Zombies and Cookies, oh my.
When a spore of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis meets an ant ...
http://mentalfloss.com/article/53290/5-real-life-zombies
http://www.livescience.com/15962-zombie-caterpillar-virus.html
Title: Zombies and Cookies, oh my.
Continues from Daycare & The Halloween Costume
prior Andy & Simon drabbles
Author: charisstoma
Word count: 429
Looking around as Andy entered the house he waited for Newt’s happy greeting and when it didn’t happen wondered if maybe Simon had forgotten that he was supposed to pick up their child from the daycare. “Simon?”
From the kitchen came, “Here.”
“Where’s Newt?”
Simon, hands busy making balls of cookie dough to fill the second backing sheet, pointed with his chin towards a flower pot currently located under the dining table.
“What happened?” There was a small snake curled around the base of the plant in the pot under the table.
“Something that doesn’t exist,” Simon said very casually, “Zombies. One of the kids had seen a movie and was telling everyone all about it.” Andy could hear Simon’s gritted teeth, “in detail.”
“Really? Amazing. Were they zombie people or did it include zombie animals?”
Simon hissed so that Andy would be the only one hearing, “Not helping here.”
“I just wondered, because though zombies do exist, they’re ants or caterpillars. Not snakes, so you’re safe and I think that Newts are immune too.”
A little voice came from below the table, “You too Daddy?”
“Daddy Simon was correct when he said that those zombies don’t exist like what the child at the daycare said were in that movie. People can be silly sometimes and like scary things. Even grownups like pretending monsters exist sometimes and sometimes they are right but it’s important to know the truth. The movie was pretend.”
“Oh. Safe come out?”
“Yes, safe to come out. By the way, are you a worm and live in an apple pumpkin?”
“That Hallo-een,” was giggled as Newt crawled out from under the table. “I Newt!”
Simon fell back against the counter, hand to chest, “Eeeek! A Newt!”
“Daddy Sye silly,” Newt nodded to Andy.
“Yes, he is but we love him and he has great ideas….”
“Cookies!” both Simon and Newt shouted as the first cookie sheet went into the oven.
“Think one of the cookies will try to run away,” Andy asked.
Newt shook his head, “No. Story not real. Cookies no run.”
“Good,” Simon told him, “but I’m going to eat some of these cookie balls.”
“Simon, eating raw cookie dough is not supposed to be healthy.” Newt was over at the oven door drawn by the smell of cookies and the warmth inside.
“I’ll just have to nibble on another set then…. Later.”
Andy smiled, “One cookie tonight. We’ll save the rest for later, yes Newt. That way they’ll last a long time.”
“Long time,” Newt agreed.
“Very long time,” Simon smiled back.