Panic.
Chaos.
Two best words to describe Seabrook right now. Families of humans and zombies gathered to the town hall, holding tightly onto their kids in fear of them suddenly disappearing.
My brother had forced me to sit next to him, not letting me out of his sight in fear the monster would come and snatch me up.
Meaning I had to listen to him blab about how he always 'knew' there had been monsters in the forest.
"Werewolves are real! I've always, always said the stories of monsters in the forest were real, right Becca?"
The students who gathered around to listen to his story all averted their eyes to me. I cleared my throat loudly,
"Was that before or after you told me last week before boarding the bus that there was no such thing as monsters in the forest?"
I raised my eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest, curious to see how he'll crawl his way out of this one.
He turned towards the crowd of teens, before pulling on his stupid big smile and laughed.
He said, "She hit her head pretty hard", and gently stroked the top of my head, referring to the concussion my father (one of the most respected doctors in Seabrook) said I have.
I scoffed and gripped his wrist tightly before shoving it away with a glare.
I let out a "hmph" and turned to look out the big window overlooking Zombietown.
"I thought werewolves were just myths"
"Yeah like cavities"
I looked at Jacy who was seated in front of me, disbelief not only clear on my face but Bucky and the two other Acey's as well.
Is this kid serious?
Trying to play this out as calmly as possible I first gently placed my hand on his shoulder, rubbing softly.
"Yes" I didn't know what else to tell him. I then slowly retracted my hand.
"Those are real too?" His eyes widened comically wide before bringing out his phone to check his teeth in the reflection.
"Becca" I stood up at the sound of my name coming from across the room, hoping that whoever it was they'd be able to get me away from the spot I am sitting in now
It was Zed, who was seated next to his father who held Zoey in his lap up front. Zed signalled me to come over with a slight wave, I complied to his request. Ignoring my brother's flailing arms and obnoxious protests for me to stay seated, I stepped over a still distracted Jacey and made my way over to the nice zombie family.
"Hello Zed, Mr Z, Zoey"
The little zombie girl hopped off her father's lap and stood in front of me, hand starting to fiddle with a loose string on the jacket I had on.
"Can you help me find a werewolf friend?"
I smiled ear to ear at Zoey's request. Crouching down to her eye level I placed my hand on top of her hand that had been fiddling with my brother's old jacket. "As fun as that sounds, I say for girl time let's just get some fro yo"
Mr Z mouthed a quick thanks from behind Zoey, implying that she must've been pestering him about this for quite some time.
Our conversation was soon interrupted by Zed who cleared his throat to do so. "So Becca, my father was wondering-"
"Oh right"
Mr Z quickly took over the conversation, leaving his son to chuckle lightly at his father's sudden interruption.
"I see this whole monster thing has become a big deal, I have to stop by my workplace after this and Zed has to stop by somewhere too, but I want Zoey in the house, safe, as soon as possible, so I was wonder-"
"Wondering if I could take her to your home, sure" Zed's father did not even blink at my interruption, for I had learned this skill from him. Or at the fact that I knew their address, Zoey has invited me over for tea parties many times.
The little girl bounced on the balls of her feet in excitement at hearing the news. "Yay yay yay"
I giggled at the little ball of energy, standing up straight hearing my knees crack from squatting for so long.
A sudden wood on wood banging sound silenced the room of frantic families. There stood my aunt Missy in the front of the room, standing with perfect posture, a serious look on her heavily powdered face.
"By order of city council effective immediately, all anti monster laws are reinstated"
My eyes grew wide with anger.
"Aunt Missy seriously?" My question was almost completely covered by the cheering that came from the human students, who have been agreeing to this even before the situation at hand rose up.
She did the motion of zipping her lips while glaring at me. Angry at the fact that I had talked back to her.
Well this is just great.
***
I ducked past the officers who stood around the entrance to Zombietown. I told Mr Z that I would take Zoey home, so I'm going to take Zoey home.
Once I was sure no one from the authorities could see me I straightened out my back, slowing down my pace to make sure Zoey wouldn't trip over her own feet as I pulled her with me by her small hand.
"Fro yo!" Zoey's small hand pointed ahead of us to where the school coach stood with his portable fro yo stand. He was acting no different than the rest of the public, quickly flipping his sign from 'open' to 'closed'.
At this sight Zoey's smile turned upside down. And I couldn't handle that. So I squeezed her small hand in a comforting way before making my way over to the man, Zoey rushing beside me. The pebbles and dirt crunched underneath our devoted strides.
"Hey coach, could we get-"
"No nope, this fro yo dream is shut down, nothing but a small happy memory, no more trip to-"
"I'll pay an extra ten dollars"
"What will your flavor of choice be?" I smiled at how easily his mind changed at the thought of extra pocket money.
"One cauliflower brains please" Zoey gave him her brightest and toothiest smile, only adding onto our sweet bribe.
"I'll take a mocha crunch"
Giving us a smile and ignoring how adults and children were rushing out of zombie town, he took his time when scooping out generous amounts of fro yo for Zoey and I.
He handed us our cups with little spoons dipped in the nice treat, before letting his fear show and shooing us away. "Get home quick, don't take too long or the fro yo will melt, or the wolves will get to you, whichever comes first" he nervously laughed at the end of his rant.
Okay then. That didn't really settle my nerves.
"Thank you" Zoey said with a mouthful of fro yo smiling as she happily ate her frozen treat. Her face froze for a second, "brain freeze" she squinted and clutched her head. I would've offered her hot water but you know, I'm a person.
We don't usually carry that around on an everyday basis.
I catered to the poor girl and looked around for anything. Noticing her house was only a few feet ahead I decided to let her go, since I had to pay for the fro yo anyway.
She was one step ahead of me, almost blindly running to her house, clutching her treat close making sure not to drop it.
A laughed at her retreating figure before turning to the shaky man, handing him the money (including the extra as promised). He hastily excepted and started packing up.
I went off to the Necrodopolis household, the fro yo numbing my hand on my way there. Only making it a few feet before another announcement was played over the town speakers.
Yes, we have town speakers.
"Attention all citizens, monster laws have been reinstated, all curfews will be strictly enforced"
"Attention all citizens werewolves have been cited, take cover immediately-"
"Oh no no no no no we're closed, for good, dreams of fro yo success, melted away, with monsters everywhere"
My attention diverted from the announcement made from the mayor to the coach yet again. I'm surprised he wasn't high knee running his way out of Zombietown by now.
The man had finally finished packing up, unhooking the break from his stand getting ready to leave. He wasn't talking to himself of course- although I wouldn't be surprised.
He was talking to a man in a construction outfit. Must've been working on the power plant.
"Look, I like zombies, they like fro yo, but werewolves like human flesh, maybe with sprinkles, everyone likes sprinkles"
"Just run, high knees run!"
With those final words the coach was off. Switching his cart pass confused zombies.
The man he had been talking to just stood there, upset almost. I felt bad for him.
I looked at my slightly melted treat before looking back at the guy. Screw it, I've already had a soda, I've had my sugar intake for the next few hours.
I walked up to him, occasionally getting shoved by a frightened human and an equally frightened zombie. "Excuse me"
My abrupt acknowledgement of his presence must've jumbled his nerves considering how he reacted to my words. His reaction only consisted of a small jump and widened eyes under his dirtied up safety glasses.
Once he made eye contact I held my hand out, showing him the untouched mocha fro yo. "Here"
He studied my face for a few seconds (as if in recognition) before deciding to take the desert from my cold hand.
"Thanks"
I smiled at him, trying to ease the tension of this interaction. Normally a girl wouldn't just walk up to you offering an already payed for treat during a town wide panic.
"Don't worry it's untouched" I told him, although he didn't seem too worried about that, already scooping some into his mouth with a satisfied smile. "I've already had one anyway, it was a two for one deal, couldn't resist" I lied.
I decided to do this since I doubt he wouldn't non-guiltily taken it if he had known I was planning on eating it in the first place.
"Warning, werewolves have been spotted in the area"
I looked around to see only a few humans left in Zombietown, and those were just the slow runners. Realizing I had just been standing their not looking at him- which I myself would find rude- I turned my head back to him, giving my attention.
In my time of observation of the surroundings he had leaned in closer to a point where I could feel his breath in my face, eyes furrowed in concentration as he stared into my eyes. Probably curious as to why the shined green, brighter than any normal pair of eyes.
Slightly feeling uncomfortable by this position I leaned my head back, "what are you doing"
He blinked a few times before leaning back, not looking away from my eyes while a still concentrated look stayed on his face. "Sorry, you just have such beautiful eyes"
Oh.
My cheeks warmed up, telling me that I was blushing profoundly. The boy just stood there, not minding his flat flat out compliment (yes, from that moment of close proximity he was clearly around my age).
Although it was not uncommon for people to comment on my eyes, I've never received a compliment on them. The words I've usually received consisted of how weird they were, did I try contacts, and the most stupid of them all, do they hurt.
"Thanks" I meekly let out, feeling a bit shy about the interaction. He smirked at my shaky voice and now nervous posture.
Oh gosh, Zoey!
"Well I've got to go check up on someone, so see you around?" I didn't even wait for a response before rushing to Zed's house to make sure Zoey was situated and safe inside the rustic walls.
I didn't have to search far, because there she was, outside, fro yo smeared across her mouth and nose (suggesting that she had licked the cup), hammering a drawing onto the house's fenced.
I cleared my throat, alerting her of my presence. When she saw me she hid the hammer behind her back. "Little Miss, what are you doing outside?"
Not knowing what to say in fear of a scolding she gave me her puppy dog eyes. A move as old as the book itself. I sighed at her action, not feeling it in me to do any scolding. I just simply grabbed her hand before pulling her with me into the house, ready to clean her face and take away the big hammer she still held.
She looked back at her drawing of a werewolf before stopping any further movement and speaking, "have you seen a werewolf? I'm looking for a were-friend"
I stopped in my tracks, twisting around to see who she was talking to.
It was him.
He stood there looking down at her, "silly kid, there's no such thing as werewolves"
To this Zoey frowned before firing back, "but we heard it howl", she craned her neck to look at me. Grabbing my hand to pull me close to her. "Becca even saw one, tell him"
Ah yes, I explained what had happened to Zoey only, who pestered me for over an hour to tell her what I had seen. And I was completely honest.
He looked at me with a raised eyebrow before suggesting to Zoey, "maybe it was a hiker saying 'howls it going?'"
"It was a werewolf" Zoey told him, standing her ground. I laughed nervously, trying to break up this interaction by waving goodbye and grabbing ahold of Zoey again. "My what big eyes you have"
"Zoey" I scolded, "that's enough, we don't say that to a person"
She did not acknowledge what I was saying, only curiously staring into the eyes of the boy. He stared right back, but not in a menacing way.
"I'm so sorry, have a nice day, I guess?"
To make sure Zoey came along with me this time I picked her up and carried her away to her father who stood on the porch, indicating that all this small talk had slowed us down.
I placed her down in front of her father who nudged her inside telling her to wash up. As he was doing this I turned my head to see if the boy was still there.
But he was gone.
And so was the drawing
A/N: I mean c'mon people, didn't any of you just want to give the poor guy some fro yo?