The Zombie Who Loved Papayas

Lily loved summer, especially when her grandmother turned on the old cable car that ran down to the swimming pool. But today, something strange was happening.

A green figure was shambling around the pool deck. It had messy hair and moved slowly, like a... zombie! Lily gasped and hid behind a papaya tree.

"Zo...zombie?" she whispered, trembling.

The zombie stopped and looked around confused. Then it spoke: "Has anyone seen my glasses?"

It was Mr. Higgins from next door! He wasn't a zombie at all—he was just walking funny because he'd stepped on something squishy. A squishy papaya!

"Oh!" Lily laughed. "You're not a zombie!"

Mr. Higgins chuckled. "No, dear. I was just running late for my swim, and I slipped on this fallen papaya. Can't see a thing without my glasses."

Lily helped him up and even shared her own papaya snack with him. They spent the afternoon swimming together, and Mr. Higgins told Lily that sometimes things that seem scary at first turn out to be wonderful friendships in disguise.

"And next time," he winked, "I'll wear my glasses so I don't look like a zombie anymore!"

Lily learned that day: never judge a zombie—or anyone—until you know their papaya-filled story.