Demon Creature

The low chanting filled the air, rising and falling as the chanters began to stand raising their hands toward the sky. Soon they all stood, stamping their feet to the ground, clapping their hands and waving their arms as the chanting reached a crescendo of sound. As their cries reached near fever pitch a hooded man walked out onto the stage, stood for a brief moment and then reached out with one hand. Immediately the chanting stopped and the audience stood silently watching the figure.

“Behold” he intoned.

From behind him walked two men, hauling on heavy chains, which in turn were hooked to a large pallid man, whose shredded chest and exposed organs gave away his undeath state. Pulling him forward the two held the zombie in place, despite its struggles to approach the audience.

“And now, the test” stated the hooded figure.

He reached into a large wooden box by his feet and carefully pulled out a mass of writhing snakes. Gingerly he walked toward the restrained zombie and placed the creatures into his outstretched hands. Immediately the snakes became frenzied, biting the hands and forearms of the undead creature. The zombie paid no attention to the dozens of bite marks, instead his gaze remained focused on the cowled figure.

After a long minute of silence, punctuated by the occasional hiss, the zombie’s mouth opened and it let out a long low groan.

The cowled man turned and faced the audience “BEHOLD” he shouted “He is unhurt by the demon creatures. He stands there with enough poison to kill an ox, unafraid and unscathed. He can show us the way! RELEASE HIM!”

The man sank to his knees in front of the creature as the chains were loosened and then removed. The audience began to chant as it stepped forward with outstretched arms. Grabbing the cowl the undead gripped the man’s neck and pulled.

As the chanting again reached fever pitch the zombie turned toward them, covered now in blood and as it began to walk toward them, it let out a another long groan.