The Zombie Who Caught Everything

Marcus's life could be summed up in three things: his cherished vintage baseball cap (the one with the barely-visible NY logo that his dad gave him before he left), his cat Luna who judged everyone from her perch on the windowsill, and his reputation as the guy who tripped over his own feet during gym class every single time.

"You're moving like a literal zombie today," Priya teased at lunch, scrolling through her phone. "That English presentation got you shook?"

Marcus adjusted his hat, pulling the brim lower. "Nah, just tired. Luna kept me up again — she was hunting invisible bugs at 3 AM."

"Your cat has more energy than you do." Priya sighed dramatically. "Which is saying something."

The truth was, Marcus was terrified. Today was the first day of baseball tryouts, and everyone expected him to be amazing just because his dad used to play minor league. The pressure sat heavy in his chest like a brick.

What they didn't know? Marcus had never actually played baseball. Not once.

He wore the hat because it made him feel connected to something real, something tangible. But underneath it, he felt like an imposter, a zombie going through the motions of being the person everyone thought he was supposed to be.

At the field, Coach Miller blew his whistle. "Alright, let's see what you've got. Marcus, you're up first."

His heart hammered against his ribs. The grass smelled fresh and terrifying. Other guys from the team watched — some curious, some skeptical, a couple of them smirking like they already knew.

The first pitch came. Marcus swung.

And missed.

Laughter bubbled up from somewhere behind him. His face burned.

But then Luna's voice echoed in his head — that judgmental meow she gave whenever he was being ridiculous. She'd hate seeing him give up just because things got awkward.

Second pitch. Marcus adjusted his grip. He wasn't his dad. He didn't have to be.

He wasn't thinking about the hat or the expectations or the way his stomach twisted into knots. He just swung.

*CRACK.*

The ball sailed past everyone, over the fence, into the parking lot.

Dead silence.

Then Coach Miller grinned. "Well, I'll be. The zombie's alive."

That night, Marcus sat on his bed with Luna purring in his lap, texting Priya: *I made the team.*

She replied instantly: *OMG YES I KNEW IT*

He smiled, taking off his hat and setting it on the nightstand. For the first time in forever, he felt like he could finally breathe.