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The Novel
Zombies Ate My Teacher is an interactive eBook, where the reader is a character in the novel and makes all of the important decisions. The writing is quirky, light-hearted and suitable for all ages. As a novel in the Perilous Paths series, the reader is far from safe, and most choices result in horrific outcomes.
The Writing
Rather than leave you guessing, we'll inlude an excerpt from the novel. This section represents one of many horrible decisions the reader may choose to make. Even if you try your hardest to survive, you are likely to read through a few times.
Confront the Lunch Ladies
You have just enough time to hide behind a cabinet before the lunch ladies enter the room. The first, a very large and very short woman, hobbles into the room and moves slowly for the desk. The second, a tall, lanky blonde enters after her and waits by the door.
You notice that their eyes are a bright yellow and their veins appear greenish in the light. You try to recall if that is a recent development.
The first lady leans over the desk and smiles widely. “Do you know what we have here, Helen?”
The second smiles through pursed lips. “What do we have, Celia?”
“A spy, I think.” She sniffs the air several times, like a hound on the hunt. Her eyes fall on you, and it is clear you have been found.
“Come on out, child. There’s nothing to fear.”
Sometimes it is good to fight. Sometimes it is good to run. Sometimes, however, when you have sprained your ankle, and you are confronted by two mutant lunch ladies, it is good to play dumb. Your best chance, you reason, is to appear to be no threat at all. You let your mouth hang open, and limp out from your hiding spot. You try your best to seem unintelligent, trusting, and maybe a little more injured than you really are. It is a desperate plan, but if they manage to let their guard down, or maybe even decide you are not worth their time…
The one named Celia lashes out quickly and grabs your wrist.
Despite your plan, you can’t help but draw back in alarm. Her grip is incredibly firm.
“Helen…” Celia Smiles. “What do you say we test out our new serum?”
“Oh!’Helen cackles. “That sounds lovely.” The one named Helen pulls a syringe from her apron. She removes the orange cap and a thin green liquid drips from the needle.
“No!”you shout and try to pull away, but the effort is futile.
A moment later, Helen is at your side, grabbing your wrist with her frail-looking hand. You reach with your free hand to stop her. Before you have moved an inch, Celia catches your hand and yanks it behind your back. You scream as the needle enters your arm, and then Helen releases only a small amount of the serum into your veins.
Celia throws you to the ground then moves to block the doorway.
You glance up at the window, knowing it is too late.
Celia pulls the sleeve back from her arm and keeps a steady gaze on her watch.
You begin to writhe on the floor. Oddly though, you are not in any pain. Your muscles twist and throb of their own accord, and then they begin to bulge. Your skin bursts open under the strain, but there is still no pain.
As your skin changes to a bright greenish-purple, you hear Celia’s voice one last time.
“Thirty-seven seconds.” She smiles.
If it is possible to notice your own intelligence decreasing, you think you do a pretty good job keeping track of it. At first you feel your mind growing subtly dimmer. You can’t quite put your finger on the difference, but soon you cannot recall your name. You do not remember where you are, or what you are. Next you forget the meaning of these words, or words in general. Finally, you no longer remember what you have lost. You think nothing. You groan, rise from the floor, and lumber hungrily from the room.
THE END
The Artwork
Currently, the novel contains four illustrations. This is not enough. With over one hundred twists and turns in the novel, it feels a little bare. The purpose of this project is to produce a few more large illustrations, as well as a dozen or so smaller sketches at the headings of each major banch in the story. The illustrator, Cameron Kendell, is availble for commission work. Take a look at his blog here, to see more of his work.
The Author
Zombies Ate My Teacher is S B Coates' second novel. You can see a preview of his first novel here. Stone of Aether is a serious fantasy novel. With zombies.
Samuel Coates writes professionally, and is currently working o n the second novel in the Perilous Paths series, "Professor Grape's Past Projector."
