Never Slow Dance with a Zombie - By E. Van Lowe Page 0,29

across the room at a table with some nerd zombies.

"Wanna bet?" I whispered. "Look at her." We glanced over

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at Amanda. "She's glaring at us. She knows this is the first year she won't have the lead in the Holiday Pageant."

"No, I think she's eyeing that hunk of raw meat you just shoved into Dirk's mouth."

"I bet she wishes she'd bit us now." I scowled in Amanda's direction. "Well, it's too late," I mouthed. "Tough noogies. You had your chance. This school belongs to me now." I grinned at her like an eight-year-old with a brand-new Barbie, then slid my arm lovingly around Dirk's shoulder.

He tried to bite it. Smack!

"Yeeeeee!"

I turned to Dirk all apologetic. "Baby's sorry she had to do that to Snookie, but Snookie can't bite Baby." I pulled another hunk of raw meat from a Baggie and threw it to him. He grabbed the meat in midair and gobbled it up. "I taught him that," I said proudly.

"Snookie?" Sybil's lips twisted into a frown.

"That's what I call him--Snookie. I think it's cute when couples have pet names for each other."

"What does he call you--Lunch?"

"Sounds like somebody needs to sit over there with the other jealous girls."

Tin not jealous of a zombie," Sybil barked. She folded her arms across her chest and began to pout.

"Good. Then you won't mind if I cancel tonight."

"What? Again? You canceled on me last night."

"Well, somebody's gotta choreograph the Holiday Pageant." I leaned in and lowered my voice. "Besides, I'm teaching Dirk something new, and he's a little slow."

"Oh? And what are you teaching him?" she asked through clenched teeth.

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I fixed her with a firm, steady gaze. "Well, if you must know, I'm teaching him how to sing."

She stared back, her eyes narrowing. I could practically see slow wisps of steam rising off her forehead. "You're teaching a zombie to sing?" Her voice was low and filled with scorn.

"Yes. Christmas carols. As president of the Caroling Committee it's my job to make sure we have the best carolers the school has to offer. And in case you haven't noticed, we need a bass to offset your soprano and my alto."

"We cannot take Dirk caroling with us," she said, eyeing him with contempt.

"Why not?"

"Because instead of caroling Dirk will be consuming everyone in his path. He's a zombie, remember?"

I lowered my voice and again leaned in. "Don't be a name caller." I wagged a chastising finger at her. Then I turned to Dirk. "Hey, Snookie, wanna go for a walk before class?"

A low moan rose from deep in his chest.

"Me, too." I got up and faced Sybil. "We're the in-kids now, but remember where you came from, Syb. You didn't like anyone calling you names. Let's not become them," I said, throwing a glance over at Amanda and her green-with-envy ghoul-friends.

Sybil shook her head slowly. "You don't get it, do you?" she said, her eyes softening. "Margot, we have an opportunity to do something good this semester. We should be trying to make our time among the zombies mean something."

"I am doing something good. I'm teaching Dirk how to sing."

Sybil opened her mouth to say something more, but must have thought better of it because she closed her mouth and just stared.

A moment later Dirk and I blended into a pack of zombies

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passing through the cafeteria. I didn't look back, but I was certain Sybil's eyes were burning a hole in the back of my head.

Later that evening, Dirk and I sat in my room. I was alternately feeding him scraps of ground beef and flipping through my songbook in search of just the right holiday songs for caroling. I felt a pang of guilt knowing Sybil was at home alone. But isn't that what an it-girl does--dump her friends for her boyfriend?

"Margot!" my brother Theo called from the other side of my bedroom door. "Are you guys eating in there? You know Mom doesn't allow food in the bedroom."

"We're not eating. And if we were eating it wouldn't be any of your business."

"I smell food," the little brat chimed.

"You smell your upper lip," I countered. Oh, how I wanted to yank open the door, tie a leg of lamb around his scrawny little neck, and let Dirk have at him. But the thought of Theo roaming the Earth forever sent a chill up my spine. I couldn't do that to the human race. "Go away," I called. "We're busy."

"Margot and Snookie sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g," he sang as he clomped off down the