A patrol car sped through the streets of Elwood City, its lights spinning. Inside sat two policewomen who appeared more than a little worried.
"We've been called to that neighborhood again," Officer Pinsky remarked ominously. "Every time it's something weird—a girl's dress stolen off her back, kids with crazy mental powers, kidnapped aliens, even witches. Why are we always the ones who get sent?"
"Maybe we're just lucky," said her partner, Officer Jones. "On the other hand, maybe that moose lady was right—maybe we are the only two policewomen in the city."
Seeing some careless pedestrians ahead, they slowed the squad car down to a crawl. The people in the street, they soon observed, were walking stiffly with outstretched arms and vacant eyes.
"Zombies," said Pinsky with a moan. "Why am I not surprised?"
"How do you kill zombies again?" said Jones. "It's been a long time."
"What in the heck happened to the crossing guard?" Pinsky wondered.
"There he is," said Jones, pointing toward a man in an orange jacket who was lumbering mindlessly down the sidewalk.
Before their unbelieving eyes, a little second-grade girl staggered onto a porch and laid her hands on an old man enjoying a lemonade in his easy chair. Not wasting a moment, the oldster tossed aside his drink, sprang to his feet, and marched away to become one with the zombie horde.
"I've heard of this happening in Pittsburgh," said Pinsky, "but I never dreamed I'd see it here."
From the midst of the staggering drones darted a cat girl with curly locks, her gaze fixed on the stopped police car. In one hand she grasped a shiny round object, and with the other she had already taken hold of the door handle in an attempt to enter the vehicle. Seeing no harm, Pinsky flipped a lever to unlock the door.
"Thank goodness you're here," said Sue breathlessly. "The whole school's been zombified. This magic rock protects me, but I don't know how to stop them." Finding a loose seat belt strap, she wrapped it around her waist as if expecting to be taken for a ride.
"You must be the kid who called us," said Officer Jones. "I've got news for you—we don't know how to deal with zombies either."
"Why do they stick out their arms?" Pinsky asked herself. "I mean, what purpose does it serve?"
The zombies, seeing a trio of uninfected humans inside the squad car, began to congregate around Sue and the two officers. "Here they come!" cried the cat girl in terror. "Don't let them touch you!" Turning her head, she beheld Zombie Buster's nose pressed against the glass, his jaw drooping moronically.
"Well, here's an interesting development," said Jones as she watched Zombie Tommy and Zombie Timmy clamber onto the hood of the patrol car.
As frenzied hands pounded against the windows and sides, Sue recalled vividly the trick she had seen D.W. perform. Holding the pale green sphere as high as her arm would allow, she exclaimed, "Go away, zombies! Leave us alone!"
The response was instantaneous—every one of the surrounding zombies turned and reversed course, leaving the vehicle alone in the street. Sue sighed with relief.
"We're gonna need backup," said Pinsky, twisting the car around.
It was a short three-mile trip to the police station, and Sue had the opportunity to share with the policewomen everything she knew about zombie lore. "If we're lucky, we can find a voodoo priest to break the curse," she recommended. "They're living zombies, not dead zombies, so once the curse is broken they'll go back to being alive instead of being dead—at least I think that's how it works."
The patrol car pulled into the station lot, and Officer Jones told the girl, "You'll be safe here until this blows over. There's even a mall next door, in case you need to hole yourself up."
"Thank you, officers," said Sue.
Meanwhile, on the street that passed by Lakewood Elementary, Arthur and Buster abruptly regained their senses. Arthur, looking down at his rigid arms, wondered, "What's going on?"
Buster stared in wonder at his palms. "Oh, man," he marveled. "I was a zombie. That was so cool."
"But how?" said Arthur, slowly lowering his arms. "Who turned us into zombies? And how did we stop being zombies?"
"Guys!" yelled Francine, rushing towards them along the dotted yellow line. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, we're good," replied Buster.
"That was the weirdest thing ever," said the monkey girl in awe. "I couldn't do anything about it—I had to touch people. It's like I was possessed by a dybbuk…er, I mean…uh, what do Christians get possessed by when they get possessed?"
Arthur checked his Bionic Bunny watch. "Now we're late for second period," he lamented. "What're we gonna tell Mrs. Krantz?"
"Yeah," said Francine darkly. "'Dear Teacher: I'm sorry for turning you into a zombie. Here's an apple.'"
All three hurried back to the school entrance, where they encountered Muffy, her face pale, her arms raised, her moans frightful. "Omigosh, she's still a zombie!" cried Buster.
"No, I don't think so," said Francine.
"Ooooohhh," Muffy mumbled miserably. "I fell in a puddle and got mud all over my dress. Ooooohhh…"
Sue, shifting impatiently in her seat at the police station, was hailed by Officer Pinsky. "The situation at your school is under control," the policewoman reported. "Nobody was hurt, apparently. They're still trying to determine exactly what happened."
Whatever it was, thought Sue as she cradled the mysterious orb in her fingers, it's got something to do with D.W.'s rock. What evil powers are hidden within it?
To be continued