[Crafts] Obadiah Blake, Revenant Outlaw
P50066C - Chronoscope "Urban Zombies II" - part C: Zombie with 2 Weapons (converted)
The full moon gazed balefully down upon the town of Armadillo Gulch, only occasionally blinking with the lazy passing of a cloud. The crickets chirruped, and a little dust devil spun across the sandy main street. Bawdy laughter and jaunty piano music came from cozy confines of the Coyote Saloon, but outside, it was quite dead.
In fact, right in front of the undertaker's office, Obadiah Blake, notorious cheater, vandal, and all-around trouble-maker, awaited his final rest. His lifeless body was propped up along with his coffin, lid open. He'd shot and killed several men, and tall tales had sprung up all around him -- how his mother was a witch, and his father the "Devil hisself." And yet with all this, the criminal distinction that finally got him dragged behind a horse and strung up from a tree was proclaimed on a sign around his neck: "Horse Thief."
Jake Barley, farmhand from the Circle-K Ranch, staggered out of the saloon, thoroughly liquored-up. Between the liquid courage and Blake finally being dead and all, he finally had the gumption to make his way over to old Obadiah and tell him exactly what was what. It was no secret how many men Obadiah had killed, but he'd always the sense to do it with just enough deniability (and, some thought, an occasional bribe) that the corrupt sheriff seemed to afraid to do anything about it until it went from mere murder of fellow lowlifes, to more ... serious crimes.
"... and another thing," Jake slurred, poking the lifeless Obadiah in the chest, just over where his hands were folded peacefully one over the other, "I coulda took ya. Yeah. I coulda got you in one shot. Just never had the chance."
The full moon came out from hiding again, and Obadiah's face was bathed in its full glow. Something looked wrong about that battered corpse in the moonlight. Sure, the skin had become discolored from the hanging, but his hair seemed to have gone grey, and unhealthy odors came from the body.
But that was nothing compared to the way Obadiah's eyes snapped open. His lips drew back in an unhealthy grin. "What say we have it out right now, Jake? Draw, pardner."
Jake's jaw fell open, and he only managed an inarticulate rattle. His body froze; he couldn't even manage to pull back the finger still poking Obadiah in the chest. The body was still cold; the chest didn't move. Between that and the smell, there was no doubting that Obadiah was dead. And still...
With a crack of limbs moving despite the rigor mortis, and a fluidity of motion that outdid anything Obadiah had managed in life, the corpse snapped down a hand and yanked Jake's pistol right from the holster. The cold metal of the barrel then pressed against Jake's jaw. "Close your mouth, son," he said. "You'll let something in."
Jake's eyes went wide.
A gunshot crack echoed across the street. The piano went silent. Shadows darkened the saloon door as curiosity-seekers stumbled out to peer vainly into the shadowed street.
More shots rang out. Screams soon joined them. Death had been only a minor interruption in the criminal career of Obadiah Blake.
Reaper #50066 (part C - "zombie with 2 weapons"), "Urban Zombies," with a pistol from #59026, "Deadlands Weapons & Accessories." The coffin is a room-temperature plastic casting from Hirst Arts Castlemolds ("graveyard" mold); the noose and "wanted" poster are "bitz" from the Games Workshop Warhammer Fantasy "Empire Flagellants" set. Painted up as a "Walkin' Dead" (Wild West zombie) for use with Deadlands Reloaded (Savage Worlds RPG).