The Zombie Who Loved Spinach

Leo wrinkled his nose at the green pile on his dinner plate. "I hate spinach," he groaned, poking it with his fork. His mom sighed. "It makes you strong, Leo. Now please eat."

After dinner, Leo flopped on his bed and grabbed his iPhone. He was playing his favorite game, Zombie Adventure, when his pet goldfish Goldie started swimming frantically in her bowl. Bubbles rose to the surface, forming words: L-E-O H-E-L-P.

"Goldie? Can you hear me?" Leo whispered. Goldie jumped! Right out of her bowl! But she didn't flop on the floor like a normal fish. Instead, she grew legs and stood before him, now a tiny golden fairy with shimmering scales.

"The Zombie Kingdom needs you!" Goldie said in a voice like tinkling bells. "A terrible wizard put a spell on Prince Zane. Now he's a zombie forever!"

Leo's eyes widened. "A real zombie? Like in my game?"

"Worse!" Goldie waved her wand, and suddenly Leo was standing on a padel court made of clouds. In the distance, a shuffling figure approached—a zombie wearing a crown!

Prince Zane looked sad and hungry. "Br-r-rains," he mumbled. But then he sniffed. "What's that delicious smell?"

Leo realized he still had some spinach in his pocket from dinner. He held it out. The zombie's eyes lit up green instead of red. "Spinach! My favorite!" Prince Zane gobbled it up, and with each bite, the gray zombie skin fell away, revealing a handsome prince underneath.

"Thank you!" Prince Zane cheered. "The wizard's spell made me crave brains, but spinach was always my favorite food. It broke the curse!"

Goldie transformed back into a fish and jumped into Leo's hands. "You saved the kingdom with kindness and vegetables!"

When Leo opened his eyes, he was back in his room. Goldie swam peacefully in her bowl. But Leo noticed something new—his iPhone showed a message: "Friends Forever—Prince Zane."

At dinner the next night, Leo ate all his spinach without complaining. "You never know," he whispered with a smile, "it might be magic."