Adventures of a Middle School Zombie (24 page)

“Do you mind if we skip a game of ‘Guess the Stain’ and get me fixed up?”

“Geez, you’re pretty cranky for a guy with one leg,” Luke said. “Fine, pass me the stuff and let’s get this going.”

“And that is my cue,” Anna said. “See you guys later.”

Luke took my leg, and I eased to the floor. Luke lifted my shorts without asking, pushing the leg bone into the hip socket with a click.

“Zombie Legos,” he said. “Cool.”

“Just, please.”

“Fine.”

In a few minutes, it was done. The joint was a bit loose, but it was a good fix. Ooze would do the rest, stitching everything back together the way it does.

I wished I could repair my friendship with Luke as easily.

“Thanks,” I said.

“No problem. So if that’s it I’ll get to class.”

“OK, see ya.”

So much for meaningful conversation.

Luke slipped out the door and was gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts. And the first one was, “You are going to be late to class.”

My thought was right. I still had to shower and change.

It wasn’t until I looked at my watch that I noticed the time—and it was time to panic.

The watch wasn’t there.

My dad had given me a “Walking Dead” watch, featuring a couple of zombies on the face. Though it offended my zombie sensibilities—I was on a permanent flesh-free diet—it was pretty cool. And my dad loved the irony, telling me, “You can set the alarm for noon, so when you get hungry, you’ll know it’s lurch time. Get it?”

The watch must have come off while Robbie tried to turn me into scrap parts. I scanned the mat, but no sign.

Nothing on the floor or along the walls. I noticed several tables had been pushed into the corner, rolled out each day for lunch. Plenty of room for something to slide underneath and out of sight.

I put my cheek to the floor and saw dust, hair … a taco! Too bad Luke left.

Something else. Small, black. Looked promising.

I reached as far as I could, felt plastic, put my hand over it, and slid it out.

My watch, thank goodness. But trapped below it was a piece of paper.

I needed only a few seconds to know this could not be good. After reading it, I folded it and tucked it into my back pocket, realizing Robbie wasn’t my only worry this semester.

What the heck was the NZN Network? And what did it have against the undead?

-- END OF SAMPLE --

G
ABRIEL
S
TONE
AND
THE
D
IVINITY
OF
V
ALTA

out now in paperback and eBook!

Book 2 in the series:
G
ABRIEL
S
TONE
AND
THE
W
RATH
OF
THE
S
OLARIANS
 is coming from Month9Books February 2014.

Preview of
G
ABRIEL
S
TONE
AND
THE
D
IVINITY
OF
V
ALTA
by Shannon Duffy

GABRIEL STONE AND THE WRATH OF SOLARIANS coming February 2014

C
HAPTER
O
NE

Gabriel stopped mid-step near the water’s edge, captivated by the sparkling colors glowing beneath the frigid river. Monstrous ice chunks drifted through the base of Beachy Cove’s waterfalls, where he and his friends often hiked. They didn’t usually hike by the falls in winter, when it was so cold that half the river was covered in ice. And they never went in early spring, when the ice broke over the waterfalls—it reminded Gabriel too much of the day his mom had disappeared up there. But Brent and Piper made him come because they were bored and had both gotten Cs on the history exam. Hanging out was definitely better than going home and showing their parents those kinda marks.

Besides, he kind of wanted to get a good look at the scene. A part of him wondered if maybe  his  mom  hadn’t  really  abandoned  him.  Maybe  she  really  had  fallen  in  the  water somehow, and drowned. It sure looked dangerous.

As he stared, he noticed a shiny thing beaming at him from the middle of the river. When you see something magical-looking sticking out of an oversized ice cube and performing a light show that would put the Wizard of Oz to shame, you stop to stare. He totally did gawk at the object trapped in the ice. It pulsed and steamed, emitting an array of multi-colored lights that ascended into the air.

Brent Chapman and Piper Ramirez came huffing up behind him. The three of them always hung out together. Whether it was school, sports, video games, watching horror movies, hiking, paintballing, or, well, doing nothing, they were together. They had been friends for like, ever.

“Hey. Do you see that glowy crystal thingy?” Gabriel asked, dazzled by the crystalline light show. He dropped his backpack. If I can just make it to the middle without falling in.

Brent folded his husky arms across his chest. “What, that shiny thing? Dude, get back from there. You’ll freeze if you fall in.”

Piper, normally the cautious one of the three best friends, didn’t say a word, and Gabriel took it as a sign. A dare, almost. He took another step toward the river. But then Piper found her voice.

“Wait! I see something out there too, but you can’t go on the ice!” Gabe scrunched his shoulders up to his ears. “Why not?”

“It’s called pneumonia, bro. As in sick. You getting sick. The water in February is not for swimming in, unless you’re one of the crazies who do the whole Polar Bear Plunge.” Brent narrowed his eyes across the river. “What is that thing, anyway?”

Gabriel stared at the water, thinking. He knew how risky it was—he didn’t need his friends to tell him that. His own mom had disappeared up here. But he had to get it—that thing was just too sparkly to ignore. Gabriel looked back at his friends with a devilish grin, and then jumped onto a block of ice a couple of feet below. It tilted to one side, sliding him toward the water. He spread his legs wide, dispersing his weight evenly, and the ice leveled out.

Gabriel glanced over his shoulder and arched a brow. “What is it?” he asked, repeating

Piper’s question. “That’s what I’m gonna find out.”

“Are you nuts, Gabe?” Piper’s honey-brown eyes were the size of saucers as she watched him. She looked both horrified and amazed. “Let’s just go back.” She jerked her thumb toward the wooded path leading home. “We’ve got a half hour hike back, still.”

Gabriel steadied himself and eyed the next ice chunk floating ahead. Maybe Piper’s right. Maybe I am nuts. He fisted his hands wondering if he should turn around and go back. But just then, the sun glistened against the object, making its colors glow even brighter.

“I have to get that crystal. Shh, you’ll jinx me.” He jumped, landing near the edge of the ice, and cautiously slid to the middle. The slab flopped back and forth under his feet, threatening to capsize him. Whoa. That was close. His mind raced with scary thoughts about falling in. He tightened his leg muscles and gritted his teeth. You can do it.

Gabriel focused on the glowing object just a few feet away. It seemed to await rescue, steam dispersing like smoke signals. His pulse raced as he thought about his choices. Maybe he should just go back. What if he didn’t jump far enough? Or what if the ice flipped him off right into the icy water? He gulped back the huge lump in his throat. He was too close to give up now.

He fisted his hands, took a deep breath, and jumped. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The cool air pushed his hair back from his face, and his eyes lingered on the twirling colors sparkling from the crystal. He couldn’t stop staring at the bright colors. Concentrate! He

darted his eyes back to the slab of ice that rushed up to him.

But it was too late.

His body slammed into the river with a horrible slap. His jaw hit the edge of the ice, slicing open his chin. He barely managed to yelp before he splashed under the frigid river. Bitter water enveloped him like a blanket of bee stings. His blood trailed downstream in a red ribbon of color.

Fighting through the pulsating pain, he swam toward the glimmer ahead, which lit up the murky water like a beacon. The ice holding the crystal had melted, allowing it to break free. As the small, glowing object sank toward him, Gabriel held out his trembling hand, watching as it descended into his palm. Heat from the crystal trickled through his fingers all the way down to his glowing palm. He stashed the shimmering rock into his pocket as the last dregs of air left his lungs.

He pushed for the surface, only to find that ice had collected above him, creating a barrier. He pressed the ice above him, but it wouldn’t budge. He twisted his head side to side, searching for another escape, but didn’t find one. He didn’t know how to get out. Concentrate, Gabe. Think. Move.

Gabriel forced his gaze back to the prison of ice over his head. His heart leapt, ramming against his ribs. His lungs threatened to burst even as he denied the possibility of what he was seeing.

His mother’s face floated above him. Long, brown hair cascaded around her face, and her

gentle, green eyes turned up at the edges in a smile. Had Mom drowned down here, too?

A shadow fell over her face, then strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him up. When he broke the surface of the water, he sucked in a mouthful of air like a hungry animal.

Firm hands gripped him, tugging him to shore. Soon Gabriel lay stretched out on the snowy ground. He coughed and spluttered, then blinked up at Brent who stood over him dripping wet.

“What were you thinking, bro?” Brent asked with a shiver. “You could’ve drowned!” Piper stomped the ground. “You got a death wish, Gabe?” She fisted her hands on her

hips, even as relief colored her face.

Gabriel sat up, then scrambled to the water’s edge and gaped out over the river. “My mom was there.” He cast desperate eyes on Brent and Piper. “Didn’t you see her?”

Brent looked at Piper, his eyebrows raised. “He must have been under too long. Maybe he lost oxygen to the brain or something.”

Piper sighed and trudged up beside Gabriel. “No, Gabe, she wasn’t. It’s just us. Your mom’s . . . gone.” She took off her coat and wrapped it around Gabriel’s shoulders.

Gabriel sighed and plunked down on his butt. “I know, I know. It’s just . . . never mind.” Piper pulled a few tissues from her pocket and handed them to Gabriel. “Your chin.” Gabriel pushed his wet, brown hair away from his face. “Thanks.” He grimaced as he blotted the blood. Remembering why he got the stupid injury in the first place, he reached into his pocket,  and  pulled  the object  out. Just like before, it warmed his hand. “I got it,” he whispered in awe.

Brent dropped to his knees in front of Gabriel. “Wow, that’s awesome. Wait. What is it?” Piper leaned in closer to inspect it. “Is it a crystal? It’s triangular. I’ve never seen a

crystal like that before.”

Gabriel held it up, his eyes widening. Beams of red, green, and blue shot through the air.

“Looks like a crystal, right? It’s epic!” He held the crystal to his cheek and warm beams of light shot over the smile stretching across his cheeks. It tickled, and a slight hum resonated against him.

I got it!

--- END OF SAMPLE ---