Free Swamp of the Hideous Zombies by Geoffrey Hayes Page A

Otto’s summer!
    She had arrived right after school ended and wouldn’t be going home until the end of August. She was staying with Ducky Doodle and Auntie Hick.
    Otto didn’t mind Olivia in small doses, but she was too pushy.
    When he found an old boat on the beach, Olivia insisted on helping repair it.
    When he built a fort under the pier, Olivia had to build one, too.
    She even got Uncle Tooth to help, so herfort would be fancier than Otto’s.
    “I thought you liked your cousin,” said Uncle Tooth. He and Otto were on their way home to Lone Point.
    “She’s okay,” said Otto. “The trouble is, she’s always butting into things. But when
she
wants to do something, does she invite me? No!”
    Uncle Tooth frowned. “Maybe she’s waiting for you to invite her first.”
    Otto made a face. “Then I’d
never
get rid of her! You believe me about the zombie, don’t you, Uncle Tooth?”
    “I believe in zombies,” Uncle Tooth said. “I had dealings with them years ago. Nasty things, zombies! But just because the person you saw
looked
like a zombie, it doesn’t mean that it
was
a zombie. You need more evidence.”
    “I’ll get some,” said Otto. “This can be thefirst case for my Monster Club!”
    As soon as he got home, Otto ran to his room and got his telescope. That was for spying on the zombie.
    He found a pad and pencil. They were for writing down important information.
    Finally, he reached under his pillow, grabbed his Good-Luck Pebble, and stuffed it in his pocket. That was for protection.
    Otto wished he had Olivia’s camera, but there was no point in asking to use it. She’d only say no.
    “Wait until I prove my zombie theory,” thought Otto. “That’ll show her!”
    The day was turning overcast, with an eerie light in the sky. Otto went to the end of the boardwalk, where Ducky Doodle liked to hang out. He searched in the sand for clues, but couldn’t find anything.
    He noticed Mr. Sedley Mether sitting on a high rock. Sedley had a sketchbook propped in his lap. He kept glancing across the bay, then bending his head to draw.
    “I’ll ask Sedley if he’s seen anything fishy,” thought Otto.
    As he neared the high rock, Otto saw a tall, thin figure come up behind Sedley.
    It was the old lady he had seen with the zombie!
    Quickly, Otto hid in some tall grass. He peered through his telescope. The old lady was talking to Sedley. Then she handed him something and moved away.
    The old lady passed Otto as she headed back toward the boardwalk. Otto was eager to follow her. But he was just as eager to know what she had said to Sedley Mether.
    The instant she was out of sight, Ottoclimbed the path up to the big rock.
    “Hello, Sedley,” he called.
    “Hello, Otto. Want to see my sketch?”
    “Very nice … say, Sedley, what did that old lady want?”
    “She said I was an excellent artist,” said Sedley Mether. “She wanted me to paint her portrait. I told her I’m much better at flowers. But she offered me a lot of money. So I’m thinking about it.”
    “What did she give you?”
    Sedley reached in his pocket and handed Otto a business card.
    Otto read the card.

    “It really says ‘Free Reading’?” asked Sedley.
    “Yes,” said Otto. “But I don’t trust that old lady. I’d stay away from her, if I were you.”
    He wrote the address in his notepad before returning the card to Sedley. This was his first clue! Otto scrambled down the rock, full of excitement.
    Otto just knew that 1313 Triangular Square was linked to the zombie, and that the zombie was linked to Ducky Doodle. But he wasn’t sure how. He was going to check out the address and get some evidence.
    Triangular Square was in the bad section of town. Otto didn’t come here very often. The buildings were old. Some were even deserted, with broken windows and boarded-up doors. Otto clutched his Good-Luck Pebble.
    Suddenly, he heard a CLICK!
    A familiar voice said, “Hey, you bozo,you ruined my picture!”
    “Olivia! What are