhere and tells me I suck at slaying the undead. WTF?
“I don’t know what your problem is—“
“My problem” James cut me off, “Is that the dead are rising and the living are dying.”
I hated it when someone cut me off.
“I’m doing the best I can under the circumstances.” I defended myself.
“Under the circumstances?” James asked outraged.
“Yes!” I insisted, “I was never trained in killing the undead. I was never told what I should do.”
“Did you ever bother coming back to me for guidance?” He asked.
Okay, he had me there. I cannot recall ever thinking about returning to him for training or anything.
“The last slayer managed to stop the undead apocalypse.” James said, “He died in the process, but he stopped it. This is the thousand years of hell on earth the Bible referred to.”
“No.” I said adamantly, “I figured it out. A guy called Clairvius is behind it.”
“He is just a small piece of the puzzle to a much bigger plot.” James insisted, “I read up on him in the Council’s books; Clairvius was a demon that was put down by the council at his funeral, had his remains cremated and buried them at the top of Mount Koning. I think he’s trying to find his remains to make himself whole again – to restore his power. He was never a man. He was a demon sent to earth for one purpose only; to bring forth the undead apocalypse. Do you have any idea what kind of demon he is?”
“One that controls the undead?” I asked.
“He is not simply some puppeteer of the dead.” James said insulted, “He is the gatekeeper of hell and his mission is to open the gates and bring forth death.”
A chill ran down my spine as the rain started lashing at the window behind me. It seemed I had everything wrong. I thought Clairvius was the one behind the infection, but it seemed like something much bigger was going on.
“You had Clairvius within reach more than once.” James said, “You had the opportunity to stop him, but you didn’t.”
“How was I supposed to kill something that doesn’t stay dead?” I asked offended.
The clouds outside looked like death itself and ready to burst at the seams at any moment. Michelle nervously slipped her hand into mine and her skin felt like china against my rugged hand.
“What now?” Michelle finally asked with a tremble in her voice.
“We are going to find this Clairvius and we are going to kill him.” James insisted.
“And how do you propose we do that?” I asked.
James rested both hands on his hips and reminded me of a 1920s cartoon hero.
“You haven’t reached your full potential yet.” He said proudly.