"He's not coming." Cat stretches as I paw at the door and whine. 

"Yes, he is," I say to Cat. "Master is always home at 5 o'clock." 

"Not today." Cat takes a long claw, and rakes the window until the entire screen falls out. "Master is never coming home," says Cat. "It's Halloween and he is a zombie now. They all are." 

Zombie? This word is new. I picture of pile a juicy steaks topped with bacon-flavored treats. 

No, Cat is wrong. Master is not this Zombie thing. I bark and chase Cat, but he only leaps out the window,and dashes down the street. I bark after him. Master will be angry that Cat pushed out the screen. What if he blames it on me? I whine at the thought of his angry voice. 

Then- movement at the end of the street. A hat, brown suit... Master! 

I leap through the window and tear down the street. Master will be so excited to see me! Master will pet my head! Master will give me bacon-flavored treats! 

But as I reach Master, I realize it is not Master. It is a strange two-legged creature, like Master, but he smells.... Wonderful! Like another dog's barf and garbage and cat litter and dead things, all of which I want to roll in. If this is a Zombie, than it is wonderful! He walks with his hands in front of him and says,"UNnnnnnhh,". Then he chases after me. 

A game! 

I race away. The Zombie creature follows. Joy! I leap and twist away from him, as he follows with outstretched arms. Others join the game and I bark and twirl in delight. I make sure to go slow so they canfollow. One catches me and tries to bring me up to his mouth to groom me. I am not Cat, silly! I twist away and take off again. 

Oh, what fun! 

I bark and race back and forth and other Zombie creatures follow. They are slow, and smell delicious, and I delight in collecting them. I name them; Chewy, Barfy, Armless, One-Leg, Bloody, No-Nose, Small Pumpkin, Falling-Out-Organs and Bite-y. I howl sadly when One-Leg falls behind, but the others surround it, and I'm sure they help One-Leg. 

They are a true pack and I am Leader. 

But the day only gets better. A wind carries the scent of oiled leather, man-musk and after-shave. Master! 

I race across the black-rock road. I find Master crouched in the back of the building, shivering like he is afraid that he is in trouble for peeing in the corner. But I am not mad because I love Master! I race outside and lead my new pack over to meet Master, and they are happy, and he is so, so, so happy, and he tilts his head back to howl at the moon and I add my voice to his and I do not even care there is no bacon-flavored because it is the best Halloween I have ever had.