My Zombie Hamster Read Online Free

same hatred he does for “the other three movies.”
    “Just the originals?” I asked. “Not the prequels?”
    Dad’s face turned cold. “Wash your mouth out with soap, son. Haven’t I raised you better than that?”
    Yeah.
Star Wars
. Completely obsessed with them. But only the originals. Mention anything after
Return of the Jedi
and he gets a bit crazy. I tried to get him to watch
Clone Wars
one day, and he gave me this sad, disappointed look and left the room.
    “Sorry,” I said. “So … Snuffles?”
    “There was a pet shop just outside the movie theater. I got him there.” He frowned at me. “Why all the interest?”
    “Um … no reason. Bye.”
    I sprinted back to my room. That explained everything. The Zombie Police hadn’t come because the hamster probably didn’t even have a lifechip inserted.
    I sat down on my bed and pondered the situation. No lifechip meant no Zombie Police. That was something. But how to explain that to Mom? If I told her Snuffles was dead, she’d figure out what Dad had done, and he’d be in big trouble. Plus, they’d both think I couldn’t look after a hamster.
    Maybe I could just take care of it myself?Bury Snuffles in the backyard and tell everyone he escaped? Hmm. That had possibilities. I’d get into a bit of trouble for letting him escape, but it wouldn’t be too bad.
    I heard a strange scuffling sound and looked up.
    Snuffles was standing in his cage doorway. Staring at me.
    I’d been wrong! He’d just been sleeping after all.
    But then I saw that the huge growth on his stomach had burst or something, revealing his tiny rib cage.
    I froze for a second while the truth hit me. I didn’t want to accept it at first, but as I stared at the poor creature in front of me there was no denying it.
    Snuffles had become a zombie!
    A zombie hamster.

    I had no idea what to do. Nothing in my life had in any way prepared me for a zombie hamster giving me the evil eye.
    He was watching me intensely. His eyes were no longer shiny and black. They were now dull and grayish. His mouth was opening and closing,almost as if he was eating something.
    What to do?
    Destroy it, said a voice in my head. You have to take it out
.
    Yes. Destroy it. Good idea. Stop the infection from spreading. I looked around my room for a suitable weapon. The only thing within reach was
The Lord of the Rings
, the big hardcover version with the cool Alan Lee paintings. I hesitated. Did I really want zombie hamster splattered all over Tolkien?
    But there was no other option. I reached slowly across to my bedside table. Snuffles’s head moved jerkily, following my movements. I picked the book up, hefting its weight. It should do the job.
    I slowly stood up and approached the cage. Then I encountered a second problem.
    How was I supposed to do it? Snuffles was standing on the lip of the cage entrance. If I just whacked the cage, I might not even hit Snuffles. I needed to get him out onto the table.
    I tried nudging the cage with my foot, but it just slid across the table. Snuffles didn’t budge from his position. Just rode the cage like he was standing on a boat.
    I tried again, and at that instant my door swungopen and Mom came in with my laundry.
    I panicked and accidentally kicked the cage off the table. It tumbled onto the floor, sending Snuffles sailing through the air like an undead superhero hamster. He landed in the hallway, did a somersault on the carpet, then scurried away toward the stairs.
    I’ll say one thing for zombie hamsters. They don’t move as slowly as their human counterparts.
    “Matt!” shouted Mom. “What are you doing?”
    “Snuffles!” I gasped, shoving past her.
    Snuffles had curled up and was rolling down the stairs like a bouncing ball. I raced after him.
    He bolted along the hall. Dad was carrying a huge pile of firewood inside, so the front door was wide open. I tried to get ahead of Snuffles to slam it shut, but I tripped on one of the stupid throw rugs Mom insists on