The Zombie Who Couldn't Swim

Lily had the wildest HAIR in all of Willow Creek. It poofed out like a golden dandelion, and no matter how much she brushed it, it always bounced back with extra spring. Her mom said her hair was full of magic, but Lily just thought it was full of tangles.

One hot afternoon, while SWIMMING in the old swimming hole, Lily spotted something strange sitting on a rock. It was greenish-gray, with patchy clothes and the clumsiest walk she'd ever seen. A ZOMBIE!

But this zombie wasn't scary at all. He sat dangling his feet in the water, looking sad.

"Don't you know how to swim?" Lily asked.

The zombie shook his head slowly. "No one ever taught me. Zombies aren't supposed to like water. But I've always wanted to float like a leaf."

His name was Ben, and he explained that he'd been a zombie for only three months. Before that, he was just a regular kid who loved ORANGE ice cream and collecting rocks.

"I'll teach you!" Lily said.

Just then, a tiny BULL with sparkling golden horns trotted out from behind an oak tree. It was only the size of a puppy, with fur that shimmered like sunshine.

"That's Buttercup," Ben smiled. "She was my pet before I... changed. She's the only one who wasn't afraid of me."

Lily's eyes widened. "She's magical!"

Every day that summer, Lily taught Ben to swim. Buttercup would prance along the shore, cheering. Ben was slow and clumsy at first, but he never gave up. And something wonderful happened — the more time Ben spent in the water, the less green and gray he became. His cheeks turned pink. His eyes brightened.

By summer's end, Ben could swim across the whole swimming hole. He wasn't a zombie anymore — he was just Ben again, a boy with the biggest smile and the best friend a girl could ever ask for.

Lily learned that courage comes in all forms, even from someone who's afraid of the water. And that true friendship can help break any spell.

Sometimes, if you visit the swimming hole at sunset, you can still see them there — Lily with her wild golden hair, Ben swimming like a fish, and little Buttercup the magical bull, watching over them both.