Feeding Frenzy

Chapter 9

Evey, Connar, and Ivan all got out of their trucks. Ford opened the cab to his truck and pulled out the bag full of weapons. He handed a knife to Connar and Ivan. Connar's eyes went big as he grabbed the knife and inspected the blade. They were each given an empty backpack.

"This is so cool," Connar said.

"Stay behind us at all times," Johnson said. "These are just precautions."

Ford turned to look at Evey.

"Last chance," he said.

"For what?" she asked.

"To stay behind."

Evey rolled her eyes. She walked toward the mall without looking behind her at the group.

"Everett!" Johnson called out. "This is not staying behind."

Ford ran forward and stepped in front of Evey. She crashed into his chest and pushed him away.

"This is not listening to me," he said.

"I'm not staying behind," she said.

Ford scowled. Evey straightened her shoulders, not wanting to back down. She was going to kill an Infected with the knife and Ford was going to teach her how to use a gun. She had to learn if she was going to survive this new life.

"Fine," Ford said. "Don't die."

Evey looked over her shoulder as she heard footsteps approaching. Johnson and Gomez were walking up to them with Connar and Ivan behind. Connar was twirling and jabbing his knife as he prepared to kill someone.

They walked to the front of the mall. The glass was shattered and there was the faint sound of a shriek. Evey swallowed past the lump forming in her throat.

"How many do you think are in there?" Gomez asked.

"No clue," Johnson said. "They probably came in to eat people on the morning shift."

"Won't they swarm us?" Ivan asked. "We'll be dead in minutes."

"Do they have superhuman hearing or smell?" Connar asked.

Johnson shook his head.

"I don't think so," he said. "They're just human."

"Humans with the taste for flesh," Gomez said.

Gomez raised his gun like he was prepared to kill anything that came in his way. Johnson put his hand on the barrel to lower the aim to the ground.

"We start shooting and we'll attract attention," Johnson said. "We have to outsmart them."

"We have to sneak around?" Evey tried to understand what he was saying.

"Yes," he said. "If they don't notice us, they won't eat us."

Gomez swore as everyone nodded their heads.

"There's no way I'm going in there," Gomez said. "I'm switching spots with Harrington."

"No," Johnson said. "You're going in."

Gomez swore again. Johnson placed his finger up to his lips as he stepped toward the mall. The broken glass crunched under his boots. He raised his leg and stepped through the shattered hole in the door. Connar ran to follow Johnson into the mall.

Ford was the next to move. Evey pulled out her knife and was close behind. One by one, they followed into the mall.

The fountain was not running and the escalators were still. There was the sound of growls and Evey tightened her grip on the handle of the knife. She let out a slow deep breath because she does not want anyone, especially Ford, to see her hands tremble.