Nightmare ikoni

Danny poked me to wake me up.
“Are wewe still alive?” he said, “Cuz I wouldn’t be surprised if wewe weren’t.”
“Technically I’m not,” I told him.
“Am I? Living skeletons aren’t zombies but they aren’t alive—wait, but zombies are living dead—are skeletons dead?”
We smiled. Then I remembered.
“No!” I cried, bounding out the room. Tape followed after me and made it in the kanzu, koti closet before I slammed it shut. I heard Zero’s barking upstairs.
“Gretchen?” dad said. It sounded like he came from the back porch.
I alisema nothing. I can’t believe it, though—I was so...