The Zombie Who Just Wanted to Play

Leo hid under his covers, clutching his iPhone. The shadows in his room looked like claws, and every creak sounded like footsteps. Mom always said there were no such things as zombies, but Leo wasn't so sure. That's when he heard the tap-tap-tapping at his window.

Leo peeked out. A green figure stood in the backyard, holding something round. A zombie! Leo almost screamed, but then the figure waved.

"Hi!" called the zombie. "Want to play?"

Leo blinked. This zombie didn't look scary at all—just a little messy, with grass-stained clothes and a friendly smile. And in his hand? A baseball.

"You... you're a zombie," Leo whispered.

"I'm Zed!" the zombie said. "And I've been watching you practice. You're really good!"

Leo grabbed his baseball glove. His heart raced, but not with fear anymore—with excitement. He crept outside, and soon they were playing catch under the moonlight. Zed might have been a zombie, but he could throw a baseball like a pro! They played for hours, laughing as Zed told funny stories about his zombie friends who loved bowling and knitting.

"Why do zombies hide?" Leo asked.

"People think we're scary," Zed said sadly. "But we just want to have fun, like anyone else."

Leo had an idea. He took out his iPhone and snapped a picture of Zed hitting a home run. "Tomorrow, I'll show everyone that zombies can be awesome friends."

Zed's face lit up. "Really?"

"Really," Leo promised.

As the sun began to rise, Zed had to go. "Thanks, Leo," he said, heading back into the woods. "For believing in me."

Leo waved goodbye, then looked at the photo on his iPhone. Sometimes, the scariest things turn out to be the best friends—you just have to be brave enough to say hello.