Who is Audrey Wickersham?

by Sara Shrieves

  “He is an idiot,” she said bluntly. She glanced over at him hopelessly.

  “Okay…” I said, not really knowing how else to respond.

  At that moment Besnik came out and saw my dad, and gestured at him excitedly to come with him to the back room. Agnes seemed not to notice as my dad walked away.

  “So what’s wrong with him being an idiot?”

  “Because he has to work with people! And he used to be so intelligent,” she whined slightly.

  I stared at her, waiting for her to explain further.

  “He and Star, they have managed to keep their jobs.”

  “What?” I glanced back over at Lincoln, shocked.

  “The owner believes they add…character.” Agnes began to wring her hands nervously. She shifted her eyes away quickly when I looked directly at her. I honestly hadn’t thought anything suspicious, until she made that face. She wasn’t a very good liar.

  “You did something to the owner! To convince them!”

  “Shhh!” She pulled me further into the corner, pulling me down so she could speak quietly into my ear. “Besnik does not know. He thinks the owner is making these decisions of her own accord. I don’t want him to find out, he’s so proud of the progress he’s making with them.”

  “Okay, okay. Sorry.” I looked at her, curious. “Are you and Besnik…?” I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

  She stiffened up and dropped my elbow. “That is not appropriate for me to speak of with you, young lady.” She walked back over to Lincoln, and jerked the chair roughly towards her, making it easier for her to hop up onto. She faced Lincoln again and started up where they left off.

  I smiled at her when she glanced over at me, and then she quickly glanced away, blushing. I went into the back to find my dad.

  He and Besnik were half-heartedly watching Star perform regular tasks around the back room, as they spoke heatedly about something.

  “Hey,” I said, interrupting them as well.

  All three of them looked over at me.

  “Hey, Audrey!” Star said cheerfully. She smiled dreamily, not oozing though now, as her cheek seemed properly stitched up.

  “Hey Star. What are you doing?”

  “Practicing…?” She stared around the room, seeming to suddenly question what she was doing.

  “Audrey, please stop confusing her!” Besnik said angrily. He rose from his chair and went over to begin explaining to Star what she was supposed to be doing. This didn’t seem to be the first time he had to do this.

  “Trust me Besnik; this is nothing different from how she was before.”

  He ignored me, but my dad smiled and got up to come and lead me back out front. “We should talk to Agnes. Besnik was telling me some things about these two, but I think he’ll be a while now.”

  “All I did was ask what she was doing. If that messed her up, imagine what an actual customer will do.”

  “I know, Aud. Let’s just talk to Agnes.” He grinned down at me.

  Agnes smiled at my dad as we walked out, but barely glanced at me. Great, now everyone was annoyed with me.

  “Agnes can you explain what you think is happening with Star and Lincoln? Besnik is busy.”

  “Of course, give me a moment.” She faced Lincoln again. “Lincoln, what would you say to me if I asked you where I could find some incense?”

  Lincoln laughed at her, and then crinkled up his face and repeated back in a screechy, high-pitched voice, “Where can I find some incense?”

  Agnes sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. She got down from the chair and came over to us.

  “Not going too well?” My dad smiled at her sympathetically.

  “They only have three days to be somewhat normal. That’s how long the owner gave them for their sick leave. She is completely clueless as to their actual condition. She thinks they both just came down with something…odd.”

  “Are she and Star related by any chance?” They both ignored me.

  “So what exactly do you think is going on with them?” My dad asked. “Why aren’t they all, you know…grrr?” He made clawing gestures along with the noises. I tried to muffle my grin but he caught it and nudged me with his elbow.

  “I think they are under a spell that is only good as long as the creator remains alive. When Audrey was becoming a zombie, she was retaining some of her human characteristics because we were slowing down the process.”

  “Well you didn’t see me right before Kirk changed me.”

  “Dear, if you had changed as you were supposed to, you wouldn’t have lasted more than a day. We did an incredible job, for what it was worth. A few casualties are just something we will all have to live with.” She squeezed my shoulder gently, giving me her warm smile.

  “Okay so do you think there’s someone else on The Council? Someone that obviously didn’t show up for the fight?” My dad asked.

  “What about those two creepy chicks you fought?” I asked Agnes. “You know, the 'Witches of Eastwick'. Could one of them be doing this?”

  “No dear, that is not possible. We took care of them,” Agnes said.

  “So they’re definitely dead?” I turned and looked at my dad. “You know this for sure?”

  “Agnes destroyed the bodies, Kirk and I helped with the digging. So yeah, we’re pretty damn sure.”

  “If it is someone on The Council,” Agnes said, interrupting, “it is someone who joined recently, due to the fact that Besnik and I do not know them.”

  “Well now we just need to figure out the spell, right? We don’t need someone holding the possibility of Star and Lincoln turning back into regular flesh eating zombies when we least expect it.”

  “Speaking of flesh eating, Aud,” my dad said, “Have you noticed anything weird with Phantom?”

  I looked at him for a moment, blinking. “We really need to figure out that spell, Agnes.”

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