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“Wait, what? I thought this was a reality show,” said Gran, looking even more dismayed now. “Like the Kardashians? Only about the Pooles, and most importantly, about me!”

“No, this is definitely not a reality show,” said Libby. “And even if it was, they don’t film the Kardashians all the time. That show is scripted, like all reality shows are.”

Jonah nodded.“It’s a common misconception. People think everything they see actually happened, but it’s all scripted and staged, just like a TV show or a movie.”

“What? No!” said Gran, looking absolutely appalled. “It’s all real. We’re all flies on the wall while those lovely Kardashians lead their lovely perfect lives in sunny California.”

“That’s not how it works,” said Jonah. “And like we said, this is not a reality show.”

“Yeah, this is not Keeping Up With The Pooles,” said Libby.

Gran’s shoulders slumped. She looked as if the wind had been knocked out of her. “No way,” she said. “You cheated me. You told me…”

“I’m going to bed,” said Jonah, yawning.

“Yeah, me too,” said Libby. “I’m beat. I didn’t know hunting zombies was so tiring.”

And both disappeared into the house next door. Now it was just Odelia and Gran. Odelia felt for her grandmother. Even though she still thought the whole pregnancy thing was a crazy idea, it was obvious the old lady was very attached to the scheme.

“They’re still filming you, Gran,” she said. “And they’re still making a video about you. And you’re still having a baby. Isn’t that the most important thing of all?”

“Yeah, but what good is having a baby if nobody is going to see it on prime time television?” She shrugged. “But like you said, I’ll still have the tot. I guess I can parade her up and down Main Street for the entire town to see. Oldest mom in the world.”

And then she walked in and closed the door.

Odelia decided it was time for her to hit the hay as well. She was still a little worried about her cats, but figured they’d be fine. They always landed on their feet, and she had no reason to think that this time would be different. She just hoped they hadn’t actually tried to catch those zombies all by themselves.

When she walked into the kitchen she found Chase waiting there for her with two cups of hot milk. He handed her one.

She smiled as she took it.“Thanks,” she said. “I needed that.”

“So what do you think of that footage?”

Jonah had shown them some of the footage he’d shot of the zombies, but she didn’t know what to make of it. “They could be actors and this whole thing could be a hoax,” she said as she took a seat at the kitchen counter.

“Yeah, but why go to all this trouble, attacking people on the street?”

“Did you recognize them?”

“Nope. You?”

She shook her head. Of course it would be very hard to recognize anyone. The zombies’ faces looked really ravaged and beyond any recognition.

“They didn’t ring any bells with your uncle either.”

“I wonder, though, Chase. Could they be… real zombies?”

He laughed.“Not you, too, babe. There’s no such thing as zombies.”

“Yeah, I know, but they looked so real. And so scary.”

“I think these are two very confused men, suffering from some horrible, disfiguring disease, and hopefully for them we’ll catch them soon, so we can take them to a hospital.”

“My boyfriend. Always the voice of reason,” she said as she smiled up at him.

“There’s no other explanation that makes sense,” he said, and leaned in to give her a kiss. “I’m bushed. I’m turning in.”

“Me, too,” she said. “Have our guests gone up already?”

“Yeah. Lucky for them we didn’t throw out that spare mattress.”

They’d recently turned the guest bedroom into a home gym slash office, but had kept a mattress just in case Gran fell out with Mom and Dad again and decided to bunk at her granddaughter’s place.

“I’m glad Jonah managed to get those zombies on tape,” said Chase, getting up. “If you post that video on theGazette website, all this nonsense about Alec will finally stop.”

“I hope so. Gossip is tricky, though. It might find a way to explain away the video.”

But she hoped he was right, and that soon this whole ordeal would be over.

Chapter 16

Cat choir was in full swing by the time Brutus and I arrived back in the park. The playground, which cat choir’s director Shanille has picked as its official rehearsal spot, is occupied by kids during the daytime, and cats during the night. Harriet was singing one of her famous solos when we took a seat and watched. I have to admit my mind was still filled with images of those two zombies walking into the ocean and vanishing without a trace, but obviously Brutus’s focus was on his mate. She smiled when she saw us arrive, and I like to think her voice got that extra bit of pep that makes all the difference.

“Hey, Max,” said Dooley, sidling up to me. “So how did it go? Did you catch the zombies? Did Brutus smash their brains in with his secret weapon?”

“No, we didn’t catch them. We followed them all the way down to the beach, and then they went for a swim and didn’t come back.”