Authors: Gary F. Vanucci
Wake the Dead (24 page)
“Ready to let us out, Alexis?” Nick asked, calling up to the woman standing watch on the parapets.
“Sure thing!” she called to them, leisurely making her way down the inner steps.
“I wonder if she can manage this.” Liz asked rhetorically in a whisper as Alexis headed slowly toward them.
“Has she done anything to upset you yet today, Liz?” Nick asked.
“Not yet. Not today. Give her some time, though,” she said, smirking at Nick, and then looking back to Alexis, who was moving unusually slow. “She sure seems to take her time,” she mentioned, patting the hand axe into her open palm.
“She can take all the time she needs,” Bryan mentioned with a lecherous grin, admiring the woman’s swagger.
Alex heard Selina sneer disapprovingly, in addition, faint though it was. He caught her rolling her eyes. “She thinks she’s the queen bee,” she whispered to Alex. He shrugged uncaringly, testing his bow once more and ignoring the sarcastic comments.
As Alexis finally got to their position and opened the latch to the gate, Nick led them out and into the grounds, Liz and Ben flanking him. Selina and Shadow followed them and Alex took up the rear keeping Shadow in sight at all times.
They maneuvered the fairgrounds quite easily, not encountering a single zombie along the way and had the broken fencing in sight soon enough, taking a very direct route there.
The group stopped one by one, gazing out at the open lot, remaining in silence as Alex finally stood beside them, Shadow sitting passively beside Selina.
“What the…?!”
What he saw astonished him.
As far as the eye could see, dozens of the undead lay unmoving, motionless on the grass, in between and lying on top of the vehicles.
Smiles erupted from their faces, slowly at first, one after the other, as they took in the magnificent sight.
“Is it over?” Selina asked, hope emblazoned on her features, her emerald eyes sparkling under the sunlight and wide with excitement, like a child on Christmas day.
Selina hugged Alex, and the others exchanged handshakes and hugged one another, too.
“I think it just might be,” Nick answered, his voice full of hope.
Alex saw movement out of the corner of his eye and saw Jerry, his wife Melissa, and their daughter, Kate, wandering into view, also taking in the sight and smiling.
Alex waved to him, and he simply called back to them all, “we’re going home!” Alex smiled wide at that simple statement, his grin broadening wider with each second as he looked from one to another of them, holding Selina close. They collectively watched Jerry and his family as they climbed into a vehicle, started it up, and maneuvered the car out of the parking lot, waving the whole time.
The zombie plague had ended.
Gary F. Vanucci
Gary Vanucci was born in Pennsylvania in 1968. He enjoys writing, reading, music, art, anything at all that promotes creativity and activities that push the mind beyond conventional thinking. He has spent time as an amateur singer/songwriter and has spent multiple decades creating role-playing scenarios and playing games amongst various genres. Years of reading graphic novels, comic books, fantasy/science fiction novels and the like has led him to discover his true passion—writing!
His education includes a Bachelor’s of Science in the field of Information Technology and an Associates of Arts in the field of Graphic Design.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle.
Bibliography
Beginnings Series
Book 1
Wothlondia Rising: The Anthology
is a collection of prequels that launches the Beginnings series in the Realm of Ashenclaw. The events covered in this collection are intended to introduce you to these characters and give insight into their pasts, their motivations and the distinctive events that place them on their destined paths to become the heroes they were born to be, such as…
A Rose in Bloom
recounts the thrilling events of a young Rose Thorne, not yet a woman, who is trying to find her way in the city of Oakhaven. Orphaned and discarded, she finds refuge in a kind madam at a local brothel and eventually meets a man who is more than she bargains for….
Strength of Faith
is a tale that places a young acolyte of The Shimmering One, Garius Forge, on a path that tests his spirituality and also places him face to face with a demonic presence that has the power to alter the face of Wothlondia forever! Will his reverence and devotion to his deity be enough to overcome this horrible demon?
Tears of Blood
is the amazing recount of the attacks on the region of Stonehill by the ancient and malevolent undead that are known as Blood Rot Zombies! Saeunn and the barbarians of both Chansuk and Greymoors must find a way to stop the undead infestation before they spread their miasma all across the face of Wothlondia! It is a tale that will forever change the young barbarian woman in more ways than one…
Maturation Process
is the telling tale of the high elf, Elec Stormwhisper, who lives in the overbearing shadow of his father, Keryth. Treated as an outcast and feeling alienated from his own people, he exiles himself for a decade, finding a friend in a strange place and begins to accept his own unique destiny. Will this young and inexperienced elf ever find his true calling?
Reflections
is an exploration into the true classifications of self-image. This short and sweet tale tells of the half-ogre barbarian, Orngoth, who begins to realize the true picture of what he is and where he comes from. During a raid with his ogre barbarian kin—the Ironskulls—Orngoth has an impromptu meeting that could forever change his own destiny. Will he see his true self in time or will he continue down the path of reckless endangerment?
Distant Familiarity
is the tale of three legendary figures in the history of Wothlondia, who are attempting to recover an ancient evil that was stolen away from them. Tiyarnon the High Priest, Rolin Hardbeard and Nimaira Silvershade set out to recover the artifact that has forever altered their former companion Sadreth, twisting him into something altogether evil. Can these ancient heroes find and recover the item before it is reunited with its former host?
Covenant of the Faceless Knights
Beginnings Series
Book 2
When a dangerous artifact is discovered missing from the Temple of The Shimmering One, its high priest regretfully understands that he cannot recover it himself. Calling upon a former apprentice, now an Inquisitor among the Order of the Faceless Knights, Tiyarnon enlists the aid of Garius Forge, who assembles an eclectic group of allies to help in recovering the lost relic. Aided by the mischievous Rose, a rogue among rogues, the stoic and bloodthirsty Saeunn, and a promising but naïve elf named Elec, Garius hopes that his training and leadership skills will not only keep his associates in check, but will also allow them to survive the challenging trials to come. Garius must lead his band into unknown regions to recover the artifact before it falls into the hands of the evil being that once held it or it may very well spell doom for the rebuilt civilizations of Wothlondia.
Beginnings Series
Book 3
After Garius and company fail to recover the item they so desperately sought, a chance encounter here and a revelation there leave clues as to its whereabouts once more. Garius Forge the Inquisitor of the Faceless Knights, Rose Thorne, the sassy rogue, Elec Stormwhisper, an elf with a newfound thirst for the martial arts, Saeunn, the stoic barbarian and Orngoth, the half-ogre brute set out to once more try to uncover the whereabouts of the tainted artifact. Their quest leads them to a dark village named Hollow Hill, left vacant since the Reign of Ashenclaw. It is a place rumored to be haunted and they soon find that it is more than meets the eye. The group soon uncovers a clandestine group of highwaymen with knowledge of the artifact and much more as they attempt to uncover the many secrets hidden deep within the ebonite mines!
Novella
Realm of Ashenclaw
Ever wonder how the realm got its namesake? This tome details the compelling accounts of the heroes who encountered a dragon five times the size of any other, given the name: ASHENCLAW. Join Azbiel, Figit, Twarda, Jon Veinslay and Triniach along with the countless others as they attempt to rid Wothlondia of the Queen of the Scorching Drakes and her dragon invasion! Will they succeed? Turn the pages of The Legend of Ashenclaw and find out!
Embers of War Saga
Book 1
As Garius and company are charged with securing the return of Princess Amara to her home town of Norgeld, Rose remains behind to focus on her suspected betrayal at the hands of her former lover, Ganthorpe, the Master of Thieves. In Norgeld, the scene is dreary, the ancient Citadel Pridemoon is cast in gloom, and whispers of bizarre figures in the castle windows are mounting. As the mystery within this veritable Tower of Torment begins to unravel, relationships are changed, deceit is laid bare, and tragedy strikes in ways that will forever change Wothlondia’s heroes!
