Free Endings: Dystopian Post Apocalyptic Zombie Thriller (Parables From The Apocalypse Book 1) by Norman Christof Page B

Alex.
     
    "We just want to talk.  To make sure you guys are OK.  You seem to be all alone."
    "We're doing OK, just waiting for the parents to come back."
    One of the other kids, a smaller boy with dark hair and freckles, grabbed her by the arm and shook his head disapprovingly.  Alex could hear them through the window.
    The boy said, "Don't tell them anything, Christa.  We don't know them.  Mr. and Mrs. Castle said not to talk to anyone, and to stay in the bus till they got back."
    "Billy, stop being such a scaredy cat.  They're not going to hurt us, they're not zombies.  Just look at them."
    All the kids turned their attention from their argument and looked out the windows.  Chaz had made his way back to Alex.
    "You're not zombies ... right?" Christa directed her question at Alex.
    "No, we're definitely not zombies," Alex responded, smiling.
    "What about him?" she said, motioning towards Chaz.  "He looks pretty scary.  He's not a zombie, is he?  He's not, like, mind-controlling you and making you talk to us so we'll let you in, then eat us?"
     
    Alex did his best not to laugh, but couldn't hold back the smirk.  He tried hiding it by looking at the ground.  "No, he's just old and beat up.  He's no zombie.  Chaz, tell them you're not a zombie."
    Shaking his head, Chaz replied, "I'm not a zombie.  This is just what you look like when you've killed as many zombies as I have.  It's very hard work."
     
    Pushing Christa back, Billy reached up and opened the window all the way.  "You've killed zombies, mister?  That's so cool!  How many?  Did you kill any today?"
    "Well, I haven't killed any today, at least not yet.  Have you kids seen any?"
    Christa tried pulling Billy back, but he was not budging.
     
    "Yeah, I've seen lots of zombies, tons of them actually."  Billy puffed out his chest and took a big breath.  "They don't scare me at all.  Lots of the other kids are scared.  Totally terrified actually." Billy cracked a big smile, showing a few lost teeth.  "They don't bother me all that much.  I mean, sure they could kill me and all, but I'm too fast. And smart too.  My mom and dad say I'm really clever.  They do ... they say it all the time.  They tell me I'm a clever boy.  So, even if I did see a zombie I'd know what to do.  You can just smash them in the face first, because you see, then all their teeth would fall out.  Then they couldn't bite me or anything.  Makes them pretty harmless actually.  Unless, I suppose, if they slobbered all over me, then that would be gross, and it might infect me.  I think that's what happens.  But it doesn't matter, because, then I'd just kick them right in their private parts.  You know what parts those are, right?  I know another word for it, but I'm not allowed to say it, or my mom and dad get mad.  And yeah, I know it won't kill them or anything, because they're zombies and all.  But my buddy Bubba at school told me that it still hurts them ... a lot.  My dad says that's nonsense, that the zombies can't feel anything.  I really want to hurt them because of what they did to my grandma and grandpa.  So, maybe if it hurts them at least a little, then I figure it's worth a try.  And ... "
     
    Alex threw his hands in the air, surrendering "Whoa, whoa there, big fella, that's plenty of information.  Thanks for that.  I'm sure that'll come in handy the next time we run into some zombies.  But what my friend Chaz here was really interested in is whether you have seen any zombies recently.  Have you seen any on your trip?"
     
    Christa grabbed Billy by the back of his shirt, yanked him hard from the window, and directed him to the seat across the aisle.  He started to object, but Christa held a finger to her lips and stared him down.  Billy plunked himself into the seat, dropped his chin to his chest, and crossed his arms.  Silence.
     
    "Sorry about that; he gets pretty excited about zombies, and everything else.  We've been going a little