The Chicken Zombies

Chapter 24-- Capture the Flag Gone Horribly Wrong

"Alright team," Dante said once they'd sprinted deep into their side of the white-line and hid their hat in a tree. "What's the game plan?"

"I say we all go on offense and hope we find it!" voted Hillbilly.

"Haha, I'm down," agreed Dante.

But Ace did not like that idea. "What? No defense? We need someone on defense, you stupid bludgers."

"No we don't."

"Dante you bloody idiot I have never lost a round of Capture the Cowboy Hat and I'm not about to start because I was put with you two imbeciles!"

Dante put her hands up in surrenderance. "Fine. Ace, you stay back on defense. Hillbilly and I will go find the hat and win."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

As soon as Hillbilly and Dante began to walk away, however, Ace stopped them. "Wait," he said. "Well, it's just that, I'm always on offense whenever I win, so could one of you stay back and play defense?"

Dante rolled her eyes. "Well Dante doesn't do defense either, so babe, sorry, but you're gonna have to stay back."

"Alright," Hillbilly sighed.

"Thank you, I love you, you silly chap," Ace said as he patted one of Hillbilly's cheeks.

"Shut up."

Dante raised her hand for a high five. "Now let's do this thing!" The pair began to run for the other side.

Ace acted like he was going in for the five, but instead ran a hand through his hair. "Hey, Shakira does that!" Dante pointed out. "You two really are meant for each other. I mean, she obviously has a crush on you... And I'm pretty sure you like her too." She scratched her jawline. "Though it's a mystery to me why anyone would have a crush on Shakira. She's the most disgusting person I've ever met."

"You do know Hillbilly, right? And no, I do not have a crush on Shakira."

"Puh-lease. Did you not see you two with the paint and holding-her up and the way you smiled at her like she's a sandwich?"

Ace looked puzzled. "Sandwich?"
"Yeah, you seem like a sandwich type of dude."

Ace chuckled. "You're not wrong there. But you are wrong about me liking Shakira."

"Whatever you say." They were at the white line now. "Now I say we separate. We'll be harder to catch that way."

"For once, Dante, you make sense. Let's capture a hat!"

Meanwhile...

Shakira and Noah watched as Abi climbed the tallest tree they could find.

"Hey, um, Abs?" Shakira called. "No offense, but this is a terrible idea."

Abi, who wasn't even visible anymore in the pitch black, yelled back, "I'm starting to realize that!"

"Have you found a branch that will hold it yet?" shouted Noah.

"Um, I think so... Aha!" The flashlight flicked on, showing the cowboy hat and blinding Abi. Abi fell off the branch and screamed, but just barely managed to grab another one with one arm.

"ABI!" screamed Noah. "Can you pull yourself up?"

She tried but did not prevail. "WHAT DO I DO?"
"Noah, this is a now or never moment, pal," said Shakira, pushing him directly below Abi. "Listen, Abi, you're gonna let go, and Noah and I will catch you!"

"THIS WILL NEVER WORK, SHAKIRA. YOU LACK UPPER BODY STRENGTH!"

"SAYS THE GIRL THAT COULDN'T DO A PULL-UP!" retorted Shakira. Then she whispered to Noah. "Really though, do you think you can take most of the weight? Because I'm weak as heckity-heck."