The Last Kids on Earth

The next day, Jack drives around looking for June, but to no avail. When he gets back to the treehouse, he is excited to be reunited with his giant dog, Rover. As a foster child, he never had the chance to keep a dog. Quint excitedly asks Jack to get a list of supplies from Home Depot for a project. Jack and Dirk go—but not before Dirk picks on Quint on the way out. Jack is there to mediate, and the two agree to be nicer to each other. At the Home Depot there are too many zombies, so Jack uses the “Scream Machine” which Quint built (113). The machine blasts the sounds of people screaming in horror movies and attracts zombies as a decoy. While the scream machine distracts the zombies, Jack and Dirk infiltrate Home Depot. Dirk responsibly collects the needed items, while Jack plays around with “crazy-cool drills” (115).

On their way out, they notice a ping pong table and think about taking it; but Blarg appears. The zombies are in a wild frenzy because of Blarg’s presence and they begin to approach the boys. Dirk grabs the ping pong table and uses it as a bartering ram shield to force his way out with Jack. They hop into Big Mama, with Blarg in pursuit. Scared, Jack unleashes movie theater “Butter-Slick Slingers” from a switch in the truck and it releases slippery fluid behind them which derails Blarg. Blarg slips, crashes, and falls. An angry Blarg watches them escape. Back at the treehouse, Quint is worried that they took too long and had become “zombie chow” (122). They explain what happened, then Dirk—realizing he’s maybe been overly mean to Quint—gives him the ping pong table as a birthday present. Quint is hesitant at first, but then stands taller than Jack has ever seen and embraces his former bully, who is now a friend.

Quint creates an experimental lab in the neighbor’s abandoned garage. His goal is to fortify the treehouse with new weapons. Meanwhile, Dirk and Jack “go out and look for trouble” together (126). Jack ultimately wants to be prepared to defeat Blarg, which he considers the “final boss” if his life were a video game (128). He also drives around each day and looks for June, but without any success. They have a great time as friends, playing games, hanging out, drinking root beer floats, and enjoying each other’s company. Yet, Jack knows it won’t last forever and that Blarg will eventually find them.

Quint has designed a saddle to be used on their giant dog, Rover. Jack hops on to test his new ride. Rover bolts wildly into the street, taking Jack for a long and dangerous ride. Rover uncontrollably romps up to Bear Hill—the highest point in town. Jack has fun along the way. Tired, Rover slows down and Jack enjoys the view of his neighborhood. He looks around while Rover rests. Then, Jack sees a sweatshirt hanging from the middle school’s window. It’s June’s sweatshirt; he figures she must be inside. He excitedly declares he will save her as “the ultimate Feat of Apocalyptic Success” (139).

Back at the base, Quint and Dirk don’t understand Jack’s need to save June. They tease him for liking her, and he admits it to shut them up. They plan an escape mission for her. He tells Rover—who has just eaten a dozer—to stay put, and they’re off. Together, they ride Big Mama across the chaos and dangers of Wakefield, eventually reaching the school. But Jack accidentally crashes while parking—something they’ll address after they save June. The door to the school is locked and zombies are encroaching, but Dirk simply rips the door off and they enter the building.

Jack hates schools more than most, because it reminds him of being an orphan who transferred every year. New family, new school, same hatred. But seeing the school destroyed still saddens Jack, since it’s where he met his only friend(s). Inside it’s dark and quiet, but Jack hears something. When he looks, he sees a frighteningly large “zombie ball” rolling for them and he runs with his friends (151). It’s a literal ball of zombies unlike anything he’s ever seen. They can’t escape, and are eventually trapped in a hallway with locked doors. Seemingly doomed, they resign to their fate, when suddenly, the door opens and they fall in. A voice gives them orders and locks the door to prevent the ball from enveloping them. Confused, they look up. It’s “the damsel in distress,” June Del Toro (156).

June, who looks battle hardened, tells them they must leave. Jack is surprised and tries to convince her to join them, but—as Quint and Dirk point out—she seems to be thriving. He tries to persuade her with smoothness and confidence, but fails miserably. He grows uncertain because “Angry girls are more terrifying than any beasts” (161). Resigning to a new tactic, he asks if they can stay overnight because of the danger. Reluctantly she accepts, and Jack asks for a tour. Before bed, Jack tries to convince June, while Quint and Dirk have “tickle fights” (166). She seems to listen but ultimately refuses to leave, and the boys pack for bed. Jack has trouble sleeping, and hears shuffling in the hall. He worries that a zombie may have gotten past their defenses so goes to see what it is.