by Gayle Katz
“Right, and I have the pages from the first chapter right here. It’s very important to keep these locked up. I’ll give the first set to Zan, and then you can pass them onto Owen for corrections if need be.”’
“Great,” she said, taking the first set of stapled pages. She folded them and put them into her jacket pocket, then zipped it up.
“Well, if that’s everything, I’ll see you next Monday.”
“Perfect,” said Owen, heading out. “Let’s hope that Charlie is back to her senses by then and can join us.”
zzz
“Hey, Charlie,” called out Owen. “You see any good zombie movies recently?”
Charlie looked up at him and smiled. “Wow, you’re really into the zombies. No, I haven’t been watching anything. What is good?”
“Well, Dawn of the Dead is good. Night of the Living Dead, Cargo, and The Girl with All the Gifts are all worth a watch. The list is endless!”
“That’s great. If I have extra time after studying, I’ll check them out.”
“Right,” he said. “Finals are coming up fast.”
“Hi, Charlie,” said Zan, taking a seat on the other side of Charlie.
“Hi, Zan. Do you always carry a weapon to class?”
Zan frantically pushed her dagger deeper into her back pocket and pulled her sweater down. “Thanks, ha-ha!”
“How do you get that through the metal detector?” asked Charlie.
“Wow, you want to bring something in too?” asked Zan.
“Maybe. I don’t know. It might be nice to have a gun or something, as long as I was trained up on it, of course.”
“Wow, I didn’t think you’d be interested in those,” said Owen. “I thought you liked daggers?”
Charlie looked at him in amazement. “A dagger? That’s an interesting weapon of choice. It could be useful if you were able to sneak up on someone, like a zombie for instance.” She smiled.
“Well, that’s our Charlie,” said Owen, pleased. But then he saw Zan motioning for him to zip his lip, so he stopped. “So, did you enjoy the trip to Seattle?” he asked her.
She frowned. “I really can’t remember a lot. I got sick with the flu or something.”
“Well, that’s too bad. We had a great time taking the Underground Tour and everything. Then we got stuck down there after the earthquake. You remember that?”
“Umm, no,” said Charlie.
Zan motioned at him to be quiet. He finally took the hint and shut up, with a sad expression on his face.
Later that day, they found out that their homeroom class would be attending the opening of a new mini mall on the other side of town. Owen and Zan excitedly left the school to head to their cars in the parking lot.
“Hey, maybe we can ask the mayor about the zombies,” he said.
“Well, we can,” said Zan, “but she may deny such a thing. They keep things hush-hush in this city.”
“I know,” said Owen. “But we can try.”
“Yep,” said Zan. “I would be curious how much she really knows. Did she even try to do anything during the outbreak? Or did she just leave everything for Sergeant Bourne to do?”
“It is a puzzle,” he said.
“Well, it sounds like a boring event to go to, but what could possibly happen?”
“Yeah,” said Owen. “But I heard there is free cake and soda.”
zzz
The students assembled near the school bus the next morning. It was almost time to head to the opening of the new mini mall, which had been built inside an old historic building.
Zan and Owen were the last to enter the bus. They found seats at the back.
“Hey, Charlie, there’s a spot in the back here,” Owen called out to her. She was sitting a few seats ahead, alone.
“Thanks, but I’m fine,” she called back.
“Hey, you guys have a fight or something?” commented Dale. He was sitting beside Mark.
“Not really,” he answered. “I think she just wants to focus on studying for exams.”
The trip to the mini mall was uneventful. The bus dropped them off out front. They joined the small throng of people surrounding the entrance to the mall. Some people, probably the politicians, were smartly dressed while the rest wore casual clothes, like jeans and t-shirts.
The teens couldn’t get anywhere near Mayor Cote before the event. She was swarmed by people who wanted a chance to shake her hand.
“We’ll have to wait until they cut the ribbon and hand out the cake,” she said.
“Cool,” said Owen. “There are no zombies in sight.”
“Well, if there were,” said Zan, “this would be the place for them to show up.”
“You can say that again.”
The gathering was getting larger. Someone on one side yelled as someone else tossed candy into the crowd.
Finally, it was time for the mayor to make her speech. “I’d like to thank the Portland Police Department for stepping up these past few months to help us manage our unpleasant typhoid outbreak. Unfortunately, sick people seem to feel the need to go to work or school, infecting others. Please stay home if you feel unwell, or head to the nearest urgent care center or hospital. But right now, I’m pleased to say that there are zero cases of typhoid fever in the city, thanks to everyone’s efforts to control the outbreak.”
“Blah. Blah. Blah,” said Zan. “Really?”
“Shhh,” said Owen. “I don’t want to miss anything.”
Finally, the speech was done. The mayor raised her gold scissors in the air and cut the ribbon to the mini mall’s entrance.
“Please, come in for cake and soda, and then browse some of the finest shops in the city!” invited Mayor Cote.
The teens managed to get into the line for the cake. They finally made it past the door where the mayor was chatting with the locals. Most of the people dispersed by now, eager to get back to work.
“Hey, Mayor,” called out Zan. “Good job controlling the zombie outbreak!”
Everyone around her laughed.
The mayor pretended to look amused, but then she took a second look at Zan. Obviously, she was a teen who knew something.
“Yeah, it’s all your effort,” said Owen, sarcastically. “No teens responsible.” Then he frowned, wondering why he had suddenly become so cynical. His truthsaying abilities shouldn’t work on himself.
Finally, they had their cake and soda. After the students finished, they tossed their garbage into the trash cans and went exploring.
“Cool, looks like a bunch of antique and toy shops here,” said Owen.
“Yeah, well, don’t go selling them zombie parts,” said Zan.
“Ha-ha. Very funny!” he said. “That was a big waste of time anyway. Didn’t learn much there.”
“Well, we can go exploring, and then sneak out for a bit. We don’t have to be back at the bus until 2:30.”
“Sounds good. Say, I wonder where Charlie is?”
“Not sure why you care. I’m sure she can look after herself, regardless of whether she remembers who she is or not.”
“Right, but old habits die hard,” said Owen.
In the distance, they heard the sound of wailing.
“Cool. The party is just getting started!” said Zan, clutching the hilt of her dagger but not quite pulling it out yet.
“OK. I’ll go left, you go right,” advised Owen, quickly running off.
A large mass of teens ran past him.
“Hey, don’t go that way!” one guy cried. “There are zombies!”
“Good,” he said. “That’s why I’m here. Oh crap!”
Six zombies appeared before Owen.
“Why so many? And are these the second strain zombies or the traditional biting ones? What the heck is going on?” Owen had a lot of questions.
He decided to aim for the shortest one closest to him. As he pulled the dagger out of its skull, he kicked the next one closest to him. The zombie’s knee joint broke and he tumbled to the ground. T
hen Owen ran to the zombie on the end and lined them up with his eye. With one big push, all the zombies tumbled over one another and landed on the ground. Their arms and legs flailed wildly as he quickly dispatched them one after another.
Owen thought he’d gotten the last one, but then he felt something clutch his ankle.
zzz
Zan dashed around the courtyard. There were about a dozen shops in a circle, with the roof open to the sky. She sprinted into stores and told the students to get back to the bus. She was honest and said it was a zombie outbreak. Every single student took off when they heard the word zombie. They were under no illusions that the recent zombie outbreaks had not been hoaxes, like everyone else pretended they were, so as not to create undo panic.
She saw Owen on the far side of the courtyard, but he was doing fine. She raced out to the street where the bus was parked.
“Hey, Zan,” said Principal Allan. “I’ve counted all students back on the bus, except for you, Owen, and Charlie.”
“Good,” she said. Then she paused, thinking about the new, manufactured strain, not knowing fully what they were dealing with. “Did anyone get bitten?”
“I don’t think so,” he answered.
“You don’t think so? You better get on the friggin’ bus and find out, as everyone is going to turn if not!”
He scowled at her but did as she asked.
When Principal Allan wasn’t looking, Mark hopped off.
“Hey, need some help?” he asked.
“Hell no,” she started to say, but then she paused again. “Actually, yes. I’m finding it hard to believe that no students got bitten or injured when there were at least ten zombies in there. Stay on the bus and see if anyone turns.”
He smiled and nodded, happy to help. “I have my dagger in my backpack.”
“Good, get it ready and get back on that bus!”
He turned and went back to his seat. Principal Allan frowned at him but didn’t say anything.
Principal Allan came back out.
“We’ll catch up with you later,” Zan said to him.
“All right,” he said. “Be careful out there. I’ll get the kids back to school. Just waiting for our driver.”
“Oh, and call Stewart to give him an update,” Zan added.
“Sure thing.” He got back on the school bus as he saw the driver walk up.
Mark waved at her through the window.
Zan turned and went back inside the mini mall. She saw several proprietors hurriedly lock up their shops and leave.
That was odd. Principal Allan said that Charlie hadn’t shown up at the bus. So, where was she?
zzz
Charlie had been having an enjoyable day. She’d checked out many of the shops. She was looking at a t-shirt in one of the clothing stores when she heard yelling outside. It wasn’t unusual for teenagers to cause a commotion, so it didn’t stand out as strange behavior. It felt good to get out for a change, as Gran had been strict these past several weeks. She hadn’t let her go anywhere, unless it was to school or the grocery store.
She knew she’d been pretty sick with that flu she’d caught in Seattle. Apparently, she had almost died, or that’s what Gran had told her anyway. She hadn’t remembered being in the hospital at all. She recalled part of the school bus trip to Seattle, and some of the hotel and art museum, but that was it.
She thought that she’d hung out with Zan and Owen. Owen was a nice guy, but he seemed a bit clueless when he fawned all over Zan sometimes. Zan was oblivious and kind of annoying. Sometimes she spoke her mind when she should keep her mouth shut.
The trouble was, Charlie wasn’t certain if she had any other friends. She knew that Zan and Owen had been her friends, but she was pushing them away. It was odd. It was like there was a big invisible wall between her and them. She felt as though she should stay away from them, yet wasn’t entirely certain why.
Sometimes the cool kids in a school drank, smoked, or did drugs, but she didn’t think that Zan or Owen did any of that. But no one would tease or bully them for fear they’d have the crap beaten out of them. Why?
Were Zan and Owen abusive? No, that couldn’t be right. Perhaps they were just students who were going to police the school and end up in the police academy after graduation.
What was so funny was that she believed that was where she had been destined too. Charlie had actually found police career brochures and law enforcement manuals in her desk at home that led to that choice.
But was that what she really wanted to do with her life? Be a cop? If she didn’t do that, what else would she do?
She knew she did martial arts and had a gym membership. If Gran let her, she’d resume these activities. She felt restless, being stuck at home all the time. It would be good to get some exercise in.
Charlie paid for her t-shirt and tossed it in her bag. She turned and left the store. Standing right in front of her was a zombie.
“Hey, good getup,” she said. “Are you going to work in that costume?”
zzz
Owen felt something clutch his ankle. He tried to shake it off but couldn’t break the grip, and then he tripped and fell. Something was biting his shoe. He reached down to punch the zombie in the head, but it wouldn’t release its mouth from the sole of his shoe. He could feel its teeth working their way through the rubber.
It was a good thing that Owen was immune to zombies, since he was at home in Portland. His team may not have been immune to zombies in Seattle, but he was safe here. However, he really needed his foot, and zlayers and truthsayers were not immune to being eaten by zombies.
He managed to wriggle his way out of his shoe, and then stood up. He quickly rammed his dagger through the zombie’s skull. It quickly stopped moving.
He grabbed his shoe and worked it free of the zombie’s mouth. It was ruined. He looked into a nearby store that had shoes in the window. However, he doubted the store was still open and he didn’t want to break in. He resigned himself to putting the worn out shoe back on his foot.
He had gotten a glimpse of Zan heading out to the bus. He ran around to the shops but didn’t see any activity inside them. He searched for more zombies, but there were none. He hoped that Charlie was safe on the bus.
He just finished checking the twelfth shop when he saw Charlie in the back of it.
“Hey, Charlie,” he called out, but she didn’t react.
zzz
“What’s going on?” asked Dale, watching as the driver finally got on the bus. He seemed to be taking his time.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” said Mark.
“I heard there were zombies in the mall.”
“Nah, those aren’t real,” said Mark, wondering how much the other students really knew.
“Oh come on,” said Dale. “They’ve been in the news. Everyone denies there are zombies. Instead, they call it a typhoid outbreak.”
“Really?” said Mark, acting nonchalant. He peered at Principal Allan in the front seat. He’d decided to ride back with the students instead of bringing his sports car.
“Yeah. Seattle fully acknowledges they have zombies. Why can’t Portland do the same?”
“Well, that’s Seattle,” said Mark, laughing.
“Seriously. Those were dead, reanimated people in the mall. I saw them,” said Dale.
“Really?” Mark saw Principal Allan frowning at him, moving his second finger in circles in a gesture he thought meant, “wrap it up.”
“Yes, they stunk pretty bad too.”
“Well, I’m sure the police will get there and investigate, whatever is happening.”
“Good,” said Dale. “It’s always a concern, no matter what type of virus it is.”
Mark smiled, and then went back to his tablet, hoping that he would get the hint.
“Say, do you think this is anything to worry about?” Dale held out his arm. On it was what appeared to be a bite mark caused by human teeth.
zzz
Charlie backed away from t
he zombie. This guy stunk, like he’d been working in a slaughterhouse or something. The zombie came at her. She didn’t know what to do, so she kept on backing up into the store.
“Hey, I need some help here,” Charlie called out to the shop clerk.
“Sure,” she said, coming out from behind the counter.
By now Charlie was backed up against a rack of clothing.
“What’s up?” asked the woman. “Oh, it’s Glenn,” she commented.
“What? Glenn?”
“Yes, Glenn. He’ll look after you,” she said.
“Is this a joke?” said Charlie, frantically looking around her.
Glenn, the zombie, grabbed her and pulled her away from the rack.
“Just go with him,” said the woman, grabbing her purse.
Instead of the zombie attempting to bite her, he pulled her back through the store and out into the courtyard. Charlie tried to shake her arm free, but he wouldn’t let go.
“OK, have a nice day,” said the woman. “Someone gave me two hundred to keep my mouth shut.” She left.
“Wait, what’s going on?” asked Charlie.
The zombie who clutched her arm let out a series of strange moaning and groaning sounds as he pulled her behind him. They walked to a shop at the end of the courtyard.
Someone opened the door of the shop. The zombie pushed Charlie in, and then the door was closed.
zzz
Owen saw Charlie through the shop window. There was a zombie clutching her arm. It didn’t appear to immediately be interested in biting her, so that was good. He ducked behind the pond at the center of the courtyard when it appeared they were coming out. In the distance, Owen could see Zan. He beckoned to her to get out of sight.
