Forgetting the Apocalypse

58. One Last Border

Mara's Pov*

Finally! I ran to the many boxes that were scattered on the floor but before I could get to them, I pushed face first into the rack of discarded clothing. By the time I was done untangling myself I could see Fredi going through all the boxes.

"Sorry Tigress," he tried to apologize but seeing that stupid little grin on his sface when he pulled out boots in his size I knew he wasn't really sorry at all. He didn't even look up. Jerk.

Internally flipping him off, I walk over to the other side of the unopened boxes looking the ones that say women sizes. The majority were either too small or too big except for the last box in the corner. I saw the big label on the side with a big purple 7 sticker. I rushed that box like my life depended on it even though I knew the boys weren't going to touch women's shoes and Kailee wasn't even that size. Probably just didn't want to get pushed again.

I couldn't care less on the design. I just wanted some decent shoes, ones without any tears or holes in them. The first two shoes boxes almost made me cry because they were both sandals but the third one had some heavy duty shoes. They looked the kind a construction worker or factory worker would wear. I tapped the soles of them with my knuckles and immdiately loved how hard it was, yet the inside was soft. Not soft like a foamy substance but more like those mats that you use for yoga but thicker.

The design wouldn't have mattered because I needed them regardless but I did love that they were black. So sickly taking off and tossing my old ones aside I started putting them on until I took a look at my socks. They were starting to tear too. Sighing, I took off my socks too and dug through my pack for a fresh pair. I should still have at least two new ones left. Fortunately I did. Once I put them on I out on the new pair of shoes. A little tight even though I didn't tie the laces tight but that's probably just the new shoe feeling. I know my feet are going to ache after walking in them for a bit because I have to break them in but it's worth it.

Thinking about my old pair, I have no idea how long I had them before everything but I know they lasted me a good two and half years walking through different kinds of terrain and weather conditions. These should last me just as long if not longer but just to be safe I should dig through the rest of the big box and get me a back up pair.

I was walking back to the front of the store when I had to hold in my laughter. Fredi was doing this weird dance that he says helps break in shoes better and faster. He looked like he was playing an invisible game of hopscotch to the song mambo 5.

"How do your feet feel?" Roone asked as he came up to the front with me. He had gone looking for some socks and underwear. Judging by the two bundles he was stuffing into his bag I'm guessing he found some.

I wiggled my toes and rolled my ankles a bit as to get another feel for the new footwear. "They're a bit snugged for my feet at the moment but I'd rather not tie them any looser in the chance they come untie completely. And I know my feet are going to killing me soon but they will also be thanking me in the long run right?"

I mentally slapped myself. What the heck was that? I was talking to him like we were strangers and it was my first time flirting. That stupid nice smile he was sporting was all the evidence I needed to know that he noticed my embarrassment. Before he could answer, thankfully, everyone else came from where ever they were collecting for themselves so we could get a move on. This was the shortest pit stop we've taken, only it taking us about an hour to find what we needed but it was at least to me something big.

It felt like it should be because just a block down the road was the Skagway and Fraser border crossing. The highway, highway 98, was pretty close to White Pass summit which is where we were a few days ago. I'm all for nature but I would love to put some distance between myself and those particular woods for a long time.

We could see what looks like a shack or station of some kind. It made us a little suspicious because not only was it not boarded up but it looked clean. There was no sign of anyone having passing through. Not even the zombies.

I wasn't the only one who thought something was off. As soon as the rest of them saw the small building they eyed it skeptically. Who could blame us? After everything we've been through and we stumble on a place that still has its white paint job intact? If it wasn't for the sound of the wind blowing through here you'd be able to hear the echo of a pin dropping.

So we had two choices.

We could either check out, see if anything is really amiss. It could be a trap but it shouldn't be anything we couldn't handle. We're on a very wide opne road so if anything should come out there's plenty of room for us to manuever and not get boxed in.

However, we could also just ignore the building completely. Just keep on walking. There was nothing we needed at the moment to risk checking into a building that could be crawling with zombies, crawlers or rabid animals. The fruit leather has been holding us up that we are able to ration our other portions of food more extensively. But the closer we got to the building the more it seemed like we were going in. I guess it was compulsion because no words were spoken between any of us, it was like we were being pulled in to check it out.

Fredi was the first up the porch. Blackie was already sniffing everything but gave no indication that anything dead was inside or nearby. It was almost good to enter until Saphira gave us the signal. Gently pawing at Roone's left leg, telling us that their were weapons inside.

Now that certainly changed things. If there were weapons inside, then most likely there would be ammunition. My bow and arrows could easily be made but even though guns were loud, they really came in handy when dealing with larger numbers. Especially with crawlers. When Saphira pawed at Roone's lega again, this time more urgently, it made it all that more impossible not to check it out now.

I handed Jack's leash to Kailee. Pointing to the small ditch by the side of the road, "Take Jack and stay hidden. Don't come out unless I come get you."

Without waiting another second, she takes his leash quietly and quickly goes to where I told her. Once she was down, I pulled up my rifle and nodded to the boys. Fredi and Riva both went to the sides and gave three kicks to the wood. The response was immediate. Something inside moved, bumping into whatever and shattering a piece of glass. I tried listening in to see if I could hear any voices or growls but there was nothing.

Roone was just about to open the door himself when it suddenly opened from the inside. The next thing I knew, there were at least a dozen men with automatic rifles aimed right at us from inside as well as from the sides where Fredi and Riva were.

We were surrounded.