White Zombie Page #2

Praise of our lord and saviour

and the love of

god and the fellowship

of his angels.

Be with us ever more. Amen.

Neil, Neil...

Neil...

Neil...

Neil...

Look!

Zombies!

Yes.

They are my servants.

Did you think we could do it alone?

In their lifetime they were my enemies.

Ledot, the witch doctor.

Once my master.

Secrets I tortured out of him.

Von Gelder, the swine.

Swollen with riches.

He fought against my spells until the last.

In him I have a struggling type.

His Excellence, Richard.

Once minister of the interior.

Scarpia, Brigand Chief. Marcquis,

Captain of Gendarmerie. And this...

this is Chauvin. The high

executioner,

who almost executed me!

I took them

just as we will take

this one.

But what if they

regain their souls?

They would tear me to pieces.

But that, my friend,

shall never be.

Madeline!

Madeline!

Madeline!

Madeline!

Theres two explanations

that strike me,

either the body was stolen by the

members of a death cult

that use human bones in their

ceremonies, or else...

Or else what?

Shes not dead.

Not dead?

Are you mad?

I saw her die,

the doctor signed the certificate.

I saw them bury her.

Now, wait a minute, wait a minute.

Im not mad.

But Ive lived in these islands

for a good many years,

and Ive seen things with my eyes

that made me think I was crazy.

There are superstitions in Haiti that

the natives brought here from Africa.

Some of them can be traced

back as far as ancient Egypt,

and beyond that yet, in the countries

that was old when Egypt was young.

Yes, but what has that

to do with Madeline?

I kissed her as she lay

there in the coffin.

And her lips were cold.

Let me explain. Now,

just a minute, Ill explain.

Wherever there is a superstition, you

will find there is also a practice.

Now, do you remember what your driver told you

the night that he took you to Beaumonts house?

Oh, about those horrible

creatures we saw?

He said they were corpses!

Taken from their graves.

Yes - thats the superstition!

Now for the practice.

The ghouls that steal the dead corpses from their graves,

are supposed to put them there in the first place.

Do you mean that

Madeline was murdered

so that somebody could

steal her dead body?

Aagh! Nonsense!

No, no. Not her...

Her body, yes; but not her dead body.

Thats what I meant.

Well, surely you dont

think shes alive,

in the hands of natives?

Oh no, better dead than that!

Excuse me please,

have you got a match?

Thank you.

You dont believe that,

do you?

Say, theres been lots of people

thats been pronounced dead

that came alive again and

lived for years.

Now, if nature can play

pranks like that,

why isnt it possible to play

pranks with nature?

Oh, I dont know.

Your driver believed he saw

dead men, walking.

He didnt. What he saw was man alive

and everything but this and this.

Oh, the whole thing has me confused!

I just cant understand it.

Um, I dont blame you...

I dont blame you.

Ive been trying for years to get to

the bottom of these things.

To separate what you call fact

from fiction.

The law!

The law of Haiti acknowledges the

possibility of being buried alive.

Here it is in

the penal code.

Ill read it for you.

Its in French -

do you speak French?

No.

Excuse me please,

have you got a match?

Right here, heres one.

Oh, thank you. I didnt see it there.

Ill translate it for you.

If you could spare me.

Article...

Article 2.49.

The use...

The use of drugs or other practices

which produce lethargic coma,

or lifeless sleep,

shall be considered attempted murder.

Attempted!

Yes I see.

If the person has been

buried alive,

the act should be considered murder

no matter what result follows.

Beaumont!

Say, you said you couldnt

understand

why he was so interested in us.

Do you think he did this?

No. No, I think his natives would.

Natives would be right.

Of course if you want to, we

could go to Beaumonts house first.

If I could get my hands on the devil

thats responsible for this,

Ill make him such an example

that every witch doctor in Haiti

would be shaking in his sandals.

But we cant do this alone.

Cant the authorities help?

The authorities, Neil, my boy,

you dont know these islands.

The native authorities are

afraid to meddle.

I am not. Ive got friends

among the natives.

Theyll tell me things that no jandam

could ever get out of them.

Because I am a preacher.

They think I am a magician.

Before we get through with this thing, we may uncover

sins that even the devil would be ashamed of.

Oh, these witch doctors...

Madeline...

Foolish things, they cant bring

back the light to those eyes.

I was mad to do this,

but if you had smiled on me,

Id have done anything for you.

Given you anything.

I thought that beauty

alone would satisfy,

but the soul is gone...

I cant bear those

empty staring eyes.

Oh, forgive me,

Madeline. Forgive me!

I cant bear it any longer.

I must take you back.

Back to the grave,

Monsieur?

No, you must put the life back into her

eyes and bring laughter to her lips.

She must be gay and

happy again!

You paint a charming picture,

Monsieur.

One that I should

like to see myself!

You must bring her back.

Arent you a trifle afraid,

Monsieur?

How do suppose those

eyes will regard you

when the brain is able

to understand?

Better to see hatred in them

than that dreadful emptiness.

Perhaps youre right.

It would be a pity to

destroy such a lovely flower.

Lets drink to the future

of this flower.

A glass of wine!

Silver, bring wine!

We have a toast to drink.

To the future,

Monsieur!

Only a pin point,

Monsieur.

In a flower...

or perhaps in a glass of wine?

You devil! What are you

trying to do to me?

I have other plans for Mademoiselle.

And I am afraid you might not agree.

I have taken a fancy to you,

Monsieur!

Silver! Silver!

Dont, dont!

To the future,

Monsieur!

The vulture,

you...

No. Not that.

Not that!

We ought to be picking up an old witch

doctor around here pretty soon.

His name is Pierre, Ive known

him for years. Bright old fellow.

I dont know just

where well find him.

Come, son.

There are evil spirits in the road.

I will give you an awonga.

And here, this one

for the ox.

Young man is sick with distress.

Well hey, wait a minute, we cant

afford to have you sick.

Neil, why dont you go over there,

we've got a hard day before us tomorrow.

Now, now then Pierre, come on.

Hes gone. We can talk.

It is a dangerous thing

you ask me to do.

Well now listen here you know, we're old

friends, you and me, and I want to go on.

Turn back before it is too late!

Oh, no. Ive come too

far to turn back now.

Im too old to go all this way with you.

Well listen, cant you get

somebody to go with us?

My people all afraid of the mountain.

Why?

Because it is called the land of the living dead.

Well, have, have you ever been there?

I am the only man that has ever

come back from there alive.

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