The Saga Of Tom Stinson (Book 1): Summer School Zombocalypse by Eric Johnson

crowded around the tree trunk, grasping for Tom. He thrust the shovel down onto the heads of the zombies; its blade cut deep into the skull of the first one easily. He thrust the shovel down, again and again. “Their heads are so squishy. This isn’t hard at all.”
    “ Ha ha. Good idea, huh?” Winston watched intently.
    “ Over confidence will get you,” Emmett said.
    Tom took his eyes off the zombies. “Do you always have to be such a downer? I got this.”
    Then a zombie grasped the shovel and pulled it from his hands, jerking him off balance. Winston grabbed onto his shirt as he caught himself on the door frame. Tom moved back away from the edge of the tree house and sat down with his back against the tree. “It was going so well, why’d you have to jinx it?”
    “ What are you going to do now?” Emmett asked.
    “ Just use the shotgun. There’s only five left,” Winston said.
    “ No way,” replied Tom. “We need a different weapon, a quiet one.”
    “ I have to go,” Winston said.
    Tom rubbed his temples. “Then go.”
    “ I gotta pee real bad.”
    “ I get that, go over the edge.”
    “ I can’t. I need a bathroom.”
    “ Just go.”
    “ Our mom said that people who urinate in public are bad,” Emmett said.
    Winston held himself and rocked back and forth on his feet. He shook his head, “I can’t.”
    “ Use the window.” Tom turned his head and watched the remaining zombies. “The zombies won’t care, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
    A moment later Winston sighed with relief.To Tom’s surprise the zombies moved around to the other side of the tree right under Winston.
    “ That’s the grossest thing I’ve ever seen,” Emmett said.
    “ It’s the best, actually,” Tom said. “If we can distract the zombies long enough for me to get over to the garage roof, I can get through the skylight and get another weapon. Perhaps the hoe.”
    “ You have a skylight in your garage? That’s the dumbest thing ever. How will you get back?”
    “ Not now, hack boy. It’s only like six feet away, maybe a bit more. Be quiet while I think.”
    He closed his eyes and imagined what the crossing would be like in his mind.
    “ Thinking and doing are two different things, you know.”
    “ Emmett, for once just shut up. All I have to do is walk out on that branch and then jump to the roof. Drink these bottles of water, I need a distraction.”
    Emmett shook his head. “I’m not thirsty.”
    “ It’s how we’re going to distract the zombies,” Tom said.
    “ Maybe you could use the pulley rope to swing like Tarzan to the roof, then you would have a way to get back,” said Emmett sarcastically.
    “ Tarzan. Why didn’t I think of that?” Tom replied. It was a crazy idea and he didn’t like it.
    “ It’s just as dumb as peeing on the zombies,” Emmett said.
    “ Do what I say.”
    “ Stop being so bossy,” Emmett yelled. “Stop telling us what to do, every little thing is your plan. This plan, that plan. Plan. Plan. Plan.”
    “ Tough,” Tom said firmly. “This isn’t a democracy. I’m in charge, and what if I fall down into the zombies? You couldn’t even save yourself. You’d be dead already if it weren’t for me.”
    Cutting in, Winston said, “You guys shut up.”
    Emmett retorted, “My idea is better, safer, and it’s not that far to swing.”
    “ You’re not the one doing it,” Tom replied in a whisper.
    “ Chicken.”
    “ Knock it off,” Winston waved his arms in the air. “Stop arguing. Fighting isn’t going to get us anywhere.”
    “ Shut up. Quiet. If you yell, more of them will come,” Tom said.
    Loud moans came from below. Winston said, “They’re getting worked up down there.”
    “ They know we are up here,” Emmett yelled. “It doesn’t matter if we make noise any more. And why do we have to pee. Can’t we just yell at them?”
    Tom threw his arms up in frustration. “I could kill you. More will hear us and come, that’s why. It’s