by Greyson Mann
Mina gestured past the jail cell filled with zombie villagers, who were clustered in the corner of the cell. She pointed to the far end of the jail, where another cell sat dark and empty.
But when Will looked again, he saw that it wasn’t empty. A creature stood in the shadows. What was it? Another zombie villager?
He forced himself to walk slowly toward the cell.
As he got closer, he could see the zombie villager more clearly. Torn brown overalls and a tattered plaid shirt. Dark hair, and wild eyes. The zombie villager was staring right back at him, hissing softly.
Will shivered and took another step forward. Those wild eyes looked familiar somehow, the way Buddy’s eyes had during that fateful moment outside the cave in the taiga. Will squinted to see behind the monster’s “mask”—to look deeper.
It took just an instant.
He recognized the creature, and the shock of it sent Will scrambling backward.
This was no zombie.
And it wasn’t just another zombie villager.
The wild, miserable monster staring back at Will was his brother.
Seth!
CHAPTER 10
Will fell to the floor, pushing himself backward away from the cell. He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to wake up from the nightmare.
A hand on his shoulder startled him, and he jumped to his feet and whirled around.
“It’s okay,” said Mina soothingly. She was standing between him and the door.
He pushed past her, reaching for the handle. “I gotta go,” he mumbled. But where? he wondered. Home? Back to Seth’s farm? Seth’s not there! Seth’s not even … human anymore!
“It’s not okay,” he said weakly, resting his forehead against the cool iron door. “I let him down. I should have come home sooner, when he needed me.”
“He’ll survive,” Mina said. “I think so, anyway. I gave him the splash potion. Maybe you can give him this.” She reached into her sack and handed Will a golden apple. “He needs it to heal. I have some for the others, too.”
Will took the heavy fruit in his palm. Then he took a deep breath and crept slowly back toward the cell.
“Don’t get too close!” Mina warned. “He’s still a zombie—and he’s very strong.”
Will paused. He wouldn’t attack me though, would he? The thought hurt his heart. But he knew this wasn’t really his brother—at least, not yet.
As Will set the apple down just inside the bars of the cell, Seth watched his every move. Then he staggered toward the apple, hissing and twitching.
“Is he in pain?” Will asked.
“He’s healing,” Mina reminded him. “It just takes time.”
After eating the apple, Seth’s twitching stopped. He took deep breaths. He even seemed to take a nap, a long nap that worried Will. But he could see his brother’s chest heaving up and down, so he knew that Seth was still living—still fighting.
When he finally woke up, he looked more like Seth. His skin color had shifted from green back to golden brown. His eyes seemed more friendly, and when he looked at Will, he actually seemed to see him.
As a sliver of morning light slid beneath the door of the jail, Seth spoke. “Will?”
“Yes!” cried Will, leaping up. “Are you okay? How do you feel?” He rattled the bars of the jail cell, eager to get inside with Seth.
Mina fumbled to find the key on the ring, finally pushing the right one through the keyhole and swinging the door open.
Will rushed into the cell to hug his brother. Seth felt hot and sweaty, as if he’d been fighting a high fever. But he was himself. He was human. And he was alive.
Will heard the jangle of keys as Mina released the other zombie villagers—including the town librarian, who seemed dazed as she examined her tattered white robe. “Is it morning?” she asked.
Mina nodded. But Will caught the alarm in her voice when she said, “I’m afraid it is.”
“That means the zombies are gone,” said Will. “Little Oak is safe now, right?”
Mina corrected him. “It means the zombies burned. But the town may be burning, too.” She pointed toward a thin plume of smoke rising from beneath the jailhouse door. Then she shot Will a determined look and said, “We have to go. Now.”
CHAPTER 11
As Mina flung open the jailhouse door, smoke billowed in. Will pushed through it, leading Seth by the hand.
“Buddy? Winston?” Will called out. But as smoke filled his lungs, he started to cough.
Small fires burned everywhere. The zombies were gone, but they’d left mass destruction: burning doors, bushes, and houses.
Will suddenly remembered the faces he’d seen through the window of one of those houses. Were villagers still trapped inside?
“We need water!” he hollered, rushing toward the cobblestone well. He cranked the lever, raising a bucket full of ice-cold water, and handed it to Mina. He brought up bucket after bucket, until his shoulders ached. Seth helped carry the water, and so did other villagers as, one by one, they were rescued from their burning homes.
“I’ll take over now, lad,” someone said from over Will’s shoulder. Bagley!
“You’re okay!” Will shouted, giving the burly man a hug. “I thought …”
“You thought the zombies did me in, did you?” asked Bagley. “When I saw what they did to Birch Grove, I came to Little Oak to help. Turns out you helped me, now didn’t you? I was trapped inside with the villagers. Lost me dog in Birch Grove, too.” His face darkened.
“No, Winston is here!” Will cried. “He came to tell me about you. He’s here—somewhere.” Will hoped his words were still true, that Winston would show up unharmed.
Tears welled in Bagley’s eyes. “Thank you, lad,” he said. “That does me heart good. Now, let’s put out this fire.” He cranked the lever furiously, bringing up another bucket.
Someone else wanted to help, too. As Will handed off a bucket of water, something nudged his leg. Buddy looked up as if to say, “What can I do?”
Will dropped and buried his face in Buddy’s fur. “I’m so glad you’re okay, girl,” he whispered.
She was right there, as always. But there was nothing more she could do for him—no more monsters to fight. Just a town to put back together.
“Just sit, Buddy,” Will said with a smile. “Stay.” But he already knew that she would.
“Will it ever be the same?” asked Will as he and Seth walked through what was left of Little Oak. The houses were charred, wet, and smoking.
“It won’t be the same,” said Seth. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “But it might be even better. We’ll replace the wooden doors with iron ones, and we’ll raise the entrances a foot or two—to keep the zombies out.” His eyes brightened at the thought.
Will could tell Seth was already getting excited about the building project. He laughed and shook his head. His brother was back!
“Watch yer step, lad,” shouted Bagley from behind.
Will glanced down and narrowly missed stepping into a pile of rotten zombie flesh. It was everywhere. Here and there, a stray wolf feasted—Will’s wolves, who had been loyal and fought off those zombies to the bitter, burning end.
Beside him, Buddy looked tired, her tail hanging low. Winston did, too, as he padded along after Bagley. But at least we’re all okay, thought Will. And we’re together.
As they walked on, he noticed that zombies had dropped other things besides rotten flesh—carrots, potatoes, and even a few iron bars. He reached down to pick one up. The iron felt solid and heavy in his hand. It gave him an idea.
“I know another way to protect Little Oak,” he said, standing back up. “We can build a golem—an iron golem!”
He quickly told Seth about the snow golem he had wanted to build in the taiga. “I never got to do it—I came home first. But that’s okay, because an iron golem is so much better. And bigger. And tougher. Those dirty zombies wouldn’t stand a chance!”
Seth
slowly smiled. “That’s a great idea,” he said. “Maybe I can help you build it.” Then he turned to face his brother. “Thanks, Will.”
“For what?”
“For coming back. For helping me and Little Oak. We really needed you.”
Will’s cheeks warmed with pride—and embarrassment. He shrugged and said, “That’s what we do, right? We stick together, no matter what.”
Buddy was still at his feet, never far away. That dog was the best friend a boy could hope for. But Seth? He’s my brother, Will reminded himself. And I’ll never let him down again.