Tales of The Unexpected

Part Two:
'The Undeadwood Stage'

By Paul Grace

Part I: Wild West Zombies

A Two-Game Scenario for Zombies Out West

Ambushed and chased by Apache, a stagecoach thunders into view - one of its lead horses, bristling with arrows, exhausted and terrified, expires, bringing down the rest of the team. The driver loses control and the coach careers over. The Apache close in for the kill but then inexplicably rein in their spooked ponies and ride off - their war cries now shrieks of terror.

The dust settles, shots ring out as the remaining horses are put out of their twitching whinnying misery…… Silence. The dishevelled occupants stagger across to a small hollow, surrounded by rocks (a strong defensive position) and prepare themselves against renewed attack.

They are :

    Buck Rickabaugh: Coach Driver. Rifle & pistol 'Shootist'
    Sheriff Curly Wilcox: Riding Shotgun. Shotgun & pistol 'Shootist'
    Doc Boone : 'Struck-off' Doctor & drunkard. Pistol 'Citizen'
    Dallas: Prostitute - ran out of town. Pistol 'Citizen'
    Lucy Mallory: Cavalry Officer's wife. 'Citizen'
    Henry Gatewood: Banker & embezzler. Pistol 'Citizen'
    Hatfield: Southern gent & gambler. 2 Pistols 'Shootist'
    Samual Peacock: Whiskey salesman. Pistol 'Citizen'
    The Ringo Kid: Rifle & Pistol 'Legend'

In the distance the silhouette of a small town can be seen. Curly suggests that a group of them attempt to reach the town and get help. If it turns out to be one of the many abandoned 'ghost towns' in this region, then by setting the buildings alight, perhaps they might draw the attention of a cavalry patrol. Ringo volunteers to go by himself, but Curly insists that Gatewood, Hatfield, and Peacock go with him to increase the odds of someone getting through. He is sure that Buck and himself can hold off any further attacks from this position while Doc Boone looks after the ladies.

After a cautious but uneventful journey, Ringo and his comrades reach the edge of the town. It appears to have only recently been abandoned. A pale faced wild eyed figure leaps into view, a bible in one hand and a sawn off shotgun in the other. His jacket is bloody and torn, with what appears to be an animal bite on his left arm. "They're here! It's the resurrection and Hell has opened its gates. It's the time of the apocalypse and we're all doomed I tell ye, we're all doomed!"

They try to calm him down (Peacock is still carrying some of his whiskey samples). The man's name is Fraser, the local undertaker and lay preacher. He insists that the dead have returned to life and have killed and eaten all the inhabitants of Clicheville. Only he and his wife (Roxanne) have survived, barricaded in the local saloon. Having run short of food and water, he leapt from the balcony and ran out of town in an attempt to find help. He was attacked by a group of walking dead (suffering a bite in the arm) but blasted his way out.

Although never mentioned in the scriptures, it appears that their souls will rest again if you blow their brains out! Ringo is at first convinced that Fraser has been eating 'loco weed', but then a group of figures shamble towards them. Ringo has seen plenty of corpses in his time and can recognise the rank smell of decay, but has never seen one walk before. Gatewood jibbers and Peacock stammers about going back to the others. "We've come here to do a job" drawls Ringo – "light a beacon for the cavalry, and now there's a lady in need our help. When that's done, then we'll get the Hell out of here." Another group of zombies emerges, blocking their retreat. Hatfied shoots down two. "Gentlemen, the stakes are high and the odds are against us - That's my kind of poker - let's play."

Two solo games can now be played in the form of a mini campaign, with the events in the second game being influenced by actions from the first.

More Wild West Zombies

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