Life Among The Dead (68 page)

He had to leave the kids in the back while he found a way in. It was dark inside, Oz had to proceed with caution. The only available light was what little spilled down the aisles and displays from the front windows that made up half of the front wall. He heard their moaning in the otherwise quiet store. From the cars outside he estimated about three, more if they car-pooled.

He carried his trusty wrench to the registers. Among the items placed for impulsive shoppers to see and purchase he took a small battery operated radio and loaded in four double A’s. Oz then crept to the doors.

Most Ultramarts have a large vestibule full of gumball machines that never seem to be filled with gumballs, an impossible crane game, and a few quarter draining arcade machines. The janitor had to pry the doors apart that would normally open like magic. Oz placed his bait down and turned it on. A man’s voice droned about how people need to stay indoors and avoid anyone who has been bitten.

They appeared from the darkness, shambling to the vestibule, drawn by the monotone enticement. Oz watched from behind the checkout area. Three men in run of the mill street clothes hobbled into the large room of glass and diversions.

The zombies stood in the morning sunlight that filled the front area. They looked around for the meal they were promised, but saw nothing to eat. The rumble of many small wheels rolling on the worn linoleum attracted their attention back to the darkness. They saw Oz coming at them pushing two long rows of shopping carts. They had no chance to react even if they were capable of such a thing.

The steel carriages struck them and drove them back against the front wall. They tried to reach for the man. Oz just pressed the carts harder against their bodies. He divided the snake like rows, and was able to squeeze the dead tight enough to prop the handles against the doors that flanked him. He had them trapped.

Oz had to quickly bludgeon them. He had thought of running to the sporting goods department, but he knew all the guns would be locked up. The corpses writhed and twisted, trying to get at the big man who beat them savagely with his long wrench.

The cleanup could wait. Oz had to get the kids inside. They looked like sad newborn kittens as they huddled together trying to keep warm. He led them to the jewelry counter. It wrapped around them like a horseshoe and would make a suitable fort while Oz worked on warming the place up.

He grabbed sweaters from a nearby rack and told them to bundle up. He noticed for the first time he could see his own breath inside the department store. It was just a whisper of steam that escaped when he exhaled, but it still meant it was damned cold.

Back at the vestibule Oz removed most of the carts, leaving one. He tossed the remainder through the window, even colder air rushed in. He then dropped the dead out through the newly opened portal. Letting in more cold air may have seemed counterproductive to anyone else, Oz had a plan.

Duraflame logs were placed in the bottoms of metal trashcans that the man slid to the front of the store. Oz lit the paper wrapped pieces of wood. The smoke was able to escape through the shattered window. He brought his companions out to warm up by the makeshift campfires. David stayed with the tykes while Oz checked the place out for more dead.

The entire store was theirs. Oz planned out everything on the fly. He rolled some out-of-season barbecue grills out from the back. Frozen foods from the supermarket section were tossed outside once it really got cold. They had everything they needed, at least for a little while.

Oz was able to rig electronics to a series of car batteries. Keeping the kids occupied was key. They had TV, DVDs, radio, and video games. The provider was also able to run some space heaters off of the batteries.

Fresh fruits and vegetables from the produce area lasted them a few weeks after that they had to make do with the wide assortment of canned goods. The kids’ diets were supplemented with chewable vitamins. Oz had a tough time keeping them away from the junk food. He wasn’t opposed to the idea of candies or cookies, but he knew the kids would opt to have them for dinner instead of the well-balanced meals he was trying to feed them.

Being one of the larger Ultramarts, this store had an impressive pharmacy that luckily met the sick children’s medication requirements. Keeping them healthy, happy and warm were Oz’s goals and he vowed to the God he no longer believed in that he would keep them safe as well.

There was an inevitable snag in keeping them happy. Near the end of the first month the kids started to ask about their parents. Oz knew it would happen; he had been trying to think of what to tell these cute little survivors.

He told them the truth. He had no idea where their parents were or even how they were. He was able to alleviate their sadness a bit when he told them that he knew their parents would be happy that they were being taken care of. He told them that their folks would proud of how well they were doing despite the state of the world and the odds that were against them.

That was around Christmas time. Oz spent the next few days putting together every artificial Christmas tree in the place with David and the kids’ help. They decorated them with lights, and garland, and every shiny ornament they could find. They all camped in a magical forest of Christmas trees, Santa found the children just fine that year.

It wasn’t all fun and games. Oz never slept for more than an hour at a time. He was barely eating anything nutritious himself, trying to save the good food for the children. He easily took up smoking again with the abundance of cigarettes at his disposal. It also gave him an excuse to walk the perimeter of the store. He would look out at the horizon through binoculars while he carried one of the many liberated firearms.

He knew it was just a matter of time before the world thawed, and the dead walked again. The Protector actually walked out to the end of the lot one day and saw a few of them. The dead were standing mid stride, frozen solid. The creatures must have been attracted to some sign of life at the store and were on their way when the big chill occurred. More of them were visible on the highway.

It was just a matter of time before they would have to leave anyway due to the dwindling resources inside their fortress. And, it was just a matter of time before someone came knocking. Someone else trying to survive, and who may not be looking to share. Someone who may try to take what they need.

They came one evening. Oz was outside cooking burgers for the kids. He was grilling on three different barbecues when he saw their vehicle, a tow truck of all things. It drove around the zombie statues that seemed to get closer every day. Oz had discovered they weren’t completely immobile. He had placed a hockey puck on the ground and spent a week measuring how far and at what rate one corpse traveled. It wasn’t anything to worry about, a mere two and a half inches a week.

The wrecker came to a sliding halt in the deep snow. Two men got out of the cramped cab, leaving the driver behind the wheel. Oz looked them over and disregarded them to flip his patties.

“
Excuse me.” One man spoke. “We’re from Sinclair. We’ve come all this way looking for food. Actually, we figured this store would be deserted.”

Oz didn’t respond. He just continued to mind his cooking.

“
We have about twenty people we need to feed…”

“
I got that beat.” Oz said without taking his eyes from the sizzling beef.
They’re just about ready for cheese
, he had thought.

“
Look,” The other man moved towards Oz. “We’re going in, and taking what we want. You don’t own this store.”

“
I have dozens of sick children that I have to feed in there. You aren’t taking a fucking thing away from them.” Oz said coolly.

All around the area Oz had coolers buried in the snow, filled with things he needed to keep frozen. He had large plastic ones filled with meats, and small Styrofoam ones filled with TV dinners and ice creams. He had meals planned out weeks in advance for his children.

“
I don’t see how you can stop us.” The man said heading past the chef.

Oz reached back and grabbed him by his neck. He pulled the man back and held him against the grill. An awful smell chased away the delightful aroma of the burgers. The man’s partner approached fast, Oz was faster. The ex-janitor took a barbecue fork from where it hung on the side of his grill and jabbed it into the man’s eye.

The driver jumped from the cab and raced to his friends’ aid. He had a shotgun and was firing buckshot at Oz. The large man held the first attacker up by his throat like a human shield. The guy had passed out from the intense pain of receiving third degree burns. His face held char lines from the grill in his medium rare flesh. Buckshot made his limp body quiver.

The rifle clicked empty, Oz Grabbed the hot barrel with his oven mitt covered hand. He kicked the man in his chest and sent him skittering along the snow. The roasted fellow was tossed on top of him.

“
You will not take food from the mouths of my kids!” Oz yelled in a deep bear like growl. “Take your fucking friends, and get out of here!”

“
We need to eat too.” The driver whimpers.

Oz threw a hammer to the man’s feet. The man just looked at it not knowing the significance.

“
I would make sure they stay dead before you haul them away. You ain’t getting this rifle back. As far as food, you’re looking at it.”

Spring inevitably came. The sun melted away the snow on the parking lot in patches. Black started to show through the pure white plane. The dead were slowly coming free of Jack Frost’s grasp, and able to move at a visible speed.

They packed up their depleted supplies and took off with no destination to go to. For weeks they had been on the road. Oz had been losing hope until he met Bruce. He wonders what New Castle is like.

19

“
What now?” Dan mutters under his breath in the dark. He and his family are enjoying a classic animated film when the power flickers, the third time this week. “Indefinite power my ass.”

“
Honey.” Heather shushes him. The film resumes almost immediately as if nothing is wrong.

“
Sorry.” He whispers. The king has been trying to relax and leave everything in the capable hands of his people. Snags like this make it difficult for him to keep his mind off of work. He often has to be reminded to do so. Even as he sits there with his loved ones, watching one of his favorites, he is thinking about what to do about the power.

The credits roll up the large screen. There aren’t many movies to choose from in the theater, people just find it nice to go out and see a film. It makes life feel more like it did before the plague. Nobody really complains about the lack of variety, or the fact they have to bring their own snacks. In the world before the dead began walking, someone would have chased down a manager and demanded a refund if the power flickered like that.

The projectionist had simply yelled down ‘sorry folks’ and the citizens watching merely waved it off as a part of life. No one made a fuss but Dan. His fuss had nothing to do with how the theater is run. He believes electricity makes the people feel safe and somewhat normal.

The Williamson family walks out of the theater and into a beautiful spring afternoon.

“
How did you boys like it?” Dan asks Vincent and Jack. The boys are all smiles. The Sheriff is waiting for them, leaning against a lamppost.

“
Hey, Carla.” Heather greets her friend.

“
Hey folks. How was the movie?” Carla asks.

“
I think they liked it.” Dan reports as he pats the kids’ unruly hair.

“
What did you all see?”

“
An American Tail.” Heather tells her.

“
Have you been crying?” Carla asks Dan.

“
What? No!” He says puzzled for a second, he catches the wink that passes between the women. He knows immediately that Heather must have told Carla about the time he had cried while watching this movie.

“
The power is acting up again.” Dan changes the subject.

“
Yeah, I already have Cecil heading out with Vendetta.”

“
Oh, really?” Dan is surprised. Carla never ceased to amaze him. His sheriff is always able to anticipate his orders. “Cool.”

“
He said it’s probably just a dead animal clogging the intake.”

“
Don’t we drink that water?” Dan asks, making a disgusted face.

“
We sure do, that’s why I have a team heading to the water station. Two of the guys who used to work there are still around. They said the processing takes care of that, however, they will double check for me.”

“
Good work.” Dan nods.

“
Are you enjoying your day off?” Carla asks, rightfully proud of herself.

“
We are. And, seeing how on top of things you seem to be, I can take them more often.”

“
I told you that.” Heather says punching his shoulder. The act makes the boys laugh hysterically.

“
You should listen to her.” Carla says. “What are you four up to now?”

“
Ice cream.” Dan tells her. “So, if there isn’t any use for me we’ll…”

“
There is actually.” Carla stops the family before they can take off. “Vendetta reported some movement. The dead are migrating this way from the north west.”