Chapter 10

chapter ten I can't believe I let this happen! I was too loud! Too careless. Globlet and I didn't check these houses! We did no reconnaissance! We were just loudly bumbling down the streets like eighth graders on Halloween night! With no idea we were traveling through a GIANT MAZE OF ZOMBIE-FILLED HOUSES! Then, suddenly, there's that rawr sound again. The baby Wretch. It's still there, looking at us with that Hey, what are you doing, dummies? expression on its face. Then its head dips and it strides up the thick vine, disappearing over the roof. I stare at that spot for a split second, though it feels like an eternity. Finally— "Well, June!" Globlet exclaims. "GO!"

"But, but—" I stammer. "That's where the Wretch went!" "Uh... yeah?" Globlet says. "WENT. Past tense! Which means now it's GONE. Which means that must be a way OUT." Argh! Now I have to update the math in my head. Stay where we are—and definitely be devoured by zombies? Or follow the Winged Wretch and maybe be hopelessly eaten?

Fine. I'll take the maybe eaten over the definitely devoured. But I realize, terror ripping through me, that I may have taken too long to act. Zombies are staggering from the house in front of us. One enormous zombie, wearing swim shorts and half-deflated water wings, stands in our way. "Globlet, hang on!" I shout, and I dart forward. Globlet slips off my shoulder, then manages to grab my hair. She smacks, smacks, smacks against my back as I run. The water-wings zombie lunges toward me. I yank the Rifter polearm from my backpack and skid to a quick stop. Maybe too quick—

"AIEE!" Globlet shouts as she goes flying over my head, still clutching my hair, then slams into my face. "Let go!" I shout. "I can't see!" "You let go!" Globlet exclaims. "I'm not holding you!" "Your fur is! Tell your fur to let go!" "It's not fur, it's my hair!!" "I HATE YOUR HUMAN HAIR-FUR!" Globlet shouts. MUURGGH! The swimming pool zombie's moan is loud. I can't see, but I swing anyway. Whacking and slashing and snapping the polearm through the air. But I miss my target every time! "Where is it, Globlet!?" I bark. Globlet is less than helpful....

left. I mean, right? Whoosh, miss, wait, trace south. Yeah, swing south, swish or maybe north, Wish, miss. Oh, behind you, miss.

Finally, Globlet says, "LET ME HANDLE THIS!" and she pounces from my head, toward the zombie. I can finally see—and I watch, in awe, as—smack! Globlet slams into the zombie's chest, then slides to the ground. She shrieks, "Back off, bozo! This is a June and Globlet adventure play date and you weren't invited!" The staggered zombie leans down, swiping for her. But she scuttles beneath his legs, grabbing one moldy flip-flop and pulling his feet out from under him. The zombie topples to the ground with a loud— THUNK! I scoop Globlet up, carrying her like a football in the crook of my arm, as I speed toward the massive vine that leads up and over the house. We scramble up, finally reaching the top— the point where the baby Wretch disappeared. Behind us, zombies are swarming the lawn