Zombie Project (2 page)

Benny pointed at a rake at the back of the toolshed. “That rake is taller than I am,” said Benny. The Aldens laughed.

“That’s why we use a wheelbarrow to carry all our tools,” said Maude. “The wheel makes it easier to carry large loads.” Maude looked at the Aldens again. “You’ll need some work gloves, too.” She opened a drawer in the workbench and took out four pairs. She gave a pair of gloves to each of the Alden children. “These will protect your hands,” said Maude.

Benny put on his gloves. “Now I’m ready to work,” he said.

Henry pushed the wheelbarrow out of the toolshed. “Which way do we go?” he asked.

“The trail on the right goes out to the old fishing lodge,” said Maude. “Follow me.”

Violet took the camera out of her pocket. “I’m going to film our adventure,” she said.

Benny lifted his hands and waved at the camera.

“Now, act natural, Benny,” said Violet.

“Natural?” said Benny.

“We’re surrounded by nature,” said Henry.

“I’m supposed act like a tree?” said Benny. He put his arms out like branches. The Aldens laughed as they walked down the trail with Maude.

“These trees are beautiful,” said Violet. She turned and looked at Maude. “Are you sad when the trees lose their leaves?” asked Violet.

“There is beauty in every season,” said Maude. “After the leaves fall, the snow comes. The woods are quiet and peaceful then.”

“That sounds wonderful,” said Violet.

“But what about the zombie?” blurted Benny.

Maude turned and looked at Benny. “Now, don’t you worry about that old story,” said Maude. “It is just a scary story for the campfire. That’s one of our traditions. We have a campfire at the old fire pit every night for our guests. We eat together and tell stories. The guests like it.”

“So there isn’t a zombie?” said Benny.

Maude shook her head. “No,” said Maude. “There’s not. Are you disappointed?”

“Not me,” said Benny.

“Me neither,” said Violet.

“Good,” said Maude.

The Aldens followed Maude as she led them down the winding trail. When the trail narrowed, Maude stopped. The trees and bushes along the sides of the trail almost touched one another in the middle.

“Everything here needs to be cut back,” said Maude. She lifted her hand and touched a low tree limb. “You’ll need to cut both the bushes and the tree limbs.”

“Jessie and I can cut back the trees,” said Henry.

Violet put her hand on Benny’s shoulders. “Benny and I will cut the bushes.”

“This trail goes all the way out to the old fishing lodge,” said Maude. She pointed in the other direction. “I like to keep it open all year, in case some of the guests want to use it.”

Maude looked out at the forest for a moment. “You never know what could be creeping around in these woods,” she said softly.

What was creeping around the woods? Violet waited for Maude to explain, but Maude didn’t say anything more about it.

Maude walked over to the wheelbarrow. “It will take a few hours to clear the trail,” she said. “Just push the cuttings off to the side.”

“We can do that,” said Jessie.

“Thank you,” said Maude. “Your grand-father told me you were hard workers. I’ll ring the bell when it’s time for lunch.”

“Lunch!” said Benny. “I don’t want to miss lunch.”

“I’ll ring the bell extra loud for you, Benny,” said Maude. She patted Benny’s hair. “When you hear it, just put the tools in the wheel-barrow and come back to the main lodge.”

“I will,” said Benny.

“Okay, then,” said Maude. “I’m off to make my peach cobbler.”

“I can’t wait,” said Benny.

Maude waved and then turned and walked back to the main lodge.

Henry passed out the clipping shears and they all went to work.
Clip! Clip! Clip!

“Are zombies real?” asked Benny.

“No,” said Jessie, “they are not real.”

“Then why is the reporter looking for one?” asked Benny.

“Some people like to talk about scary things,” said Henry.

Benny stopped clipping branches. He wanted to be ready just in case something did happen. “What do the zombies look like in the movies?” asked Benny.

“Uh . . . They look like people walking around,” said Jessie. She didn’t want to upset Benny.

“That isn’t scary,” said Benny. He clipped a low branch.

“No, that’s not the scary part,” said Henry. He reached up and clipped a tree branch hanging over the trail.
Whump!
It fell to the ground. “What’s scary about zombies is that they are dead.”

“Wait a minute,” said Benny. “How can they walk if they are dead?”

Henry stopped clipping and looked at Jessie. “We have to tell him.”

“I don’t want him to have nightmares,” replied Jessie.

Benny looked at Jessie and Henry. “Nightmares about what?”

“The zombies in the movies,” said Jessie.

“What do they do that is so scary?” asked Benny.

“They eat people,” said Henry.

“They eat people?” said Benny. His eyes opened wide. “That
is
scary!”

Jessie put her hand on Benny’s arm. “It’s just in the movies, Benny. Zombies aren’t real.”

“But this work is real,” said Henry. “Benny, we need your help.”

“You can count on me,” said Benny. He went back to cutting bushes.
Clip! Clip!

The Aldens worked on the trail for the rest of the morning. Henry and Jessie cut the high branches while Violet and Benny cut the low ones. When the pile in the middle of the trail got too big, they pushed the cuttings off to the side.

“It looks like we’re making a wall,” said Benny.

Dong! Dong!

“There’s the bell,” said Benny. “It’s time for lunch!”

The Aldens put their tools into the wheel-barrow, just like Maude had asked. Then they walked back down the winding trail to the lodge. The closer they came to the main lodge, the more people they saw.

“Look,” said Benny. “Everyone is coming at the same time.”

“They all want to eat lunch,” said Henry.

“I hope they save some peach cobbler for me,” said Benny. “I’m hungry.”

“We all worked up an appetite,” said Jessie. “But I’m sure Maude will save some peach cobbler for you.”

When the Aldens walked into the main lodge, they saw three teenagers. They looked to be a couple of years older than Henry. There were two boys and a girl. A boy with short, curly black hair had his arm around a girl with a blond braid that reached all the way down to her waist. The other boy had long brown hair. He was sitting at the table with his eyes closed.

“Which one do you think is Maude’s grandson?” asked Violet.

“The one with the curly hair,” said Jessie. “It’s just as curly as Maude’s hair.”

Madison was sitting with the teens. “You grew up here, Jake,” said Madison to the boy with curly black hair.

“My great grandparents opened this lodge a long time ago,” Jake said to Madison. “Our family has lived here ever since.”

Jessie looked at Violet. “You were right, Violet,” said Jessie.

“Let’s go sit with them,” said Violet.

“Good idea,” said Henry. “We can meet someone near our own age.”

The Aldens walked over and sat at the teens’ table.

“Can you tell me more about the Legend of the Winding River Zombie?” Madison asked Jake. “I want to write about it on my blog.”

“You have a blog?” asked the girl with the long braid.

“Yes, I do, Abby,” said Madison. “It’s called
Hauntings.
”

Jake poked the boy with his eyes closed. “Do you hear that, Caleb?”

Caleb opened his eyes and took out an ear bud. “What?”

“Madison has a blog about haunted things,” said Jake.

“Whoa,” said Caleb.

“What do you write about?” asked Abby.

“Oh, I have stories about haunted places all over New England,” said Madison. “I’d love to add your zombie story.”

“Our zombie?” said Jake.

“Whoa,” said Caleb again.

Abby sat up and smiled. “We’ll be famous!” She hugged Jake.

“That’s the plan,” said Jake.

“Can you tell me your zombie story?” said Madison.

“Sure,” said Jake. “We want everyone to know about our zombie.” Jake looked around the room to see who was listening. Most of the guests at the tables nearby were watching him. Henry, Jessie, and Violet moved in closer to hear the story. Benny stayed where he was. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear such a scary story.

“It’s an old story, really,” said Jake. “I’ve heard it all my life.”

Violet took the camera out of her pocket and started filming.

“Well,” said Jake. “As the story goes . . . one day a body was found in the forest by the river.”

Maude came out of the kitchen. “Jake,” said Maude. “Don’t tell campfire stories now. It’s only lunchtime.”

“Awww,” said the guests.

Violet turned her camera off.

“I’ll tell you tonight,” said Jake, “at the campfire.”

“I hope so,” said Madison as she stood up. “I want to hear all about it.”

Benny looked at Violet. “Is it true?” he asked. “Is there really a zombie?”

“I don’t know,” said Violet. She looked over at Jake. “I hope not.”

A
fter a hearty lunch and two helpings of peach cobbler, Benny was nice and full. “Now I’m ready to go to work,” said Benny.

“That’s wonderful, Benny,” said Maude. She walked around the table and put her hand on Jake’s head. Jake turned around and looked up at his grandmother.

“Jake,” said Maude. “I want you to go and help the Aldens with the trail.”

“Okay, Grandma,” said Jake. “I’ll help.”

Maude looked at Abby and Caleb. “You can help, too,” said Maude.

“We’d love to help,” said Abby. She put her long braid over her shoulder and stood up.

Caleb didn’t say anything. He was listening to his music. His ear buds were in and his eyes were closed. His long brown hair swung from side to side as he moved his hands up and down and pretended to play the drums.

“Caleb!” said Maude.

Jake put his hand on Caleb’s shoulder. Caleb stopped drumming and opened his eyes. “He’ll help out,” said Jake.

Caleb looked at Jake and then at Maude. He nodded his head.

“Good,” said Maude. She looked at Jake. “You know where the tools are.”

“We’re on our way,” said Jake.

The Aldens went with Jake and his friends to the toolshed.

“We already took some of the tools out on the trail earlier,” said Henry.

“That’s okay,” said Jake. “Grandma has lots of tools. She used to have a big work crew come up every summer. Now we do it all ourselves.”

Jake picked up three clipping shears and three rakes and put them into a wheelbarrow. Then he picked up the wheelbarrow handles and pushed it out of the toolshed.

Violet took the camera out of her pocket as they all walked along the trail. “It must be so nice to live here all year,” she said.

Jake looked at Violet. “That’s a small camera,” he said. “Can I try it?” He put the wheelbarrow handles down.

“Sure,” said Violet. She handed the camera to Jake.

Jake looked at the camera carefully. “How long can you film on this?”

“It records for two hours,” said Violet.

“That’s a long time for such a small camera,” said Jake. He gave the camera back to Violet. Then he picked up the wheelbarrow by the handles and pushed it down the trail.

“Here we are,” said Benny when he saw the wheelbarrow the Aldens had left on the trail.

“We started after breakfast,” said Henry.

“I can see that,” said Jake.

“I was asleep,” said Caleb.

“You always sleep through breakfast,” said Abby.

“Musicians don’t do mornings,” said Caleb. He closed his eyes and moved his hands as if he were playing the drums.

Jake looked at the trail. “You’ve done a lot of work so far,” he said. “This won’t take long.”

With everyone working together, they cleared the brush along the trail very quickly. Henry and the teens trimmed the tall branches. Jessie, Violet, and Benny did the lower ones. And everyone helped move the brush to the edges of the trail.

“The trail is much wider now,” said Benny.

“That’s what Grandma wants,” said Jake. “Then anyone can go to the old fishing lodge.” He pointed to a small cabin by the river. “She likes to keep it open in case someone wants to use it.”

“Is anyone staying there now?” asked Jessie.

“No,” said Jake. “We don’t use it as a guest cabin anymore. We just keep it open in case the weather gets bad and someone who is fishing needs shelter.”

“How is the fishing out here?” asked Henry.

“Pretty good,” said Jake. “Every day, Grandma asks someone to catch our dinner.”

“Talking about dinner is making me hungry,” said Benny. “Can we go have a snack?”

“Let’s put the tools away first,” said Jessie. “Then we can ask Maude.”

“Grandma’s kitchen is always open,” said Jake.

“That’s my kind of kitchen,” said Benny. He picked up his rake and put it in Henry’s wheelbarrow. Jake and Henry pushed the two wheelbarrows back to the toolshed. After everyone put their tools away, they all went into the kitchen.

“We’re home,” blurted out Benny.