"Just do it and get it over with."

I stated this with some apprehension as I turned my head away and shut my eyes tight. We're talking drastically veering my skull off to the side too. If my head wasn't attached to my body, it would have flown across the room and bounced off of the wall. That's how violently I wrenched my head on an angle. Coupled with my eyes being squeezed closed, lest risk observing a sight I didn't want to see and one might assume, I was preventing myself from witnessing something truly terrifying or ghastly. And you know what, from my perspective that's exactly what I was doing. Okay, it's possible I was overreacting a tad, taking into account I was having an act done that was fairly common. Ah... I was having my blood drawn. Dread the thought.

See, here's the thing though, I don't particularly relish the sight of my blood. While I have zero issues when it comes to blood in general, I fucking hate the appearance of my own. It's putrid and vile. In my opinion anyway cause compared to someone that is alive, mine is drastically different. For one thing, it's black. Solid black. Completely dark, as black as pitch. Not a single trace of crimson, scarlet or any shade of red, for that matter. The consistency is also thicker and more akin to sludge or dense ooze. It's heavier than normal blood too. A vial of it has some weight to it and you have to use real effort to pull it from my veins. Don't get me wrong, if I got stabbed or injured to the point where I was bleeding, it would pour out of me, nearly the same as anyone else. The only difference is that when that shit falls out of me, it physically slaps whatever comes in contact with it. You really feel it hit you. My blood is that concentrated and condensed. It's like tomato soup before you add the water, only it's obsidian.

So I try to avoid viewing it as much as possible. Especially, when it's being pulled from my arm, via a syringe. Which is precisely what Nathaniel was doing at this very moment. He had a theory about dealing with our little wendigo problem and it involved the toxic gunk, running through my veins. It was poisonous to them and promised, instant death. Since wendigos required the flesh of the living, in order to survive and I was decidedly deceased. Prompting Nathaniel to acquire my blood, as a means to use against the thing. Made sense to me, I only wished he procured the blood from Mick Ashcroft instead. Mick was dead too and he probably wasn't bothered by the sight of his own blood. Biting at my bottom lip, I heard a distinct pop as I felt the needle enter my arm and crinkled up my nose. The sound of Nathaniel's laughter instantly greeting my ears. You'd think I'd try to put on a brave face and at least feign an attempt at being a man here but no, I did no such thing and merely waited for Nathaniel to finish.

"Fascinating."

"Yeah, zombie blood is a real marvel to behold, I'm sure you can't wait to break out the microscope and analyze the stuff. Are you done yet?"

"Just about."

Nathaniel chuckled.

"Oh wow. It has a little weight to it, I didn't expect that, the vial must weigh almost the same as a roll of dimes."

A cotton ball was pressed firmly at the injection site and affixed with a piece of medical tape.

"All finished."

"Oh thank god."

Sighing, I opened my eyes, fired up a cigarette and took a long drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke rapidly through my nose before I extracted another quick draw. As I did this, I noticed Nathaniel place a vial into his pocket. The vial of my blood, I'd wager. I was glad it was safely tucked away, far from my eyes to perceive.

"For a being that consumes human brains, you're awfully squeamish."

"Only when it comes to my own blood."

"Why?"

"Why??? Is that a serious question? You seen that fucking sludge that came outta me! It's like I got raw sewage in my veins. I hate it. It creeps me out and reminds me of everything that's wrong with me."

"Because eating brains on a regular basis doesn't do that?"

"No. You don't understand. It's not the same."

Sighed smoke.

"When that group of medical students turned me into a zombie, I vomited out this black muck all over the floor, right before I died and it looked significantly similar to my blood. Same thickness, texture and density. Now, when I see my blood... it's like I'm back in that cell and I don't want to be reminded of that moment."

Another drag from my cigarette, I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair.

"I didn't have a choice in the matter, when I became an undead abomination, it was decided for me and while I want to believe I'm different. That I'm not the same as those cursed creatures from the movies or horror stories, when I witness the sight of my blood, I don't feel distinct or exceptional. I only feel like I'm damned. Doomed to be a monster. Forever. And it makes me sick. I can't look at it without it fucking with me. I've learned to deal with everything else that comes with being a zombie, for the most part but I can't do that. Not yet anyway... maybe, not ever."

My laughter came with a puff of smoke, bittersweet and wistful. I shook my head and cleared my throat, pushing off my melancholy, like a wet blanket, that threatened to overlap me and resolved to change the subject, post haste. With a grin, I sat up straight, snapped my attention toward Nathaniel, passed a hand through my hair and inhaled a pull from my cigarette.

"Well, when do we take out the wendigo, I assume there's more to your plan than tearing it apart and injecting it with my noxious, black, zombie ooze."

I released another laugh but this time, there wasn't even the slightest hint of sorrow or repulsion. I had a knack for chasing my funks away before they could capture me. Nathaniel seemed to sense that's what occurred but said nothing more about me disclosing my sentiments. Instead, he simply shrugged and stated, with a fleeting smirk.

"That's all I got so far, figured I'd work the rest out, when the time comes and that should occur sooner rather than later, still I need to speak with Mick before anything happens. I have a feeling, there's more to you... primarily being the key to the wendigo's destruction. More than being dead. I won't know till I meet and talk with Mick though."

"For what?"

"You didn't think I was solely gathering a sample of your blood, did you?"

"Maybe."

"No, I'm also collecting some of Mick's blood as well, better safe than sorry and I'd rather the wendigo's fate be certain. You both might be dead but there is a difference between you two. It may mean nothing or it could be the deciding factor of everything. Personally, I don't want to find myself, residing on death's doorstep again. Not if I can help it anyway. I want to be unequivocally, without a shadow of a doubt, accurate in my decision. Long before the thing's attacking."

"You could have both tubes on you and go for the trial and error process."

Not sincere in the slightest, I smirked and died out my cigarette in an ashtray, sitting on the metal table between Nathaniel and I.

"As awesome as that sounds, I'd rather go into this fight a bit more prepared."

"Chicken."

In that brief instant, I saw Nathaniel reach to the side and grab a test tube, hitherto tossing it at me. Not thinking, I covered my eyes with the interior angle of my elbow (the crelbow!) and spun away from him. Only to hear an empty test tube, crack against the wall.

"Too easy."

Sooo... not funny.

---

Nathaniel gazed into a microscope as he removed one slide and replaced it with another. Gradually adjusting the focus and lens, he furrowed his brows and scratched his chin. Deep in concentration. He didn't notice a fog seeping underneath the door, till it had taken on the form of a man and Mick Ashcroft, emerged. That Monster In The Tan Trench Coat. Mick ignited a cigarette and took a drag.

"What's the prognosis, doc?"

Earlier in the day, Nathaniel had retrieved a sample of blood from Zane Norrison and several hours later, he was given a similar specimen from Mick Ashcroft. In the hopes of determining if there was a difference that set them apart from each other. The goal was to kill a wendigo and instantaneous death was better than a prolonged, drawn out, dying procedure. As far as the terms of time limitations, whilst simultaneously warding off the evil entity were concerned. Furthermore, it was assumed that dead cells were lethal to wendigos but the supernatural world was a strange and unknown territory. Presently, in spite of the recent outbreak of otherworldly anomalies, there are still aspects that haven't been discovered about these mysterious beings and that means, there are unidentified or obscure phenomenons.

Little known facts that needed to be added to the grand equation, in order to derive a correct conclusion. Even though Mick and Zane were both deceased, there was a chance that a zombie's dna could be more deadly to a wendigo, than a vampire's and that is what Nathaniel was set out to determine because nearly dying once at the hands of a wendigo was enough. Of course, he still had a score to settle and wanted to leave a lasting impression. Vengeance would be his and he would remove the gruesome miscreation from this earthly plain, for good. There was no other acceptable outcome in his mind.

"Neither of you are alive."

"I could have told you that much, mate."

Released smoke.

"Alright but that's where your connection ceases."

"What do you mean? We're both cold, lifeless, corpses. We both cashed in our chips and bought the farm. What other tie do we need?"

"Previously, I would have thought that's all you required but the more I examine these blood slides, the more I realize how much you and Zane, subdivide from merely being animated cadavers."

"Right then, so what does that mean?"

"It depends, how much do you know about being a vampire?"

"Oh well... currently, I happen to be 265 years young, so I think I've got a pretty good grasp on my kind and what to expect. Doubt there will be any secrets, I haven't already heard, at least a whisper about."

"Fair enough. Then it's safe to assume that you have seen your own blood, studied it and understand its properties, to an extent."

"Yeah, I have somewhat of an understanding in those regards... to a degree."

"So you noticed that it is somewhat comparable to a human. In the color, cellular structure and integrity. Albeit the cells aren't living, still they're comprised the same way. With an identical, basic assembly, the only exception is that their enhanced. Supernaturally. There's an essence or aura that almost wraps around the cellular structure like a mist, that augments your abilities and gives an additional supplement, allowing your body to remain active in death. Giving you the ability to function, despite being dead. Concurrently your consumption of blood from the living, provides a boost and acts like fuel for your body. Medically, this shouldn't happen but I have learned there are things in this world, that will never be fully answered or comprehended. Yet, I can accept that your condition is based off of a purely supernatural origin, much like my own with the exception that I'm alive. My body transfigures and readjusts itself, that shouldn't take place but it does and the only thing, I can be truly, grateful for is the fact that I can control the change. I'm no longer a slave to the wolf within."

Short pause.

"Anyway, this is Zane Norrison's blood."

Reaching off to the side, Nathaniel produced a vial from a rack of test tubes and held it up. Upon observation, Mick arched a brow in inquiry and tilted his head, a little to the left.

"Will you look at that, it's black."

"That it is."

"Why does it look like coal tar?"

"I suspect because Zane was created in a lab. His entire genetic code was completely broken down and reconstructed. In death, he was transformed and his cellular structure mutated, it adapted to configure to him. His body figured out how to defy death and sustain his existence. Usually blood has four main components, his is made up of one, singular attribute. It can't be broken down or separated, in any way. It is, as you perceive it. Meanwhile, the source that keeps him going, comes directly from ingesting brains. The human mind's spark. Which explains why a lack of brains, turns him feral or reverts him to a primitive state. His body is shutting down. Essentially turning off. It wouldn't take long before he withered away to nothing, if he didn't eat brains. However, whereas you operate on a solely supernatural element, Zane's fundamentally a walking science experiment and that means, there was a chance for a cure. Not now; obviously, most of his organs haven't been operating in a normal capacity for years but if he would have been treated sooner, it's very likely he wouldn't be a zombie today."

"That's something we should never share with the lad."

"Really? Why is that?"

"No good can come from that knowledge, best not torment him any further, with what might have been."

With a quick nod in affirmation, Nathaniel settled back in his chair and sighed.

"What about in terms of terminating the wendigo, whose blood is more potent and will end its life the quickest?"

"Zane's blood. By far. Right now, his blood is one of the most deadly substances, on Earth and in the wrong hands, it could bring about the end of days, due to the rapid movement the virus has when dominating cells... he is very contagious. Frankly, I'm thinking of developing a vaccine, for the day that he accidentally infects someone. One that isn't controlled and distributed by the XWF. First thing's first though, we need to execute a wendigo."

"That we do, mate... that we do."

---

"Hahaha! Oh man! Wow! I'm sorry, I watched Peter Gilmour's promotional video for our match and I'm having a hard time, keeping a straight face over here. I heard him ramble about our opponents wanting him deep down in their vaginas and I fucking lost it. Haven't been able to stop laughing since then. I'm now convinced Peter Gilmour isn't a real person, I think he's an exaggerated parody or a mockery of a man. Cause oh boy, I do not know how he floats through life, otherwise. There's no way he can be serious. It's too much. At the same time, I hope he is the real deal cause I want to see him in social settings, where he absolutely wouldn't fit in, like in the audience at an Ani DiFranco concert or stuck in the center of an outdoor mall, during a flash mob. That would be pretty funny. Especially the latter cause I can picture him getting all confused and upset. Looking around, wildly. Huffing and puffing. Unsure of what to do to rectify the situation. Peter Gilmour is a trip, yet you can't totally appreciate the experience, until you're on his radar and he's directing his full focus at you."

"Apparently he thinks I'm an unworthy partner and he's going to ditch the fight. Either to listen to a demon read a book or go to the gym. I'm not sure what kind of demon, reads aloud to you but I guess it's good Peter has someone to read to him. That way he's not stuck looking at the pictures and making up his own story. Not certain what the criteria for his activities is based on. Hear a bedtime story or pump iron. I don't know. The spectrum there is very vast and complete polar opposites. Chill or work out, all night. From my standpoint, I'd rather just relax cause I don't really have to exercise. It doesn't make a difference, one way or another. My body type isn't going to change, I'm stuck as a skinny fucking string bean, it's not like I'm building anything up or strengthening my muscles. I suppose I could learn new moves but that's about it. Not really an all night activity, not for me anyway. So that's Peter's plan, he doesn't want to have anything to do with me or our match and he yearns to fuck, Ash and Jenny. "

"Speaking of Jenny Myst, you know sometimes... most of the time actually, I think she simply opens her mouth and lets the words fall out, there's no reasoning or logic behind them. She speaks to hear the sound of her own voice. Doesn't matter if her words make sense. All that matters is that she's talking. For instance, she says I claim to be a vampire and I look like an angry lesbian. I have never professed that I was a vampire. Not once. As for looking like an angry lesbian, I'm a dude, a fact that Jenny touches base on later when she declares that she going to emasculate me and I often find myself smiling or laughing, over scowling but I suppose expressions are subjective. Jenny could witness a grin and somehow in her convoluted mind, she perceives that the expression is associated with rage. I couldn't rightly say for certain. I'm not fucked in the head. I may not have a pulse but my mind is working with the utmost clarity. And regardless of anything Jenny Myst does in the ring, she will never emasculate me. I don't suffer from such a weakness in fortitude. Gilmour might but he isn't exactly a prime candidate for the male population."

"Lastly, there's Ash Quinn. Word on the street is that you're a musician, that's cool. I've never heard your stuff, no offence but I dig your ambition. It's always good to dream big. You'll need that fire in the ring. Le passion. It won't ensure victory but it will definitely, give you the drive for battle. I mentioned before, I do not intend to go easy on you and while Jenny wants to tell herself, I'm not a threat. Allow me to clarify this for you, it would be the worst mistake in your life, to share these false perceptions. I am a zombie, there's no tricks or special effects and I have committed atrocious deeds, within the ring. Vicious, brutal acts that left my adversaries, scarred. When we fight, you will experience this first hand and at the same time it'll be special, cause you will be treated like anyone else. Isn't that what you want in the end? You crave equality, correct? So I will give you, precisely what you desire and I'll rip you apart in that ring. Much to your soon dismay, all the heart and determination won't save you, when you're standing across from an undead abomination. I like to bite too and I am extremely contagious. Still, fret not, I'm sure there's a supply of the vaccine. Somewhere. Best get your hands on it, lest share something in common with me, aside from being a wrestler in the XWF. You've been warned, dollface"

1x X-Treme Champ
1x Hart Champion
1x SOTM November 2018