Read Chapter 11

Chapter 12. Totally Grossome

Out gushed Scarlet and Grandma Bone a wash of wolf goo. Scarlet scrambled to her feet, rushed at Barnaby, and kicked him in the wolfnuts.

Grandma tackled Barnaby. WHOOMF.

While Barnaby simultaneously howled in pain and gasped for air, Scarlet retrieved her boa from a puddle of wolf-bile and, after allowing herself a moment of regret for ruining such a beautiful fashion accessory, tied his forepaws behind him.

Together Grandma Bone and Scarlet wrestled Barnaby to the open front door. The wind blew in the rain. The zombies tossed out the wolf. Barnaby tumbled off the porch and landed PLOP in the mud of the front yard.

Right at the feet of Daisy and Sigmund Bone, and a crowd of zombies behind them. Scarlet gave a triumphant shout when she saw them — the Chunk Grissoms (junior and senior), Cerebellum Augustus Stubbs (and his boys), schoolmates like Moldylocks, Hansel and Gretel Rictus, and Jack Rot. Scarlet was even almost happy to see a smirking Jeminy Stinkpit, flanked by Sparkle and Spangle Hallows. Scarlet sighed. Jeminy DID look amazing in her all-weather cloak and duck-feather boa.

Moldylocks grinned down at Barnaby. “That is totally grossome.”

Jeminy, however, couldn’t help being Jeminy. “Hey, Scarlet,” she sneered. “Is that a cloak you’re wearing? Or a carcass?”

Jeminy never saw the missile that hit her a moment later.

It was a missile in the shape of Moldylocks Lamort and it scored a direct hit. Down went the girls and a writhing muddy tussle commenced. Moldylocks pinned Jeminy momentarily, unleashing a string of indecipherable curses and flailing her arms at Jeminy’s head. Jeminy, was bigger, though, and she recovered fast. Soon, she scored a reversal and held Moldylocks helpless beneath her. This was too much for Scarlet, who swooped in, shouldered Jeminy aside and lifted Moldylocks out of the mud.

By this time, the other grownups intervened to keep the two separate.

Thunder rumbled. Rain fell harder. Everyone was soaked.

“Hey, everybody,” yelled Scarlet, “are we going to have a party or we gonna stay outside and let our skin rot?”

The zombies laughed. They started to move to the front door.

“Mom, Dad … ” said Scarlet. “Can you grab Barnaby?”

Daisy and Dr. Sigmund looked about them.

Barnaby was gone.