One

                                    

                                          
"Nova, come on!" I say, grabbing her arm in attempt to keep her from leaving me and my surprise. She takes one look at me and makes a disgusted sound, scowling and wrenching herself away. It's my grin. She knows I don't feel guilty enough for forgiveness. She stalks out of the room angrily, her heels clicking. Honestly, I don't know what's the big deal.
                          
So what if I had gotten her another funny card and a present that sort of called her out on her fear for her birthday? It's not like a made a comment like the people at school.
                          
You see, Nova is deathly terrified of dolls and stuffed animals and all other toys. Her parents are obsessed with horror movies, as horror writers, so as a little kid she heard - if she didn't see - all those creepy-ass movies. Her fear is rational, I mean, I share it with her, but she takes the term "Pediophobia" to the next level.
                          
When she was six, she burned all those toys in her fireplace with a wide grin on her face. Her younger brother by two years had witnessed that psychotic moment and her parents signed her right up with the best shrink their fat wallets could afford. It was sort of at the shrink's office that we met...
                          
Her card has nothing to do with toys, none whatsoever, just like every year. Just because usually when I see the card my own creeped-out-ness would rise as soon as I got an inkling that it was about toys. I can face the fear like a big girl though. That's the difference between me and Nova. She can't stand the sight of toys for over a minute. My present this year was sort of abusive for her...
                          
I got her a creepy clown jack-in-the-box that I had wound up perfectly so it was playing the tinkly music while she was ripping open the present. She thought it was a music or jewelery box... I took a picture of her face. Well, that part was mean.
                          
But in al fairness I was just as terrified as that demonic thing. I had planned we would have a burning ritual, like we did when we were younger and got all these toys for christmas.
                          
"Nova!" I call, rushing down the stairs. She turns to me with tears in her eyes.
                          
"Come on, Dominic, you know that scared the shit outta me!" She chokes out. I narrow my eyes.
                          
"Nova, don't you dare use my name again. It's bad enough my biological parents put me up for adoption because I wasn't a boy, you don't have to remind me of it using my real name." I warn. "I don't ever remind you of your name." Nova's last name is Kaine. Her older brother got to name her, so...
                          
Nova looked away. "I have perfect right ot call you by your name." She finally hisses. I growl in response. "I'm not your friend anymore. Burn that damn toy and stay out of the rest of my life." She snaps, storming out of my house.
                          
I do what she says and burn the toy, smiling at the fact that she took the card. I was up all night wanting to cry and get all my depression out, but succeeding in just staring at my sheets forlornly. At about two in the morning I get a call from Nova's phone.
                          
"Dom! I need your help now! There's someone following me on the street. I'm on Sandplate Drive, walking home from 7-Eleven. I'm sorry about earlier I jist really- Hiiiiii!" Muffled talking follows. "No, I'm talking with my friend." She snaps, sounding irritated, scared, and defiant. More muffled speaking comes, then that loud boom-clatter that happens when you listen to your phone dropping from the speakers' point of view. "Hey!" Her voice sounds distant, so I'm assuming she did drop her phone, or someone smacked  it out of her hand. I jump into action and climb out of my window onto the roof, and then down the street towards Sandplate. "Give it back! Dominic! Help!" I start running, reaching the street to see nothing but shadows.
                          
Then one of the shadows moves. I drop my phone as I see some guy with blood covering his torso and mouth.
                          
ZOMBIE!