business here is done soon,” Umlaut muttered. Both Sammy and Sesame nodded.
The tracks ended at the surface of the planet. They were just to lead zombies in, not to bring visitors all the way to the Zombie Master. Umlaut's party would have to locate him on their own.
Fortunately they had Sammy. He bounded ahead, and they followed, hoping soon to come to a replica of Castle Zombie.
Then Sammy halted. There was a swarm of bees ahead, buzzing dangerously. It wouldn't be smart to challenge those. But they blocked off Sammy's route.
“Maybe they're not as dangerous as they look,” Umlaut said hopefully.
Then a road hog rushed through. It seemed that such swine were everywhere, even here, and didn't give way to anybody or anything. Umlaut wondered whether they were related to the speed demons. The boarish creature ran right into the swarm of bees.
The swarm pounced. A bee stung the hog on the tail, and it squealed with outrage. But already it was changing. Now it was coming to resemble a zombie hog.
“Those are zom-bees!” Umlaut exclaimed. “Their stings make creatures resemble zombies! Naturally that would be the kind for this world.”
That answered his question: These bees were indeed dangerous, more so than the regular kind. They would have to go around the swarm.
They tried, but the jungle was thick. They did not want to touch the slime-coated trees or the sludge-coated ground. Sammy's route had avoided such things, but now they were stuck with the regular zombie terrain.
Umlaut saw the shine of water in the distance. “That looks like a clear lake,” he said. “Maybe we can make a raft or boat and cross the worst of it.”
The others agreed. They picked their way cautiously to the edge of the lake. There was a black shack with a boat tied nearby. That looked ideal. Maybe they could borrow that boat.
A black man reclined outside the shack. “What can I do for you?” he inquired as they approached.
“We'd like to borrow your boat,” Umlaut said.
The man eyed them. “You don't look much like zombies.”
“We aren't. We have to deliver a letter to the Zombie Master.”
“Is it an emergency?”
Umlaut exchanged a glance with his companions. “I wouldn't call it that, but we think it is necessary.”
“In that case, I'll take you there. I'm Preston Black.” He held out his hand.
Umlaut took it. “Thanks. You don't look much like a zombie either.”
“That's because I wasn't dead long before I was zombied. There's no rot on me. I even kept my talent.”
“What's your talent?”
“You'll see.”
They went to the boat. It was larger than it had looked from a distance; there was room for them all, including Sesame.
Umlaut looked across the water. “What is the name of this lake?”
“It's not a lake, it's a sea. The Emergen Sea. It is not safe to use it unless there's a real need.” Preston lifted a pole and pushed it against the water. The boat moved out.
“You pushed the water!” Umlaut exclaimed, surprised.
“That's my talent. I can move whatever I press on.”
“But it was the boat that moved, not the water.”
“It was the water that moved,” Preston said. “And the whole sea with it, and the rest of the planet. I pushed them away.” He pushed again.
Umlaut decided not to argue, since they were getting where they were going. The man could be right.
While they were moving, Umlaut had nothing to do, so he brought out the letter to read. That way he wouldn't have to embarrass himself by reading it in front of its recipient.
It was from HELPMASTER, UNIVERSAL AID, in Mundania, and the date was classified.
Sir:
For an extended period of time I have been monitoring events taking place in your land. How this has been accomplished is of no importance to yourself.
It has been brought to my attention that in the near future you intend to turn over the care of your castle to two living humans. Do you deem this a wise move? Are these humans to be trusted? You must keep in
The tracks ended at the surface of the planet. They were just to lead zombies in, not to bring visitors all the way to the Zombie Master. Umlaut's party would have to locate him on their own.
Fortunately they had Sammy. He bounded ahead, and they followed, hoping soon to come to a replica of Castle Zombie.
Then Sammy halted. There was a swarm of bees ahead, buzzing dangerously. It wouldn't be smart to challenge those. But they blocked off Sammy's route.
“Maybe they're not as dangerous as they look,” Umlaut said hopefully.
Then a road hog rushed through. It seemed that such swine were everywhere, even here, and didn't give way to anybody or anything. Umlaut wondered whether they were related to the speed demons. The boarish creature ran right into the swarm of bees.
The swarm pounced. A bee stung the hog on the tail, and it squealed with outrage. But already it was changing. Now it was coming to resemble a zombie hog.
“Those are zom-bees!” Umlaut exclaimed. “Their stings make creatures resemble zombies! Naturally that would be the kind for this world.”
That answered his question: These bees were indeed dangerous, more so than the regular kind. They would have to go around the swarm.
They tried, but the jungle was thick. They did not want to touch the slime-coated trees or the sludge-coated ground. Sammy's route had avoided such things, but now they were stuck with the regular zombie terrain.
Umlaut saw the shine of water in the distance. “That looks like a clear lake,” he said. “Maybe we can make a raft or boat and cross the worst of it.”
The others agreed. They picked their way cautiously to the edge of the lake. There was a black shack with a boat tied nearby. That looked ideal. Maybe they could borrow that boat.
A black man reclined outside the shack. “What can I do for you?” he inquired as they approached.
“We'd like to borrow your boat,” Umlaut said.
The man eyed them. “You don't look much like zombies.”
“We aren't. We have to deliver a letter to the Zombie Master.”
“Is it an emergency?”
Umlaut exchanged a glance with his companions. “I wouldn't call it that, but we think it is necessary.”
“In that case, I'll take you there. I'm Preston Black.” He held out his hand.
Umlaut took it. “Thanks. You don't look much like a zombie either.”
“That's because I wasn't dead long before I was zombied. There's no rot on me. I even kept my talent.”
“What's your talent?”
“You'll see.”
They went to the boat. It was larger than it had looked from a distance; there was room for them all, including Sesame.
Umlaut looked across the water. “What is the name of this lake?”
“It's not a lake, it's a sea. The Emergen Sea. It is not safe to use it unless there's a real need.” Preston lifted a pole and pushed it against the water. The boat moved out.
“You pushed the water!” Umlaut exclaimed, surprised.
“That's my talent. I can move whatever I press on.”
“But it was the boat that moved, not the water.”
“It was the water that moved,” Preston said. “And the whole sea with it, and the rest of the planet. I pushed them away.” He pushed again.
Umlaut decided not to argue, since they were getting where they were going. The man could be right.
While they were moving, Umlaut had nothing to do, so he brought out the letter to read. That way he wouldn't have to embarrass himself by reading it in front of its recipient.
It was from HELPMASTER, UNIVERSAL AID, in Mundania, and the date was classified.
Sir:
For an extended period of time I have been monitoring events taking place in your land. How this has been accomplished is of no importance to yourself.
It has been brought to my attention that in the near future you intend to turn over the care of your castle to two living humans. Do you deem this a wise move? Are these humans to be trusted? You must keep in
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