Someday | Zed & Addison

vi. you lost yourself first

Witney clutched tightly onto Zed's hand as they entered the auditorium with Eliza. Everyone started pointing and whispering. "You're going to prove to everyone that we're more than just-" Eliza started but Zed cut her off. "Monsters." He said. Witney followed his eyes to posters depicting him as a monster hung from the rafters. "Bucky made me look.." Zed started off. "Scary." Witney finished off. All the other students moved out of the way as they started walking towards the stage.

Zed started pacing back and forth as everyone sat down in the stands. "You got your speech?" Eliza asked him. He pulled it out of his pocket, alongside the moonstone necklace. "The necklace?" Witney questioned. Zed sighed. "I took it." He admitted. Witney looked at him in disbelief. "I can't let her become a werewolf. I have to protect her." Witney scoffed. "She can protect herself perfectly fine." She said, growing agitated. "All of this, running for president, it's all for you and her, Witney."

"No, Zed. This is bigger than that, okay?" Eliza growled at him. "Okay, this is for you. for me, for all zombies everywhere. This is more important than anything else." Witney sighed. "Look, we'll deal with this later, okay?" She grabbed the moonstone necklace and put it back into Zed's pocket. "Now, go become president. That's what zombies need." She said, leaning up to place a kiss on his cheek. She left the stage and went to go sit down with Eliza.

Bonzo started playing some music while Principal Lee stepped up onto the stage. "Your first nominee for..." She trailed off once Lacey ran onto the stage and grabbed the microphone from her. Stacey and Jacey joined her. "Running for president, wearing the sequined Mighty Shrimp uniform..." Stacey grabbed the microphone. "Three time MVP, lean, mean, cheering machine..." Jacey grabbed the microphone. "And captain of our hearts..." "Bucky!" They all shouted in unison.

Bonzo started playing the music again as Bucky walked out wearing a bright green boxer's robe. The Aceys ran over and helped him out of it. "Your other candidate of..." Eliza ran up onto the stage. "Why not?" Prinicipal Lee said, handing the zombie the microphone. "Introducing our soon to be first green haired president and repping a proud people, Zed!" Eliza shouted. The crowd cheered. Zed ran up from Bonzo and high fived him, and then ran onto the stage. "Hear him roar!" Eliza yelled out. She growled.

Zed shook his head. "Um, no, actually, we're not going to roar. No roaring." He said. "Zed'll fight for you!" Eliza shouted. Zed moved from his place at his podium towards Eliza. "You know what, um, I'm not going to fight. Cause. no, this isn't a fight." He grabbed the microphone from Eliza. "This is just a nice lil cordial debate we're having here today." "Good to hear, Zed." Principal Lee said and took the microphone back. Zed high fived her. She turned to face the crowd. "Oh, did you see that?" She asked. "That was a high five. No." She cringed.

"Are you ready to battle?" She shouted out. The crowd cheered. Bonzo started playing some more music and then Zed and Bucky started rapping. Witney ran up to join Zed and Eliza. They finished the song and everyone started clapping. For Zed. Bucky threw his flyer down onto the ground. "Zed for prez!" Zed shouted out. "Vote for me, because I swear I'm no monster." He reached into his jacket pocket to grab his speech. The moonstone necklace attached onto his Z band and started sparking.

Zed's zombie form started to emerge. "Oh no." Witney whispered. Her and Eliza ran up onto the stage. "Addison's necklace is shutting down your Z band." Eliza said to Zed, who couldn't make sense of anything they were saying. The crowd started to scream in terror. They started to rush out of the auditorium. "See! See! He's a monster!" Bucky yelled. Zed started shaking his head. "Can't let them see me as monster!" He yelled. "Breathe. Focus, okay? You can control this." Witney reassured him. "You don't have to hide, Zed."

He turned and roared in Bucky's face. "I know you won't hurt me, big guy." Bucky said. "But they don't." He added, pointing to the crowd. Zed picked up his podium. "Go on, throw it!" Bucky yelled. He threw it and it smashed on the ground. He roared again. "Zed, the necklace! Remove it!" Eliza yelled at him. Witney ran over and ripped it off his Z band. Zed turned back to his normal self and looked around. Everyone looked at him in fear.

He ran out of the auditorium with Witney and Eliza not too far behind him. "Zed, wait!" Witney called after him. He turned to face her. "I lost the election." He said. "Maybe." Witney said. He gave her a look. "Probably. Yeah, you did." "Look, but the problem is you lost yourself first." Eliza told him. Witney handed him the moonstone necklace before her and Eliza walked off.

                                                                                                   ***

Witney walked through the hallway and saw Addison talking to Bree. Her eyebrows furrowed. She figured Addison would be with the werewolves. She went to walk over to them when the alarm went off. "The Z alarm?" Addison questioned as Witney ran over to them. "Attention! Attention! Monster activity at Seabrook Power." The announcement said. "The werewolves." Witney realized. "We need to help them." Addison said. "Bree, would you?" She asked.

"I will." The cheerleader responded. "I'm in. Always." "We can't do this alone." Witney said. "We need to rally the Z team." Addison added. "Right." Bree agreed. "No." Witney said. They looked at her in confusion. "Actually, we're gonna need everyone." She said. Addison and Bree nodded. "Come on." Addison yelled. The group of three started running down the hallway. "Let's go save some werewolves." Witney said.