No rest for trouble

Chapter 21

After sleeping on the hardwood floors, Marxes got up and had an idea. He went over to wake up his friend. "Grace, the people who live next doors to this small building will soon find out that we were sleeping here. If that 'zombie' has gone to our houses, then our parents will be still terrified again. We could sleep in our rooms and don't have to worry about going to school today. The parents won't have to bother us than." Marxes exclaimed. "Right, and the best part of that plan is, that tomorrow is Friday. At least the principal and teachers won't come up to our houses and complain. They would want to take the time off on the weekends instead." Grace said as she quickly got up. "Now should we get out of here? Unless you really want to get caught, and sleep in a jail cell." Marxes grilled as he took his scooter towards the window.

Marxes looked out in all directions. Nobody has gotten up to make breakfast yet. Marxes and Grace climbed out of the window. Grace lifted her scooter out of the window. She set it down on the wooden planks in front of the once boarded up window. Both of the youths carefully landed on the board without landing on the nails pointing upwards. They were both quick to run onto the cement sidewalk. Grace and Marxes both rolled on their scooters back home. They both looked on the rooftops and the streets. They both were worried that the undead creature might attack them again. There was a little bit of light that made it easier for the friends to see where they were going. Marxes tried to stay concentrated. His lack of sleep made him feel like dropping onto somebody's front lawn and dozing away on it. The excitement Marxes had kept him awake. Grace looked excited and nervous all at the same time. She pounded her foot against the cement as she made the scooter glide alongside the sidewalk. She looked into the windows of the houses that they passed. The lights in one of the houses were turned on. The curtains were blocking the window view from the inside. The only thing that the two friends smelled as they rode on their scooters was fresh air. The undead monster was on the roof of Grace's house. It could hear the two parents looking at the front door. They were not happy. It seems that Grace's parents were waiting impatiently and were not in a good mood. The undead creature walked along the side of the house until it came to the front door. It rang the doorbell. Grace's mother went to check the door. The two youths came to the street that intersected with the street that they were on, and the street that they lived on. There was the sound of Grace's parents screaming. Marxes and Grace looked down both sides of the street. They went towards to their houses. There were no parked cars on this street. Marxes saw that there was an empty garbage bin laying on its side on the sidewalk. They both passed the garbage bin. There was a small boat trailer parked into somebody's driveway on a street on the left. Marxes and Grace went passed the street that had the abandoned cemetery. Some of the residents of that street turned on it's lights. They were either getting themselves ready for the day.

The two youths crossed the street without looking both ways. Marxes took the lead. He stopped when he saw something that made the blood in his arteries and veins run cold. He saw that there was a police car parked in front of Grace's house. "We can't go that way?" Grace asked as she peeked down the street. She was more afraid that the police officer would recognize her and Marxes. I don't want to face that dog again." Marxes whispered to Grace. She climbed to the top of the fence. She checked to see if the aggressive dog was in one of the backyards they were going to pass through. She had her legs dangling over the other side of the fence. "Could you pass me my scooter please?" Grace queried Marxes as she gently landed in a neighbor's backyard. Marxes lifted Grace's scooter over his head, and it was nearly over the fence. Grace stood on her tippy toes. She took the scooter by one of the wheels. The scooter was soon over the fence. Marxes did the same things with his scooter next. Grace took the handle of the scooter and made sure that it was standing upright on the grass. It was Marxes' turn to climb the fence. He got to the top of the fence. He had his two legs on each side of the fence he was temporarily sitting on. Suddenly, there was another scream. Marxes was jumped by the loud noise and fell into the backyard. He landed on his back. There was another scream. It was another different kind of voice. Marxes knew that it was his mom and dad were screaming. He groaned as his back hurt a bit. Grace pulled him up. "Don't be groaning so much. You might wake up the people living next door and the people living at this house." Grace said as she got Marxes standing again. Grace looked over the next few fences. She noticed the dog they had encountered earlier. The two youths took a detour by going through three backyards that belonged with the houses that were accessible to the street with the abandoned cemetery. Marxes had his scooter hanging from his back. He looked over the fences to make sure that he and Grace wouldn't get caught. The police officer was calling for back up. Then there was the smell of rotting food. Marxes and Grace both held in their breath and covered their mouths using the upper part of their T-shirts. The officer went to his patrol car. He too couldn't stand the stench.

Marxes and Grace got into the backyard of Grace's house. The patrol car doors were closed, and the officer was talking on his car radio. Grace and Marxes looked at each other. They didn't want to risk themselves getting caught. The youths were wondering if they should go inside the house or wait until the police officer is gone. Grace and Marxes crouched down on the grass. They both looked at the house windows. The two friends thought that the neighbors would notice them and get them sent to jail. The youths waited patiently. The officer didn't moved the car or get out of it. Then there was the sound of a snarl. Then Marxes and Grace looked up. The monster was staring down at them. He had one of his arms protecting his face. The undead creature turned to focus his attention on the police officer. He let out a growl that was nearly half as loud as a dinosaur's roar. The police office looked up. He could see the feet of somebody on the roof. The officer got out of his cruiser. He saw the monster standing on top of the roof. He let out another growl. The monster did not look happy. "Hey! Get down from there! What are you doing up there?" The officer shouted. The monster didn't answer back. Instead he went to jump towards the roofs of the houses next door. The officer got back into his car. The agile creature was running and jumping from roof to get far away from the police car. The police car rolled away. Its sirens were blaring loudly. The red and blue flashing lights were quickly rushing over the houses. The two youths waited until the loud siren was only at the next street intersection. Marxes and Grace stood up. There was only one grass stain each on their T-shirts. Grace tried to open the backdoor. It was closed from the inside. Grace tried to jiggle the door. Marxes also helped to open the door. It was still closed.