Welcome Friends
How strange it all was when I first met them. You see, they didn’t like me at first glance and who can blame them. One look at me would have anyone scared out of their wits. For one, the skin around my mouth is gone, showing only my rotted teeth and jaw. My eyes are beautiful and round, but they are white and clouded and sunken into the whole of my face. My skin, from the top of my head to the very soles of my feet is pale, sullen, and peeling. Although I am rotting, I am not, by any means, a rotten person. But you are probably wondering to yourself who is this person that is talking to you. Please let me introduce myself. I am the Much Pampered and Much-Admired Lady Josephine Bearer, and I am, in fact, a reanimated corpse, or as it is so commonly known as, a zombie. It’s quite unlike anything one has ever experienced before. My flesh is decomposing and some of my limbs are falling, but I do not in any way, shape, or form shuffle about, speak in grunts and groans, or consume human flesh. That is quite unladylike. I mean the very idea of putting human skin into one’s mouth is upsetting. And the taste is just downright dreadful!
I reside in a city called Geisterwelt. It’s a wonderful place to live, filled with, well, creatures like me, of course. My husband and I know nothing outside of the privileged world of our own. That was until the humans came, of course. That is when things began to get most wonderfully interesting. It was a most distressingly hot summer when the world of the living fell apart. Apparently, as the story goes, some poor chap was foolishly meddling around in some laboratory, mixing and experimenting with some rather nasty viruses. Well, as you know, it was only a matter of time before all hell broke loose and the zombie apocalypse started. Not very clever on the humans’ part. But then again, nothing they ever do is smart. The poor dears.
In any case, I suppose one must learn from one’s mistakes. Even if that mistake is creating hundreds of flesh-eating zombies. As millions succumbed to the chaos that surrounded them, it was just another ordinary day for I and my family. That day we awoke to the sound of the city outside our rather extraordinary townhouse. I love to look out my window just as the maids are coming in. Our house was one of the fine homes overlooking the square on Dead End Drive. Only the very elite were permitted to live on this street. I am forever surrounded by the beauty of wilting flowers and deteriorating gardens of the parks down below. On one end, I can see the shops, cafés, and vendors opening to the public. I was very eager to start the day for it was to be a special one, so I had my lady's maid, Alma, dress me. I'm sure that somewhere throughout time the fashion scene has changed, but I still wore the clothe that existed during the time of my death: the long flowing dresses of 1914 with a variety of shawls, feathers, and shoes. It was such a fantastic time to be in until The Great War happened. But anyway, once dressed, I ventured downstairs, hurrying passed our housekeeper Frau Faulig, supervising the servants on my way to breakfast.
"Guten Morgen, milady.” she said. “You didn’t have to come downstairs. Alma should’ve brought your breakfast.”
“Good Morning.” I said, sighing. Frau Fraulig and Alma didn’t see eye-to-eye most of the time. “Is everything ready for tonight?”
“Of course, milady.” she replied.
I traveled downstairs, walking down the great halls, passing by the servants, until I reached the dining room.
“Hello, my love.” he said as I arrived in the dining room. He put down his morning paper to give me my daily morning kiss. A sensual, little tradition of ours.
“Good morning, Paul.”
“Good morning, my love.”
Our three daughters, Frederica, Georgette, and Alicia, all sat around the table. Such little dears, dressed in their matching green dresses that highlight their rotting little faces. Breakfast was nothing extravagant here at home. Only the finest animal carcasses, coated in sauce and an assortment of rotted fruits served on my family’s fine chin. As I sat down at my end of the table, drinking my morning tea, I gazed at my husband. His face was deep in thought as he looked at his newspaper.
“Anything interesting in the papers today, my love?” I asked as I kissed the top of his head.
Paul scoffed. “Fat chance.” he said. “There’s nothing in here but gossip. It appears that another one of the Cadavers outrageous parties have made it in here.”
I rolled my eyes until one of them popped out and rolled towards the feet of our butler, Mortis. The thought of that silly little family was enough to make one’s head spin! The Cadavers are my family’s social rivals. Well, they were my social rivals. And oh, how I detest them. No sense of decorum whatsoever to come from their extravagance. They’re vulgar and crude! And to think that their unsightly house is right across the street from mine! Dreadful! I have half a mind to ring up every newspaper in the city and give them the awful details about what really goes on there, but not before I have the city council plant some very tall trees to block their home from my view.
“But look here, Josie!” Paul said. He got up from his seat and rush towards me, waving the newspaper in the air. “Look at what the humans have done! One of their newspapers must've flown past the gates."
“I’m not amused at anything those creatures do.” I replied with a scoff.
“No, look!”
Humans are monsters, plain and simple. Nothing they do is worth bothering the press about. I’d rather read more about that lecherous family across the street. However, I’m not one to pass up a good intrigue, so naturally I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Not-so-surprisingly, the humans have somehow screwed up again with their latest craze. The virus they’ve unleashed in an underground lab is ravaging the planet, creating more zombies.
“How horrible, Mummy!” said Frederica. “Those poor humans!”
I scoffed at my daughter. Out of the three of them, Frederica has always had such a soft spot of the living that it worries me at times for her delicate disposition. My other daughters soon followed her in her sympathetic nature.
“Never pity the living, my little dears.” I replied. “If they didn’t learn from their countless other atrocities, I doubt they would learn from this one. Come along, girls. We mustn’t delay another minute.”
“Where are you going?” Paul asked.
“I simply must get to the shops before anyone else does.” I said. “Have you forgotten that we’re to host a party this evening?”
“I nearly forgotten.” he replied. “I’ll go with you. There are some things I have in town anyway.”
I was stopped by Mortis who held out his hand, displaying my fallen eye. “Your eye, My lady.”
“Thank you, Mortis.”
We all dressed in our coats, and all piled into the car. The girls were seated with their nanny each in their matching blue coats and hats. However, the bloodiest thing happened. As we drove to the central part of town, the gates were open. In case you were wondering, a set of black iron gates stood paramount at the top of the Surface, surrounded by a large cemetery and a thick fog to conceal our charming little city. The gates serve as a portal separating Geisterwelt from the world of the living. Frederica was the one to noticed it firsthand.
“Look, Mummy!” she exclaimed, pointing her little bony finger. “Can we see what the humans are up to?”
“Certainly not, Frederica!” I exclaimed. “Sit down at once before someone sees you!”
“I want to see the humans, too, Mummy.” said Georgette.”
“Me, too!” Alicia exclaimed.
My poor daughters. If they only knew of the dangers of what was beyond the Surface. Who knows what those insufferable humans are capable of!
“The living isn’t ready for three special little girls like you all.” said Paul.
“Why not, Daddy?” Georgette asked.
“It’ll have to take them some getting used to you first, my little dove. But don’t worry I’m sure they’ll love three little angels like you.”
Finally, we reached the center of town, and oh, how I love those long boulevards and avenues of shop after shop, restaurant after restaurant. The streets were a beautiful contrast to the tiny, yet elegant section that I am accustomed to. And the noise! I relish in the noise! So many cars and carriages on every block with many of the dead strolling down and around this very area. And at night, these streets lit up like thousands of diamonds. I love this city, and I wouldn’t want to live in any other place.
I’ve instructed nanny to take the girls to the confectioners for treats while go to the most famous shop in town. Seated in the middle of the Rue Le Mort was Madame Dégoûtant Dress Shoppe, the largest shop in the city. I have waited weeks upon weeks for this. 24 new dresses, hats, gloves, and shoes have all been made for me for the start of the social season.
But among them is the dress I will be wearing tonight. A gown of cream satin having cream and blue chiffon along a short sleeve bodice and trimmed in bands of blue satin, silver metallic cord and crystal beaded fringe and colorful silk flowers. The hobble skirt beneath the short, beaded chiffon overskirt is bunched in front to reveal beaded lace and chiffon underskirt and having silk flower swag and studded with rhinestones.
It is bound to be the envy of the everyone at the party.
“Josephine!”
I turned to see my good friend Lady Karoline Leiche. Her husband, Lord Quinton Leiche is a member of parliament as my husband is. Our two families met at a ball two seasons ago and have inseparable ever since. She walked up to me, a pale blue bonnet wrapped around her blonde hair and parasol in hand shielding her peeling face from the sun. The lower portion of her mouth was completely gone from the upper lip to the middle of her throat, revealing a gruesome skeletal jaw. I don’t see how she can walk in those wide crinoline skirts, though. But then again, her time of death was different to mine.
“Karoline, how are you?”
“As well as I’ll ever be.” she said. “I can’t wait until tonight. No doubt your party will be the talk of the town!”
“As it should be.” I said, beaming with confidence. “What are you wearing?”
A tiny giggle emerged from Karoline’s mouth. “What are you wearing?” she teased.
“That would be spoiling the surprise, darling.”
Going into the shop, we were overwhelmed by the amount of ladies shopping. The social season was upon us, so naturally, it would make sense.
“Lady Josephine, Lady Karoline!”
Madame Dégoûtant assistant, Mr. Stein approached us. There he stood, wearing that insipid frock coat and displaying his cheeky decaying grin. What was left of his hair was parted in the middle and slick with pomade. I never like the man. Such a greedy pompous little ass. I’d tear his eyes out if they weren’t gone already.
“It’s so good to see you ladies walking about. Have you--”
“Spare us your hysterics, please, Cedric.” I said. “I’m just here to pick up my order.”
“Yes, Madame Dégoûtant has given me specific instructions for you and Lady Leiche.”
Most of the staff came out carrying dozens of multicolored packages. My heart, or the little bit that’s left of it, began to flutter with excitement. “Just have the staff put everything in the car.”
“Don’t you think it’s a lot of baggage?” asked Karoline. “How will it all fit?”
I chuckled. “No need to worry, Karrie. “This is not going in the car with me. I wouldn’t want to wrinkle this dress. I’ll have a taxi bring this home.”
“Josie, you are a caution.” Karoline said. “Let’s have tea and cake at this charming little restaurant down the street.”
“I believe I have enough time for quick bite.”
A few blocks away from us was Casket Avenue, a street known for its chain of little restaurants. We settled on a new place called Nécrose which just opened a couple of weeks ago. It was an exquisite little establishment; I’ll give it that. It wasn’t as elegant asLa Rigidité Pétrifiante. We got this charming little table near the window so I could get a good look at the all the shops. I didn’t order a lot, just some maggot tea and chocolate kidney cake, my favorite. It was a miniature two tier chocolate cake made with strawberries, cherries, and fresh rabbit kidneys. I just love how the blood oozes out when I cut into it.
“Are you inviting Lord and Lady Cadaver to the party?” Karoline asked after taking a sip of tea. A few of the maggots buried their little way into her lips.
I nearly vomited at the very mention of that name. “Certainly not!” I exclaimed. “I hardly gotten any sleep from their constant partying. Such vulgar people! You remember the last time I made that mistake?”
“I know, dearie.” she said. “That family can be a bother, but it might be good for both your family and theirs if you were just a little nice to each other.”
“Perhaps.” I replied. “But make no mistake that that woman will be the ruin of me one day.”
“Josephine!”
I turned around to see Lady Scarlett running down the street. Following behind her was her maids, trying desperately to keep up with her while carrying boxes and bags from various modistes.
“I cannot wait to show you what I am going to wear at your party!”
“Well, if you tell her now, then it would be a surprise.” Karoline teased.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
This was it! The night of all nights has finally come. As night fell, dozens of cars and carriages were pulling up to the house. I cannot help but swell with pride at the many lords and ladies entering my brightly lit home.
“Are you ready, milady?” asked Alma.
“Of course!”
After taking one last look at my appearance, I grabbed my white feathered fan and left the room. Oh, silly me! You’re probably wondering why I’m having a party. My husband and I are celebrating the anniversary of our death. Paul was standing at the bottom of the stairs with our little girls, all three of them twirling around in their party dresses. When he looked up at me, I could see his heart from behind his tailor-made suit growing with adoration. He smiled, causing some of his jaw to drop on the floor. I, too, felt my own heart swell at the sight of him.
“You look so beautiful, my angel.” he said.
“Thank you, my love. Shall we make our appearance?”
Kissing my gloved hand, Paul and I walked gracefully into the room. The sounds of our friends talking, and laughing was sweeter than music.
“Happy Anniversary, my dearest friends.” said Karoline. She and Quinton walked arm in arm towards us. He rather dashing in his white tie and tails. I always wondered why gentlemen wore the same thing at social events. It’s nothing spectacular as the ladies’ wear. All those frills, silks, and jewels. The children made their way to the buffet table, naturally.
“Swell party, Paul.” said Quintin.
“Thanks, Quinn.” he replied. “It’s so good to have you here. Josie was worried you wouldn’t make it.”
I tore away from my husband to talk to my friends. There they stood by the buffet table: Lady Henrietta Morta, Lady Scarlett Lovelace, and Mrs. Claire Digby.
Poor Claire. She just had to marry down the pecking order. I’ve met her husband once. Charles was his name. It was last summer at the theatre. Sweet old chap but just as dimwitted as his wife. The dear girl could’ve had a title and place at court like the rest of us, but I guess her lack of brains must’ve clouded her judgement (Literally). There she was standing in front of the punch bowl. I only hope that she doesn’t knock it over with the abnormally huge bustle she’s wearing.
“Great party, Josie!” she said.
But anyway, back to me. Paul and I stood amongst our guests talking and laughing, having the best time ever. There was not a thing in the world that could shatter our little world.
That’s when it happened. One of the servants ran into the room. I could see her decomposing heart beating frantically within her ribcage as a look of pure terror etched on her rotting face.
“Humans!” she screamed. “Humans in Geisterwelt!”
Except that.
