Call of the Night

Growing Connections

I headed toward the lunchroom, overhearing Zed talking. "Hey, aliens. You are ruining my chances to get into Mountain College." He said.

"Oh! I do not like this conflict." A-Li stated.

"Cannot wait to leave this discord." A-Lan added.

"Yeah, okay, so then why don't you just go back to your own planet?" Zed asked.

"Because it was destroyed." A-Spen said, their voice breaking. "We don't have a home."

"Oh, great going, Zed." I scolded, stepping up next to them. A-Spen started to cry, and I pulled them close. The Alien turned into me, clutching my shirt I gently rubbed A-Spen's back.

"I...I'm so sorry." Zed said softly. "I'm sorry. I really am. You know, as tough as things have been for zombies, we've always had Zombietown. Is there anything I can do?" A-Spen sniffed and lifted their head.

"You would help us?" A-Spen asked.

"Yeah, it's what we do." I assured. A-Spen looked over at me with a small smile. The Aliens, Zed and I all gathered at a table where A-Lan showed us a small device in his hand, the same one A-Li had used on me and the Wolves earlier that day.

"With our Luma Lenses, we probed all the minds of Seabrook." A-Li said proudly.

"Mind probes? Why would you do that?" Zed asked.

"To learn about-" A-Spen started.

"Cheer, obviously." They finished with their friends. "Cheer."

"Okay, but what about people's privacy?" Zed wondered. "I mean, you can't just scan people's-" Zed cut himself off when he saw an image in the Luma Lense. "Hey, what is that?"

"Oh, your biology teacher's brain scan." A-Lan told him,

"Is that my test? A D-plus?" Zed groaned. "That is...ouch."

"I could beat that easily."

"You were unfairly marked." A-Spen told Zed. "Your answers correctly highlight the purpose of brains. For Zombies."

"Your teacher does not understand Zombie culture." A-Li added. A-Lan waved his hand over the Luma Lense and there was a faint beeping.

"That's the grade you should have gotten." A-Lan said.

"Yes! Just like that? Thank you."

"None of the teachers here understand any culture other than Human culture." I said softly.

"What do you mean?" A-Spen asked.

"Us Wolves are all unfairly marked in our History class." I explained. "The truth and what's written in the textbooks are all wrong." A-Spen brought out their Luma Lense and pulled up another scan. I peered over their shoulder at the marking. "Yeah, that's mine." I sighed. "Fail...again..."

"It does appear that your Pack has been unreasonably graded also." A-Spen said. A-Spen waved their hand. I watched as the grades of my pack rose from failing grades, to solid B's and A's.

"Wow." I breathed. "Oh, thank you so much A-Spen." I wrapped my arms around A-Spen's and squeezed. "Thank you." A-Spen went silent for a moment before clearing their throat.

"I do have a question." A-Spen said as I pulled away. A-Spen moved their hand over the Luma Lense to reveal a picture of the Moonstone.

"This image appears in many scans. What is it?"

"That's our Moonstone." I said. I reached toward my chest, my claws gently toying with the diamond stone on my necklace. "That's the most precious thing to us Wolves in Seabrook. It gives us our life force."

"Instrumomo." The Aliens choroued.

"I would show it to you, but...my pack..." I looked over to the other side of the Cafeteria to see a good chunk of my Pack eyeing me and muttering amongst themselves. "Well, they have trust issues." I looked back at the Aliens. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"You are so caring." A-Spen sighed. They then wrapped their arms around me in a hug.

"Oh." I chuckled. I could feel my cheeks heating up at the contact as I gently pat A-Spen's arm.

"Waverly, we shall reward your help by improving both yours and Zed's application." A-Lan said as A-Spen let me go.

"It's not rocket science, but knowing rocket science won't hurt." A-Li said, flicking her hair back. Zed chuckled softly, smiling.

"What does that expression mean?" A-Spen asked Zed.

"It means that the universe has sent me an intergalactic alien dream team to help get this Zombie into college!" Zed cheered.

"It's a massive step for Monsters everywhere." I said. I looked around at all the Aliens. "Thank you...so much." My eyes met A-Spen's at that last part, and my heart beat heavily in my chest.