Zak nodded. “I know. But I did see him.”
“I’m sure you saw someone, Zak. But it couldn’t have been Dr. Evazan.”
Zak knew Tash was right. It was impossible that Evazan could be alive. He had taken a blaster shot right in the back. Boba Fett had examined the corpse thoroughly, and the Necropolitans had put him in the ground.
Of course, it was just as impossible that zombies crawled out of their graves, but Zak had seen that, too.
Or had he?
Could he have imagined it? With all that mist and darkness, he hadn’t actually gotten a good look at the zombies.
But what about Evazan? Hadn’t he just seen Evazan’s face at the window? Zak shuddered. The image was still in his mind. To make himself feel better, he hit the Lock button on his automatic window. The glass closed and sealed itself shut with a snap. The sound made Zak feel safe and secure.
He stood at his window and looked out on the twisted stone tops of the city buildings. Necropolis was a dark place. He had come to this planet already bothered by nightmares, and he had heard about nothing but graves and witches and cemeteries since the moment he arrived. Then, to make a friend so quickly and to have that friend taken away just as fast… maybe it was getting to him.
Someone had definitely been onboard the used starship. Zak didn’t think he was that crazy. Maybe it was a thief. There were lots of criminals with scarred faces. Maybe Zak’s fear had triggered something in his brain that made him see Evazan’s face on someone else.
Zak lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling, convincing himself that his imagination had been running overtime. Anyone would have the jitters after going through what he had experienced over the last twenty-four hours.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sudden, sharp raps shook the windowpane, and shook Zak even harder. He sat bolt upright.
In the window, a figure seemed to hang in midair. It was thin and bony, almost skeletal. Its jaw hung loosely from its head as it banged on the window again.
I’m dreaming, Zak thought. I jell asleep on the bed while I was thinking, and now I’m having another nightmare.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The zombie acted just like those from his other dreams, moaning at him through the window. Zak didn’t cry out. He wondered whether he was awake or dreaming.
The zombie started to pry the window open.
It must have been incredibly strong. Zak watched as it jammed its fingers into the tiny crack where the automatic window touched the stone wall. Somehow it found a hold and started to pull.
The window opened a fraction of a centimeter.
This must be a dream, Zak thought. Not even a Wookiee could pry open those automatic windows.
The zombie pulled, and the window opened a tiny bit wider.
Zak felt his heart start to pound.
The zombie pulled harder, its bony arms trembling under the strain. The automatic window started to whine as it tried to return to its closed position. The zombie pulled hard, and the window opened another centimeter. But that was all. With a demanding screech the automated window broke from the zombie’s hand and slammed shut. The undead creature grunted and fell away from the window.
Heart still thumping in his chest, Zak waited a moment longer. Nothing else happened. He nodded to himself. That was the way to handle a nightmare.
He woke up the next morning feeling a little better. He was proud of the way he’d handled the nightmare. He hadn’t given in to his fear; he hadn’t cried out for help. He didn’t know why the dream hadn’t included his mom and dad, but maybe that was a good sign, too.
Zak yawned and stretched. His room was stuffy since he’d sealed the window shut. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Zak went to the window and pressed a button. The glass whooshed open.
Then Zak saw it.
Three small strips of pale dead skin clung to the edge of the window.
CHAPTER 11
It hadn’t been a dream. A zombie had tried to break into his room, and he had just lain there!
Zak shuddered, trying not to think about what might have happened if the undead creature had gotten inside. Worse yet, he wondered why the zombie had come after him in the first place.
But he knew the answer.
He had gone into the cemetery and stood on a grave.
He had disturbed the dead.
Zak didn’t know what to do. He had already tried to tell Tash. He knew it wouldn’t do any good to tell Uncle Hoole. Who could he talk to that might believe him?
Zak went to the comm unit built into his room wall.
Necropolis might have the look of an ancient city, but it possessed all the conveniences of modern galactic life. He punched up an information system and found Pylum’s calling code, which he entered into the unit.
“Yes?” He heard Pylum’s stern voice break through the static, and then a small image of the Necropolitan’s face appeared on the comm unit’s screen.