Barely Alive (First Draft Edition)

Chapter 4- Zombish Lessons

Chapter 4- Zombish Lessons

Ella led her new friends into the backyard of her house which overlooked a pond. The backyard has a large Willow tree with a tire swing Ella made herself when she was only five.

Ella walked up the back porch and rested her hand on the door, peaking inside before opening. It looked all clear to her, so she opened the door and welcomed Jasper and his brothers. Slowly they limped into the house gazing at all the objects. Well, except Axe who was still giving Ella the creepy stare.

"So this is home. Nothing amazing." Ella said sitting down on a bar stool. Jasper picked up an apple and titled his head examine the object. Ella swung her feet awkwardly thinking of what to say next.

Hey ten. Ella noticed she left all the zombie books she checked out from the library on the counter. She gasped and quickly closed them and picked up the stack. "I'm gonna go put these away in my bedroom" Ella said walking toward the stairs.

Jasper and his brothers followed Ella upstairs and into her tiny bedroom. All she had in the room was a small bed that sat in the corner, a dresser and a nightstand that sat under a dirty window with a little lamp.

Ella pushed the books under her bed as the four brothers examined the tiny room. Quincey picked up Ella's brown, latched up witches hat off the door book and placed it on his head. He turned towards Iggy and gave a large smile. Iggy just flicked Quincey's head in response.

"That's my witches hat for school. I wish I could get a better one. That one is really old and smells like dust bunnies" Ella said sitting on the edge of her bed.

Curious, Quincey took of the hat and sniffed it then coughed. Ella smiled and said, "yeah. Not the best hat around. I'm really hoping I'll get a awesome broom though! Well, when I learn how to fly a broom. I'm super excited!" Quincey nodded his head and put the hat back.

"Let me think if there's anything. I should show you... hmm. Oh! I know!" Ella said rushing downstairs. The zombies followed her into the backyard where Ella stood on top of a dock that loomed over the pond water. "This is where I feed ducks! It super fun in the spring when there around!"

Quincey giggled then said, "quack, quack!" Iggy flicked him in the head again.

Ella moved over to the bench on the back porch and sat down with the brothers she sighed and squeezed her sweaty hands. "I want the truth, okay? Are you really my friends or are you going to trick me just to eat my brains?"

Jasper and his brothers turned towards Ella and made moaning noises. Ella frowned and said, "I can't understand you. I don't speak Zombish."

Jasper cleared his throat and said, "w- we don't hurt Ella, cause you don't hurt us." Ella was silent for a moment before Quincey groaned, "food!" Jasper nodded and said, "And you g-give us foooood."

Ella smiled and said, "promise. You have to swear on your life that your not going to hurt me!" She stood up and marched her tiny body in front of Jasper and held out her pinkie. "Promise!"

Jasper held out his green pinkie and wrapped it around Ella's. "Promise." When Jasper put his arm down his pinkie popped of of his hand and stayed linked to Ella's. He blushed and took his finger back. "Sorry" he grunted.

Ella smiled and folded her arms. "Well then since were all friends this calls for a plate of Rice Krispe treats!" The zombies cheered and followed Ella inside where she put some treats into a plate.

As Ella walked over to the fridge for some milk a loud click came from the front door. Suddenly her guardians voices got Ella worried. "Oh no! My guardians are here! You have to hide, now!" Ella said pushing the brothers into the hall closet. Just before she shut the door she whispered, "be super quiet, okay?"

Jasper and his brothers nodded as Ella left the door open just a crack. Quickly, she spun around and rushed into the kitchen, crashing into Miranda and Fredrick causing the pitcher of milk she was holding to spill over their shirts.

Miranda shirked as both of her guardian gave her a furious look. "Oh no! I'm really sorry!" Ella cried. "Ugh! This was new, ya little brat!" Miranda growled, kicking Ella to the ground. "Now I have to go change for work again!" Miranda kicked Ella in the head and

Fredrick cursed and dropped his car keys. "And look at this place! It's a mess! We come we home just to grab my wallet and it looks like this! You have all these treats out and now there's milk everywhere! When will you ever learn!" He kicked Ella hard sending her frail body into the counter.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Ella cried. Fredrick kept kicking poor Ella until her body was no longer crying. Jasper and his brothers just watched in horror as Ella was kicked. Jasper tried to leave to closet, but Iggy stopped him and shook his head.

Ella stayed crumpled up in the ground until her guardians changed their clothes and left without another word. When the front door slammed shut, Jasper and his brothers slowly peaked out from the closet then moved towards Ella.

Jasper bent down and poked Ella's head causing her to let out a little sob. Be frowned and picked Ella up and sat her on the counter. Her head was bleeding down her bruised face as salty tears snaked down her cheek. Jasper moaned something to his brothers causing them to split up.

Quincey pulled a rag out from the counter drawer as Iggy grabbed a ice pack and Axe searched the house for bandage wrap. Jasper took the rag from Quincey and soaked it with water from sink then washed Ella's cut. When Axe got back with some wrap, Jasper took it and wrapped it around Ella's small head then carefully sat the ice pack on her cut.

Ella looked up with wet eyes then croaked, "thank you." Jasper smiled and nodded his head then carried Ella over to the couch and laid her down.

Then he turned towards he brothers and began to talk with them. "Someone's got to stay with Ella. Who knows what could happen to her. They could kill her if we don't help." "I'll stay" Quincey moaned. Iggy looked at him and groaned, "are you sure? You tend to goof off a lot." Quincey rolled his eyes and said, "come on, Jasp! I want at it!" Jasper hesitated for a moment belfry he sighed and said, "fine! We start tonight!"

"What are you guys talking about over there? It's no fair I can't understand you!" Ella smiled. "Hey, you guys should teach me Zombish! That would be so cool!" Jasper turned to Ella and nodded. "I- I teach you." Ella's face lit up. She was so happy she was going to learn something new.

So Jasper started to teach Ella Zombish that day. They ended up going home except Quincey who secretly hid under Ella's bed that night. And that's how things started to act up dangerously.