Podunk wasn't the biggest town in the world, mostly the standard rows of run down houses that held middle class families much like Ninten's, a church, and several other stores scattered across the downtown area. In short, it was just like any other plain American town, and its citizens enjoyed keeping it that way. The grass was green, the people weren't out of the ordinary, so it was the perfect haven for people who wanted a simple life. Kids didn't really go missing in a place like Podunk.
Ninten continued down the old dirt road, kicking rocks and dust in his path. He drug his bat through the dirt beside him, casually strolling down the road he knew by heart. There was nothing to see but evergreen pine trees, and the heaps of needles they were shedding. Nothing except the same old thing he saw everyday. He relaxed a little, until something from inside the forest let out a low growl. A mangy dog came limping from the cluster of trees, barring its teeth and heading straight for Ninten. He tried to back away, but the dog quickly regained its speed and came nipping at his heels.
Clumsily, he swung his bat at the dog's paws, hoping more to shoo it off than anything. He'd never seen a dog this ugly. It's skin seemed a sickly sort of green, but maybe all these rumors were getting to his head.
"Down, boy." He scolded the dog, which of course, didn't work. The dog's sharp teeth came down on his exposed leg, and that was when Ninten had to abandon his sense of morality and give the dog a hard whack to the head. To his surprise, it stumbled around for a few seconds, before flopping to the ground in defeat. He stood back in awe, afraid to touch the dog in fear of turning green himself. There was something wrong with that dog, not just its skin- The eyes. A glint of red that he'd seen reflecting from his lamp was present in that dog's eyes as well.
The boy shuddered, taking one last look at the dog before he kept going down the trail. He could see the outskirts of town from here, which surprisingly wasn't as busy as usual. Finding Pippi and her fiery red hair would be a breeze. He didn't see any more dogs on the rest of the way or when he got to the sidewalk, much to his relief. One creepy, alien, zombie dog was enough for today.
Ninten wasn't exactly sure where he should look for her. The hotel? Nah, Pippi wasn't smart enough to hide there. Drug store? What would Pippi want with drugs? The pizza place? Definitely not. Pet store? Well, that was a start. So, he decided to head to the pet store. It usually didn't have much to look at, and was honestly a pretty shabby place, but Pippi seemed to have a thing for animals. Besides, someone else in the department store might have seen her; it was worth a shot.
Usually, business was booming there, but Ninten didn't see a single person beside himself riding the escalator up to the top floor. Most of the shopkeepers were standing at their registers with a bored look on their faces, that clearly said they'd rather be anywhere but here right now. Like he expected, there was no one else in the pet store but a dull looking man, surrounded by empty cages and a store void of the very thing it was supposed to specialize in. Maybe they'd have pet rocks, at least?
"G'morning." Ninten greeted as he walked in, striding up to the counter.
"If you're looking for anything today, sorry. We're pretty bare today, besides a chick we got in the back- all this zombie stuff is scarin' people off. Bunch of bull if you ask me." The man's words sparked his curiosity even more, and in showed in Ninten's hopeful expression.
"That's okay. I was wondering if you'd seen a girl around. Small, short, red haired, more than likely dirty." The man raised at eyebrow at his question, then shook his head in reply.
"Can't say I have. If you find her though, this bird would be a good gift, only 80$!" Ninten's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. 80$ for a bird? And for Pippi nonetheless? He opened his mouth to protest, but the man had already went to the back room and retrieved a small cage, with a baby bird that could practically fit in the palm of your hand. It looked like a runt; tiny, covered with ruffled down, and peeping at the top of its lungs. Okay, maybe it was cute, in an odd sort of way.
"I don't have eighty dollars..."
"I need it off my hands, so tell you what.. You can have him for free." The bird was placed on the counter, and the man leaned down with his palm on his cheek in exasperation. "The mayor might can help you with your friend, but I doubt it."
Ninten carefully took the bird off the counter and thanked the man, then went back the way he came. Almost immediately, the cage was slung into his backpack, but not before he'd safely gotten the baby bird out and held it in his hand for the rest of the way. It just seemed safer, plus he kind of enjoyed running his fingers against the bird's feathers, and watching it chirp with delight. For some reason, the bird's voice reminded him of something. Something weird, something very far away. He shrugged that feeling off as they left town, headed for the local bird sanctuary. He already knew he couldn't keep it, so maybe it would be better off with some of its own kind.
With the bird in his arms, no strange creatures jumped up to attack him, save for a crow that stole a coke out of his backpack. Ninten climbed through the tangle of weeds and thorns, that led to the crooked chain link fence guarding the birds. All of the wildlife, flowers, and weeds were overgrown, just for the birds to live peacefully. This whole place seemed like something a hippie would come up with, but Ninten felt relaxed sometimes to hear the birds call to each other and lay back in the warm grass.
As he struggled through the long grass, he saw a blue haired man with a beard pacing around, surrounded by a flock of canaries of course.
"Uh, mister!" He called out, pointing to the squirming baby bird in his arms. If anyone could tell him what to do with it, this guy could
"It can't be... No. Someone has finally brought Laura's chick back to her." The man said in disbelief, his eyes going wide at the sight of Ninten coming towards him. "Take the shortcut right of that gravestone, boy. You'll see poor Laura, crying for her lost child." This guy was freaky, not to mention a little too sentimental over his birds, but Ninten decided to find this Laura, following the said shortcut.
When the bird saw Ninten carrying her missing chick, she chirped in glee, staring up at the boy as if he'd just saved her entire world. That was something else Ninten found unordinary about himself, animals seemed to click with him. He could tell what they were feeling, but he'd never been able to talk to them.
"Thank you." She cooed, the voice of a young woman appearing in Ninten's head. "You've brought her back home to me, and I can only thank you with my song. Listen carefully, for I can only sing it once before the melody goes to rapture."
A song flowed through the air, akin to the feeling of great longing. As the notes flew across the breeze, memories flashed through Ninten's mind. His mother holding a bundle in her arms, his father teaching him how to catch a ball, the day his baby sister was born. Then suddenly, those fond memories were only a recollection in the back of his mind, for the song was over, and the bird had cradled her baby against her wing, thanking Ninten once more.
He knew he'd never forget that song, as long as he lived.
After the pang of sadness the meeting with the birds had left him, Ninten figured he'd better get down to business. The shopkeeper had mentioned zombies, and there was really no reason for him to lie, considering Ninten seen something undead with his very own eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure out where these zombies were coming from, as there was a cemetery next to the church at the south end of town. Practically everyone who had ever lived in Podunk was buried there, so it was basically a invitation for the undead to come raid it.
Against his better judgment, Ninten didn't take the man's advice and go to the mayor. He knew what kind of man the mayor was, and it would only slow him down to go ask questions. Dealing with the zombies himself seemed like a much better plan. He was lucky to get this far without seeing anymore, because as soon as he stepped out of the shopping district, the back roads were crawling with icky, gooey, remains of the dead. People who had died hundreds of years ago were roaming the graveyard like it was nothing, eyes clear and dead but still filled with the oozing red substance that kept them very much alive.
It looked like he would have to do this the hard way.
Like the idiot he was, Ninten dashed into the graveyard, having to doge dug up holes, and missing limbs. Several zombies noticed his presence, but he was fast enough to get past most of them, besides an old woman that latched onto his arm. A whack of his bat later, the cold fingers clawing his skin had fell to the ground like branches from a tree, and he ran like the wind. It was scary, knowing anything could jump out at him at any moment. The low growls that came from the zombies didn't make things any better, and he could swear he heard their cries every few minutes.
The church door nearby was locked up tight, but he saw a younger man nearby, looking up at the sky like he was lost.
"Uh, hey there. Have you seen a-"
"DELICIOUS."
"Wait, what?"
"YOUR FLESH IS DIVINE." Turning around, the man faced Ninten with a crooked smile and rotted out pieces of bone that used to be teeth. It took all his courage to keep from screaming like a little girl, and promptly swinging his bat at the deranged zombie. The bat hit the man's stomach with a hard thud, but he kept charging. Ninten knew he would have to call on a higher power, and so he prepared himself for the unavoidable turmoil that would come with it. He shut his eyes and pointed his finger straight at the zombie, muttered a few words under his breath, and suddenly a ray of light shot out his finger and surrounded the two. It shielded Ninten, but burnt the zombie's flesh like a candle's wax when he tried to shove his hand outside.
A scream later, and Ninten had escaped the confrontation, even though his heart was pounding and he was sure he'd get struck with asthma at any moment. He kept running, not caring if he tripped over any stray bones. He just wanted out, and fast. The edge of his shoe hit something hard while he was fleeing for his life, and he looked down to discover a crypt that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Getting lost in a place like this totally wasn't going to get him killed or anything.
They say curiosity killed the cat, and curiosity killed Ninten when he decided to drop down into the eerie, pitch black, crypt. At least, it would give him a shelter from the zombies for a few minutes. His tired body sank to the floor, and he leaned against the cold walls, letting his head rest against his knees. He didn't notice the slight shift of one of the coffins, or the head that had peeked up at him. He wasn't aware that anyone else was there until a stubby finger poked his arm, causing him to shriek in terror. The surprised Pippi covered her ears, and gave him a scowl worthy of approval from the devil himself.
"Geez, you're loud."
Ninten had to take a good look at her to make sure she wasn't a zombie that was just really good at fooling him. She had the same habanero hair, tattered pink dress, unruly pigtails, and tanned face with freckles scattered across her cheeks. He was pretty sure she hadn't been converted, but he was still cautious as he stood up and faced her.
"What are you doing down here?" He asked. By the looks of it, she'd been hiding down here for a long time.
"What do ya think? Hiding from all those damn zombies."
"Pippi!"
She stuck her tongue out at him, and took a slingshot from her tattered dress pocket. "I can say what I want, you can't tell me what to do. But actually, I'm kinda glad to see you, loser. I thought I was a goner down here."
"Yeah, well I thought I was a goner up there." A sigh escapes him, and he sinks back down to the floor. It feels like way more than a few hours since he's left home, and all the wild and possessed animals are taking a toll on him.
"I've got my slingshot, it just isn't much good against 'em. I hit one right between the eyes, and he kept going." She flings a rock at Ninten, causing him to doge (which is slowly becoming an instinct for him, due to all the craziness these past couple days) Messing with him seems to lose its appeal then, so she sits down beside the tired boy, still scowling at him. "What have you got your panties in a wad over?"
"I dunno, maybe all the zombies out there? The fact that my lamp attacked me?"
A confused look spreads across her face. "Wait, what?"
"Forget I said anything," Ninten shakes his head. "Why'd you run away in the first place? Your mom is real worried about you."
"Well, I was playing, when I left." Pippi's playful tone is soon gone, replaced with a sad voice that sounds nothing like her usual banter. "After I was outside awhile, I decided I didn't wanna go home. My ma worries too much, for no reason, and I mean, this place is kinda boring. Don't ya think?"
"She worries cause she cares about you. Strange things are happening, and your mom doesn't want you to get caught up in them."
"Strange things?"
"Haven't you noticed.." He starts off. "It started these last few days, but I've been feeling weird for awhile. Like something's going to happen. Then bam, all these zombies come out of nowhere. The dead coming back doesn't happen everyday, Pippi."
"Well yeah. If anyone can find out why all this weird crap's goin' on, it's you. You've always been a real weirdo." She smirks, crossing her arms across her chest in defiance.
"Hey, someone's gotta do it." Ninten rolls his eyes, forcing his tired legs to stand once more. "We've gotta get going, before they figure out we're down here."
"Wait a sec, I got something for ya." Pippi holds out something small and shiny in her palm, motioning for him to come closer with her free hand. It looks like something from a dollar store, the thing she pins to his shirt. Franklin badge is written across the front in big, bold, letters. "My ma told me this thing brings good luck. I don't believe in all that, maybe you can though, if you get desperate enough."
"Thanks Pippi." He mutters a half hearted thanks while climbing up the ladder, with Pippi trailing behind him. He worries something might happen to her on the way home, but she's strong for her age. Not many little girls could shoot a zombie in-between the eyes with a slingshot and live to tell the tale.
As they walk together, Pippi proves herself to be capable, and surprisingly a good battle partner. While Ninten swings, she shoots from afar, and when he's distracted, she can spot enemies way faster than he can. Yet, every time she manages a hit on a nasty crow, she has that "I told you so!" look on her face. The two walk back into town, whacking and shooting zombies with relative ease. They're both still pretty clunky, so Ninten misses a lot, but Pippi is there to back him up.
By the time they stumble into town, the orange rays of sun are coating the horizon, mixing with the pink of sunset. Many townspeople frown at them, or usher their children away from the two dirty kids that came hobbling in from the graveyard looking like a bunch of dumpster divers.
"Man, I don't wanna go home."
"I know, I know.. Why don't we stop by the mayor's office first? He can give us a ride." Deep inside, he wants to scold her, because he would love to go home and crawl into bed, after eating dinner with his mom and sisters. Unfortunately, he has a feeling he won't be having a comfy home life for quite awhile. Pippi shakes her head in disagreement, but he manages to drag her all the way to the mayors office anyway.
The plastic looking woman sitting at the front desk grins at them with a fake smile and ushers them back into the mayors office, pinching at Ninten's cheeks and telling him what a brave boy he is the entire walk down the long hall. The mayor has no such compliments when the two walk in. Beneath all the false awards and junk littering the office, the mayor sits up in his tall rolling chair and puts on a smile even cheaper than his secretary's.
"Ah Tintin, I see you've managed to find Pippi! Wonderful!"
"It's Ninten, sir."
The mayor waves his hand around, and laughs awkwardly. "Yes, yes! Sorry my boy. I'll phone her mother soon and tell her all about how I ventured out into the graveyard to find her terrified little girl. It'll surely guarantee my position in office next year, hero of Podunk!"
Ninten and Pippi both try to correct him at once, their words coming out in an angry jumble.
"I WASN'T AFRAID!"
"But I found Pippi!"
"While you're at it, could you take care of something else for me? The animals at the zoo are acting absolutely dreadful, causing a fit and even injuring our zookeepers. It's a real pest for us, so would you scoot on over there and take care of it?"
Pippi clenched her tiny fists by her side and stopped her foot impatiently. "Am I going to get my free ride home, or not?!"
Ninten and Pippi walk into the small house, immediately being greeted with the scent of herbal tea and perfume. Pippi's mother is sitting on the couch, dabbing a tissue to her watering eyes. When she sees her little girl, she wraps her into a bone crushing hug. Beside her on the couch is Ninten's mother, looking weary and worn herself. That tea mustn't have helped them much. She gives him a tired smile, a clear signal that they're going to have to have a talk when he gets home.
"I'm so glad both of you are back, safe and sound." She says, taking a sip of her tea. Ninten doesn't like to stay in Pippi's house for too long. Ms. Lundgren hasn't changed the decorations in years, and the gaudy green curtains and cushy couch remind him too much of his grandma's house.
"The mayor told me all about how he rescued you, Pippi! He's such a brave man, going in where those savages were!" Ms. Lundgren cries, clutching her pearl necklace in anguish.
"Yeah, he's brave alright." Pippi quips, whenever her mother lets her go.
"I'm going to make Pippi something nice to celebrate her homecoming, would you two like to stay for dinner?" The large woman departs into the kitchen, making Pippi visibly relax. That's it, Ninten realizes, she's embarrassed of her overzealous mother.
"No, I'm afraid I have to get going. I was just so worried about Ninten, I ended up staying over too long." Ninten's mother stands, getting ready to leave. Clearly, she's had her fill of Ms. Lundgren too.
"Nonsense, you two are welcome anytime. Stay safe on your way back."
Ninten's mother makes him say goodbye, and just as he's going out the door, he sees something from the corner of his eye. Nothing incredibly odd, considering what he's seen, but Pippi is waving in an incredibly proper way, her cheeks flushed as she softly mouths the words, "Bye Ninten."
He doesn't understand why her display doesn't make him flush as well, it only leaves him confused, and Pippi looking disappointed that he didn't try to flirt back. He feels incredibly awkward, and the silent car ride home doesn't help. His mother keeps a tight lipped frown, and even Mick doesn't wag his tail when he sees them approaching the doorstep.
"Ninten," She says, the moonlight illuminating her face and showing her true age. Ninten doesn't know how to respond. His mom never cries in front of him, and tries to show no indication that she ever worries about him. Now, she looks so devastated, as if she's already lost him, when he hasn't even left yet.
"Mom, I'm sorry I went looking for Pippi. I didn't think there was really.. Y'know.." He tries to apologize, finding it easier to look at his shoes than his mother.
"Things out there that can hurt you?" She finishes his sentence for him. "I've known ever since the day you were born, that you were a very special boy. You wouldn't be my son if you didn't have those powers. They make you special. That doesn't mean people won't go after you. Those things out there..." Her eyes dart to the far off forests, the dark shadows of trees. "Want to hurt you, because you have the power to fight back. I think your grandpa knew that you had something special, which is why he wants you to go."
"I don't think I'm ready to go. I'm only 15, and you guys need me." It's hard not to tear up, the way his mother talks like he's leaving forever on some sort of journey that guarantees that he'll never return.
"That's true. Letting you go is one of the hardest things I'll ever have to do, but I know you're the only one who knows how to fix this world. That's why I have to let you go on this journey. Your father wants you to go, and I tried to argue with him at first." She wrings her hands anxiously, struggling to find the words she needs to get out. "Now, I realize, you have to go. There'll be so many people out there like Pippi that need you, that need your power. And as your mother, all I can do is pray for you to come home to us."
"Mom.." Even in the darkness, his mother reaches out a hand to wipe the stray tear that's found its way down his cheek.
"No crying till you get back. Now go, I believe in you, and I love you!"
With a heavy heart, Ninten shuffles and adjusts his cap. He makes sure everything is in his backpack, and his baseball bat is at his side. It isn't till the distant light of his comforting home is behind him that he hears the words,
"I miss you."