Grey Knights

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Shit!” It’s nice to know Greyson is still with us. He slides Amber into my arms and pulls out the gun he brought with him from the raid on the Institute. 

Again, zombies and guns—two bad tastes that taste worse together. But, under the circumstances, I’m afraid the flavor is growing on me, like coffee—the bitterness lingers on your tongue, but it keeps you ticking.  I object anyway, on principle. “Hey, let’s not jump to shooting people. Maybe he’s just here for some donuts.” 

“Yeah, that would be convenient. Maybe later some nice Marines will show up and give us an escort out of the state.” Lovely! The Greyson I know and love is still in there and has made a comeback. 

“No, look! He’s driving over here!” Sam checks the door of the grocery store. All joking aside, when the chips are on the table, he’s got his brother’s back.

“It’s still mostly dark inside the car. The lamp doesn’t reach this far. Maybe he hasn’t seen us yet.” I slouch down in my seat, below the windows, pulling Amber with me. Her pale hand brushes over the metal of  Greyson’s gun.

“Don’t shoot him yet, Greyson. You can’t tell just by looking if they’re good or bad.  You have to wait and see what they do.”

My mouth drops open for a second. Oh to be as wise as a six-year-old. My hand taps her lips. “Shhh, honey.” Greyson’s eyes meet mine and I don’t have to say anything. He’s just been schooled by a first grader.

“No one’s going to shoot anyone. This is just a precaution.” Greyson clicks the safety off his gun and then slides down and tucks his head away from the glass. 

Our hearing works as well as seeing. The motor hums toward us and then stops behind the BMW. The patrol car headlights flood the interior.

“He saw us,” Sam whispers. “Act like you’re sleeping, so we don’t look suspicious.”

“We’re the only car parked in the middle of a grocery store lot at the crack of dawn during a zombie lockdown. Trust me. We look suspicious.” I pet Amber’s hair wink and grin to reassure her, but my body is clenched, ready for war.

“Everybody just calm down.” Greyson senses the tension leaking off of me. An adrenaline cocktail is cascading through my veins, churning up my blood. Amber shivers in my arms. For a long time, nothing happens. “He’s running the plates.” Greyson is coolest under pressure. “Now the only question is, have they got the doctor’s face and name popping up in all the data bases yet?”

Behind us, the cop’s door hitches open. Slow, heavy steps stomp the asphalt. The beam of a flashlight wanders around inside our car, a faint aroma of roast pig trickling in beneath it. Hunger and fear dance like wild natives in my chest, stirring up the fire of the beast inside. My breathing mists up the cold, glass window under my temple. Inhaling deeply, I wipe away the virus impulses and focus on stillness. Wanting this to end with no one getting hurt, knowing it can’t, I will the cop to leave, knowing he won’t.

My palm slides over Amber’s eyes. I’m not about to let her see any more mayhem. She already has enough nightmare material to get her well into her thirties. 

Greyson nestles his gun hand against his right thigh. If he fires on a cop, how many more will come after us? We’ll totally lose all our anonymity. Our chances of getting out of the state will be pretty much shot—no pun intended. If that happens, my best bet is to jump into the driver’s seat and race for the front of the store. If I let Greyson drive, chances are he’ll leave Nicolas in the checkout line. I can hear it now. “He’s not infected. It’ll be easier for him to get out of the state without a carload of zombies.” Cold, hard Greyson logic.