Ramona pumped her fist in the air. Grandmother Spider hugged her. Brand and Amanda came back to themselves. I pretended to wake from my own trance.
Kokopelli and Mana shrieked.
“You cheated!”
Grandmother Spider shook her head and grinned. “I wagered well.”
Back in the ordinary world, Chasing Star Dancer brought the healing rain. The zombies immediately dissolved into the muddy ground. The Children of Kokopelli and Kokopelli-Mana hid their faces and tried to burrow into the ground to hide. In a flash of lightning, Chasing Star Dancer swooped down and gathered them all up along with the restless souls that animated the zombies. He set them free among the stars.
At least, that’s how Grandmother Spider tells it.
Me, I was too busy attacking a couple of hell-bugs to pay attention.
As soon as Kokopelli knew the jig was up, he grabbed his flute and tried to run. Mana raised her pipe but I grabbed hold of her proboscis and squeezed it permanently shut before she could blow. I guess it cut off her breathing, too. Or maybe that happened when Brand crushed her abdomen. I don’t know, I’m not an entomologist.
Amanda got a couple good shots in on Kokopelli before he could exit the stage. I caught up with him and broke the appendage holding the flute.
“I believe this belongs to the house, since you just lost it in a bet.”
“You cheated!”
“So you say. I’m going to take it now. Just call me Rocco the Enforcer.” I grabbed the instrument out of its useless appendage and roundhouse kicked its head.
When Kokopelli hit the floor, its body reverted back to Trixster 13. Mana was gone too, leaving behind 11th Hour. Neither DJ would be performing soon. If ever. I don’t know; I’m not an undertaker.
I’m the Midwife. Bit of a change for me, but I’m getting used to it.