“When there is no more room in Hell, the dead shall walk the earth”

-Dawn of the Dead

Madison sighed, looking happily at the textbooks arranged on the display, racks of the school’s sweaters hanging on either side of them. The school’s merchandise all had the appropriately high markups for football season, and with the school’s team doing well sales had been excellent. Silly as it was, Madison was quite proud of the bookstore’s performance over the century she’d been working at it.

An electric jolt went up here spine, “Oh no,” she muttered, recognizing the energy. She ran for the back storage room, where her armor and whip would be waiting for her. She reached for the green ribbon around her neck, slipping the knot off and letting it flutter to the ground.

The ground shook suddenly, a single tremor that rattled the displays and caused Madison to stumble. Her vision spun as her head fell loose, and she scowled angrily as her body began pawing the ground searching for her.

“Over here!” she shouted, “come on!”

…

Trent and Lupe were lounging next to her motorcycle outside of the park. The wind blew idly, swirling the fall leaves on the ground in a small cyclone before they crossed over the small pond, floating like tiny boats before the frigid breeze. The sun was dipping below the horizon, the last rays turning the water a bright orange as they watched.

“Gonna be a cold winter,” Trent muttered, shivering slightly.

“I’ll find a way to keep you warm,” Lupe giggled, sidling up to him.

She stopped, sniffing the air, “Trent,” she said urgently, “do you smell something…”

“Rotting,” Trent growled, turning to look towards a nearby copse of trees.

“BRAAAIINNNNSS!” a husky voice growled. Trent and Lupe took a step backwards, and a moment later the first walking corpse shambled out of the woods, leading dozens of others. They were putrid stumbling things, some little more than bones with some sinew, their faces grinning wickedly as their lips pulled away from their skulls.

“Zombies!” Lupe shouted.

“Wait,” Trent shouted, “maybe they’re friendly?”

“I’ll swallow your soul!” another zombie shouted as the group descended upon them.

“Nevermind,” Trent sighed, letting his wolfen features emerge. With a howl he charged into the mob of the undead, Lupe following behind him.

…

“Reports are coming in from all over Stokerville that the dead are rising from the grave and devouring the flesh of the living!” the newscaster read, “we will be interrupting your regularly scheduled programming to bring you further coverage of what religious experts are calling Judgment Day, in related news the manufacturer of 2-4-5 Trioxin has denied all responsibility…”

“Badass!” Alex said excitedly, shoveling another handful of popcorn into her mouth.

“Uh, shouldn’t we be worried?” Candy asked, the tiny woman was seated on the armrest of the chair, a single giant piece of popcorn in front of her.

“Nah, it’s probably just a promotion for a new movie,” Alex said dismissively.

“Don’t be so sure,” Dan said, materializing next to her, “something really weird just happened, like someone…”

“Walked over your grave?” Alex asked with a smirk.

“Yeah,” Dan sighed, “Alex, maybe you should just take your car and get out of town for a bit, I can possess your phone or something and you can take me with you.”

“Oooh!” Alex teased, “maybe this whole zombie thing is a promotion for a new Resident Evil game? Careful you don’t get scared to death again!”

“Oh ha ha,” Dan muttered, “seriously though the spectral world is all-“

“BRAINS!” someone shouted, a moment later the window to the living room burst open, spraying glass everywhere. A pair of greyed, rotted hands waved angrily, searching for purchase as a walking corpse crawled through the window.

“Wow, what a great promo for the new Resident Evil game!” Dan said sarcastically as Candy and Alex screamed.

…

Brendan sighed as he looked up at Valeria’s mansion. He’d walked here, rather than taking his car, hoping that the journey would give him some more perspective. Mostly it had just made his legs tired and added a shade of frustration to his thoughts.

Being a vampire… he mused, looking at the wrought iron gates, a size vampire… He blinked, I wonder if Alex would let me feed off her. I guess I could use Trent too but that just seems… weird.

The thought made him laugh, and he sighed. He looked up at the stars, beginning to poke through the evening gloom, and then down at the row of houses, every single one had a carved Jack O’Lantern on the porch, the flames dancing and shining over the lawns as the darkness of night truly claimed the small suburban street.

“Happy Halloween,” Brendan muttered to himself, having made his decision.

He turned to hit the gate’s buzzer, when the sound of footsteps caught his attention. He turned, seeing a group of slumped figures approaching him.

“Hey,” he called, “something I can help you guys with?”

“Oh yeah,” one chuckled, stumbling into the light and revealing a rotted visage, with bulging eyes and a bleached white skull, “you mind if I take a nibble on your BRAAAINNNN!?”

“BRAAAINNNS!” the rest howled as they rushed at him.

…

“AWWWOOOO!” Lupe howled, swiping a zombie’s head off. The creature grabbed her throat, the cold dead hands squeezing. “T-The brain doesn’t stop them!” she choked.

“You mean the movie lied!?” Trent called, struggling with his own undead assailant.

The neighing of a horse rang out, and burning pumpkins rained down from the sky, blasting the ghouls to smithereens as the headless rider burst into the park, bone whip cracking angrily.

“Get to your bike!” Madison shouted, her head bobbing from its spot clipped against her hip.

“R-Right,” Lupe shouted, waving for Trent to follow her as she ran towards the motorcycle. She leapt on it, turning the ignition and causing it to roar to life as the horde of undead continued to pour out of the forest.

…

Miss Hotep giggled like a schoolgirl as she looked out at the town, fires were raging and gunshots rang out as the undead plague spread. Sirens rang in the distance, and a turned over police car burned on the campus green, the glass smashed out.

“You were right Doctor West,” Hotep laughed, leaning over the railing, “you really can get a good view of the town from top of the lab building.”

“Er… yes,” West muttered uncomfortably.

“Uh… Miss Hotep?” Stein asked hesitantly, “a-are you sure raising an army of these creatures is our best course of action regarding the vampire problem?”

“Of course!” Hotep said, throwing her hands wide, “look at all this! She’ll have to come out and find us now!”

“We actually knew where she was,” Howard muttered.

Hotep blinked, then slapped her forehead with a laugh, causing her top hat to shift slightly, “I suppose I should have asked before getting my Romero on.” She sighed, “well, one way or another I’m sure I’ll run into her tonight, then it’s a wooden stake through the heart and I’m heading back to the nuclear chaos at the center of reality.”

“What about the zombies?” Howard asked.

Hotep shrugged, “I don’t know, I thought I’d just leave them? They make this whole universe so much more fun. I guess the next season of The Walking Dead will be more of a reality show, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” She hummed as she walked towards the building staircase, “well I’ll see you three around, I’ve got a vampire to snuff out, thanks for the summons!” they heard her laughing as she walked down the stairs and out of sight.

The two doctors and their assistant were silent a moment, the air filled with the sounds of chaos throughout the town.

“I believe,” West began, “that we might have made an error here.”

“Ya think!?” Howard shouted, gesturing at the zombie apocalypse going on below them.

“Okay, let’s all calm down,” Stein said, wiping her forehead, “the zombies are pretty slow, and most of them seem to be heading into town… we can just load up some of our more important equipment into one of the campus buses, and then head for the coast, from there we go to an island and-“

“Enough!” Howard said angrily, “it’s time to face facts, we fucked up! Our only way out of this one is if we help the vampire beat whatever tentacled horror you two dredged up!”

The two scientists looked at each other, then burst into laughter, “come now Howard,” West said, “let’s go start loading that bus-“

“No, I’m going to go save the world, or die trying,” Howard insisted, walking towards the roof exit.

“Oh damnation,” West scowled, “he’s making me feel that weird emotion again… what did you say it was?”

“Guilt dear,” Stein said with a sigh, “I know, I’m feeling it too, it feels dirty to even say it… guilt, ugh.”

“Howard wait!” West called, running to his side.

“Oh, grown a conscience now?” he asked with a smirk.

“Absolutely not,” West said with distaste, “It’s just… it would be difficult to find another volunteer who takes so well to my shrinking serum is all…”

“This is all very touching,” Stein muttered, “but no offense Howard, you’re not a very erm… robust young man, and neither West nor myself are particularly skilled in the ways of violence, what do you suggest we do?”

Howard grinned, “you’ve still got the growth machine set up in that old auditorium, right?”

…

“MOVE THE BOOKSHELF IN FRONT OF THE WINDOW!” Alex screamed, forcing her back against the door to the living room while a trio of mottled hands did their best to force her way in.

“On it!” Dan said. He hovered into the bookshelf, full of anime figurines and manga volumes, and it glowed blue as it hovered in front of Alex’s bedroom window, just as the glass broke and more ghouls began pawing at the blinds.

“That’s not going to hold them for long,” the ghost said, appearing back next to Alex.

“T-This is always so much easier in games!” Alex grunted as the door bucked behind her.

“BRAINS!” an angry voice shouted, and the pounding intensified.

“You’re going to have to make a run for it,” Dan said, “wait here a minute.” He quickly lifted through the ceiling, then descended a moment later, “okay, Brendan’s car doesn’t have any near it.”

“I don’t have keys to his car!” Alex moaned.

“Use yours then!” Candy squeaked, looking up from Alex’s shoulder in panic as the zombies continued to pound on the door.

“I don’t have one! I don’t even have a license!” Alex whined pathetically.

“Oh for the love of…” Candy sighed, “Hey! Ghost boy! Can you make me big? I can hotwire Brendan’s car, it won’t even be the first time.”

“Nope, your size is gone Candy,” he sighed, “flushed out to the void, you’d need someone else’s.”

Candy looked to Alex and suddenly a devious grin came over her face, “Oh Alex… could I borrow something of yours?”

“Uh…” Alex gulped, “C-Candy, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m not one hundred percent sure we can trust-“

“Fine, stay big, I’ll stay tiny, and we’ll both get eaten,” Candy shrugged. “Dan, what’s dying like?”

“Uh… well it was pretty quick and painless for me,” Dan muttered, glancing at the crowd of zombies outside the window, “but I’m pretty sure getting killed by these guys is going to suck.” He smiled slightly, “on the other hand, if you guys do bite it out there, we can all go camping on the river Styx! I’ve always wanted to, but I never had anyone to go with me.”

“What do you say Alex?” Candy taunted, “he’s always wanted to go!”

“Fine!” Alex snapped, “Dan, can you…” she sighed, “switch our sizes?”

“Coming right up!” The ghost said. A blue glow enveloped Candy and Alex, and a moment later there was a flash.

“Oh yeah!” Candy laughed, “look who’s big again!” she looked down at herself and scowled, she was still in one of the ridiculous anime schoolgirl outfits Alex forced her to wear.

“B-Be careful!” Alex wailed, grabbing a strand of her green hair as the now tiny NEET struggled to keep balance on Candy’s shoulder.

“Oh, this is so sweet,” Candy chuckled, reaching up and gripping Alex. The tiny girl gulped, looking up into the smug face of the punk she’d spent several weeks treating as a pet. The door behind them rattled again as the zombies renewed their assault, and Candy sighed, “it’s too bad I don’t have time to enjoy this right now… you’re lucky this outfit doesn’t have panties.”

She slowly slid a protesting Alex into her cleavage, enjoying the feeling of the tiny woman squirming against her chest. She adjusted her breasts a moment, the costume Alex had given her definitely did a good job of squeezing them together, but she didn’t want to lose the girl in the next part.

“Okay,” she breathed, “I’m going to throw the door open, ghost boy, can you knock those zombies out of the way for me?”

“I’ll do my best,” Dan said, “if we get separated, say my name three times.”

“Like Beetlejuice?” Candy asked.

“Yeah, like Beetlejuice,” Dan said.

“I’ve never seen Beet-“ Alex started, but Candy cut her off, quickly stuffing her deeper between her breasts and reducing her words to muffled squeaks coming from the larger woman’s shirt.

“Close one,” Candy muttered, “Okay, let’s go!”

She flung the door open, and the blue glow of Dan’s powers raced along the zombies, parting them for a split second before flashing and fading, releasing the creatures again. It was enough of an opening, and Candy shouted in triumph as she bolted out the house’s front door.

“Time to borrow Brendan’s car one last time!” She smirked, swiping up a loose piece of stone from the garden walkway. With a grunt she tossed it through the driver’s side window, causing the alarm to go off as she reached through and unlocked it.

“H-Hurry!” Alex squealed, her head poking up comically from Candy’s cleavage while the other girl tore the steering column covering off.

“He didn’t even reattach it properly after the last time I did this,” Candy chuckled, sparking the wires together. The car’s engine rumbled to life as the first of the walking corpses got within arm’s reach, a moment later Candy and her tiny passenger were tearing down the roadway.

“Where are we going?” Alex managed.

“Valeria’s house,” Candy shouted over the sound of the wind rushing in through the busted window, “she might want to kill me, but the zombies definitely want to kill me, so it’s the best option right now.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Dan said, materializing in the passenger’s seat. He hit the radio, and the chorus of Michael Jackson’s Thriller echoed out the window into the autumn night, punctuated by the occasional hungry cry for brains.

…

Brendan threw off the first zombie, grunting as his increased strength coursed through him. His yellow eyes flared, the hint of vampirism he’d been given serving him well as he leapt backwards, dodging the swiping rotted grey arms.

“Stop fighting, all we want to do is eat your brains!” one growled, “we’re not unreasonable-“

“Hey, this one’s got a bite mark on him already!” one of the zombies shouted, pointing to the twin fang marks that always manifested on Brendan’s neck.

“That right?” the first zombie chuckled as the crowd surrounded him again, “someone already eating you buddy?”

“Vhat can I say? His taste is vunderful.”

Valeria dropped from the sky; a shimmering sword covered in blood red runes in her hand. It flashed in front of her, and a moment later the wall of rotting flesh had been reduced to piles of twitching limbs and bones.

She spun around to Brendan, their yellow eyes meeting as Valeria sheathed her sword with a flourish. She opened her mouth to speak, but Brendan leapt at her, catching her off guard in a hug. He felt her arms embrace him too, that iron strong grip pulling him into her.

“You came back,” she said quietly.

“Yeah,” he said quietly, “I would have come right in but…” he laughed and separated from her, gesturing down to the dismembered undead, “well… something weird’s going on.”

“Zombies,” Valeria muttered, “disgusting… I vill find whatever foul creature raised them and- GAH!” she stumbled, suddenly leaning on Brendan for support.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, hugging her tight.

“I haven’t fed… and fighting takes much energy,” she muttered, steadying herself.

“Then feed,” Brendan laughed, “I’m right here!”

“Are you sure?” Valeria asked quietly, “I understand if you need more time-“

“BRAAAAAINNS!” the howl came from between houses and down the street, the two of them turned to see a massive horde of the undead closing in on them from all directions. They poured from the alleys between buildings, clambered over backyard fences, lurched out from sewers, it was a veritable army.

“Valeria, eat, now,” Brendan said firmly.

She smiled, her fangs poking through her lips. She gave him one quick peck on his cheek, and then he was dwindling, watching Valeria’s perfect breasts rise up to eye level, then towering above him. The whole time as he shrank before her, she kept her gaze on him, that warm smile seeming to coat him as she devoured his energy.

“Much better,” she sighed, looking around at the approaching ghouls. She looked down between her feet and smirked, “I vill put you someplace safe for this…” He felt her pale fingers pluck him off the ground, slowly sliding him between the milky white flesh of her breasts. “Comfortable?” she asked with a fanged smirk.

“Yeah,” he said dreamily as the soft pillows swallowed him up.

“Good,” Valeria said, looking around at the advancing dead, “This could be… difficult, even for vun such as me…”

The roar of a motorcycle echoed through the night air, and a moment later a pair of wolfen howls rang out as the crowd of undead parted in the wake of the werewolves, and the galloping black steed that raced behind them.

“Hey Valeria, you want a hand?” Lupe asked, skidding the bike to a stop in front of them.

“Indeed, it seems the time has come to return the dead to rest,” Madison growled, hefting a flaming pumpkin in one hand.

A car horn blared next, and there were a dozen thumps as Brendan’s beat up brown sedan plowed through the crowd of zombies, finally crashing into the small brick wall around Valeria’s yard.

“Hey Brendan,” Candy shouted, staggering out of the wreck and fighting the airbag, “Sorry I fucked up your car again, I ran over like forty zombies haha.”

“Now vhat are you doing here?” Valeria scowled.

“We’re here to help!” Alex squeaked from between Candy’s breasts.

“Hey Alex!” Brendan waved from his own perch in Valeria’s cleavage.

“Candy robbed the liquor store,” Dan said, appearing next to them.

“Excuse me,” Candy slurred, hefting a bottle of whiskey, “It’s the zombie apocalypse, I looted the liquor store, and it wasn’t just for fun either!” she stuffed a rag into the top of the bottle, and then produced a lighter, “barrel strength bitches!” With a laugh she tossed the flaming bottle into the oncoming wave of zombies, the explosion lighting the night as the flames roared over the undead attackers.

“Goddamn,” Brendan muttered, “never thought I’d be happy to see Candy drunk and committing arson.”

“Oh my god!” Candy shouted as she ran to the rest of them, “seriously Brendan, I said I was sorry for the fires, let’s all just forgive and forget!”

“Minions!” Valeria called, hefting her sword high, “these ghouls vish to devour our flesh, but together ve vill vipe their scourge from the earth!”

“Now we’re talking!” Lupe grinned.

“The dead should stay dead,” Madison muttered, hefting her own head high to get a better view, “not that a vampire would know anything about that…”

The wind howled suddenly, and the armies of the undead parted, allowing a woman in a top hat to strut her way toward the front of the crowd. Brendan felt Valeria gasp from his spot against her chest, and her already pale fingers gripped the sword ever tighter.

“Hello Valeria,” Miss Hotep laughed, “Azathoth’s tendrils, how long has it been? The last time I was on this plane you were just some pathetic little girl following your uncle around and fighting Turks, or Austrians, or Hungarians…” She sighed, “I’m sure it all seemed to matter back then, you’ve matured so much though…”

“Nyarlathotep,” Valeria growled.

“Oooh, your mother taught you my true name,” Hotep giggled, “she must have been terribly frightened of my return!”

“Mother fears nothing!” Valeria hissed, her fangs extending.

“If you believe that, you don’t know her as well as I do,” Hotep chuckled. She raised her hands, and the undead horde moaned as one, calling for brains. “TEAR THEM TO PIECES!” She screamed.