In a cozy little village nestled by a forest full of silly secrets, a boy named Leo had a very important job.
He was the official zombie-spotter. But most days, the only thing he spotted was his own boredom.
One sunny afternoon, an idea sparked in Leo’s mind. A mischievous, troublesome idea.
He took a giant breath and yelled at the top of his lungs, “ZOMBIES! They’re coming to borrow sugar! And they don’t look like they’ll ask nicely!”
The villagers dropped everything! The baker grabbed a baguette, the blacksmith grabbed his tongs, and they all rushed to the village gate.
But all they found was Leo, giggling from his tower. “Just kidding!” he chirped.
The baker sighed, wiping flour from her apron. “Leo, that’s not a funny joke. We need to know we can trust you.” Leo just shrugged. Being boring was much worse than being in a little trouble.
So, not long after, he did it again. “ZOMBIES!” he screamed. “They’ve formed a conga line and they’re dancing this way!” He snickered, waiting for the chaos to start all over again.
This time, the villagers just groaned. They marched to the bottom of the tower, shaking their heads.
“We won’t be fooled again, Leo,” the blacksmith grumbled, crossing his big arms. “No more tricks.”
Suddenly, Leo’s playful grin vanished. Shuffling out of the woods was a real zombie!
And another! And another! A whole crowd of them, with silly, lopsided smiles and mismatched shoes, were shambling right toward the village!
Leo’s voice was shaky and small. “Zombies,” he whispered.
Then he found his breath and screamed, “ZOMBIES! REAL ONES! I’M NOT KIDDING! THEY’RE HERE! I PROMISE ON MY ENTIRE COLLECTION OF BOTTLE CAPS!”
Down below, the baker heard him and just shook her head. “Oh, that Leo,” she said to the blacksmith, who was busy fixing a wobbly wheel. “He never gives up, does he?” They both ignored the desperate cries.
The zombies wandered into the quiet village, attracted by the smell of fresh bread. Leo could only watch in horror as the villagers finally looked up in shock.
He had learned a big lesson: when you’re known for telling lies, no one will believe you, even when you’re telling the truth.
