A few weeks had passed at Seabrook and things at school were changing, just very slowly. Coach did his best with the cheer team, but he wasn't much better with his pep talks with the cheer team than with football. He quickly chose Bree to be captain and lead the team though. Most of the team agreed with the choice since Bucky and his lackeys were gone. But Bree was constantly nervous and asked Addison a million questions every day. She also promised to make her co-captain if she could ever rejoin the team.
After several weeks of zero incidents of zombie attacks, the basement room where the zombies ate began to fill up with their human friends joining them so Principal Lee was able to bring the zombies back to eating in the cafeteria. The zombies did still have to attend their classes in the basement though.
Zed and Addison still made sure to sit together every day for as long as possible. Not letting anyone stop them. They also tried to meet after school at least 2-3 days a week. Often having short picnic dates similar to their first Froyo date, or just taking the time to sit together. Addison's parents were still grounding her and trying to watch her like a hawk, but they were still unaware of their secret meetings. They knew from Bucky's reports that they sat together at school but there was nothing they could do to stop it other than keep grounding Addison.
With Mr. Brunner and Principal Lee's help and approval, Eliza had started several different projects to try to create the change she desired. Including online petitions, and writing a blog with other students to highlight the injustice that Zombies were facing, and stating facts to try to overwrite many of the zombie myths that people feared. None had really caught on yet. But she did find something.
"Zed I have an idea." Eliza announced at lunch one day.
"What is it, Eliza?" Zed asked.
"So student council elections are going to start soon, and I think you should run for student body president." Eliza said.
"Why me?" Zed asked.
"Because you were already popular with the most people before homecoming. So, people already know you and should remember how you treated them then. You at least were the most popular Zombie with the humans, and all the zombies know you're a leader. Plus, you brought home a trophy which apparently makes you a god in Seabrook, at least if you aren't a Zombie so I think you have the best shot of becoming president." Eliza explained.
"Can Zed do it though, with my parent's stupid rules I thought zombies were banned from extracurricular activities?" Addison asked.
"I talked with Principal Lee and she says that because student government meets primarily during school hours and not before or after school technically its co-curricular so zombies officially aren't banned from it." Eliza said.
"Really, that sounds sweet. Honestly Eliza do you think I have a shot at winning?"
"I really don't know, it will of course depend on your competition and how much the public opinion is against zombies right now, but given the last few weeks, I think you could have a lot of support." Eliza said as she motioned around the room where Zombies and humans were both spread out.
"OK then, I will run for student body president then." Zed said, "Now how do I do it?"
"I have already been creating a campaign with posters and some pitch ideas. Teaching Zombie Tongue in school, more integration, days off for Zombie holidays,
"What zombie holidays even are there? Bree asked
"Z-Dayr, ZB-Dayr, Hallowzgra." Bonzo listed
Z-Day, April 13 is the day the powerplant exploded and created Zombies, ZB-Day March 22 is the day Z-bands were released and we could go back to normal. And Halloween is a really big deal for Zombies we would normally have huge celebrations in Zombietown for it since it's the one day we could be proud to be scary monsters." Zed explained.
"Sounds like fun I can't wait to enjoy them with you." Addison said.
"Anyway the assembly to officially start the campaign is tomorrow and Principal Lee will allow Zombie students to be there so Zed whenever she asks for nominations all you have to do is stand up. Got it?" Eliza informed them.
"Got it. Come on guys this can still be our year." Zed said.
It was the next day, and the gym was packed for the assembly. At this point, there was some mixing between the zombie and human students and all were cheering along with the band. Bonzo was secretly allowed to join in for this performance even though with his height and unique horn he still stood out in the crowd.
Principal Lee walked up to the microphone on the stage and began the assembly. "Alright welcome to the beginning of school election season, now as we begin are there anymore nominees for president? Just a reminder that being a part of student council means that we get to hang. Anybody, anybody want to hang?" Principal Lee asked as the enthusiasm dropped into an awkward silence. "Anyone want to hang out? Anyone? Ooh we could come up with our very own complicated hi-five!" That be fun huh? Like…" She then tried to do a secret handshake with herself as the band started playing the Mighty Shrimp Fight Song.
Above the crowd, a massive green and pink banner unfurled proclaiming Bucky For President. The crowd stood up and began to cheer louder than before.
Bucky then appeared in the middle of the crowd and backflipped his way up to the stage.
"Good Job." Principal Lee said as he walked up to the podium, trying to give him a hi-five that he didn't return.
"Great News," Bucky began, "we have a brilliant and cheer-tested candidate running for president this year…Me!" Bucky shouted as he waved his jazz hands in the air with a giant smile on his face.
The Aceys began to lead a cheer for him that the crowd soon picked up as confetti flew all around. "BUCKY, BUCKY, BUCKY!"
As the crowd continued, Zed thought to himself, I'm running against Bucky for president but I need to one-up his entrance. The question is how? Zed started to try to psyche himself up when suddenly Bonzo's horn hit him in the back and knocked him down from the bleachers as he rolled over several rows of students in front of him.
Zed then jumped up to the stage and pushed Bucky off to the side with a yell, "Woooo! Zombie Strong!"
Addison and Bree both looked at him with looks of surprise on their faces at just what his plan was.
"Hello everyone, my name is Zed and I am running for president!" Zed declared.
Bree led many of the cheerleaders into cheering for Zed. Addison, the Zombies, and several other human students joined in.
"Zed can't steal my spotlight, what about the whole anti-monster thingie?" Bucky demanded
"Anyone can run for president Bucky!" Addison shouted out.
"She actually has a point, Mr. Bucky." Principal Lee said before leaving the stage.
"What?" Bucky asked again following her off
"A Zombie President! Ewww!" The Acey's cried out.
Most of the crowd continued to cheer for Zed.
"OK if you vote for me I will bring you prosperity, and AWESOMENESS!" Zed yelled out to more cheers from the crowd.
"ZED ZED ZED ZED ZED!" The crowd chanted.
"As your president, I will make Seabrook a place that embraces Zombies and humans equally. No more barriers between us. We can all be together. One for All, we used to be divided. One for all now were all united."
The crowd continued its thunderous applause of Zed.
Later in the day, Zed was handing out flyers to passing students outside the school.
"Vote Zed for Prez. Vote Zed for Prez. Because I'm a Zombie, not a Zom-can't-be. Thanks for the support." Zed said as students took his flyers.
Eliza was advising him on his campaign message. "Alright here's our platform, we'll fight for Zombie toppings on pizza in the cafeteria."
"Right."
"Get Zombie tongue taught as a second language."
"Good."
"And how to overthrow your oppressors after school club."
"Eliza."
"Sorry, right don't overpromise."
"But more importantly we allow Zombies back in all classes, and all activities."
"Hi Mr. Future President." Addison said in a singsongy voice as she walked up to them.
"Why Hello Mrs. Future First Lady." Zed said, smiling at her, "What are you up to?"
"Bree wants me to come to watch her cheer practice today, it's the first time Coach has to miss and she'll have to lead everything herself and she wants me there for moral support/cheer emergency. Which is not going to happen, but I am happy to be there anyway. Addison said as Bree soon followed. You are going to rock practice today Bree."
"I know but I'm still nervous if I will do a good job, I only get one chance at a first impression as leader."
"A chance to fail." Lacey called out from the table where the Aceys were all making button pins for Bucky's campaign.
"Don't listen to them Bree both of you are going to rock this. You are both leaders."
"Well come on Addison let's go."
"Alright see you later, good luck. Addison called."
"Have fun!" Zed called back.
Bonzo was standing a few feet away, wearing a handcrafted sign showing support for Zed and passing out flyers. He became discouraged though as Bucky drove past in his cheer van.
"Shish Boom Bucky Buchannon for President, a vote for Bucky is a vote for cheerfection.
Bonzo decided to hand his flyers out in a different area so he wouldn't be competing for attention.
The next 2 weeks were filled with competition between Zed and Bucky, both trying to drum up support. Zed focused on making the football team, football fans, and zombies his base, and he also had a lot of support from the current cheer team as well, most of them had been cut off by Bucky after the game.
Bucky though relied on his ongoing popularity to build his campaign, Even with his cheer defeat he still had many fans. Unlike Zed who was trying to build bridges between humans and Zombies, most of his campaign was focused on his own amazingness and Cheerfection, and zombie-phobia.
Thursday that next week was the final day of the campaign ending in a debate between the candidates, and then the students would vote the next day.
Zed walked into the gym confident, having received a final hug for good luck from Addison. With Eliza by his side as always, he felt ready. He was wearing his varsity jacket over his Zombie clothes to appeal to both humans and zombies and represent them coming together.
When he entered the gym he could hear lots of students nervously murmuring and some even turned and pointed, he smiled and waved at a few before looking up at the stage and his heart dropped.
"You're going to prove to everyone that we're more than just-" Eliza was saying to him.
"Monsters." Zed finished.
Hanging from the gym rafters were massive banners, showing Bucky's confident cheer smile, but instead of Zed's posters that he had been handing out, his banners showed him with his mouth open in a roar, with black veins spreading across his face, and wild untamed eyes. They proclaimed. MONSTER? ZED 4 PREZ! YOU FOR DINNER?
"Bucky made me look."
"Scary."
Zed walked slowly up to the stage, many students giving him a wide berth, most of the Zombies looked depressed at the turn of events thinking this would be the end of their hope for change.
"Got your speech?"
"Yeah." Zed said nervously.
"Hey Zed, don't be nervous this is bigger than that, this is for you, me, all Zombies everywhere. This is more important than anything else. Just become president, that's what Zombies need." Eliza gave him one more pat on the back before standing off to the side of the stage.
As the assembly began the crowd was fired up. Principal Lee stood on stage. "Your first nominee is of course-" she started.
Lacey took the microphone from Principal Lee. "Running for president wearing the sequined Mighty Shrimp Uniform…"
"Three time MVP, lean, mean, cheering machine…" Stacey continued
"And Captain of our hearts…" Tracey finished.
"BUCKY!" They announced together.
Bucky ran out on stage wrapped in an emerald green robe and then displaying his bedazzled cheer uniform ready for the debate he basked in the applause.
"And of course your other candidate, oh OK" Principal Lee handed the mike off to Eliza.
"Introducing our soon-to-be-first green-haired president, and repping a proud people…ZED!"
Zed ran up to the stage to the applause of many.
"Hear us Roar!"
The crowd roared back
"Actually no we're not gonna roar. No roaring." Zed said nervously.
"Zed will fight for you!"
"No not gonna fight, no this is just a nice little cordial debate we're having here today." Zed said taking the mike from Eliza and putting his arm around her.
"Good to hear." Principal Lee said, taking the mike back.
Zed gave her a hi-five
"OH did you see that?" Principal Lee said, now with a true smile breaking out on her face. "That was a hi-five yes." She pumped her fist. "Are you ready to BATTLE?!"
"It is my mission." Bucky started
"We got a goal in mind." The Aceys continued
"Save our tradition."
"That is the bottom line."
"I'm always winning"
"Look how the trophy shines"
"You're going down bury you back underground."
Zed began to hit back, "I'm the one who stands up for the people I embrace diversity treat everyone as equal."
"Zed is thoughtful" Eliza joined in.
"Thanks."
"He's a natural-born leader."
"True."
"And if you think about it, Bucky is neither."
"Yo, I will win this race I'm a cheer Rockstar mirrors love my face." Bucky tried to make his point that he was better than Zed.
"Your ego made your head so big you can't see you got no shot to beat me oh" Zed burned him much to the crowd's delight.
"I know you hear me if you're with me stand up"
"No way you win if you go against us."
"In pictures we're more glamorous."
"You want a battle with the best good luck lets go."
"You need a leader who looks out for the crowd."
"Someone that will make you proud."
"I'm challenging an old way of thinking."
"Yo I'd make a much better president."
"Tell him your reasons" The Acey's interrupted.
"I'm a real human there's no danger in that. Their real monsters what if they turn bad?"
"We're not monsters man win the football games we can join the cheer squad monsters wouldn't do those things. We've got a good attitude."
"Dude you eat brains." Bucky desperately tried to continue his main point.
"If I did you don't one so you'd be safe. Zed again burned Bucky, earning a booming reaction from the crowd.
"You're all weird and strange."
"We are here for change, we need a president who will do whatever it takes."
"Look we can go back and forth but in the end it's facts, you're a monster and you can't debate that. You want to change Seabrook."
"Yeah for the better."
"I knew it, how's it better to have Zombies in school? Zombie tongue at Seabrook's Abba dadda zinga"
"I think I'd make a fine president too, thanks for the compliment. I think you'll like Zombie as a Second Language it's an easy A."
"What's next more Zombie dates on calendar?"
"More Holidays."
"Woah Woah, um if I'm president No more homework!" Bucky shouted out, as he began to realize he was losing.
"Seabrook needs a leader who will look out for everyone, not just themselves. I promise you I will work to fix both human and zombie issues. I will do my best to make you proud and I will remember that I am your president first, I will fight for all of you. Zed for Prez!"
The crowd roared its applause.
"No, no, no!" Bucky looked around shocked that he was losing so badly. "Come on everyone loves me! Bucky for President!"
Most of the student body kept cheering for Zed, only the Aceys and a small group tried to cheer for him, but they were drowned out by the crowd.
"See Bucky people are ready for change." Zed said to him.
"I'm not not pro-change I'm just pro-keeping everything the same. Like it's always been. Doesn't that sound great? Let's go Mighty Shrimp!"
"I believe we can create a better, more united Seabrook than ever before. Who's with me?"
"ZED! ZED! ZED!" the crowd chanted.
Principal Lee walked back up to the stage. "OK thank you to both of our candidates for a rousing debate. Remember voting will be open until the end of lunch tomorrow so everyone show up to the polls and make your voices heard. Next up will be the debate for Senior student council members. Thank you."
Zed walked off the stage, giving hi-fives all around, including to Principal Lee. Bucky stormed off backstage, the Aceys quickly following.
"Good job Zed, see I told you, you were the right choice to lead us."
"Yeah you were right Eliza, thanks for putting your faith in me, but its not over yet."
"Greezka Grob." Bonzo said to him, giving Zed a fist bump.
"Thank's Bonzo, thank you for designing all the awesome posters."
"Zed!" Addison rushed up to him and wrapped him in a hug, that he quickly returned. Addison looked up at him. "That went even better than I expected."
"I know, I don't think Bucky had much of a plan except his zombie hatred and love for himself."
"I know you actually put in the work and have plans to make real change. I know you can do it. You are going to be a great president."
"And the first thing I will do is make sure Zombies can be in class again so I can be with you as much as possible."
They sat down and listened to the rest of the debates, there were even several other zombie students running for leadership positions that were inspired by Zed's lead.
It was the end of the school day, just 10 more minutes before the final bell. The entire school was waiting in anticipation, students and teachers alike, but the basement classroom where the Zombies were was dead silent as they awaited the fateful announcement.
"Good Afternoon," Principal Lee's voice crackled over the intercom. It is now time to announce the results of this year's student council elections. First off, the Student Body President is…Zed Necrodopolis! Congratulations Zed." The Vice president is…" That was all any of the zombies heard as they all began to celebrate Zed's victory. Everyone was shouting excitedly, none more than Eliza who embraced Zed.
"Yes, one of my plans actually worked. We can finally make real change around here."
"It's all thanks to you, I couldn't do this without you Eliza."
A moment after Eliza let go, Zed felt another set of arms wrap around him from behind. Confused he turned around and looked down in surprise
"Addie, what are you doing here?"
She smiled up at him, "Once I heard you won I sprinted down here to congratulate you. Mr. President."
"Thank you, forget baby steps I can finally make real progress."
"And you will be great at it."