Page 61 of One Adult, Please

"Yes."

"What would he call it?"

I look at the infected. "Door nap?" I suggest.

Grace stares at me. "That was terrible, animal doctor. Your joke privileges are under review."

"I accept that."

She steps around the body, careful, quiet now.

We close the staff door. I lock it. Grace stands beside me with the friendship paddle resting against her shoulder and dead leaves stuck to one knee.

"The butterflies had a bad week," she says.

I look up at the silent dome. At the empty air where hundreds of wings used to be.

"Yes," I say. "They did. Are you okay?"

"No," she says. "But I will be."

We seal the second access door and mark the pavilion clear.

Captain screams from the east perimeter, still angry, still on his perch, still holding the world in place one furious sound at a time.

16

THE STABBY FORK DIES A WARRIOR

GRANT

The petting zoo is next. The fences are open, the animals scattered, but the structures are all clearable. Joel and Beck have already reached us. The restaurant is sealed. The gift shop is sealed. Joel has keys for the petting zoo structures. Beck found one infected inside the feed barn and handled it before we arrived.

Kevin's here.

He's been maintaining a distance of approximately fifteen feet, which is close enough to observe and far enough to pretend he's not observing. He's also eating a decorative shrub that costs the park approximately two hundred dollars to maintain. Kevin doesn't care about the park's landscaping budget.

"Kevin is following us," Grace says.

"Kevin does what Kevin wants," I say.

"I issued a probation and Kevin is violating it. Kevin is in contempt of Glue and I want that on the record."

Beck looks at the smear on the friendship paddle. "Did something happen?"

"No," Grace says.

I say, "Yes."

Grace turns to me. "Animal doctor. Betrayal."

Beck lights up. "What kind of something?"

"Door nap," I say before I can stop myself.

Grace closes her eyes. "Your joke privileges are revoked."

Beck whispers, "Door kill."