My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish Read Free

and scooped him up.
    He wriggled in my hands as I dropped him back into the sink. He swam twice in a circle and then up to the surface, where he stared at me, his eyes glowing a bit green.
    â€œYou stay here. I’ll be back.” I climbed back onto the toilet seat and turned and pushed the window again, wide enough for me to crawl through. That was when I heard the next splash and then a whoosh !
    Green and gold flashed past my right ear as Frankie leaped out of the window. I stuck my head out in time to see him land in a puddle of rainwater on the garage roof. Jumping down, I quickly dug the plastic bag he’d arrived in out of the trash. This was too weird. Frankie really wanted to go outside. None of the ping-pong-ball fish ever did anything like this.
    Once I’d filled up the bag with water I scrambled out onto the roof.

    â€œI guess you’re coming with me then,” I said as I scooped up Frankie from the puddle and plopped him in the bag. I tied a knot in the top and held the bag in my teeth as I climbed down the side of the garage. My feet felt for the top of the compost bin. Got it! From there I jumped down onto the lawn. Escape Route 5 was a success (even carrying a fish). Result!
    I ran around to the front of the house and peeked through the window. I could see Pradeep’s back. He was sitting in a chair and Mark was standing in front of him showing him his chemistry set. If Pradeep could just keep Mark downstairs for a bit longer, then Frankie and I would be back before he noticed. In seconds I was at Pradeep’s back door, inching it open.
    His mom was inside making popcorn. Popcorn kernels popped and banged so loudly, she didn’t hear the door open. She rolled some popcorn pieces in green marshmallow fluff and rolled some others in blue marshmallow fluff and then squished them into little round globes. Then she poured melted white chocolate over the top of each of the little earths. It took me a second, but then I got it. Melting polar ice caps. Cool.
    â€œSamina,” she called out, “can you come and help Mommy take out our party plates?”
    Sami burst through the kitchen door dressed in mermaid pajamas with a blue-and-green tail swooshing behind her. The tail got caught in the door, yanking her onto the floor with a thud . I covered my mouth so she couldn’t hear me laugh.

    And before you say anything, laughing at little sisters doing stupid things is totally not evil; it’s not even mostly evil. It’s just regular.
    As Pradeep’s mom went over to help her, Frankie and I moved over to the cupboard where all the party stuff was kept. I crouched low behind the counter and put Frankie on the floor in his bag so I could open the cupboard and reach inside.
    â€œSamina, would you like to lick the chocolate bowl?” Pradeep’s mom asked as she put Sami back on her feet and turned to take the chocolate-and-marshmallow popcorn balls out into the living room. I heard the kitchen door shut behind her.
    Sami toddled over to the counter that we were hiding behind. “Bowl,” she announced in that really serious way tiny kids have of saying stuff. She stuck her hands in the bowl, smeared them around and started to lick the chocolate. Then she squealed, “Fishy! Fishy!”
    I peered around the corner to see Sami jumping up and down on the spot and Frankie swishing his tail in circles and paddling his front fins at the same time to roll the bag toward her. How did he figure out how to do that?

    â€œFishy! Fishy!” Sami shouted again.
    I jumped out from behind the counter. “Shhh, Sami!”

    Her bottom lip started shaking in that earthquake warning—this tantrum is going to be a nine on the Richter scale—kind of way.
    I scooped up Frankie off the floor in his bag and handed him to Sami. She gripped the top with her chocolatey fingers.
    â€œI mean, shhh, quiet little fishy,” I whispered.
    â€œShhh, little