The Fun World monorail zipped off toward the parking lot, high above the zombie mayhem on the ground below.

Rice was pouting in the backseat. “I can’t believe we lost Bunco. I had so many questions I wanted to ask him.”

“Look on the bright side,” said Zack. “At least he gave us instructions. And we’ve got Olivia. And Bunco knew who we were.”

“Well,” said Rice, “he knew who I was.”

“Whatever,” said Zack.

“He’s not gone forever,” Madison consoled Rice.

“You guys are right,” said Rice, perking up a little. “Cuz we’re going to fix the antidote. Then we can unzombify him, and I can ask him anything I want.”

The sleek aboveground train glided along the track, buzzing with electromagnetic propulsion. Zack pulled out Ozzie’s binoculars and peered at Fun World below them. A gigantic zombie swarm was pouring out of the gates and surging into the parking lot. Super zombies Uncle Conrad, Aunt Ginny, and Cousin Ben were all now driving the go-karts, herding their seemingly endless supply of zombie minions.

“Whoa,” Zack said. “They’re still following us!”

A minute later, the monorail ride came to a smooth stop, and the kids hurried onto the platform. Zack pushed zombie Ozzie in the whirly chair as fast as he could. CLACK! The front wheel of the desk chair hit a bump in the ground and zombie Ozzie went flying onto the platform floor. Rice, Madison, Zoe, and Olivia were already taking an abandoned escalator to the ground, so Zack picked Ozzie up off the ground and tossed him back into his seat. “There you go, buddy!” Zack grunted and then raced them down into the Fun World parking lot.

The super zombies led their gigantic swarm of Fun World zombies through the rows of vehicles, trudging in the humidity, their faces pocked and spackled with necrotic decay.

The kids all ducked down as the go-karts zipped through the rows of parked cars. Once they’d passed, Zack and the gang stood behind Olivia as she scratched her head, looking for her parent’s rental Jeep. “I thought they’d parked it right over there, but now I don’t see it.”

“Dude,” Rice cried out to Zack. “Behind you!”

Zack spotted the blur of aggressive zombie movement out of the corner of his eye and spun around.

The undead beast swiped at him with its bony claws, but Zack ducked and hopped to the side as the zombie bent down sinisterly to thrash him with its disgusting septic fingernails. Zack swung his bat and clubbed the rezombified mutant on the back of the head and the thing dropped to the ground in a motionless heap.

“I see it!” Olivia called out, pointing toward the Jeep.

Zoe took off running, dodging zombies sprawled on car rooftops, and reached the Jeep first.

“Here,” Olivia said, catching up and tossing Zoe the keys. Zoe jumped in the driver’s seat and Olivia hopped in the passenger’s side. Zack, Rice, and Madison loaded Ozzie into the storage compartment of the Jeep and then piled in the back.

Zoe turned the ignition key and the engine hummed to life. She hit the gas and the back wheels spun and kicked up dust behind them as they sped through the zombified parking lot.

“Okay, Zoe,” Olivia said, looking at her phone as they drove down the highway. “I think you want to make a left just up ahead.”

Zack looked out the back window as they cruised off toward the bubble gum factory. In the distance, the go-kart-driving super zombies herded their undead rebellion after them in a slow but steady pursuit.