Stay Home Z

It starts like any normal school morning—until it isn’t. When strange reports interrupt the radio and parents begin pulling kids out of class, 7th grader Zack senses something is very wrong. By the time he makes it home, the streets of Maplewood are changing… and Zack may be the only one left inside the Hot Zone. With his dog Scottie by his side and no adults in sight, Zack must figure out what’s...

Zack is home alone—and something is terribly wrong in Maplewood. Strange sounds echo through the neighborhood, emergency alerts crackle over the radio, and the streets outside don’t look the same anymore. As Zack pieces together what’s really happening, he realizes the danger isn’t just on the news… it might be right outside his door. With Scottie at his side, Zack must decide whether to hide—or p...

With strange sounds outside the house and zombies somewhere in town, he decides to turn his home into a fortress. Using whatever he can find, Zack sets traps, blocks entrances, and prepares for the worst. But his biggest discovery comes when he finally gets an old walkie talkie working—with hopes of hearing a friendly voice. Parent Note: Stay Home Z is a suspenseful adventure story for tweens. Whi...

Zack finally makes contact with his friend Rishi—and learns the devastating truth. His neighborhood is trapped inside a military quarantine zone, and his parents can't reach him. When Scottie escapes into the backyard, Zack is forced outside to rescue her and faces his first zombie. His homemade traps actually work—the tripwire, the Legos, even a laser pointer. For the first time, Zack feels...

Zack decides to escape the Hot Zone himself and meet his family at the barricade. But as he plans his route with Rishi, glass shatters downstairs—the zombies are breaking in. Zack frantically reinforces the doors, buying seconds as creatures pour through the windows. With Scottie and his Louisville Slugger, he makes a desperate dash to the garage where his dad's e-bike waits. As zombies hamme...

Zack’s defenses have fallen, and escape is the only option. With Scottie in tow, he races through the streets of Maplewood on his e-bike, dodging zombies and navigating obstacles at every turn. Can he make it out of the Hot Zone and back to his family? A tense, thrilling finale where courage and quick thinking are the only way to survive.  Parent Note: Stay Home Z is a suspenseful adventure story...

Zack wakes to a quiet, powerless morning, still alone in his house with only Scottie for company. Determined to be brave, he tackles basic tasks, navigates the house, and struggles to control his fear. But when mysterious noises emerge from the backyard, Zack faces his first real sign of danger—and realizes it’s time to fight back.  Parent Note: Stay Home Z is a suspenseful adventure story for twe...