#disney zombies
Snow was gently falling from the grey skies in Seabrook as school let out for the winter holiday. Well, almost. There was, after all, the football game that afternoon. Zed Necrodopolous, the charming star fullback of the Mighty Shrimp’s football team, was currently attempting too understand why his girlfriend’s parents wanted him to attend their Christmas dinner.
“Our revolution was the cheer competition,” he tried joking, but Addison wasn’t having any of it.
“Zed, this is important. Christmas has always been a time for my family to kind of… regroup. And this year, everyone’s going to be a little more honest.”
Everyone.
“Everyone?”
Addison grimaced. “My parents, of course. Bucky and my aunt and uncle. Nana and Grandad. And… us.”
“You’re not going to put your wig back on because your grandparents are coming, are you?” Zed lazily twirled a stray lock of white hair around his finger.
“The next time I wear a wig, it’ll be because I want to have a specific colour hair and not to hide my own colour,” Addison said firmly. “And now that I have a, quote-unquote, serious boyfriend, my family wants to meet him.”
“They don’t know I’m a zombie,” Zed said flatly. It wasn’t a question.
“Well, my parents do. And, obviously, Bucky has always known. I would assume his parents have found out by now.”
“And your grandparents?”
“Zed, you’re what’s important to me. It’s not like you personally ate Grandad’s ear.” Addison lightly punched her boyfriend’s shoulder. “I mean, we can and will leave if they say anything. Let them talk if they wanna, but we don’t have to stay and listen,” she said softly.
“Addy,” Zed said uselessly.
“Christmas is for family and, and just spending time with the people who you supposedly love. They want to meet you, Zed.”
“Should I dig out the pink suit again?” Zed joked.
Addison looked her boyfriend over suggestively. “That was a pretty good look on you.”
“Onlypretty good?” Zed clutched at his chest dramatically. “Ouch.”
“Oh come on, Zed,” Addison giggled, “you know exactly what I meant. But Christmas happens to be the one day of the year when we trade pink for red.”
“Okay. Met your parents. That wasn’t so bad. Now I’m just meeting the rest of your family,” Zed smirked, nearly hiding his nervousness.
“I’m going to do a bit of shopping. Maybe you’ll get a new Christmas present out of all this. And maybe, since I’m choosing all the presents this year, you’ll get a new…something out of it.” Addison began making a mental list of everything Zed would need for the dinner. Dress pants and a jacket were a must. Shirt and tie. Dress shoes.
With a start, Addison realized they were at her house. “Coming in?”
“Nah, I’ve got to get Zoey. Eliza’s been watching her while I’ve walked you home the past few weeks. Uh, it’s been really nice being able to do that, though. We needed this.”
Addison smiled. “I liked it, too. Say hi to Zoey and Puppy for me.”
“You know I never pass up the opportunity to deliver a message from my favourite cheerleader,” he winked.
Addison rolled her eyes. “Seriously?” Zed smirked, easily pressing a kiss to the top of his girlfriend’s head. “I gotta get Zoey.”
The next day, Addison met Bree at the Seabrook Mall. “Let me get this straight. You’re buying your zombie boyfriend a suit so he can go with you to Christmas dinner with your extended family, who don’t know you’re dating a zombie, who don’t know you stopped wearing your wig, who you only see once a year?”
“Yeah,” Addison said happily.
Bree exhaled. “Addy… good luck. How are you going to buy him a suit, anyway?”
“It’s not like I don’t know how tall he is, Bree.” At her friend’s unimpressed look, Addison continued: “Well, I’m 5’4. And I’m up to his shoulder, so… he’s not more than a foot taller than me…” Addison started to wonder if she actually knew how tall her boyfriend was.
“He’s 6’1,” a bored voice said from behind them.
“What are you doing here?” Addison asked, a hint of concern nearly hidden in her voice.
Eliza shrugged. “Was walking around Seabrook. Figured with the barrier gone, Zombies have as much right to be in public space as humans.”
“E, that’s not at all what I meant. I just thought with it being the first day of vacation that you guys would be… I don’t know what I thought. I’m sorry.”
Eliza rolled her eyes. “That has got to be the lamest coverup I’ve ever heard. Let’s just say I was feeling adventurous. Why do you want to get Zed a suit? He already… acquired that pink one for you.”
“He didn’t tell you?” Addison said with surprise. “My family invited him to Christmas dinner this year.”
“That was… nice of them,” Eliza said cautiously.
“Yeah. Anyway, my family’s pretty formal during the holiday and there’s a ‘dress code’ for dinner.”
Thirty minutes later, the girls walked out of the local department store, Addison carrying a bagged suit over her shoulder, Eliza holding dress boots, and Bree had the relevant accessories. “Oh my gosh, how on earth am I going to wrap this?”
“Addison, you’re overthinking this. Honestly, he’ll be more confused if you just give it him like this. Also, I needto be there when you do. His face is going to be priceless,” Eliza laughed.
Dale arrived after a few minutes to drive them home, first dropping off Eliza in Zombietown. “Hey, Dad, I haven’t quite finished my Christmas shopping. Could you take me back to the mall? I’ll be like, twenty minutes. I just have one more thing to get.”
Most of Addison’s Christmas shopping had been easy and straightforward. A pair of earrings for her mother, a tie clip for her father. Engraved friendship bracelets for herself and Bree. Even making Bucky’s cheer scrapbook had been something that she knew what she wanted to do. And for the Necrodopolous family – Zed’s suit; pompoms, hair ribbons, athletic tape, a yoga mat, and a sports bag for Zoey (to go with, what in Addison’s opinion was nothing short of a Christmas miracle, Bucky’s offer of training the young Zombie in the new year); and for Zevon, well, she had simply told Zed to pick out whatever he wanted for his father and she would cover it. For Bonzo, she had gotten several higher grade types of paper and other art supplies. All that was left was Eliza and Addison had hoped that by bringing the Zombie with her that she would be able to find something that interested her. Just thinking about everything that she’d purchased made her grateful that she’d kept her tradition of saving her previous year’s Christmas present from her grandfather.
As soon as they were back at the mall, Addison knew exactly what to get her friend. There was just one problem.
WHAT SIZE SHOE DOES ELIZA WEAR? -A
? HOW SHOULD I KNOW -Z
…SHE’S YOUR BEST FRIEND!! -A
…SO? -Z
…BREE WEARS SIZE 7 ½ -A
…OK I GUESS I’LL JUST GO OVER. HEY ELIZA, WE’VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOREVER, WHAT SIZE SHOES DO YOU WEAR? -Z
I’M GOING TO GO WITH AN 8 -A
The shoes that Eliza had been looking at were sleek, black leather boots. The store didn’t have an 8 in stock, but Addison decided to buy a size larger so that the other girl would be able to slip in orthopedic insoles, for which she purchased a gift card. She left the store with a not-so-subtle hint that the recipient of the boots was to be a zombie and that she didn’t want her friend to not be able to switch sizes if needed. Her shopping finished, Addison was ready to enjoy the rest of the holiday.
insp. by this prompt list, specifically #18
Dale returned to the dinner table, his face grim. “I have to go. There was a shooting by the border.” Addison’s heart dropped. Zed stood up.
“I have to go home.”
“I’m going with him.”
Zed and Addison spoke at the same time.
Dale shook his head. “You kids stay here. The community’s been advised to stay indoors until we catch this guy and I don’t want to take a risking in having Zed exposed.”
“Chief, do you have a name? My little sister…” Zed’s voice cracked.
“Even if I did know, I couldn’t tell you. That’ll be classified information.” Zed was understandably worried. At the look on both the teens’ face, Dale sighed. “It wasn’t your family, Zed.”
That still left Eliza and Bonzo, Eliza’s parents… the whole community, really. “Dale, everyone’s family on that side of the wall.”
“I need to go back to work. Zed, be careful.”
There was a knock at the door. Dale looked at Missy, eyebrows furrowed, then went to the entrance. They could hear him speaking in hushed tones, trying to calm an obviously-distraught woman. Dale brought her into the kitchen, where Missy immediately began soothing her. The mayor poured her a glass of water and sat with her as her sobs subsided.
“I need to go,” she hiccupped.
“It’s not safe, Mary. Zombie Patrol is taking care of everything. You have my word that Dale will call you when it’s safe.” Missy said in a hushed tone.
“But the shooting! It was him, I know it was,” she cried between her sobs.
“Kids, go upstairs,” Missy said without taking her attention away from the woman, whose phone started ringing. Missy looked at the Caller ID. “It’s your daughter. She’s probably worried about you, taking off like that. Do you want me to answer?” The woman took a shaky breath and nodded. “Mary Zieliński’s phone, this is the mayor speaking.” A pause. “Yes, she’s here. Yes. Yes. No, that’s fine. See you soon.” Missy hung up the call. “Cecylia is coming to see you, Mary.”
As Missy tried to comfort Mary, her own cell phone rang. “This is the mayor.” Her grip on Mary’s hand tightened. “Are you sure?” Her voice softened. “I’m with her now.”
Upstairs, Zed and Addison could hear everything. Zieliński.
“I knew him,” Zed said softly. “He lived just down the street. We’d stay with him sometimes when we were younger, when Dad was working and Eliza’s family was busy. He had an old ice cream machine in his garage and all the kids used to take turns churning it. Of course, we never had the stuff to make ice cream, but we didn’t know that. Always ended up with cauliflower slush. I never knew he had family on this side.” Addison squeezed his hand. “He was old. Like, really old. He was the oldest person who survived the Accident.”
By zombie standards, Zygmund Zieliński had been ancient. Already in his forties at the time of The Accident, Zygmund was now well into his nineties and had been a founder of zombie society. He had been forcibly separated from his wife and two children after The Accident and had dedicated his life to regaining his humanity enough to see them again. Everyone in Zombietown had known him.
“I’m bringing her now.” Missy hung up the phone. “He’s in Containment. How would you like to go see him?” Mary nodded, already rising. “I’m going to text Cecylia. I’ll grab my keys, and we’ll go.” Addison and Zed heard Missy run upstairs, and quickly busied themselves with the nearest textbooks. “I’m taking Mrs. Zieliński to meet her daughter. Don’t leave the house.” Missy was gone in less than a minute.
Both Zed and Addison were at a loss. For Zed, one of the oldest and most well-liked members of his community had been murdered. And Addison could see herself in Mrs. Zieliński. Two people, in love with each other, kept apart by a town that so desperately wanted to be picture-perfect. Zed and Addison? Or Zygmund and Mary Zieliński?
Dale returned to the dinner table, his face grim. “I have to go. There was a shooting by the border.” Addison’s heart dropped. Zed stood up.
“I have to go home.”
“I’m going with him.”
Zed and Addison spoke at the same time.
Dale shook his head. “You kids stay here. The community’s been advised to stay indoors until we catch this guy and I don’t want to take a risking in having Zed exposed.”
“Chief, do you have a name? My little sister…” Zed’s voice cracked.
“Even if I did know, I couldn’t tell you. That’ll be classified information.” Zed was understandably worried. At the look on both the teens’ face, Dale sighed. “It wasn’t your family, Zed.”
That still left Eliza and Bonzo, Eliza’s parents… the whole community, really. “Dale, everyone’s family on that side of the wall.”
“I need to go back to work. Zed, be careful.”
There was a knock at the door. Dale looked at Missy, eyebrows furrowed, then went to the entrance. They could hear him speaking in hushed tones, trying to calm an obviously-distraught woman. Dale brought her into the kitchen, where Missy immediately began soothing her. The mayor poured her a glass of water and sat with her as her sobs subsided.
“I need to go,” she hiccupped.
“It’s not safe, Mary. Zombie Patrol is taking care of everything. You have my word that Dale will call you when it’s safe.” Missy said in a hushed tone.
“But the shooting! It was him, I know it was,” she cried between her sobs.
“Kids, go upstairs,” Missy said without taking her attention away from the woman, whose phone started ringing. Missy looked at the Caller ID. “It’s your daughter. She’s probably worried about you, taking off like that. Do you want me to answer?” The woman took a shaky breath and nodded. “Mary Zieliński’s phone, this is the mayor speaking.” A pause. “Yes, she’s here. Yes. Yes. No, that’s fine. See you soon.” Missy hung up the call. “Cecylia is coming to see you, Mary.”
As Missy tried to comfort Mary, her own cell phone rang. “This is the mayor.” Her grip on Mary’s hand tightened. “Are you sure?” Her voice softened. “I’m with her now.”
Upstairs, Zed and Addison could hear everything. Zieliński.
“I knew him,” Zed said softly. “He lived just down the street. We’d stay with him sometimes when we were younger, when Dad was working and Eliza’s family was busy. He had an old ice cream machine in his garage and all the kids used to take turns churning it. Of course, we never had the stuff to make ice cream, but we didn’t know that. Always ended up with cauliflower slush. I never knew he had family on this side.” Addison squeezed his hand. “He was old. Like, really old. He was the oldest person who survived the Accident.”
By zombie standards, Zygmund Zieliński had been ancient. Already in his forties at the time of The Accident, Zygmund was now well into his nineties and had been a founder of zombie society. He had been forcibly separated from his wife and two children after The Accident and had dedicated his life to regaining his humanity enough to see them again. Everyone in Zombietown had known him.
“I’m bringing her now.” Missy hung up the phone. “He’s in Containment. How would you like to go see him?” Mary nodded, already rising. “I’m going to text Cecylia. I’ll grab my keys, and we’ll go.” Addison and Zed heard Missy run upstairs, and quickly busied themselves with the nearest textbooks. “I’m taking Mrs. Zieliński to meet her daughter. Don’t leave the house.” Missy was gone in less than a minute.
Both Zed and Addison were at a loss. For Zed, one of the oldest and most well-liked members of his community had been murdered. And Addison could see herself in Mrs. Zieliński. Two people, in love with each other, kept apart by a town that so desperately wanted to be picture-perfect. Zed and Addison? Or Zygmund and Mary Zieliński?
