Nadia Higgins - Down, Zombie, Down!: Zombie Zappers Book 4

Who let the zombies out?

Leo is hurt when Chad starts spending all his time with Jeremy. Only his family's new dog, Tina, can make him feel better. But she's been acting funny lately. And she's not the only one. The Zombie Zappers soon realize Rotfield is facing a rare zombie epidemic. And Leo and the rest of the gang won't be able to save their town without the help of Chad's new best friend.

Leo Wiley had heard of people who were so happy they woke up with smiles on their faces. He always thought that wasnt a real thinguntil it happened to him. On Thursday morning, he woke up with drool dripping down the corner of an actual grin.

Today was the day the Wileys got their new puppy. Leos stepsister, Shelly, had already named the adorable mutt. Tina, shed proclaimed. Shes a perfect Tina.

Visiting the animal shelter a few days before, Leo had looked at the small, tan dog. And she had looked back at him. A lot of dogs have brown eyes, but these brown eyes were different somehow. They looked smart, as if Tina were about to say something. She had a patch of white fur between her eyes that looked like a Valentines heart. Her tail had banged a steady beat against the side of the cage.

Getting a dog had been 100 percent Shellys idea. She was the one who had convinced their parents. Shed made a chores chart for herself. Shed even saved up her babysitting money to pay for dog food and vet bills.

Everybody knew Leo wasnt into cute stuff. He was a scientist, a seventh-grade zombie scientist. Still, when Tina was let out of that cage and came straight to him first, he hadnt been able help it. He had knelt down and thrown his arms around her neck. She had licked his face until it was shiny wet.

Now, Leo sat up in bed and turned on his phone. He texted his best friend, Chad. My house after school. Tinas coming!

In a second, Chads reply popped up. Cant, finishing Whiplash at Js house today. Its gonna be awesome!

And just like that, Leos grin fell off his face. J: That was Jeremy Berry, the most annoying kid at Rotfield Middle School. And no doubt Whiplash was one of their dumb robots. That was all Chad seemed to do now, ever since he joined the robotics league last month. Make dumb robots with Jeremy that fell off tables or flung paperclips onto the floor.

Chad used to be an awesome zombie artist. He had designed the T-shirts he and Leo sold on their Zombie Zappers Web site. But Chad hadnt come up with a new design since Jeremy became his new best friend.

Its his loss, Leo thought. Thats what Leos mom would say. Chad was the one who was missing out, not him, right?

Still, Leos grin didnt come back until Tina bounded out of the car after school. She ran right at him. She pushed him over with both paws and licked his face until all his problems went away.

Cool!

No way!

Whooooooaaa!

The next morning, Leo could hear the crowd of kids standing around Jeremys desk even before he walked into homeroom. Leo looked over. Yup, there was Chads frizzy brown hair poking up through the middle. Through a gap in the circle, Leo saw Jeremys arms. Jeremy was operating a remote control on his desk.

Maddie Lee was there too. Leo watched her lean in. She seemed to move in slow motion. That was how she always moved when Leo got the chance to watch her without her knowing it. Leo saw how Maddies shiny black hair brushed the top of Jeremys shoulder. Whats it called? she asked.

The Whiplash, Chad said in his funniest fake-deep voice.

Do it again! Molly Fisher said.

Leo heard a whirring noise. Then he saw a robot moving on tracks like an army tank across Jeremys desk. Glued on top of the tank was the robotic version of a long spoon.

It has two XL motors on the flipper for extra projectile capacity. Leo rolled his eyes. That was definitely Jeremys know-it-all voice.

Jeremy drove the robot to the end of the desk. Just when Leo was sure it was going to drive off the edge, it spun around. A bunch of kids oooohed and ahhhed as if it were the Fourth of July.

Here, use this. Maddie giggled a little. She pulled a blue wad of gum out of her mouth and put it in the spoon part of the robot.

I mounted the flipper on a rotating turret. Jeremy was still going on. Then the spoon thing turned at its base and pointed toward the front of the room.

Out of the way, people, Chad said, and the circle opened up. Three... two... one. Chad pumped his fist in time with his countdown.

FIRE! Chad and Jeremy yelled together. The flipper flung back and then forward. Splat! Maddies gum stuck to the whiteboard at the front of the room.

Maddie was laughing so hard she could barely talk. Jer-e-mee-ee-eee-eee, she said, hugging her stomach. That was amazing!

Then the bell rang, and Ms. Suarez walked in. Maddie ran and scraped her gum off the board. Chad slid into his desk across the aisle from Leo. Did you see the Whiplash? Chad whispered. His red face was beaming.

Leo pretended to be looking for something in his backpack. Not really, he said.

It was incredible! Ill show you later! Chad whispered.

But Leo just shrugged and kept digging in his bag.

That Friday afternoon, Leo began another text to Chad about coming to see Tina. But then Leo remembered that day was after-school robotics league. His loss, Leo tried to tell himself on the bus ride home. But another thought was louder in his head. I hate you, Chad Romero, it said. And you too, Jeremy Berry.

Leo pulled open the door to his house. Tina! he called. He waited a minute. He didnt hear a bark or her nails scraping against the floor. He scanned the yard. There was no sign of her outside either.

Tiiiinnnnaaaaa! He yelled louder this time. He walked into the kitchen and hung his backpack on the hook. He checked Tinas bed in the den. Nothing. That was strange. By now she should have been panting dog breath in his face.

I think Tinas sick. Shelly hurried into the kitchen holding Tina in her arms. The little dog was totally limp. She looked like a bundle of laundry in Shellys arms.

Tiiinaaaa, Leo sang softly. He picked up one of her paws and shook it a little. When he let go, it flopped back against Shellys stomach.

Mnnnnnnnnnnnn. Tina made a soft, low moan.

Im calling the vet right this instant! Shelly said. Her voice was squeaky with worry. Look at her eyes, Leo. She doesnt look at all like herself! It was true. Tinas brown eyes looked as if they were made of glass.

Its okay, Tina. Everythings okay, Leo said. He gently petted her ears the way she liked. He looked into the dogs eyes for even a flicker of her old self. But Tina just kept looking right past him.

A few minutes later, Leo was straddling a pile of dirty socks on his closet floor. He knocked softly on the back wall of his closet. Roger? he called.

Leo was trying to be more respectful of Roger, one of his best friends. Roger also happened to be a half-zombie. And he happened to live in a secret lab behind Leos closet. Usually Leo just pressed a button, and the door to the lab slid open with a swoosh.

Ever heard of the word privacy? Thats what Roger had said the last time Leo had swooshed in without knocking.

Leo had thought of how much he hated when his parents or Shelly barged in on him. Im sorry, he had told Roger, and he had meant it.