The Zombie Who Couldn't Swim

Max found the old cable behind his garage. It was thick and black, snaking through the tall grass like a sleeping snake. But when Max touched it, the cable hummed with a soft, golden glow.

"That's strange," Max whispered. He gave it a gentle tug.

The cable pulled back!

Max followed it through the woods, past the babbling brook, until it disappeared into a hidden cave behind the waterfall. Inside, the most amazing thing waited—a crystal-clear pool so blue it looked like the sky had fallen into the earth.

But Max wasn't alone.

From the shadows emerged a zombie. But this wasn't a scary zombie like in movies. He was green and patchy, yes, but his eyes were kind and he wore a bright orange floatie around one arm.

"Hello," said the zombie. "I'm Zed. I've been waiting for someone for three hundred years."

"You don't look scary," said Max bravely.

Zed smiled crookedly. "I'm not. I'm just lonely. And I have a problem. I'm a zombie who loves water, but I've never learned how to swim."

Max's eyes lit up. "I can teach you! My dad taught me last summer."

For the next hour, Max showed Zed how to float, how to kick his legs, and how to blow bubbles. The magical cable pulsed with joy, lighting up the cave like a thousand fireflies. When Zed finally swam across the pool all by himself, he did a happy underwater dance that made Max laugh until his sides hurt.

"Thank you, Max," Zed said, beaming. "The magical cable only appears for kind hearts. You're the first person who wasn't afraid of me."

"Sometimes," Max said, "things that seem scary are just waiting for someone to give them a chance."

They swam together until sunset, and every summer after that, Max returned to the hidden cave. He and Zed would swim and splash, the best of friends, proving that the most wonderful adventures come from the most unexpected friendships.