Zombie Mode at the Plate

Marcus stood at home plate, swinging the bat like his limbs were made of lead. Two hours of sleep'll do that to you. He'd spent all night with Mittens, his cat, who'd decided 2 AM was the perfect time to give birth to four kittens in his closet. Mom was out of town, so it was just him, towels warm from the dryer, and a lot of tiny mewling.

Now here he was at the most important baseball game of the season, scouts in the stands, feeling like actual death.

"You good, man?" whispered Ty, his best friend since third grade. Marcus's phone buzzed in his pocket - probably another text from Sarah, who'd been blowing up his iPhone since he'd stopped responding last night. He'd seen her Snapchat story though. Her and Jake. At the party he'd skipped to stay home with his pregnant cat.

"Yeah. Just tired." Marcus adjusted his cap.

The pitcher wound up. Marcus swung and missed. Strike three.

"That's bull," someone muttered from the dugout.

But the real horror started when Principal Davis's voice came over the loudspeaker. "Everyone, remain calm. There's been a situation."

A situation?

Then Marcus saw it - a massive bull standing near the concession stand, looking confused and dangerous. Someone screamed. The bull bolted toward the field.

Everyone scrambled. Marcus found himself standing frozen as the bull charged straight at him. Maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was just the absurdity of it all, but he didn't run. He just watched the bull skid to a stop five feet away, snorting.

"Hey buddy," Marcus whispered. The bull huffed.

From the dugout, Ty had his phone out, recording. "This is gonna go viral, bro. You facing down a bull like a straight-up zombie."

The bull turned and trotted toward the parking lot like it had somewhere important to be.

That night, Sarah texted: saw the video. u ok?

Marcus stared at his phone, then at the four kittens nursing against his side. Fine, he typed. But then he added: come meet them? the kittens, i mean.

She replied: weirdly specific but yes.

Marcus smiled. Some days felt like a nightmare, but at least Mittens and her babies were real. At least he was awake for what mattered.