The Zombie Chasers by John Kloepfer Read Free Book Online

said.
    “We’re not going to Whole Foods, all right? It’stwenty minutes away. Turn around. There’s another Albertsons, like, six blocks from here,” Rice commanded.
    Suddenly, something slapped against the windshield.
    “Ahhh!” Madison yelled.
    But it was just a grease-soaked fast-food wrapper. A cartoon logo of a smiling dachshund with a head shaped like a hamburger, its long body like a hot dog, smiled back at them.
    “Ick!” Madison shrieked and turned on the windshield wipers.
    “What the heck is BurgerDog?” Zack asked Rice, reading the wrapper through the windshield.
    “You haven’t seen the commercials? It’s this new fast-food joint. They’re opening up all over the country this weekend. It’s a hot dog that looks like a hamburger. Or something like that….”
    “Nasty.” Madison hit the gas.
     
    The second Albertsons loomed in the distance, taking up almost half a block on the main street. Madisonpulled into the empty lot and parked the Volvo. The trio hopped out and stalked up under the blue awning that hung over the front of the deserted store. They peered inside through the long line of large glass windowpanes. Rice yanked the handle of the automatic door, but it wouldn’t budge. He pushed the blue handicapped button over and over, but nothing happened.
    “Okay, Ginkgo Boy,” Madison said, “How are we supposed to get inside?”
    “Follow me.” Rice waved them along. Creeping down the alley past the loading docks, he led the way around back.

    The rear of the grocery store was a flat two-story slab of cement. On both sides, fire escapes slashed down from red doors at the top corners of the building. At ground level, two big black double doors flanked an industrial-size blue Dumpster in the center of the outside wall. Above the Dumpster there was a half-open window.
    Rice pried with his fingernails at the back service entrances, but both were barred and locked from the inside.
    “Brilliant, Rice,” Madison said. “Where would we be without you?”

    “Whole Foods?” he quipped.
    “There!” Zack scaled up the blue steel edge of the garbage-filled Dumpster. Steadying himself, he slid the window all the way up, then squiggled through the opening. He dropped into the darkMadison climbed up next, squeamish at the pit of reeking trash. Then came Rice, wheezing. He clung to Madison’s shoulder to catch his balance.
    “Hands off, dork!” she sneered.
    “Your wish is my command,” Rice said, scratching around a swollen chicken pock bubbling up on his cheek.
    “Eww…” Madison muttered under her breath.
    “Itchy,” Rice explained.
    Inside, Zack found a small stepladder to stand on and reached his hand through the window. Madison quickly volunteered. She knelt awkwardly on the ledge and ducked her head, pausing halfway through.
    “What’s the matter now?” Zack said.
    “My shirt’s caught,” Madison said.
    “Oh, come on, ” Rice said.
    “No! This is Juicy Couture,” she said, carefully pulling at the fabric. “There, got it!” She lost her balance suddenly, and her back foot kicked off the windowsill, slamming Rice in the neck, and sending him belly flopping into the heap of ripe, slimy garbage.
    “Aahhhhhh!” he screamed.
    Madison toppled forward onto Zack, who smacked the back of his skull with a dull thud on the hard linoleum floor. A woozy rush flooded his head. His vision speckled, and the room faded to black.
    “Zack! Zack!” Madison shouted, jostling his shoulders.
    Three blurry Madisons hovered above him. The two fuzzier Madisons on the right and left merged back into the real Madison in the middle. Their eyes met and flicked away.
    “What? What’s going on?” he asked.
    “I’m sorry, Zack. That was totally my fault,” Madison admitted.
    Behind them, Rice clambered up through the window, groaning painfully. He was stuck, his pudgy gut seesawing on the window’s ledge. A black-spotted banana peel slid off his head. “Help,” he grunted. Madison