Revenant's Kiss | ONC 2022 Shortlister ✓

N I N E T E E N

The crisp stream beneath my horse's hooves spilled over the cliff in frothy turrets and crashed down some thirty feet below into the disturbed pool at the base of the waterfall. The soft gurgling of the crystalline water swirled into the lilting notes of birdsong, creating the most beautiful and natural melody I had ever heard.

This small gem of the outdoors was a welcomed and highly contrasted change of scenery compared to the bleak destruction blasting the rest of the world. It was as if the carnage of the other states never reached here and Mother Nature continued just as God ordained her to.

Who knew a two day ride from the Star settlement would bring with it such a lovely sight? I wanted to bottle it all up in the canteen stored in my backpack and keep it there to bring a bit of the solace and awe of the waterfall with me. If the scientists could create zombies, couldn't they at least find a way to do that?

On second thought, those dummies would probably end up creating a pocket-sized hell. After all, they did manage to inadvertently fuck up the whole world.

The swishing tail of Soren's horse broke my focus from the ethereal allure of the waterfall and the towering deciduous trees surrounding us and replaced it on Soren. He stood knee-deep in the water and peered over the waterfall's edge as his horse munched away at the lush grass growing on the bank of the stream.

Everyone clearly enjoyed it just as much as I did, and it brought a smile to my face. I patted the thick and sweaty neck of my pinto steed, happy with my choice of finishing the final leg of this journey alone with Soren. "Beautiful, ain't it?"

"Yes ma'am it is." Soren nodded as he glanced over his shoulder at me. "But not as beautiful as you."

A giggle emerged from my lips like a butterfly from its cocoon and took flight in the heady air to join the twitters of the birds and the rush of the waterfall. The warmth of affection filled every cavity of my chest like sweet honey and I smiled at him, unable to form a response. But I knew my smile said more than words ever could.

Our picture perfect moment quickly turned into a scene from a horror movie as the hair-raising shriek of a revenant broke into the peacefulness like an unwanted party guest.

The horses snorted and pranced with wild eyes and I struggled to keep mine under control. One of my hands gripped the reins and the other reached for the pistol resting in its holster. It had been awhile since we encountered any revenants and, as much as I hated the thought of it, we were due a visit.

"See anything?" Soren asked quietly as he held his antsy horse steady.

I shook my head and kept my eyes peeled. One stalked out there somewhere, its cry and the panicked movements of the horses told that. But where it was located definitely was another matter entirely.

Rapid footsteps and the snap of breaking twigs redirected my attention from the trees on my left to the bushes at my right. The pulsing of my heart kicked up in a new rhythm when my eyes landed on the muddy and bedraggled female revenant lunging toward Soren like a rabid dog.

"Soren, watch out!" I cried out in warning.

But my cautioning came too late.

My lungs constricted in panic as the revenant barreled into Soren, sending them both sailing over the waterfall like a pair of daring adventurers. Only this wasn't fun and games, it was life and death.

I grabbed the reins of Soren's sorrel mare and held on tightly, dragging her along while urging my horse into a gallop down the rugged trail cut into the rocky terrain near the waterfall. I'd already lost sight of Soren, and it filled my being with a sense of doom and loss. But I shook it off. Right now I needed to get my ass down there and as fast as possible, regardless of how dangerous this was for me and the horses.