BETTER SAFE THAN ZOMBIE

OZTS 6.5| Kailey

|Kailey|

January 14, 1996

The first time I noticed Chris was when I was in second grade.

"There's a boy who just transferred next door. Kay, don't you think you should welcome him?"

I crossed my arms and pouted, staring longingly at the basket of cookies Mummy is holding out to me. I wanted to eat it, but Mummy wouldn't let me, saying it's for the boy next door. I hated him.

He just stole my cookies. I'm not going to lend him my barbie set, if he asks. I don't friend anyone who steals things. Daddy said they're bad people. And I should stay away from the bad people. And strangers.

And people who steals cookies.

"You do it," I whined. "He's your next door neighbor too."

"He's your age," Mummy said, still holding out the cookies. "It's time you make friends."

"I have Rapunzel and Cinderella and Skipper," I said. "I don't need friends."

"Of course you do, Kay," my Mummy chided. "School's going to start, and you just can't play with dolls forever."

"Rapunzel is dating Ken," I informed Mummy. "And then they'll make a lot of babies and I'll be friends with them. I don't need school."

Mummy rolled her eyes and thrusted the basket into my hands. "Just do it, Kailey."

I refused to move. "Or what?" I challenged, lifting my chin a notch.

Mummy sighed. "Or I'll keep your dolls in the closet forever."

I gasped. "You wouldn't!"

Mummy said firmly, "Yes, I would."

I got out of there fast.

My next door neighbor's name is Chris. Clutching the bag of cookies, I skipped all the way towards their house, worrying about Ken and Barbie. Mummy wasn't serious, was she? She couldn't just keep Barbie and Ken in the closet. They'll suffocate! And they won't kiss anymore and go to dinners and Barbie wouldn't be pregnant anymore. Skipper and Cinderella and Rapunzel would get sad, and I don't want them sad. Chris is an enemy.

He steals cookies. He persuaded Mummy to lock all my dollies. He got me carrying a heavy basket of cookies when my stomach is grumbling. I'm so hungry. And he's the one eating the cookies.

Unfair.

I got there in a short time, bounding onto their porch and staring doubtfully at their big wooden door. Stealing-Chris lives here? This place is a dump. I smiled. Daddy had used the "dump" word once, when he described the houses we drive by on the street, and I thought the word was "awesome" and I had been planning on using it to describe something these past few weeks.

Stealing-Chris house is a dump, I mouthed, trying out the words. It sounded mature.

I rang the doorbell, leaning on the balls of my feet and brushing a lock of hair that fell into my eyes. After about ten seconds, the door opened, and a woman peered down at me. "Hi," I chirped in one breath. "My name is Kailey and I'm your next door neighbor. Can I see Chris?"

Mummy rehearsed my speech with me.

The woman squinted through her spectacles. "Is that cookies?" she asked.

I looked down at the delicious smelling cookies and inhaled their sweety scent. I should have ate one when I had the chance. I nodded. "They're for Chris," I added, in case the poor woman didn't understand. The woman's old. Daddy always says elders didn't understand a thing.