The door swung open with a creak as Kelly stumbled into her apartment, her laughter echoing off the walls. She tossed her bag onto the floor, her mind still buzzing from the fun of the night. Jenna’s infectious energy had pulled her out of the drudgery of her work life, and she couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so carefree.
“Who knew a night out could be this much fun?” she mused, giggling to herself as she kicked off her shoes. Her dress swayed slightly as she danced her way to the kitchen, still riding the high of cocktails and laughter. 
After rummaging through the fridge, she found a half-eaten pizza box. “Dinner of champions,” she declared, pulling out a slice and munching on it like it was the most gourmet meal in the world. As the cheese melted in her mouth, she felt an overwhelming sense of contentment. 
“Cheers to not working tomorrow!” she toasted to herself, raising her pizza slice like a glass. “To a day free from spreadsheets and deadlines!”
With a happy sigh, Kelly made her way to the couch, flopping down and sinking into the cushions. The room swirled slightly, but she didn’t mind. For once, she felt alive, and it was a welcome reprieve from the monotony of her usual routine.
“Maybe I should take a day off more often,” she thought, smiling as she finished her slice. 
As the pizza box slid off her lap and landed on the floor, she pulled a blanket over herself and settled in for the night, her eyelids growing heavier. Just before drifting off, she whispered, “I can get used to this.”
***
Morning light streamed through the window, bathing the room in a soft glow. Kelly stirred awake, feeling pleasantly fuzzy. She squinted against the brightness, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. 
“What time is it?” she murmured, fumbling for her phone on the coffee table. It slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground. “Oops!”
She leaned over to pick it up and froze, her eyes widening as she caught a glimpse out the window. Her heart raced as she rubbed her eyes, convinced she was still dreaming. Outside, the streets were alive with chaos—people were running, stumbling, and dragging themselves in a disjointed manner.
“Zombies?” she gasped, propping herself up on the couch and blinking rapidly. “Am I seeing this right?”
She peered closer, trying to process what she was witnessing. Groups of people shuffled along the street, their clothes torn, hair disheveled, and skin pale. They moaned and groaned, reaching out with lifeless hands. Kelly’s mouth fell open as she realized the absurdity of the situation.
“No way,” she breathed, an unexpected grin creeping onto her face. “This is the best thing that could ever happen!”
Leaping to her feet, she dashed to the window, excitement bubbling inside her. “I don’t have to work!” she shouted, laughing giddily. “I can’t believe this! I’ve dreamed of something like this!”
The zombies continued their slow march, oblivious to her gleeful expression. Kelly couldn’t help but giggle as she watched the bizarre scene unfold. “This is better than a vacation! Who needs deadlines when there’s a zombie apocalypse?”
She spun around in a little dance, her heart light with joy. “No emails, no meetings, no spreadsheets!” she sang to herself, letting the ridiculousness wash over her. 
Suddenly, a loud banging at her door jolted her from her revelry. “Kelly! Are you in there?” It was Mark’s voice, urgent and frantic. 
“Mark?” she called back, still grinning. “You won’t believe what’s going on out here!”
“Open the door! We need to talk!” he shouted, his tone serious.
With a playful huff, Kelly flung the door open, ready to share her wild revelation. But Mark’s expression brought her laughter to an abrupt halt. He stood there, eyes wide, his breath coming in short bursts.
“Kelly, what did you do?” he asked, glancing nervously over his shoulder as if expecting a zombie to lurch in behind him.
“I didn’t do anything!” she protested, her hands on her hips. “But look outside! Isn’t it amazing?”
Mark stepped into the apartment, quickly shutting the door behind him. “You’re not serious,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You’re seeing things. This is bad!”
“No, I’m not!” Kelly insisted, laughing again. “It’s zombies! We don’t have to go to work! We’re free!”
Mark pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly exasperated. “You’re not getting it. We’re in a crisis! We need to get somewhere safe!”
“Safe?” Kelly echoed, still giddy with excitement. “Why? This is the best thing that has ever happened! I mean, think about it—no boss, no responsibilities. It’s like a holiday!”
Mark looked at her as if she had lost her mind. “You’re drunk. You can’t be serious. You need to focus, Kelly. What if they start breaking in? What if they’re not just wandering?”
“They don’t look that dangerous,” Kelly replied, waving dismissively. “They’re just wandering around. Look at them! They’re more like confused tourists than actual threats!”
She turned back to the window, watching as one of the zombies tripped over a curb and fell to the ground. “See?” she said, grinning. “They can’t even walk straight!”
“Kelly!” Mark grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly. “This is not a joke! We need to make a plan. We should barricade the door and figure out what to do.”
“Barricade?” Kelly echoed, rolling her eyes. “Why would we do that? We could just enjoy the show! It’s like a reality TV show!”
Mark shook his head in disbelief. “You’re not making any sense. You need to think about this logically.”
“Logically? This is the least logical thing that could ever happen! How can I think logically when I have a front-row seat to the apocalypse?” 
Mark sighed heavily, glancing outside again. “I can’t believe you’re taking this so lightly. We need to take action.”
“Fine! Let’s take action!” Kelly said with a dramatic flair, throwing her arms up in the air. “Let’s have a party! We can invite the zombies in for snacks and drinks!”
Mark’s eyes widened, and he stepped back slightly. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I am!” Kelly laughed, her laughter echoing in the empty apartment. “We could be like zombie wranglers! Just imagine it: ‘Welcome to Kelly’s Zombie Lounge!’”
He groaned, rubbing his temples in frustration. “This isn’t the time for jokes, Kelly. We need to survive!”
“Survive?” she asked, frowning. “But what are we even surviving from? Look at them! They’re just walking around like they’re lost. It’s hilarious!”
Mark ran a hand through his hair, his patience clearly wearing thin. “You need to stop this. It’s not funny. We need to figure out a way to get out of here.”
“Get out? Why would we want to leave?” Kelly replied, her voice rising with excitement. “This is a chance to do something wild! We can live without the pressure of work hanging over us!”
“You’re delusional,” he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Maybe, but I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! Look, I have the whole day free! I can finally do whatever I want!” 
Mark opened his mouth to respond, but he was interrupted by the sound of a loud crash outside. Kelly spun around to see a group of zombies knocking over a trash can, the contents spilling everywhere.
“See? They’re just having a party, too!” she exclaimed, unable to contain her giggles. “They’re living their best life! Why can’t we?”
“Because we’re not zombies, Kelly!” Mark exclaimed, exasperated. “We need to act responsibly!”
“Responsible? Where’s the fun in that?” Kelly teased, sticking her tongue out at him. “You’re so serious all the time. Just relax! Let’s enjoy the chaos!”
With that, she spun on her heel and flopped back onto the couch, grinning as she kicked her feet up. “Join me, Mark! Let’s embrace the absurdity of this situation!”
He stared at her, incredulous. “You’re impossible,” he muttered, but despite his irritation, a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“See? You’re starting to get it!” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Let’s make the best of it! No work, no deadlines—just a wild day!”
Mark shook his head, but his resolve was softening. “Alright, let’s say I go along with this crazy plan. What do we do first?”
“First, we get some snacks!” Kelly said, jumping up. “I have some chips and leftover pizza. We can set up a zombie feast!”
“A feast for zombies?” Mark asked, his disbelief mingling with amusement. “You really are losing it.”
“Only a little,” she admitted with a wink. “But it’ll be fun! We’ll set up everything on the balcony and invite them over. We might even make some new friends!”
As they moved to the kitchen, Kelly couldn’t contain her excitement. She tossed chips into a bowl, opened the pizza box, and piled everything together. Mark watched, a mix of disbelief and reluctant
 amusement on his face.
“This is insane,” he said, shaking his head as he helped her carry the snacks to the balcony. “But I guess if you’re determined to do this, I might as well join.”
“Exactly!” Kelly replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’ll see—it’ll be epic!”
Once they had set up the makeshift snack station on the balcony, they leaned against the railing, looking down at the street below. Kelly couldn’t stop smiling, her heart racing with exhilaration. 
“Here’s to our zombie party!” she cheered, raising a chip in the air as if toasting. “May the zombies be friendly and the snacks plentiful!”
Mark chuckled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “Alright, let’s see how this goes.”
As they settled into their odd new reality, Kelly felt a surge of happiness. “Who would have thought my worst nightmare would turn into my best day ever?” she said, glancing at Mark. 
“Just remember,” he said with a half-smile, “if we end up in a horror movie, you’re going first.”
“Deal!” Kelly laughed, her heart soaring as they watched the chaos unfold outside. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly alive, ready to embrace whatever the day might bring—even if it involved a few zombies.