Free Zombie Project by Gertrude Chandler Warner

CHAPTER 1
Did You Say Zombie?
    W hoo-ooh! Six-year-old Benny stirred in his sleep as an owl hooted in the distance.
    The owl flew on silent wings and landed in a tree outside the cabin window. Whoo-ooh!
    Benny opened his eyes. Why was that owl hooting so loudly?
    Benny sat up in bed and looked around. Henry, his fourteen-year-old brother, was still asleep.
    A light flashed in the cabin window and then disappeared. Benny got out of bed. Twelve-year-old Jessie and ten-year-old Violet were asleep in their room on the other side of the small cabin.
    Benny looked out the window into the woods. A light flickered and flashed in the darkness. Benny watched as the light moved farther away and then disappeared.
    It looks like those people found their cabin, thought Benny. And here we are in ours. Benny went back to bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. The cabin reminded him of the boxcar. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
    “Wake up, sleepyhead,” said Jessie.
    “Rise and shine,” said Henry. “We want to go to breakfast.”
    Benny sat up right away. “Breakfast!”
    “I told you that was the magic word,” said Violet.
    Henry, Jessie, and Violet laughed. They knew how much Benny loved to eat.
    “I’ll be outside with the new camera,” said Violet. She held the camera decorated with purple stars in her hand. The camera could take photos and videos. Grandfather Alden had bought it for all of them, but Violet was the artistic one. She loved the color purple and loved taking photos and making videos.
    “Let me come with you,” said Jessie.
    “We’ll find you when Benny is ready,” said Henry.
    Benny got out of bed, washed his face, and dressed. A few minutes later Benny and Henry walked out the door of their cabin.
    Henry and Benny walked along the path. As they walked, they passed the other small cabins under the trees. Each cabin had a small path that started at the front door. All of those smaller paths led to the wider path. And the wider path led to the main lodge.
    Their grandfather had driven them to the Winding River Lodge after dinner the night before. For many years, Grandfather had been friends with the family that owned the lodge. It was just an hour away from Greenfield by car, but it was like another world. There was forest as far as the eye could see. People came from all over the state to enjoy the wonders of the outdoors and stay in the lodge’s rustic cabins. Grandfather Alden had business to attend to back in Greenfield, so after they checked in, he had gone home. Soon after, the tired travelers had unpacked and gone to bed.
    Violet was filming the light coming through the trees. Jessie stood beside her. “That will make a nice video,” said Henry as they walked up to the girls.
    “It’s so pretty in the woods in the fall,” said Violet.
    “Breakfast is pretty, too,” said Benny.
    “Hold your horses, Benny,” Jessie said with a laugh. “We’re on our way to breakfast now.” Jessie often acted motherly to Benny.
    “Good morning,” said a man as he walked past them on the path. He was carrying a painting easel in one hand and a folding chair in the other.
    “Good morning,” replied the Alden children.

    “I hope he didn’t eat all of the pancakes,” said Benny after the man passed.
    “It’s early,” said Jessie, “I’m sure there will be a few left for you.”
    The path to the main lodge twisted and turned through the woods as they walked. Violet turned the camera left and right, taking pictures. “This is such a beautiful place.”
    “Don’t use up the memory card before breakfast,” said Jessie.
    “I won’t,” said Violet. “I can take pictures for two hours before it runs out of space.”
    “I hope it doesn’t take us that long to get to breakfast,” said Benny.
    “It won’t,” said Henry. “Look.” He pointed to the end of the path. There was the main lodge. Tall elms and colorful maple trees with red and yellow leaves surrounded