Outbreak by C.M. Gray Page A

of here.’
    We were still examining the lock when an argument broke out amongst our parents.
    â€˜This doesn’t change anything! Ben’s a zombie and it’s our job to bring him in!’ Mr Knight was saying.
    â€˜WHAT?!’ yelled Mum. ‘You can’t arrest our son!’
    â€˜We won’t be arresting him. You don’t arrest zombies!’ said Mr Knight.
    â€˜What would you do with him, then?’ asked Dad.
    â€˜We would detain him indefinitely — in a secure medical facility.’
    â€˜Lock him up in a military hospital?!’ cried Mum.
    â€˜But . . .’ I couldn’t believe it. ‘I just rescued you!’
    â€˜We would’ve escaped anyway,’ said Mr Knight flatly.
    Dad looked furious. ‘If you try and take my son away . . .’
    At that moment, there was a noise outside sick bay. Was the headmaster back? Every eye swung nervously to the door as the little hatch was thrown open and a face appeared.

    â€˜Hello?!’ It was Miss Bumble, the librarian.
    Everybody started shouting at once.
    â€˜Can you open it?’
    â€˜Let us out!’
    â€˜Is there a key in the lock?’
    â€˜WAIT!’ I yelled, pushing my way to the front and peering through the window at Miss Bumble. ‘When we get out of here, the Knights aregoing to send me away. They’re saying that all zombies should be locked up in a medical laboratory.’
    Miss Bumble gazed around at our faces. ‘They’re not going to take me away though, are they, Ben? Or Mr Slender?’
    We were stunned into silence. Mr Slender was a zombie now too? How had that happened?
    Miss Bumble nodded slowly. ‘The headmaster found him before I did. I guess he figured that if there was a zombie wandering around the school, there would be less chance of anyone escaping.’
    â€˜Nom! Nom! Nom!’ said Mr Slender’s voice from somewhere behind Miss Bumble. ‘Nom! Nom! Nom! ’

20
    The Knights decided that between Nurse Nellie and Mr Slender, they had enough zombies to deal with. They agreed to leave me and Miss Bumble alone if we promised never to attack anyone.
    â€˜If he hasn’t done that already, he isn’t going to,’ said Mum crossly when she heard this.
    â€˜It’s OK, I promise,’ I said quickly. I didn’t want any more arguments!
    Miss Bumble unlocked the door. I slipped out first and shot Mr Slender a couple of times with the Zombie Blaster so we could all get past him safely. I dragged him into sick bay and slammed the door, bolting it behind me.
    â€˜You looked like you enjoyed that a bit too much,’ said Mum, carefully taking the Blaster from me as we headed down the corridor.

    â€˜It hurt me more than it hurt him,’ I lied. ‘Anyway, he sounds like he’s already recovered.’
    Sure enough, his voice echoed after us.
    â€˜Nom! Nom! Nom! Oh, no! Not the thermometer! Anything but that . . .’
    â€˜Things would be a lot worse without Nellie the Nurse!’ came the echoing reply.
    â€˜Nurse Nellie must’ve escaped from the handcuffs.’ I smiled. ‘She’ll love living in a medical facility, especially if she’s got a new patient.’
    We rounded a corner and their voices grew fainter. ‘We’ll contact HAZMAT and they can send a team to collect them,’ Mrs Knight said.
    Mr Knight nodded. He looked pleased. ‘I don’t think anyone’s brought in two live zombies at the same time before!’
    Sophie and I walked in front, just in case Mr Bill — a.k.a. the Master, a.k.a. the Lurker — reappeared.
    â€˜I’m proud of you,’ Mum told me, as we headed downstairs toward the front door of Seabrook High. ‘You saved us all.’
    â€˜So you believe that I’m a zombie now?’ I asked, switching between normal and infrared vision so my eyes flashed red.
    â€˜Stop it! Don’t do that!’ Mum yelped. ‘Well, it