Urban Magic – Hung Out to Dry
Part 11

Tony listened to Kate go on and on about Genesis and the sinfulness of the snake after getting over her shrieking as a garter snake slithered past her on the trail they were walking on. His own father, Sr., had him going to mass when he was young to get the nonsense his mother put into his head about magic while he was growing up. He had heard all about the Garden, while his Godmother passed along the tales of the Rowan, the Ash, and the Elm in the formation and protection of humans. That the Great Snakes of Egypt and the Norse circled the Earthen Waters. But in the ether and were not found on the lands by mortals.
They served the Seas of the Cosmos, unto Infinity.

He already knew what they would see by the description of the Park Rangers and had a magazine of Ash and tracers to get the waiting predator. A Draugr or one of the Undead that were worse than any Zombie movie ever made as they had purpose and a mind.

He had his Bluetooth in and his phone on as he waited for the TDA (Temporary Duty Agent) to get back to him on who had disappeared in the area in the last few years. All the while, he was ready with his fireball spell and his other hand on his pistol.

Coming around the hill they found the destroyed body that showed extreme anger perpetrated on it and fear in the eyes. Gibbs ordered him to sketch and Kate to photograph the area. Gibbs was going to check things out.
Tony disobeyed the order and sniffed for decay to head off in an area he thought the Draugr would be hiding. Getting the strong smell of body decay and lit his hand on fire in readiness as the Draugr attacked. FIREBALL! Lit the dry body on fire and yet its anger had it still trying to attack those who dared to get near its territory.
Kate screamed and Gibbs yelled as he uselessly shot the thing with normal bullets. Tony had his own pistol up, loaded with Hollow Point filled Ash and blew its head out and dropped it at his feet. The fire consuming it finally.

This was going to be hell writing the After-Action Report on what Kate was stuttering about a Zombie Attack.

9/5/2026