Inner Man Theatre

    Owan is not happy.  “If you get a poor grade, it’s because you’re too lazy to study.  It’s not my fault.  If it were Elfie, you’d gladly ace any test he made the teachers give us.”

    “Ah, young love,” Taxi utters as she pops a bubble with her gum.  “Lyger, start the beauty pageant before Logoya starts name dropping again.”

    His eyes look up as his mind races with the warmth of nostalgia.  “That’s when it all started, Commander Fox’s recruitment test.”

    Amused, Lyger recalls, “Acer, Buddy and their siblings were kids of SUSIE folk, but with the Happy War debacle, the government killed that program, with our commander, Bruce Fox, being among the last of that bunch.  The base he invited me to was beneath a nursing home that was actually for rapidly aging Zombies.  With Bruce dying, he wanted a replacement to lead his agents, though as a living person, not a new SUSIE experiment.  Once we got everyone together, the selection process began, which mainly involved Commander Fox flirting with Agent Waterfall most of the time.”

    “Oh really, Romeo?” Taxi calls her husband out.  “And who were you harassing the whole time?”

    The culprit defends himself.  “It was not harassing.  I was mentoring a potential agent who refused to believe in herself.  Big difference.  I have no regrets.”

    “Hmph!” Taxi turns a little red.  “Well, I have one big regret.”

    “Oh?” Lyger lowers her shades with his index finger.

    Leaning toward him and looking deep into his eyes, she sweetly says, “I didn’t punch you enough when we were alive.”

    Ready for this one, Logoya reminds, “You can always make up for it now.  The kids need a show.”

    Quickly resuming tough mode, Taxi denies the opportunity.  “Wouldn’t be the same.  It doesn’t hurt as much since we’re, ya know, dead.”

    That’s when it finally clicks and Paul jumps in a moment of revelation.  “Then that makes you guys Zombies, too!  I mean not the clone kind, but, like, actual zombies, because you’re all dead, but here you are, visiting your old stomping grounds in the past, watching your old selves and teaching us.  I get it now!”

    Gliding over to him and displaying a most devious smile that not even sunglasses can hide, Taxi gladly reminds Paul, “And you do remember what zombies eat, don’t you?  I’m so starving, boy!”

    Paul is petrified.

    Pointing at her lovable brother, Keb suggests, “If it’s brains you want, have AB’s.  He doesn’t use it.”

    “That’s for sure!” seconds Duplica.

    “Not gonna’ argue,” affirms Cici.

    “Speaking of starving,” hisses AB, “it’s a good thing she doesn’t eat hearts or you girls would leave her famished.”

    All the kids burst out laughing, and the adults all bow before their audience.

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