“So you plan to lure him out to assist us?” Denaux said, ducking behind a large thicket underneath the brightly shining moon, as we looked upon a still plantation, enshrouded in darkness at the bottom of the hillside. “And you think he'll be able to catch your scent all the way in the sticks? You an optimist, chère.”

  “You're the one who said 'show, don't tell' and dragged me out here, so that's on you.” I said, peering over a bush at the quietly expansive farmhouse, in all its dilapidated glory, and rows of shadowed crops and vines leading to it.

  “It's a history lesson, chère, and a present lesson too...” Denaux said, “look.” He pointed his arm, rattling with some chains of jewelry, in his usual outfit, off into the distance.

  “What am I looking at?” I said , rubbing the fatigue from my eyes on the tattered sleeve of my all black covert ops outfit that had been procured from Denaux's basement wardrobe, and my new residence for the time being. “Also, do you think it's prudent to wear loud jewelry to a stakeout?” I hissed.

  “Don't tell me who I can and cannot be.” He snapped, pointing over to small line of heads marching from the house to the rows of harvest-able vines in the fields. “They won't hear it anyway.”

  “What is this?” I asked, inching forward, to find throngs of almost hypnotized human bodies collecting bucks and other small tools to harvest something from the crops.

  “Zombies, but with full soul removal. Ain't got no mind of their own anymore.”

  “Why am I not like them in some way?” My mind piqued with intrigue.

  “That...I don't know...butI intend to find out.”

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Is that why you resurrected me?” I asked angrily. “Chère...he didn't take your soul...or wasn't able to...that means there's something special about you, whether you like to hear it or not. That man's been alive, young and spry, for as long as I can remember, but keeps to the shadows. He feeds off of souls...but for years...he's been onto something else.”

  My brow turned down discerningly, as I listened.

  “He's taken something from all of us,” Denaux softened. “This was my Mama's farm...our farm....after Daddy passed.”

  My head titled as I watched him soften, with sadness cradling his eyes.

  “Perrault had his people try to buy us out. The whole time he was there, never said a word...just had this creepy crooked smile on his face. Like a clown, and some obsession with two tone outfits. Unsettling. Evil. He scared me. His associates didn't take no for an answer though, and he was never going to accept an answer that he didn't want.” Tears welled up in Denaux's reservoirs. “On a night, just like this, Perrault and his army of the undead invaded, and he slit my Mama's throat right in front of me...” he held back sobbing in the lump of his throat. “He almost got me, but I escaped...I ran.” Denaux grew silent for a moment. “I don't run anymore, I plan...” He started up again. “I don't know what he's been doing out here, but he's been amassing an army over the years and has some nefarious devices for New Orleans. We need to find out why.”

  “I'm sorry,” I said, “I didn't know he stole from you too.”

  “Not your fault, chère. I've learned and trained over these ten years. That child is a man now. That hoodoo mama always talked about wasn't no joke. I have resources now too...and skills...and dare say I...friends,” he nodded to me.

  “I wouldn't go that far,” I shrugged.

  “Chère!” He choked, slapping my shoulder with the back of his hand.

  I laughed, and he joined in.

  “Fine,” I said, “I”ll help...got nothing better to do.”

  “Me neither,” he said, fanning his eyes with his hand, while his host of beads, chains and adornments clacked, rang and jangled in a cacophony of noise.

  “Denaux!” I hissed, pointing at his jewelry.

  Suddenly, we both went quiet, as the rustling sounds of dutiful work from the base of the hill instantly stopped.

  I looked out and over to find a chilling sight. All the zombies stood straight, staring in our direction.

  “Uh oh,” I said, “looks like they're more perceptive than you thought.”