Billy Jean and Michael Joke stepped into the house, and a cozy little home greeted them.

  It was clear as day that before the apocalypse, they must’ve been one happy family.

  There was a wedding photo hanging on the wall.

  The bride was Loree, looking like a vision in a beautiful white gown and a delicate veil, snuggled up in the groom’s arms, wearing a smile that could light up a room.

  The groom was tall, dark, and handsome in a sharp suit, gazing at his bride with eyes full of adoration.

  Billy Jean clocked right away that the dashing groom was the mummy.

  Truth be told, they didn’t look alike now, but the vibe they gave off was unmistakable.

  Michael Joke was also checking out the wedding photo.

  Seeing them eyeballing the photo, Loree said softly, her eyes brimming with tenderness,

  “He’s my husband. His name’s Glendon. We were college sweethearts and tied the knot after graduation.”

  “I thought we’d live happily ever after. Who knew the apocalypse would crash the party? He happened to be out of town on a business trip. Then the whole world went dark—networks crashed, comms went kaput, and we lost touch. After that... I never heard from him again.”

  Her voice hitched at the end.

  Billy Jean was quiet.

  She could picture Glendon tearing up the road to get home.

  Only he didn’t make it.

  So even as a mummy with no memories, he still had that homing instinct.

  Alas! Fate sure has a cruel sense of humor.

  “Just saw a rescue team flag downstairs. They must’ve been here to scoop up survivors. Why didn’t you hitch a ride? Safer at the camp, right?”Michael Joke asked.

  Loree’s eyes dimmed, and she said, deflated,

  “I’m not going anywhere. I’m waiting for him to come home.”

  Billy Jean hoped the mummy was listening.

  He’d been dying to get back, and his wife was waiting with bated breath.

  She just wished he’d snap out of hiding and come see his wife, pronto.

  At that moment, a baby’s wail cut through the air, shrill and piercing.

  Loree’s face paled a shade, and something flickered in her eyes.

  She said,“Give me a sec. My baby’s crying. I’ll go check.”

  “Sure, go ahead.” Billy Jean said.

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  Loree walked to a door, pushed it open, and slipped inside.

  The curtains were drawn tight, and it was pitch-black.

  Closing the door shut Billy Jean’s view.

  Billy Jean’s brow furrowed.

  She couldn’t sense a living soul in there.

  Was she just on edge and sensing things wrong?

  A moment later, Billy Jean’s blood-red pupils flared.

  That coppery tang of flesh and blood filled the air.

  “Billy, what’s up?” Michael Joke asked.

  "There’s a zombie in the room."

  Michael Joke’s face tightened, and a bolt of lightning zapped the door.

  The solid wood splintered like toothpicks.

  Billy Jean and Michael Joke saw the scene and their eyes widened in shock.

  Loree was slicing into her thigh.

  Judging by the deep, bone-deep cuts and the patchwork of knife marks, this wasn’t her first rodeo.

  Seeing them at the door, Loree panicked for a moment.

  She quickly shielded the baby behind her, her face as white as a sheet.

  “It’s not... I... you...” She stammered.

  Billy Jean and Michael Joke looked at the baby peeking out.

  About a year old, chubby and cute as a button, with a head like a little tiger cub.

  Only its big eyes, which should’ve been bright, were cloudy.

  No doubt about it, the baby was a zombie.

  Loree was feeding it with her own flesh.

  Seeing they’d caught on, Loree said, her voice shaky,

  “It’s not bad. It’s never hurt anyone. Please don’t hurt it. I swear I’ll watch it like a hawk.”

  “Do you know you’re on your last legs?”

  Michael Joke said, his voice low.

  Loree was taken aback but not really surprised.

  She’d known her body was giving out.

  She couldn’t hold on much longer.

  But she looked back at her baby, and tears streamed down her face.

  “It’s my fault. I didn’t protect it. If I hadn’t taken it out for food, it wouldn’t have gotten scratched by a zombie and caught the virus. I ruined my baby.”

  “If I die, what’ll happen to it? It’s a good baby. It never bites or snaps at me. Sometimes when I offer it blood, it won’t even drink. I know it feels bad for me. It’s all my fault.”

  Loree finally broke down, sobbing her heart out.

  Billy Jean watched Loree, and her heartstrings were tugged.

  She wasn’t crying because she was scared of death.

  She was crying because she was terrified of what’d happen to her baby.

  Billy Jean had been an orphan her whole life and never knew a mother’s love.

  But seeing Loree today, she got it.

  Even though her baby was a zombie, she didn’t bail.

  She cut herself up, piece by piece, to feed it.

  Cutting your own flesh?

  That kind of pain was off the charts.

  But she took it, again and again.

  For a while, the only sound in the house was Loree’s crying.

  She’d been holding it in for too long.

  “AAAAH...”

  The zombie baby babbled and crawled into its mother’s arms.

  Then it reached out its tiny hand to wipe Loree’s tears.

  “AAAAH...”

  It was still babbling.

  Others might not get it, but Billy Jean did.

  “Mom, don’t cry. Joe is with you.”

  Loree stopped crying and looked up at Billy Jean, dazed.

  “That’s what the little one said. It wants you to dry your eyes.”

  Loree was floored. How could she...

  “Actually, I’m a zombie too.”

  Billy Jean said, like it was no biggie.

  Loree’s eyes about popped out of her head, disbelief written all over her face.

  She was a zombie?

  Her whole perception of zombies got a shake-up.

  All the ones she’d seen were like walking nightmares.

  Not Billy Jean.

  She talked, walked, and looked like a regular person—an insanely good-looking one at that.

  “It’s smart. It’s got self-awareness.” Billy Jean said.

  Hearing that, a glimmer of hope sparked in Loree’s despairing eyes.

  “Really? It’ll be like you someday, right? Even if I kick the bucket, it’ll be okay, right?”

  Loree suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Billy Jean.

  “Please do me a solid, okay? If I die, can I trust you with it? I know it’s selfish, but I’m out of options. I won’t be a burden long. When it’s a bit older and can fend for itself, you can let it go.”

  Loree’s chest was aching, and she felt like she couldn’t breathe.

  Her breaths were coming in short gasps.

  She knew her time was running out.

  That’s why she was so desperate to hand her baby over.

  She was a zombie and had a heart of gold.

  If she could trust her baby to Billy Jean, she’d die in peace.

  “No, it shouldn’t be me.” Billy Jean said.

  Seeing her plea shot down, Loree’s hope fizzled, and the light in her eyes died.

  “It shouldn’t be me. The child’s father is the best bet.”

  Billy Jean looked at the pitiful woman and decided to spill the beans about the mummy.

  Loree beat her to it,

  “Is it the one who was with you in the supermarket?”