Zombies

Chapter 7

It's been a while since I've talked to Zed. Bucky has literally forbidden it and I love art more than anything, I need to do this summer art course. Zed has been doing an amazing job at these football games. I really want to talk to him, but I can't. I wrote him a little note and put it in his locker. I said 'cheering for you on the inside, you're doing amazing! xo Harper' and I made it so that when he opens his locker, confetti will fly out.

I went to the next football game to watch him play, just because I can't talk to him doesn't mean I can't watch the game. Near the end of the game Bonzo came over to me and subtly gave me a note and a hug, the note said 'ready to break every rule in the book? Meet me at the barrier at 7 pm tonight. Zed'. I was so excited but I could get in so much trouble... obviously, I was gonna go.

That night I snuck out of the house and headed to the barrier. At 7 pm sharp I met with Zed and I gave him a hug as soon as I saw him "I missed you, is it weird that I missed you? Sorry", "It's alright Harper, I missed you too. I'm glad you could make it, you're gonna love this", "alright, let's do this" I say and he held his hand out for me, I take it and we head into zombie town hand in hand.

As we were waiting in the elevator Zed looked a bit pale. "Are you ok? You don't look so hot" I ask him "ouch" he jokes back, "come on that's not what I meant", "I have to mess with my Z-band to win games," he tells me "isn't that dangerous?" I asked worried, "Harper, if I don't win zombies will never be accepted" he explains, "just be careful okay?" "I will".

Once the elevator gets to the top I look around at where we are, "are you serious? This is awesome!" "It's a chance to let loose and be ourselves", "so this whole celebration is for you winning football games?" "it's more than that, it's a win for all of us. And we really needed a win" Zed and I talk a bit more before we hear a rumbling sound and he tells me that it's starting before running off and I walk after him to watch the zombie mash.

After the zombie mash, which was awesome, I was walking around the place looking for Zed when I found a little girl cheering. "That's some great cheering," I tell her. "I wasn't doing anything, definitely not cheering," she says nervously "you're Zed's little sister right?" "I'm Zoey, you're Harper. When I cheer it makes me happy", "you know my sister is a cheerleader, it makes her happy too. I could get her to teach you a few things if you'd like? Although you're really good so you might end up teaching her a thing or two" I tell her "thanks but my pet Zander doesn't seem too impressed" she says, "well he should be, but don't you think you're old enough to have a real pet?" I question and that's when Eliza enters the room "stop teasing her, you know they don't allow zombies to have real pets" she says annoyed "what? I didn't know that, I'm kinda still learning that zombies are nothing like what I've been told growing up, I mean look at you, you're smart, cool, pretty" "you think I'm pretty?" she questions unsure "yeah"

"There you are. Zoey? What are you doing here" Zed says as he walks into the room, "come on, I'm not gonna miss a zombie mash. Who's a good boy?" Zoey says and starts treating him like a dog, I giggle when he starts acting like one though. "Alright I'll take you home, Zed's gotta make sure Harper gets home," Eliza says as she picks Zoey up, "we should hang out sometime Eliza, also I really like your outfit," I say before she leaves and she thanks me smiling.

"What is this place?" I ask him looking around the room at all the lights "it's a zombie light garden" "it's beautiful. Where are we going?" "For a walk in the park," he says holding out his hand, I take it and smile.

"You're from the perfect paradise and I'm living on the darker side" "oh I've got a feeling if you get to know me" "right from the start you caught my eye and something inside me came to life" "someday, this could be ordinary" "you and me side by side" "out in the broad daylight, if they laugh we'll say" "we're gonna be someday"

We stood face to face for a while just staring at each other when I did something I never thought I would. "Do you remember how you asked if you could see my real hair?" I asked him and he nodded "well I think I wanna show you," I said and I lifted the brown wig off revealing my white hair. I got a bit nervous about what he was going to say and so I refused to look at him, but he lifted my chin up so that I was looking at him and then he proceeded to play with a strand of my hair. "It's beautiful," he tells me and I smile softly "your beautiful" he continues. I feel myself slowly leaning in and I can feel him doing the same. All of a sudden the lights go off and the Z-patrol shows up talking about a curfew. I quickly put my wig back on, and just as I get it right a flashlight is pointed at me. "Zombie, please turn around," the man says and so I listen "Gus?" I asked "Harper? What are you doing here, this is a hotbed for zombie activity, it's not safe for humans. Come on let's get you home," he says and leads me back to my house.