Free All Together Now: A Zombie Story by Robert Kent Page A

distracted by other prey, the dead students of Harrington High School would've followed us forever.
    We had to stop sometime. They didn't.
    As we rounded the side of the school, we understood the reason for the fire alarm. Through the windows of a classroom in the science wing we saw flames. Inside, students stumbled and staggered as though unaware they were on fire.
    They didn't scream, only moaned.
    Brock Hussong , junior, basketball team. Brock was mostly quiet, but he was always nice. He dated Kelly Westerfield forever. I think they planned to get married after senior year. I didn't see Kelly, so maybe she got out. I know Brock would've liked that.
    Brock was standing on the outside of the building, beside the burning classroom.
    Flames rose several inches from his shoulders, and beneath them I could hear crackling and popping. His hair was melting to his face the way a plastic action figure melts in a camp-fire.
    But Brock only stared off, vacant, until he caught sight of Ben and me.
    Then he stepped toward us and raised a hand, causing the flame to spread from his shoulder down his arm.
    Just behind Brock, the emergency door opened and a group of living students came running out.
    Kendra Jordan , sophomore, swimmer. Kendra wasn't popular. She was a bigger girl, not fat, but thick, and she had bad skin. But she swam the butterfly faster than any of the other girls.
    As the students streamed either side of Brock, he reached for them. They all dodged him, save for Kendra.
    He caught her hair and pulled backward so hard Kendra's feet flew out from under her.
    She fell to the grass and Brock went with her. Within seconds, Kendra's hair caught fire and Brock was biting into her chest, both of them burning, Kendra screaming.
    Neither Ben nor I stopped.
    We kept running until we reached the school's main entrance, where my dad would've to come to pick me up.
    There was no sign of Dad, but Michelle was standing in front of the building staring into the distance.
    At first I thought she must be a zombie. But her eyes still had irises and pupils.
    Michelle blinked when we approached, but didn't speak.
     

33
     
     
     
    "MICHELLE?" I SAID. BEHIND US smoke was billowing out the side of the school. Every few seconds the exit doors swung open and students came running out. Other students were lumbering onto the grass, moaning.
    But for all that, I was more concerned about the girl who was going to be my stepsister.
    Michelle didn't look at me. Her right hand was curled into a fist and shaking in circles so small it appeared to be vibrating.
    "I got a note," she said, raising her left hand. In it was a bright yellow office memo, the same as the one I got. "Your dad is coming to pick us up."
    I nodded.
    "But he's not here," Michelle said and let her hand drop to her thigh.
    I scanned the parking lot. There was no sign of my dad's truck.
    I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed him. Nothing happened, and when I checked the display I saw I had no signal.
    "Me either," Ben said, holding up his phone as proof.
    "Michelle, can I see your phone?"
    Silence.
    "Michelle?"
    Her left hand opened, letting the yellow office memo flutter to the ground, and she reached into her pocket. Her right hand was shaking too badly to be of use.
    She held out her phone without looking at me and I took it. No signal, of course.
    The fire alarm was still ringing, but just over it sounded a series of four explosive bursts I knew must be gunshots. The air smelled of thick smoke and blackening meat.
    "Chuck," I said.
    I turned to Ben. "We have to go to Funucation. That's where Dad is. He would've gone to get Chuck first."
    Ben nodded.
    "Michelle?"
    "Your dad is coming to pick me up," she said, staring at whatever it was in the distance.
    "That's right," I said, speaking slowly. "But first we have to do some walking. Funucation is three blocks from here. We're going to go there, and that's where Dad will pick you—"
    The front doors swung wide and eight