The Zombie Who Just Wanted to Play

Lily loved her iPhone more than anything. Every day after school, she'd play her favorite game Zombie Padel Adventure. One evening, while tapping furiously at the screen, something strange happened. A green hand reached right out of her phone!

"Hello!" said a cheerful voice. "I'm Zed!"

Lily gasped. A little zombie boy stood in her room, wearing a sporty headband and holding a tiny padel racket. He wasn't scary at all – he had a big smile and sparkling purple eyes.

"I've been watching you play," Zed said. "You're really good! But I bet you've never played REAL padel before!"

Lily shook her head. "What's padel?"

"Only the MOST fun game ever!" Zed bounced excitedly. "Come with me!"

He touched her iPhone, and suddenly her bedroom wall shimmered like magic. They stepped through into a glowing green world where everything was bouncy and bright. Other zombie children were playing padel – hitting balls against walls, laughing, and having the best time.

"Will you be my friend?" Zed asked hopefully. "Everyone here wants to play, but I wanted a friend from YOUR world."

Lily's heart felt warm. "Yes! I'll be your friend!"

They played padel until the stars came out. Lily discovered that Zed and his friends weren't scary zombies at all – they were just magical children who loved having fun and making new friends.

"The best friends, " Zed said before she left, "are the ones who don't judge by how you look, but by how you play together."

Back in her room, Lily's iPhone showed Zombie Padel Adventure on the screen again. But now she knew the truth – sometimes the scariest-looking characters just want someone to play with.

She smiled, dreaming of tomorrow's adventure with her new best friend.