Rot The Vote

Chapter 2

Ariana sat in the assembly fidgeting with her bag. She looked around nervously. She looked over at Jake and Yuki-chan. It was nothing but students and teachers.

Then two scientists stepped onstage.

"Everyone, quiet down!" A scientist clapped his hands. He had a short curly black hair and tan skin. He wore a bright blue lab coat and stood in front of the whiteboard, "Children! Children! Please!"

The kids quieted down. They all stared at the scientist. He pointed to the whiteboard.

"I'm Professor Mendez. This is my assistant, Professor Nemo." He pointed to a man next to him who was tall and had curly hair. "As you know, zombies are rapidly spreading through Oregon and the rest of the west coast." The scientist said, "And I know my company started this. We were trying to find a cure for herpes, but... We created something much worse. We created the virus that has been infecting humans. But just because they're dead, doesn't mean they shouldn't have rights, right? They were humans too at one point. They had lives, families, jobs, a normal life until their... Demise."

The class stared vacantly in front of them at the presentation. The scientist's assistant, Nemo, went offstage. When he came back, he guided a man onstage. The children gasped.

The man was a clam chowder color and had blood all over his face and clothing. His clothing was ripped in various places. He snarled like a feral animal at the students. He reeked of rotting flesh and fresh blood. The students gagged as the decayed and iron smell engulfed the room. Mr. Orangejello stood up.

"Hey! I didn't think there'd be a live zombie here!" Mr. Orangejello shouted. A hand clamped onto his shoulder. Mr. Orangejello turned around.

"It's OK. I approved it." The owner of the hand said. Mr. Orangejello was relieved that it was just the principal.

"Hello Principal Hammerlick." The students said in unison.

"Hello Children." Principal Hammerlick smiled. Walking up on stage he grabbed hold of the scientists shoulder, "I'm glad you all came today. These are my friends from Zomidine. So, be respectful, and listen to what they have to say."

"So, because zombies were once people, they should vote." The scientist said. The zombie lunged awkwardly toward the principal. Hammerlick appeared to not be phased at all, he just kept pushing the zombie away from him.

A kid raised his hand, "How do we get them into the booths?"

"Excellent question." The scientist said, pulling out a tiny bottle. The liquid inside was pale green in color. The scientist grinned in a mad way. He put the pen in the zombie's hand.

"Observe." He said. He sprayed the liquid on his assistant. The zombie turned towards Dr. Nemo and started moving ever so slowly towards him. The scientist backed away, as the zombie lurched toward him. Every stump screech, stump screech was like nails on a chalkboard and the students all cringed as the zombie lurched toward the assistant scientist. Ariana bit her nails in fear. She was afraid she'd have to watch that whole scene with her mother all over again. It was bad enough that she relived it in her head a trillion times throughout the day and that in her dreams she was tied to a chair reliving that moment, watching the zombie lurch toward her mother, the huge bite on the neck that killed her mother. Watching as the entrails flew everywhere and all she could do was stare into her mother's pale, lifeless eyes.

The zombie accidentally marked the assistant scientist with the pen and went to take a bite of the scientists neck. Ariana covered her eyes with her hands. The lead scientist caught the zombie and dragged him away.

"See? We could lead them to the booths with this. It's called Zomidine. It attracts zombies by messing with the zombie pheromones. We could lure them to the booths and put a pen in their hands."

The students exchanged confused glances. Zombies? Voting?

"But they eat people!" A boy shouted.

"There you go with that negativity, again!" Autumn Breeze replied, "We need to all just love each other, man. Good vibes only, my dude."

The principal cleared his throat, "Well, yes... Vote for me for senate." Principal Hammerlick said, "If you're 18."

Ariana rolled her eyes.

"Watashi wa tohyo shitai Hammerlick-Sensei." Yuki-chan replied to Jake on her way out.

I'm surrounded by a bunch of idiots. Ariana thought.
***
Ariana trudged up her porch and unlocked her door. She stepped inside and dropped her backpack off by the door. She looked around at the decor. Everything was in the place her mother left it since they left for the beach that awful day. It brought back bittersweet memories. She walked over to the guitar and picked it up. It was her mother's favorite of the guitar collection. She started playing Halsey's "Colors".

When she got tired of playing guitar, she went to the kitchen that was stockpiled with food. Even though she lived alone since she was a little girl, her grandfather provided food and paid the bills on the house. He made sure she lived comfortably. She closed the cupboards.

"Nothing sounds good." Ariana muttered to herself. She went to the bathroom to shower off the day. She sighed as she stared at her pale feet against the white porcelain bottom of the tub.

Principal Hammerlick is obviously losing his mind. She thought. Zombies are monsters. They don't have any feelings. They eat people. They had their chance at life when they were alive. What the hell is Principal Hammerlick thinking?

She stepped out and dried off, changing into a pair of pajamas and sat on her bed. She started the homework Mr. Orangejello assigned. She read the title and rolled her eyes.

More zombies? She thought, Can't they just die already?

She set the homework aside and decided she'll just do it later. Today she's gonna nap. Screw zombies.

Translations:
Watashi wa tohyo shitai Hammerlick-Sensei= I'd vote for Hammerlick-sensei.