Robbie Zombie's Arc

Chapter 3 of 6

Robbie reached the university gates and stopped. The building looked bigger up close, with columns holding up a sagging roof. He walked through the entrance and found a bulletin board covered in papers. One flyer showed a knife and fork crossed like an X. "Culinary Classes - Learn to Cook Like a Pro" it read in bold letters. Below that, another notice listed cooking supply stores in Deadville. His eye scanned the addresses. These shops would have everything he needed for his restaurant. Pots, pans, knives that could cut through anything. He pulled out his notebook and copied down three store names. The university library stood across the hall, its doors propped open with a brick. Robbie walked inside and found rows of cookbooks on metal shelves. He grabbed one about running a restaurant and another about brain preparation techniques. This place had all the answers he needed to make his dream real. He tucked the books under his arm and kept exploring. Down another hallway, he spotted crumbling gray walls through an open doorway. Robbie stepped inside and stopped. The room stretched wide with tall windows that let in dusty light. Scattered rubble covered parts of the floor, and broken shelves lined the walls. A few zombies sat in small groups, holding books and talking quietly. One zombie looked up and nodded at Robbie. This was another library, different from the one with cookbooks. He walked to an empty chair and sat down with his books. A zombie across from him held a cookbook too. They exchanged looks and small grins. Robbie opened his restaurant management book and started reading. Around him, other zombies turned pages and shared ideas about what they were learning. He had found a place where zombies gathered to learn and plan their futures. His restaurant dream felt more possible with every page he read. After an hour, Robbie stood and walked back outside. The sky was darker now. He headed toward the center of town, following a street he knew well. A statue stood in the middle of a small plaza. Robbie had passed it before but never really looked. Now he stopped and stared. The bronze figure showed a zombie chef holding a golden spoon high above its head. Rain had softened the metal features over time. The base had words carved into it about restaurant success and hard work. Robbie stepped closer and touched the cold bronze. Someone in Deadville had made it big in the food business. Someone had opened a restaurant that mattered enough to build a statue. If they could do it, so could he. He pulled his notebook out and flipped to his list of supply stores. Tomorrow he would start buying equipment. Today he had learned that Deadville had everything a zombie chef needed to succeed. He walked two more blocks and turned down a narrow street. A window caught his attention. Behind glass panels, gourmet dishes sat on display shelves. Brain tartare with garnish. Brain pâté on small plates. Brain medallions arranged in perfect rows. The case stood against gray brick, lit from inside. Robbie pressed his face close to the glass. Each dish looked better than anything he had made at home. This was what real zombie cuisine looked like. This was the level he needed to reach. He stepped back and looked at the building. It was a culinary school supply shop, showing students what they could create. His hands gripped his notebook tight. He had seen the library where zombies learned together. He had touched the statue of a successful chef. Now he saw exactly what kind of food his restaurant would serve. Everything in Deadville pointed him toward his dream. He turned and headed home, ready to start cooking.