The Lord of the Curtain

by Billy Phillips

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters and events in this book are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  ONCE UPON A ZOMBIE: BOOK TWO: THE LORD OF THE CURTAIN

  Published by Gatekeeper Press

  2167 Stringtown Rd, Suite 109

  Columbus, OH 43123-2989

  www.GatekeeperPress.com

  Copyright © 2018 by Billy Phillips and Jenny Nissensen

  All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  ISBN: 9781935668398

  ISBN: 9781642370232

  eISBN: 9781642370225

  Printed in the United States of America

  For Marianne

  Table of Contents

  THE COLORS OF THE SPECTRUM

  OUR STORY SO FAR

  CHAPTER One

  CHAPTER Two

  CHAPTER Three

  CHAPTER Four

  CHAPTER Five

  CHAPTER Six

  CHAPTER Seven

  CHAPTER Eight

  CHAPTER Nine

  CHAPTER Ten

  CHAPTER Eleven

  CHAPTER Twelve

  CHAPTER Thirteen

  CHAPTER Fourteen

  CHAPTER Fifteen

  CHAPTER Sixteen

  CHAPTER Seventeen

  CHAPTER Eighteen

  CHAPTER Nineteen

  CHAPTER Twenty

  CHAPTER Twenty-One

  CHAPTER Twenty-Two

  CHAPTER Twenty-Three

  CHAPTER Twenty-Four

  CHAPTER Twenty-Five

  CHAPTER Twenty-Six

  CHAPTER Twenty-Seven

  CHAPTER Twenty-Eight

  CHAPTER Twenty-Nine

  CHAPTER Thirty

  CHAPTER Thiry-One

  CHAPTER Thirty-Two

  CHAPTER Thirty-Three

  CHAPTER Thirty-Four

  CHAPTER Thirty-Five

  CHAPTER Thirty-Six

  CHAPTER Thirty-Seven

  CHAPTER Thirty-Eight

  CHAPTER Thirty-Nine

  CHAPTER Forty

  CHAPTER Forty-One

  CHAPTER Forty-Two

  CHAPTER Forty-Three

  CHAPTER Forty-Four

  CHAPTER Forty-Five

  CHAPTER Forty-Six

  CHAPTER Forty-Seven

  CHAPTER Forty-Eight

  CHAPTER Forty-Nine

  CHAPTER Fifty

  EPILOGUE

  THE COLORS OF

  THE SPECTRUM

  RED

  Fear

  Anxiousness

  Jealousy

  Entitlement

  Panic

  Sadness

  Doubt

  Worry

  Cynicism

  Pessimism

  Apathy

  GREEN

  Will to Resist

  VIOLET

  Courage

  Calm

  Contentment

  Appreciation

  Serenity

  Happiness

  Certainty

  Confidence

  Conviction

  Optimism

  Passion

  When one resists the reactions arising out of the

  Red Spectrum, through their willpower, this

  free-willed act unleashes the attributes shining from the violet end of the spectrum. Resistance is the key.

  —The Colours of Our Character

  Dr. J. L. Kyle

  OUR STORY SO FAR

  They say hardships come in threes, but Caitlin Fletcher was inclined to believe that they miscalculated by a digit or two. Thirty-three or 303 seemed more like it. Because that’s how it had felt since that very first hardship hit.

  That first one had occurred on the day that Caitlin had turned ten years old—Halloween—and her mom, Evelyn Fletcher, had gone missing.

  I won’t even calculate the number of anxiety attacks I had.

  Three years later, evidence surfaced suggesting she had died, leading police to end their missing-persons investigation. Evelyn Fletcher was declared deceased. Thirteen-year-old Caitlin was inconsolable—so much so, she had blocked out the devastating truth of her mom’s passing, repressing the memory into one of those proverbial hidden recesses of the mind.

  Then came hardship one hundred thirty-whatever.

  It was one year later. Fate had intervened. On Caitlin’s fourteenth birthday, and the night of Halloween, Caitlin was forced to come to terms with what had really happened to her mom.

  She underwent an extraordinary, surreal experience—one that would never be believed by any rational, lucid human being.

  I’m still having trouble believing it happened!

  Caitlin had tumbled down a rather unusual rabbit hole. Unusual because the rabbit hole in question was, in fact, a wormhole beneath the grave of author Lewis Carroll, who was the first to dream up the idea of an interdimensional rabbit hole. When Caitlin had emerged, she’d landed in the authentic Wonderland. The land of wonder and the entire fairy-tale universe were verging on an apocalypse of undeadly proportions. All the revered literary characters of history were slowly but surely degenerating into ghastly, blood-eyed zombies.

  Except for those with royal blood.

  Zombie princesses Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel, though cold, pale, and distinctly undead, had retained the inner strength of will to resist the ferocious impulses that compel the walking dead to feast on flesh, blood, brains, and other vital organs.

  At the behest of another royal—the wise and enlightened blue caterpillar of Wonderland fame, Lord Amethyst Bartholomew—Jack Spriggins, the famous giant slayer, climbed a great beanstalk and popped out of the wormhole that was Lewis Carroll’s grave to seek out Caitlin so that she could help prevent the total collapse of all the kingdoms.

  Jack, going incognito in the world of humans as a high school hottie, befriended Caitlin as part of his plan to coax her into visiting the fairy-tale universe on Halloween night—the cosmic window when the graves of the most famous fairy-tale authors transformed into interdimensional portals.

  The situation became altogether strange when Caitlin discovered that the Queen of Hearts was the culprit and villain who had cursed these kingdoms with this vile affliction. The altogether strange had become deeply personal when Caitlin further discovered that her mother was still alive—she was the fairy-tale world’s Queen of Hearts, under a hypnotic spell placed on her by the wicked Enchanter.

  My poor mom!

  Caitlin had courageously fought through a tidal wave of debilitating fears by resisting the rash reactions radiating from the Red Spectrum. These valiant acts of free will had allowed her to liberate her mom from her emotional and psychic prison. In the process, she’d prevented the devastation of all these storied worlds.

  And then Caitlin’s heart was shattered. Her mom, though free from the curse of the Enchanter, was, in fact, dead in Caitlin’s normal world—but somehow very much alive in this other reality.

  Which meant her mom couldn’t come home with her.

  Caitlin had finally found peace by coming to terms with the tragedy that had devastated a heartbroken ten-year-old girl. When she’d finally returned home after preventing the collapse of the kingdoms, Caitlin had said goodbye to her mom at Mount Cemetery, in Guildford—the same ceme
tery where Lewis Carroll was interred. Her mom’s temporal body rested in peace by the grave of Caitlin’s granddad Robert “Bobby” Blackshaw.

  Caitlin had also come to terms with the fact that her new, dear friend Jack was, in fact, Jack Spriggins—which meant she had been harboring deep affections for a fictional being.

  Bizarre, to say the least.

  But the kiss they’d shared while standing under a crescent moon outside Mount Cemetery in Guildford was anything but fictional.

  After Caitlin’s breakthrough at Mount Cemetery, Jack had to return to his own world. However, he’d promised to return on a regular basis to keep their new friendship—and perhaps a new romance?—alive.

  CHAPTER One

  The aforementioned events took place exactly ten years ago to this very day. This very day!

  Halloween.

  And Caitlin Fletcher’s twenty-fourth birthday, which also happened to be her wedding day.

  The lovely young bride looked and felt angelic in her flowing, white silk gown with lace overlay and a tulle veil embellished with pearls that covered her face with distinct elegance and grace.

  She fidgeted with her bouquet of flowers as she waited nervously at the head of a candlelit aisle. Ivory rose petals adorned the matrimonial walkway that led to a white canopy upheld by birch poles trimmed with hanging grapevines and cascading florals. Truly enchanting.

  And so was the band, whose lead singer was crooning “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.” Caitlin had chosen the song in memory of her mother; it was the same song that her mom and dad, Harold and Evelyn Fletcher, had selected for their wedding dance after exchanging their own marriage vows.

  Tonight, Caitlin was certain her life was about to change. October 31, which had always been a deeply traumatic date for her, was about to be transformed into a day of joy, life, hope, and celebration.

  She felt beautiful, ridiculously happy, and deeply in love.

  Caitlin’s sister, Natalie, strode over, lifted her sister’s veil, and kissed her cheeks.

  “You look absolutely beautiful, sweet sibling!” Natalie said. “The perfect October bride.” She gave Caitlin a head butt. They shared a laugh.

  Caitlin was delighted at how beautiful Natalie looked. Her brainiac, child-prodigy kid sister had grown into a lovely and gracious young woman. Caitlin shook her head.

  How quickly the last ten years have flown by!

  She gazed into her sister’s eyes as a flood of memories stirred a gentle pang in her chest.

  Natalie was already a few years into a promising career as a highly regarded quantum biologist. The former little twerp was now the leading light in her field, responsible for some of the major advances in quantum biology.

  Whatever the heck that is!

  Caitlin was proud of her. Yet she secretly hoped Natalie would find a boyfriend already instead of staying married to her work. Guys were always lined up for blocks trying to score a date with the adorable hottie with the petite bod and the big brain.

  “Can’t wait to be an aunty,” Natalie said. Caitlin hugged her again.

  Harold Fletcher interrupted his daughters as he slid in next to Caitlin. He gently placed his daughter’s arm around his, patting it lovingly.

  “Ready, Caity-Pie?” her dad asked.

  She smiled. She had long dreamed of the day when her dad would walk her down the aisle.

  “Good to go, Papa Bear.”

  She sniffled. Caitlin so missed her mom at that moment.

  Her dad smiled. He gazed down the aisle toward the wedding canopy where Caitlin’s husband-to-be stood tall and graceful in his elegant black tux with the grosgrain-textured lapels.

  Caitlin laughed inwardly. Who could ever have imagined such a scene when she met up with Barton Sullivan in college three years ago? They had remained friends during their high school years, bonded by their mutual friendship with Jack.

  Jack.

  Caitlin swallowed.

  It had been ten long years since Caitlin had seen or heard from Jack. She lifted her veil and dabbed the wetness from her eyes with her pinkie.

  Not now, Caity-Cry—your mascara will run!

  Both she and Barton deeply missed Jack during their high school years at the Kingshire American School in London.

  Caitlin had never told Barton that Jack was actually storybook Jack Spriggins, the boy who climbed a beanstalk and faced off against the famous fee-fi-fo-fum-yelling giant.

  When Caitlin and Barton had met again in college, she’d found that the cocky high school rugby star had turned into a sweet and incredible guy. He was kind, graciously thoughtful, and never affected by his family’s wealth. Caitlin was certain that the punch on the nose from Jack on that first day of high school ten years ago, along with Barton and Jack’s deep-yet-brief friendship, had made a lasting impression on Barton Sullivan.

  Caitlin and Barton’s platonic relationship had blossomed into romance by her final year of college.

  Caitlin gazed at him through her veil as he stood under the canopy, lit by warm candlelight.

  How impressively handsome!

  Barton’s parents began their stroll down the aisle, and just like that, the wedding ceremony was under way. Natalie winked at her big sister, then followed.

  Caitlin became teary-eyed again as her dad softly tugged her arm.

  Together, father and daughter began their procession toward Caitlin’s husband-to-be.

  Butterflies flitted about in Caitlin’s tummy. She squeezed her dad’s hand. Rows of guests along the aisle nodded and smiled lovingly. The music stirred Caitlin’s emotions. Halfway down the aisle, Barton moved to claim his bride.

  Totally handsome dude!

  She couldn’t contain her feelings. She broke out in clipped sobs when her dad kissed her on the forehead, began to cry himself, and handed her off to Barton.

  The walk with Barton to the canopy and the marriage ceremony seemed a complete blur. Before she knew it, Caitlin and Barton had exchanged their vows and kissed. They were now husband and wife.

  Thunderous applause rang out. Band music filled the air.

  Family and friends circled the newlyweds. A barrage of congratulatory hugs and kisses ensued. Caitlin leaned in to hug Barton’s cousin Amanda, and as she leaned over Amanda’s shoulder, her eyes caught a glimpse of something that made her freeze: a familiar figure moving deftly through the crowd.

  Jack?

  He had crossed the room like a fleeting shadow, his face the same as Jack’s, but older.

  Caitlin craned her neck above the people swarming around her. She rose on the balls of her feet to scan the crowded

  room.

  Did I imagine it? Was it a look-alike, perhaps a relative of Barton’s?

  Her eyes darted around furiously.

  Then she lost her breath.

  Cinderella?

  The girl, a dead ringer for Cindy, was beautiful, fashionably attired, and without a trace of paleness or death upon her.

  Is she wearing makeup to hide the affliction? Is she cured? Is it even Cindy?

  Caitlin broke away, pushed past a throng of guests, and fought her way over to the girl who seemed to be the spitting image of Cinderella.

  Caitlin stopped before getting too close. The girl smiled tentatively.

  Caitlin cupped her mouth over her hand.

  The words fell out. “Is it you?”

  The girl held Caitlin’s gaze but didn’t reply. Instead, she approached Caitlin and warmly wrapped her arms around her.

  My God, it is her!

  She whispered in Caitlin’s ear, “Jack is here, too. We’re all here.”

  Caitlin let her go. She turned. Rapunzel was now right there behind her; her long golden locks pinned and wrapped, obviously to avoid drawing attention.

  And there was Snow White . . . and Sleeping Beau
ty, both smiling lovingly and dressed exquisitely, not a single trace of their former affliction on their faces.

  Emotions let loose and Caitlin corralled her royal friends into a group hug. Tears and kisses erupted as the girls gabbed a mile a minute, laughing like giddy schoolchildren, catching up on ten years in ten seconds.

  And then, Caitlin looked over at Rapunzel.

  He was standing right behind her.

  Jack.

  Caitlin’s royal friends retreated, leaving her and Jack alone and staring at each other.

  Jack nodded. That boy Spriggins was still adorable and as fresh as the countryside air, just as he had been when she last saw him a decade ago. Except he was now twenty-four, and old enough for marriage.

  A delicate smile formed on his face as he moved closer. Caitlin threw her arms around him. Jack embraced her warmly. She smelled his musky cologne, his hair, and his magic.

  Caitlin’s brow abruptly sharpened into an unhappy arch. She broke away from Jack’s embrace. Years of hurt

  and pent-up anger ignited a fiery glare. Her tone was thick with ire.

  “How could you not have contacted me all these years? I looked for you, Jack. I waited for you!”

  Silent grief lit his eyes. “I was here the whole time.”

  The words chilled her. She pressed a fist against her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief.

  What’s he talking about?

  “You never saw me,” Jack said. “I called for you, over and over. But you never heard. Never saw.” He took hold of her hands. She was trembling. “I never left you.”

  Jack raised his eyes, gazing past Caitlin . . .

  She turned to see what had caught Jack’s attention. Barton was coming to retrieve his new bride. Her husband’s eyes widened, and his mouth dropped.

  “Jack!” Barton called out.

  Jack let her go.

  He and Barton exchanged handshakes. Then they froze, gawking in disbelief at their formally locked hands. They broke out in laughter and immediately hugged each other like long-lost brothers.

  “What the hell happened to you, mate?” Barton asked. “All these years!”