Zombie Surf Commandos from Mars! Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Outside the house! The living dead. Gray, flaky skin — ”
    â€œMrs. Krafnutter? Dear, she’s very old.”
    â€œNo, Mom!” Liz could hardly form the words.
    Boom! Boom! The windows rattled. The front door shook on its hinges. They were getting in!
    RRRRRR! came a loud sound from the phone.
    â€œI’m sorry, dear,” her mother interrupted. “I can’t hear you! The truck from Santa Mira just pulled up here. I have to go. See you in a bit!”
    Nnnnnnnn. Her mother had hung up.
    â€œNo!” Liz cried out to the empty house. She threw the phone down and ran upstairs, tripping three times before finally reaching the landing.
    CRASH! The sound of glass shattering!
    â€œYou won’t get me!” she screeched, leaping for her bedroom door and slamming it behind her. She turned the bolt.
    Suddenly — KKKRREEUNNCH!
    The door blew off its hinges! Liz tumbled to the floor. A huge gray creature shuffled in!
    Its skin was flaking off like ash on a burnt log. Its forehead bulged and breathed like a lung.
    It smelled like something dead.
    Flump! A piece of its cheek fell to the floor and shattered into dust.
    It was something dead!
    â€œBrains!” gurgled the horrible voice.
    A flaky finger shot up at her forehead. Liz swooned. Her breakfast tumbled in her stomach and lurched up her throat.
    The creature dived at her.
    Everything went dark.

9
    One of — Them!
    Boom-boom-boom!
    It sounded like the whole house was under attack. The front door was being pounded and knocked and kicked!
    Liz felt herself trying to run away.
    But something was holding her down! Something cold and lifeless. She felt it across her face.
    She opened her eyes.
    It was — a hand!
    It was — her own hand!
    She lay sprawled on her bedroom floor amid all the scraps of wood that were once the door.
    Then she noticed the light coming from the window. It was different. The sun was nearly down. It was almost nighttime.
    Boom-boom-boom!
    â€œThey’re still after me!” Liz bolted to her feet, looking for somewhere to hide. Then she caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror on her wall. She stared into it, lifting her bangs off her forehead. “Please, no …” She held her breath.
    No spot!
    She breathed out again.
    Boom-boom-boom!
    â€œLiz! Liz! Open the door!” cried a voice. “Please!”
    What? Martian zombies aren’t usually so polite! Liz rushed downstairs and pulled the front door open. Jeff tumbled in.
    â€œWe’ve gotta hurry!” he gasped. “It’s really late and I can’t find Holly anywhere! She’s not home. She’s out there!” He pointed to downtown Grover’s Mill.
    Liz stared at Jeff’s face. It was all wrinkled up in a frown that Liz knew was Jeff’s way of showing fear. “No time for a song, pal. Let’s go!”
    They ran out the door and down the street toward the center of town.
    Jeff huffed to keep up. “I told my dad everything, and he said there was no such thing as zombies. Then he disappeared into his little room and I heard buzzing and beeping.”
    â€œWe’ll have to get into that room someday, Jeff,” Liz said. “But for now, we need to run!”
    They flew full speed to the end of Oak Lane, then up Birch Street. The shadows were getting longer, spookier. The sun was dipping behind the purple mountains to the west.
    Liz turned to Jeff. She was trembling all over. “Jeff, a zombie attacked me in my house.”
    â€œDid he get your forehead?” Jeff asked.
    â€œNo,” she said. “I’m okay. But I don’t really know why he didn’t get me. I guess I fainted. When I woke up, he was gone.”
    â€œMaybe Martian zombies are picky about what they eat.” Jeff turned the corner toward Main Street. “Maybe they like their brains weird or something.”
    â€œThen Grover’s Mill will be All-You-Can-Eat!” Suddenly, Liz