SurvivorZ

24

CHARLIE

Sticking to the route they planned in Maureen's kitchen, Charlie managed to avoid the most densely populated areas of town by heading south along the Connecticut River and following some branching roads southeast to the Mountain Farms Mall. Danielle kept an eye out for movement from the passenger seat, while Judith sat in the back, fretting over the pipe wrench she had to carry with her for their outing to Walmart.

Before they even pulled into the mall's parking lot, it was clear that this shopping experience would be unlike anything they faced in the past. Looters had smashed open the glass doors barring the entrance and were coming and going through them with armloads of supplies. The store's alarm screamed in outrage, but the only ones responding to it were the former residents of North Amherst Cemetery.

As they pulled into the lot, everyone in the car jumped at a volley of gunshots coming from the edge of the property. Hunters fired at the approaching dead from the backs of pickup trucks parked in a disorderly barricade at the corner of the mall.

"I don't like this," Judith whined, eyeing the good ol' boys drinking beer and dropping zombies from their F-150's and Silverado's.

"We'll be okay," Charlie assured her. "Everyone stick together. We'll grab what we can and get out fast."

With everyone cramming their cars around the front door, Charlie elected to keep Maureen's vehicle far enough away that they could easily drive off if things became too hairy. Though the drunken militia were holding back the dead for now, between the braying alarm and the constant reports of gunfire, it was only a matter of time before they'd run out of bullets, luck, or probably both.

They climbed out of the car and headed to the smashed in entrance together; Judith with her wrench, Danielle carrying her sharpened hatchet, and Charlie with a claw hammer tinged with the first flecks of rust. Both the tools and their handlers were out of their element.

A woman carrying handfuls of diapers screamed in outrage when a frantic man jostled her on the way out, spilling her load all over the ground. He didn't acknowledge her presence while hurrying back to his car with his precious box of canned goods. Others did, though. Before she could pick up her baby supplies, three additional women pounced on the unexpected bounty, forcing her to scramble to retrieve her loot before it was all gone.

Charlie stared in horror at the pack of frenzied mothers fighting for the last few diapers in the store. Is this all we are? he wondered. Stripped of the pretense of civilization, are we really nothing more than animals scrounging to survive?

"Charlie?" Danielle piped alongside him. She looked scared. So did Judith. Neither of them were prepared for this kind of free-for-all.

Truth be told, neither was he. He put on a brave face and gave them a reassuring nod. "Stay close."

They skirted around the clambering mob outside the door and headed inside. Behind them, another volley of gunshots rang out. Charlie hoped the band's aim was true and their ammo was plentiful. Finding anything worthwhile in the turbulent sea of looters swarming the store would take time.

"This is insane," Judith cried, upon venturing inside and taking in the full extent of the madhouse.

"Are you sure about this?" Danielle asked.

"Remember what your mom said," Charlie reminded her. "We focus on bandages and medical supplies first. Sheets, needles, thread, alcohol. All of the things nobody else will be looking at twice. Once we load the car, we can try for food and water."

The crazed mob rushed all over the store as if caught up in an amped-up version of Black Friday Sale mania. Charlie watched them go with a sinking feeling. "Assuming we're not already too late."