CHAPTER 11: A PECULIAR FRIEND
The quartet had shut their eyes tightly in fright. Jennifer and Chris were standing in a defensive stance, ready to attack the zombie, if required. Lily was defiantly standing in front of the teens protectively. Robert was simply standing to the side, like a silent spectator.
The fright-inducing zombie, just continued walking forward. They could hear his low grunts. He was now very close to the group. Chris and Jenny had raised their arms and almost attacked him, but then,
"Ouch!", Molly gasped as she felt a slight tug on a few strands of her hair. Chris and Jennifer's hands stopped midway. The teens opened their eyes, to find the zombie, slightly tugging on Molly's hair strands, looking at it with extreme fascination.
Everyone's eyes grew the size of saucers, except Robert's, who shook his head, and looked at the others, rolling his eyes.
He then looked at the zombie, and amiably said, "Hey Steve! What's up? Remember me?". And to everyone's surprise, the zombie slightly turned to look at Robert.
"Rob", he grunted, emotionlessly.
The others just blinked and looked at the exchange, dumbfounded, their eyebrows almost reaching their hairlines.
"Oh my God! Goodness! No! I knew it! I just knew it! There was just something that seemed weird about this man. McAdams is a zombie in disguise! And he's trying to befriend us!", Fred yelled.
"And do tell us, WHY is a zombie in disguise, intent on befriending YOU?", asked McAdams, raising an eyebrow.
"What do I know?! How do I know your motive?! You tell us! What are you trying to do?!", Fred answered, yelling hysterically.
"Just shut up, Fred! Why would Mr. McAdams be a zombie?", Molly asked him exasperatedly.
"Then how did a zombie know his name? How can the two communicate?", Fred demanded.
"I'm not a zombie Mr. Brackwell. Because you see, zombies don't have too much of their soul left inside themselves. And not all zombies are dangerous. Steve is harmless. He's a good lad! Aren't you Steve?", Robert asked, looking at him.
"Steve", the zombie muttered.
"See. He can even say other names. Look Steve, this is Fred. Fred Brackwell. Greet him"
"Ff-Re-ed"
"Look! He's a fast learner", Robert said, grinning.
"Gosh! I've heard about zombies. In this world, I've even seen one or two. But, never come across something like that!", Lily said, gasping.
"Yeah! I thought all those discussions about benevolent and friendly zombies were a pile of rubbish. All rumours! But this...", Jenny said.
Chris just kept on staring at the scene in disbelief.
Taking a deep breath, Robert said, "So, let me introduce you to, Steve Hector. He's been dead since ten years and I've known his family since fifteen years. Steve is one of those few friendly zombies. Most others are just ruthless killers. He had died in a motorcycles accident. Poor lad. He had been only twenty-two years old. Hey Steve, meet them. Look this here, is Molly".
"Mol-ly... Mol", Steve grunted.
"Very good! Look at them. They are Lily, Chris, Jennifer, Alice and George", Robert introduced, pointing to each one of them.
"Lil... 'Ris... Jenny... Ali... George", Steve recited.
"Well, at least he got my name correct", George shrugged.
"Mine too! I mean, that's what everyone calls me, isn't it?", Jennifer stated excitedly.
The youngsters were still flabbergasted. Apparently, this world had many more things that would make them go crazy. But, they were getting used to it.
"Steve, why aren't you in the cemetery? What are you doing here, in this alley?", McAdams asked, frowning.
"'Metry...", Steve muttered and nodded his head.
Robert sighed. "Whatever", he muttered and then looking at the others, said, "Let's go. Steve will find his way back".
They stepped out of the alley and had walked just a few steps ahead, when Jenny felt a very cold weight on her shoulder. She gasped and shivered. "Jen! What's wrong?! Are you ok?!", Chris shrieked and held her arms. As soon as he looked behind her, he abruptly pulled her to the side.
Everybody looked behind, to find Steve standing there, the hand he had kept on Jenny's shoulder still hung in mid-air.
"No...go", Steve said, in his typical grunting voice. But somehow, it sounded woeful and pathetic.
"B-but...uhh... Steve...w-we can't stay here all day now, can we?", George said, smiling nervously.
"Steve go", he said, once again nodding his head.
"Does he mean that...that he wants to come with us?", Alice asked sounding horrified.
"Yes. He does mean that. Because Steve can't stay in one place. Can you, Steve?", Robert asked looking at Steve sternly. The zombie just kept on staring ahead, blankly.
"This one has a habit of roaming around here and there, you know. Steve I tell you! Just go to the cemetery. Please", Robert said firmly, yet pleadingly.
Steve nodded his head once again, and extended his hand, saying, "Fr'ns!".
"Does he want to be friends with us?", Chris asked. "Exactly", said Robert.
No one dared to take the zombie's extended hand for a moment. And then, the first one to take his hand and accept friendship with a zombie, was Chris. Immediately, he shivered at the cold touch of his hand.
Jenny looked at him in admiration, and she was the next one to shake his hand, a wide grin plastered on her face.
The others followed soon.
And as soon as the handshakes got over, Steve turned around, and strode away.
"That's... weird", Alice said.
"Weird? We just met a zombie and befriended him, by shaking hands. And you think him going away abruptly is weird? You know what, since the moment we stepped into this world, everything's been weird and strange! Tell me one thing that has been normal", Fred ranted.
"You keeping quiet for a while would be normal, Fred", Robert said.
Fred just looked at him irately. The rest of the journey to Lily's house, passed in silence. The teens were confused when they didn't enter the house. Instead, they stopped a few metres before their destination. The quartet was then, led to a booth, large enough, to easily fit three people in it.
"This, is now going to take us to Jenny and Chris's house. So, here's the answer to your question. THIS is a Teleportation booth", Robert announced, extending his arms towards the booth.
"So, will it also help us go back to our world?", Molly asked in wonder.
"No, my dear. This is a transportation means, limited only to certain places. Every house in the city has a booth outside their house. And the booths outside the houses only work locally, within the city. There are other booths, at public places, that work inter-city. And there is a booth at the B.L.E Office that works internationally. But this doesn't work between worlds. Sorry to disappoint you", Robert explained.
The four teens were stunned to see that all eight of them were able to enter the booth easily. On entering, their eyes fell on the only object inside the booth--- a metallic funnel, attached to one side of the booth.
Putting his mouth near the funnel, Chris firmly said, "223/C, Redwood Road".
The teens felt like they were freely falling down through the air. And then, they felt lightheaded, as if they were floating through the air. For a second, they were engulfed in darkness and then, everything was back to normal.
As they looked outside through the glass pane of the booth, they saw that they were in an entirely different location.
As they stepped out of the booth, they saw a winding lane. Both sides of the street were occasionally lined with maple trees. Jenny and Chris led everyone through a side road, that was flanked with shrubs on either sides.
Finally, as they stopped, they were met with the sight of a heavenly exquisite brick house. The house was as pretty as a picture. It had a few steps at the front, which led to main door and branched into two stairways on either sides,which led to two different wings of the house. Both wings were connected from outside, by a wooden flank, looking almost like a flyover, at the top floor.
At the back, they could see an immense courtyard, or rather, orchard. At the far left side, there was a shady area, where they could see a small pond, covered with duckweed.
The entire view of the surroundings was quite aesthetic........
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author's Notes (A/N): Hey lovely readers!☺️... What's up? Did you like the chapter? Didn't like the chapter? What are your views and thoughts about it?😉... Comment and let me know 😇...
So... Now... Steve has become friends with the group 😜... Would you like to be friends with a zombie too?😂...
Love you loads 💙💛...
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