Monsterland by Michael Phillip Cash

pointed to the president.
    Wyatt pulled him back, forcing them to melt into the crowd.
    “What? Cut it out. You’re just like Mom.”
    Wyatt took in Melvin’s flushed face. “You look drunk.”
    “Just happy. I can handle it.”
    “I don’t want to have to clean up your vomit.”
    “You really are sounding like your mom. Relax, Wyatt. Where’s Howard Drucker?”
    Wyatt peered through a thick glass wall, pointing to a crowded entrance. “He got swept away with Keisha. He never made it up here.” He texted Howard, but the message wouldn’t go through.
    “Well, I’m bored. Let’s go,” Josh said.
    “I want to hear the president’s speech,” Wyatt said.
    “Look, I’m here for fun, not a history lesson. I’m going with or without you.”
    The president mounted the mezzanine, the crowd parting in awe.
    Vincent Conrad came forward, a broad smile on his face. He held out welcoming arms to the leader of the free world, who walked right into the mogul’s embrace. They shook hands warmly, and Vincent put his arm around McAdam’s back. Wyatt started for a minute. He had taken a course lastyear on the body language of diplomacy. The doctor had his arm around the president’s shoulders and was clearly declaring himself the dominant man in the room, the more powerful person. Sound receded for Wyatt; he cocked his head, staring at them. Vincent’s eyes scanned the room, locking with Wyatt. The black eyes stared at Wyatt like the dual bores of a rifle. Wyatt shivered but held the gaze. Vincent’s thin lips widened into a mirthless smile that seemed to be directed solely to Wyatt, hitting him like an invisible force field. He nodded once. Wyatt felt his scalp tighten.
    The room felt small, too hot. The doctor’s face seemed unfamiliar, as if the stark light revealed a new person. Wyatt didn’t want to hear anything this person had to say. He wanted to leave. “Let’s go.” He turned toward the upstairs entrance.
    “I thought you wanted to hear the president’s speech.”
    “I changed my mind,” Wyatt said, his voice low. He briefly considered leaving the park. Jade was with Nolan, and he was stuck with his brother. Melvin was acting odd, and Howard was missing. This was not what he expected. He looked over the railing at the vast expanse of Monsterland; the noise of the eager crowd was muffled through the thick glass. Speakers announced times for various shows, Werewolves at eight, Vampire Live! at ten, Walking with Zombies at midnight. Zombies, he thought. When would he ever get this chance again? If nothing else, he wanted to see them up close. For years, all things zombie had consumed him. He had read everything he could get his hands on. He couldn’t explain his fascination; he could talk about them for hours. Yet, lately, they didn’t seem as interesting as they used to. He had watched Jade’s eyes glaze over and didn’t mind when she turned the conversation to something else last week. Not that he could remember that discussioneither. Seemed all he could concentrate on were her ice-blue eyes and creamy skin. If only he could tell if she were really interested in him. Carter told him to ask her out—she wasn’t engaged, didn’t wear Nolan’s ring or anything. In fact, Keisha whispered that Jade wasn’t too crazy about Nolan and had talked about backing out of her prom date with him. Nolan was leaving this fall, got a full football scholarship to Idaho State. Jade was going to nursing school right here in the Valley. She was staying home, like him. Maybe, she’d go to the movies. Maybe not. He frowned. He searched for her face in the crowd but asked his companions absently, “You want to do the behind-the-scenes tour?”
    Melvin looked longingly through the glass observation windows at the park spread below them. “Hell, no.”
    “Me neither,” Josh agreed.
    “Let’s see what we came for,” Wyatt nodded. He turned to scan the room once more, catching sight of his stepfather, who appeared