New York Jungle Zombies

By James Mascia

METEORS, OVERGROWN PLANTS and... ZOMBIE ANTS???
When a meteor crashes in the middle of Central Park, Austen and Kyrsten both find their curiosity piqued. Investigating the site quickly reveals that the meteor is more than it seems. It is a giant seed, and vines are growing out of it at an exponential rate. The vines will take over Manhattan within 24 hours if someone doesn’t do something. The only problem is, the city’s been evacuated, and the only ones who can stop it are the two children. However, it’s a little hard to get some weed killer, when you’re also being chased by zombies.
How can Kysten and Austen stop the seed from taking over the city without getting turned into zombies themselves?

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Mascia
• Release date: Aug 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301002054

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New York Jungle Zombies

Invasion

By

James Mascia

Published at Smashwords by James Mascia of HSH Productions

Electronic and Print Editions ©2013

Copyright 2012 by James Mascia at High School Heroes Productions

Published in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations for reviews.

The characters and events written about in this book are completely fictional. Any resemblance between the characters and persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is for my new baby boy, may he have great adventures like the characters he will read about everyday.

Chapter 1: Austen

Whoa, man! What was that!

It sounded like a jet crashing in the middle of Central Park. The walls of the museum shook. The paintings rattled in their frames. Devin and I dove for cover as the ground quaked beneath our feet.

Screams filled the other museum rooms too. Complete chaos ruled everywhere it seemed. People jumped behind display cases, and hid under doorframes. They probably thought, like I did, the roof would crash down on us at any moment.

The problem was, there really wasn’t anyplace to hide. Crouching next to the nearest wall, I covered my head with my hands like they showed us to do in school in case of a terrorist attack. Soon enough, the noise stopped and the rumbling subsided. Even though everything had pretty much finished, I still didn’t lift my head. Better safe than sorry, I always say.

Others seemed to have the same idea, as I heard no movement from my crouched position. The quietness the museum usually held return, except for a few whimpers here or there.

Psst, Austen, came Devin’s voice from somewhere over my shoulder. Is it safe? Is it over?

I think so. I still didn’t move.

Do you think this is because we ran away from the group?

No, Devin. He might be my best friend, but Devin could be such an idiot sometimes.

It had been his idea to break off from our class. I was more than willing to tag along. The tour guide taking us around the Metropolitan Museum of Art was dreadfully boring. I actually fell asleep standing up when she droned on about the Impressionist Period.

I heard there were suits of armor somewhere in the museum and I wanted to see them. So, at about 11:15, while the class was led through a pair of large doors into the next section, we stayed behind. We had plenty of time to get back before Mrs. Bradley missed us.

Except with something exploding outside, and the museum feeling like it was caught in an earthquake, she’d be doing a headcount now.

I lifted my head. My fear of getting in trouble outweighed my personal safety. I spotted Devin’s bright red shirt immediately, crouched behind some statue of a naked woman. We have to get back.

Mrs. Bradley was going to kill us. We backtracked our steps until we were returned to the room we lost the rest of the class. People still cowered on the floor. They looked at us like we were crazy for not waiting for some all-clear signal.

Which way? Devin asked. There were two doors leading out of the room.

Umm…I think they went this way. I pointed to the door farthest to the left that led to a corridor of medieval art. I hadn’t been paying close attention to the direction they’d been going. I was more concerned with making an escape.

I could already picture it. First, I’d get yelled at by Mrs. Bradley, and probably get detention. Then she’d tell my dad and he’d probably ground me for being irresponsible. Essentially, the last fifteen minutes of fun would be my last for a while if we didn’t hurry.

We ran through the hall of medieval artwork. I didn’t pay attention to any of the paintings.

Things must have been pretty serious, because the security guard didn’t say a word when we ran by at full speed. As a matter of fact, it seemed everyone who wasn’t cowering on the floor was sprinting somewhere. I assumed most were headed for the exits.

When we rounded the corner to the Egyptian wing, I spotted the top of Mrs. Bradley’s head. The class was in the large glass room with the stone temple inside it. To my surprise, she wasn’t taking a headcount. She actually wasn’t paying attention to our class at all. Instead, she, like everyone else in the windowed room, was gazing in amazement outside at the pillar of jet-black smoke rising into the sky.

Oh, man! I exclaimed.

What is that? What happened? Devin asked.

I don’t know, Dev. I couldn’t say anything else. I had never seen so much smoke in all my life. There hadn’t even been that much when that apartment building burned down on Second Avenue last year. We were able to see that fire from all the way across town.

Our teacher tore herself from the image and regained her senses. Only then did she notice Devin and I weren’t with the class. Austen Sutton, Devin Green, get back in line with the rest of the class.

I was going to point out no one in the class was actually in a line, but I didn’t think it would’ve been the best idea. Besides, at that moment, a museum worker pulled Mrs. Bradley aside and whispered in her ear.

Filing into the crowd with the other thirty kids from our class, Devin and I continued staring at the plume of black smoke.

We have to go see it, Devin muttered. It’s gotta be so cool, whatever it is.

No way, Dev. You nearly got us in trouble already. If we leave now, we’ll probably be expelled!

But we’d get to see something really cool.

Two minutes ago you thought the building was shaking because we ran off. Now you want to run off again?

Yeah.

Well, you can do it yourself. I’m not risking it.

Further arguing was quickly silenced as Mrs. Bradley demanded our attention. Class! Class! Listen up! She always said class twice when she needed to tell us something important. Due to this unforeseen calamity, we are cutting our field trip short today.

Everyone in the class groaned. The idea of returning to school for the afternoon didn’t make us happy. It was Friday and we were looking forward to a nice relaxing day of walking through the museum, where we didn’t have to think.

School will be closing early, so when we arrive, you will all be dismissed. You are asked to return home immediately.

The groans turned to cheers. Now, not only didn’t we have to walk through the museum, but our weekend was starting a few hours early. What a wonderful feeling!

Mrs. Bradley really did put us in a line now. Then she led us away from the giant windows, to where out bus was undoubtedly waiting. When the front doors of the museum opened, sound assaulted my ears. Cars were stopped bumper to bumper all along Fifth Avenue. Horns honked and sirens wailed. The fire department was going to have some trouble getting through all this.

There was an odd odor in the air too. It smelled kind of like a car does when the tires skid on the road. It wasn’t sickening, but the strong smell did make me lose my appetite.

People, young and old, instead of running away from the massive fire, were running toward it. Masses of them crossed the deadlocked street and left the sidewalks to enter Central Park.

They’re insane, I said to Devin, who should have been right behind me.

He wasn’t. I turned just in time to see his red shirt disappearing around the museum’s corner.

I looked toward Mrs. Bradley. She hadn’t noticed. Her eyes were unfocused and she had a general expression of panic on her face. Her hair appeared as if someone had recently tried pulling it out. It was kind of amazing she noticed anything at all.

But she would eventually notice Devin’s absence.

Just leave him, I said to myself several times. It’s not your problem. But I might as well as not been trying to convince myself at all. Cursing, I jumped out of line.

What are you doing? Celeste Rogers asked.

I have to go bring back Devin before he gets himself in deep trouble, I shouted, speeding off.

I wasn’t paying much attention, but I’m sure as I rounded the corner, Celeste yelled, I’m telling!

She wouldn’t have anything to tell if I came back with Devin before the bus was loaded. That would show the little tattletale.

Devin walked with the crowd ahead of me. He looked over his shoulder every few seconds. He saw me coming and took off. It didn’t bother me. No matter how fast Devin ran, he couldn’t outrun me. I’d proven that enough times in gym class. I followed him down the path, gaining on him with every step. He weaved between some people. It didn’t help. I caught him within ten seconds.

Clamping a hand on his shoulder, I stopped running, forcing him to slow down as well. Come on, man. We have to get back to the bus.

He pointed along the path. But we’re so close.

He was right. Where he pointed, a crowd had formed a circle. The front of the crowd was hard to make out. The black smoke, though thinner, created a grayish haze. I wondered if they could see anything through all that anyway.

Look, once we get back to school, they’re gonna let us go anyway. So, we’ll hop the subway and come right back. That way, no one can say we ran off.

But—

I cut him off. If you stay, you’re staying alone. I’m not getting in trouble. I turned and walked away.

He wasn’t convincing me to do anything stupid again. That was always happening. For once, I would keep a level head and not let him tempt me with promises of adventure.

C’mon, Austen! It’ll be exciting!

I kept moving. It wasn’t easy since I wasn’t moving in the opposite direction from the people on the path. This must have been what driving on the wrong side of the road felt like.

Don’t you want to see what crashed?

I didn’t look back.

His heavy footsteps thumped behind me, growing closer. Okay. Fine, but we better come straight back.

We will.

Devin trudged beside me like I’d taken away all his fun. The two of us followed the path the way we’d come, in silence. I didn’t want to tell Devin we’d be better off watching the news. With the crowd as thick as it was, and more people coming every minute, we wouldn’t get close enough to see whatever it was anyway.

Oh, great! I snapped.

We’d reached Fifth Avenue. The fire engines and police cars had pushed their way through. Police officers stood in the street and forced traffic along. Firemen were hooking up hoses to fire hydrants and getting ready to drag them into the park.

But our class…and the bus, were gone.

Devin perked up. Does this mean we can go see it now?

Chapter 2: Kyrsten

I checked the clock again, 11:28. Only three hours until the end of the day. I was probably the only kid in class who wanted the hands of the clock to slow down rather than speed up. This weekend was definitely one I wasn’t looking forward to. Mom was going away with her current pick of boyfriends. So, as usual, I was being thrust upon my grandparents who could honestly care less about me.

She’d probably already left and was on her way to Niagara Falls, Atlantic City, Vermont, or whatever romantic destination she’d decided on this time. She never told me, but I always imagined it was someplace wonderful.

I wished she’d leave me by myself. I was old enough. I didn’t need my grandparents watching over me. God knows I never got in trouble anyway. Heck, half the time I was positive I was more mature than my mother to begin with.

Sighing, I doodled in my notebook as another minute ticked by, and Mr. Thornton went on with his history lesson. This wasn’t unusual for me; history was pretty much my least favorite subject. Who cared about old dead guys when you could discover things like we did in science?

I’d been making a list of places I’d like to go when I was old enough. Places like Mexico City, Las Vegas, Rome, Paris, Hong Kong, and about a hundred other cities. As a matter of fact, the only place not on the list was New York City.

After all, what was there for me to do here? In all of my fourteen years, the closest I’d ever come to leaving was taking the train to Queens with my mom. And she’d only taken me there because that particular boyfriend insisted on meeting me. They broke up two weeks later.

Kyrsten, Mr. Thornton called.

My head shot up. Despite my attempts to hide the fact I wasn’t paying attention, a guilty expression crossed my face.

Mr. Thornton’s skin turned a deeper shade of pink as he prepared to reprimand me, but a loud rumbling outside caught his attention instead. Actually, the entire class’ attention had moved to the open window. Being in New York City, there was always noise coming in from outside. We were accustomed to ignoring it. But there was no ignoring this sound. It sounded like a collapsing building.

A few seconds after the rumbling started, the floor shook. Several students screamed, while others dove under their desks.

Someone shouted, The terrorists are attacking. I’m pretty sure it was Javon Taylor; his uncle had died when they’d attacked the Twin Towers.

We’re all gonna die! screamed Ralph Brenner.

I couldn’t tell if he was joking. It would be just like him to try and scare everyone. Whether a joke or not, the comment caused more yells to fill the room.

While the rest of them, including Mr. Thornton, panicked, I calmly walked to the window. I saw no reason to lose my head until I knew what I was losing it about. Don’t get me wrong. My heart was racing and it took everything not to start screaming like the rest of them. But for all we knew, it was just a low flying plane.

At least, that was my theory until the classroom shook more violently. Could it have been an earthquake? No, New York didn’t have earthquakes.

That’s when I saw it. A giant fireball streaked through the sky, leaving a line of black smoke behind it. The ball of flame moved fast, at least a few hundred miles an hour. It past the school building and as it did there was a