Outbreak The Beginning (The Outbreak Series Book 1) (13 page)

Chapter 23

Shaking my head, I help Sal with his carts. That’s the only way we’re going to get out of here. Finishing up with his we all grab our carts and start back for another round. This time we’re heading to the front of Walmart. We pass the candles. Out of habit I stop and look at them. Picking up my favorite one, I put it in the cart.

Hearing chuckling behind me I smile. “Well these can come in handy!” So I grab as many that will fit in the cart and leave it there to grab on the way back. “It’s not like I’m choosing books.”

Making my way to the hygiene products I start to load up on the essentials -- toothpaste, tooth brushes and mouthwash. Sal is doing the same right behind me. I’m at the girly products and Sal goes right on past. Looking at him I see that his face is all red. Laughing I start throwing the things into the cart. Filling up yet another one I grab my last cart and go down the soaps aisle. Filling that cart up I start back to the truck with Sal in tow. This will be our last load here for the day.

After loading up the truck and watching Sal help Mack do the same we all tie down our loads with netting and straps. Sitting down Mack brings over drinks and subs. Opening up my sub I find that I’m really hungry. Before I know I’m half way through it. Setting it down, I take a drink.

“Hey Hank, how’d it go with you guys?” Looking at them both, they really look tired.

“We’re done. You guys got any more of that food?” he asks.

Sal passes out the subs to Liam and Hank along with the drinks. They sit down with us and start to eat. Liam looks really tired. “So how you doing Liam?”

“Hey I’m good Mom. Did you get all you needed?” he asks.

“Yep we sure did. We were thinking that maybe we should hit this place again. What do you think?”

“Well I think we need to go unload all this. Liam and I with someone else from home could come back here. And you guys head into Boardman,” Hank says.

“Why don’t I go with you guys and then we can meet up in Boardman later today?” Mack says.

I’m not saying a word, I take a bite of my sub and just listen. “I don’t like splitting up like this but we will hit more places doing just that.” They talk for a while longer and decide that Sal and I will head to Boardman after they transfer the stuff out of our truck into the truck that’s parked in the bay.

“It’s a safe truck. They fixed everything on it and I’ll drive it back. Pete can drive the other one,” Mack says.

Looking around it really is the smartest thing to do. I know that Liam will be safe with them. Looking at Mack, I can see that he knows what I’m thinking. He nods at me and I smile.

“Ok sounds like a plan, Sal and I will find us a place to stay while we’re out that way for the night,” I say.

Sal, Mack and Pete go and start packing the new truck with our stuff. Looking over at Hank he’s done eating and is just stretching out.

“What’s up Hank? Looks like you have something to say?”

“Egypt, I think I should stay at the house when we go back. The rest of the family will be there and that’s a lot for Nate to handle. You know how some of the family can be. I really think it would be beneficial.”

“I agree Hank. The other guys can meet us out there. Three of them coming back here is enough.”

Sal and the guys come back over to us. “We’re all set,” Mack says.

Standing up I walk over to Liam. He’s really grown up these past few days. I’m so proud of him. But it doesn’t make it any easier to let him go.

“Mom I will be fine. You raised me right. I know how to use this gun. And I’m not afraid to, if it means my life or theirs or that of my family. I know what to do and I will do it,” he says.

“I know you will. I’m so proud of you. But you have to understand this is still hard on me. Be careful out there and stay safe. I’ll see you tonight. You listen to Mack and Uncle Pete.”

“I will Mom and be careful I love you,” he says.

Hugging him tight to me I feel my eyes starting to tear up. I can’t cry not in front of him. It’s not that we hide our feelings from each other but I don’t want to make him feel bad. I have to show that I trust him. “I love you too babe,” I say.

Walking away I grab my bag. It’s the food that we got from here and put it in the truck. Walking over I give everyone a hug. Walking up to Mack I wrap my arms around him and he does the same. For such a huge man he can be surprisingly gentle. He bends down and whispers in my ear.

“I will keep him safe Egypt and I’ll have him call you. I promise,” he says.

Nodding I break away first and walk over to Sal. Standing next to him he puts his hand in mine, lacing his fingers through. We watch as they load up in the trucks. Waving they pull out and head over to the gas station.  Good idea. While it’s still working we need to get it while we can 

“Well, you ready to go Egypt? We should get gas as well and fill the extra cans we got from here,” Sal says.

“Yep let’s go.” Taking a look around me I think Walmart will never be the same again to me. I’m sure we will be back or at least hit other ones. Hopping up in the truck I shut the door. Sal jumps in and starts it up. Pulling out of the garage bay he pulls up so that he can shut the doors.

We pull up at the gas station as the others are leaving. Sal gets out and turns the pumps on. While he fills the tanks and containers I get out and walk over to the store part and grab some jerky, chips and candy. Candy is my big downfall. My favorite is Pix Stix, love them. I grab all that is there and take a few bottles of water. Going inside where the clerk would be I grab another bag and all the cartons of cigarettes I can, my brand and other’s too, I have 20 cartons!! That will last a while, I don’t smoke a lot. And I know others at the house smoke as well and I don’t think they smoked between their house and mine.

Walking back to the truck, Sal is just finishing up fueling. Closing everything up, he hops back into the truck.

“What did ya get us?” he asks.

“Oh you know junk food and smokes.” Laughing I light one up. “It’s been to long time since I’ve had one.”

“Give me one. I didn’t know you smoked?” he says.

“Not all the time and not in front of Hank and my mom I don’t and never in the house.”

Laughing, he says, “Ok, I can handle that.” 

We pull out of the gas station and I tell him to go right. It might not be so bad this way. It’s just farms out this way, not too many houses. Looking out the windows I see some houses boarded up. On others the doors are open windows are broken out. And in the distance I can see smoke. I wonder what’s burning. Looking to see where we are.

“Shit Sal I’m sorry you want to make a left at this light,” I say.

He hurries and turns, shaking his head.

“Nice heads up there Egypt. A little advanced notice would be nice.”

“Yeah ok there Sal my mistake.” Shaking my head he can get under my skin sometimes. But if I think about it, it’s usually my fault. Looking back out the windows I see zombies milling around, looking at everything but really seeing nothing. I wonder what their thinking if they know they’ve changed, if they miss their families or remember eating them?

Seeing that we’re coming into town I see a Circle K to the right.

“Hey Sal what store are we heading to?” I ask.

“Well what do you have out here?” he asks.

“Almost everything, we have the mall, Barnes & Noble, Sam’s club, clothes stores, you name it, it’s out here.”

It takes him a while to answer.

“Well I don’t think we need to hit the mall with it just being the two of us. Wanna go to the strip we can hit the book store and clothes stores. We have a few hours to kill.”

Smiling at me I know he knows I like to read.

“Yeah ok, but will they be safe?” I ask.

“Well should be but we will have to be careful. Plus we’re armed. Not only do we have to watch out for zombies but also other people. They will be just as bad. If not worse depending on how you’re thinking,” he says.

“OK, let’s go shopping I can use a good cup of coffee.”

Sal smiles at me and shakes his head. “You really are something else Egypt,” he says chuckling.

We pass the mall, looking into the parking lot there’s only a few cars in there.  I wonder if people in them are normal or flesh-eating zombies, or if the cars are just abandoned? Sal is going around cars that are just left abandoned all over the road. Why would they do this? Why leave the safety of your own cars and that’s when I see big craters in the roads. Looking around I see cars over turned and people hanging half out of their cars. Their bodies are burned beyond recognition. Looking over at Sal, he is doing the same thing looking out the window at what’s in front of us. His face is unreadable, set in stone.

“Sal what’s happened here?” I ask, tucking my knees under myself so I can see out better. The look on his face is scary.

“They just bombed the hell out of them. They didn’t give any of them a chance to leave or try and go somewhere safe. Some of them have even been shot. This is really low for our military. I know they were under orders and just doing what they were told but still it doesn’t make it any easier to look at,” Sal says.

“But why would they do it,” I say.

“They might have been trying to stop the spread of whatever this is. Hell they are the military they can do what they want,” he says.

We get around the first intersection and head down to the strip. This is far worse than I thought it would be. I guess the news doesn’t tell you everything. A couple of times we had to go up over the curb to get by. On a normal day this is a bitch to get through. This is no different. We turn right into the parking lot. Looking around I see some zombies walking around. Some are still munching on the people that couldn’t get away. I put my hand over my mouth to stop myself from gagging. I will never get over seeing that. There are more of them over on the other side. This might be too risky I’m sure some are in the stores.

“Sal what should we do, they are everywhere? They can very well be inside the stores,” I say. Shit! There are zombies in the stores.

“We will just have to be careful, is all,” Sal says.

We drive around the back of the stores and stop by B&N book store. Looking around I don’t see any zombies anywhere back here. Looking over at Sal he starts to get out of the truck so I do the same. He locks the doors and heads over to the door to the store.

“Egypt, keep your eyes open and be ready for anything,” he says.

My gun is already in my hand. Looking around I don’t see anything yet. Sal walks to the door and checks to see if it’s unlocked. It is! Looking back at me he motions we’re going in. I nod at him so he knows I know what’s going on and start to follow him inside. It’s kind of dark back here in the store room.

Sal closes the door behind me and bolts it closed so no one else can get in without us knowing. He whispers to me to be quiet and follow him. Shaking my head we start to look around the storeroom. It’s packed with books. Walking through all the rooms in the back we don’t see anything.

“Ok let’s go upfront,” Sal says.

“Ok so far so good,” I say. Walking through the storeroom doors we head in the store.

“Hey we need to check the restrooms we’re right next to them,” I say.

We each go into one. As I go in I have my gun at the ready. Those zombies are fast and I don’t want to be caught with my pants down. Walking down the aisle I open each stall. Seeing nothing there I walk back out of the restrooms and meet Sal by the doors.  We start checking out the store, aisle by aisle. There’s nothing there in the adults and music, so we walk over to the children’s section and look around. All looks good back here so we head to the front. About half way up I look down and see blood on the floor.

“Sal look!” I say.

“Stay here Egypt I’ll be back.” Sal walks off and looks around the rest of the store.

I hear two shots fired and I run to where I think they were coming from up front by the registers. There are six of them. Two are dead lying on the ground. Sal is fighting one off over by the corner. Looking behind him I see two coming right at him. I don’t have time to think I take off running over to him and tackle the first one to the ground just about gagging at the smell of it.  Shit he’s strong, rolling on the ground, he is now on top of me. Holding him by his shoulders and pushing up so he can’t bite me. My arms are getting tired, if I don’t hold him off me I’m going to be bit and that will be the end.

I hear Sal screaming something at me, I think it’s something like -- Egypt hold on just a bit longer don’t you dare die on me. His mouth is mere inches from my shoulder. All of a sudden all the weight is off me and I’m yanked up by my arm. Looking up I see Sal. He’s still yelling at me but I don’t understand what he’s saying. Everything is getting blurry and then I fall. I feel arms grab me and then nothing.

Chapter 24

Waking up I slowly open my eyes and turn on my side. Where am I? Sitting up I look around I’m in the front of the bookstore. Looking down I’m on a couple sleeping bags. Looking back up I notice the zombies are gone. I don’t see Sal anywhere. But I smell something wonderful. It’s coffee!! Looking over at the coffee bar I get up and walk on over. Sal is behind the counter making coffee. It looks like he’s washed up and changed clothes. Looking down at myself, I so need to do that as well.

He looks up and smiles. “Hey how are you feeling Egypt?”

“Like a bus hit me and I smell really bad.”  I go and sit down at one of the little tables. Sal walks over with two cups of hot coffee. I grab one and take a sip. “This is wonderful.”

Smiling he sits down next to me. “I called the house.”

“Ok,” I say.

“Yeah they made the second trip with no problems. The rest of the family is there. Everyone is ok, scared but ok.”

“Well that’s good. Are the guys coming out to meet us and hit some more stores,” I ask.

“Well Hank is going to stay and help Nate I guess you have a family member that’s really full of it. And Nate just wants to shoot her but Hank won’t let him,” he says laughing.

“Ahhh yeah I bet he does. She’s a real piece of work. So who’s coming?” I ask.

“Well, Pete and Liam are and maybe one other, but,” he says.

“But what?” I ask.

“Well they can’t come until tomorrow morning very early like at 6am. They don’t want to drive in the dark with all the cars in the roads and the zombies out here are really bad as you know.”

“Ok, so what you’re saying is we stay here for the night?”

“Yeah I think that would be a good idea. We cleared this place and I took the bodies out back and put them in the dumpster, locked it up and then put a bar across it. No one is getting in that way.”

“Ok so what do we do until then?” I ask.

“Well we’re in a bookstore for the night what do you think we need to do?”

“How about we go to the clothes store right next to us Sal?” I ask.

“Ok let’s go have some fun but we need to be careful. You know that zombies can and will be inside that store,” Sal says.

“OK well first thing I’m going to go and get cleaned up,” I say. Smiling I stand up and walk over to my backpack. I head to the restrooms in the back. Walking past the YA section I will be back here for sure!! There’s so many new books out that I haven’t read. I’ll pack some up after I get cleaned up.

Walking into the restroom the door closes behind me. Dropping my backpack I stare into the mirror. Ugh I really look horrible. I take off my jeans and tank top.

I plug the sink with paper towels. Digging into my pack I grab the soap and small towel along with my set of clean clothes. Music starts playing from the speakers. Yay!! It’s one of my favorite songs from
Darius Rucker “Wagon Wheel”
. Dancing around the bathroom I just let loose. Wiggling my way back to the sink I take off my bra and panties and start washing up. Zombie guts are so gross. Singing as I go I wash my hair. Using the little towel to dry it the best I can.

  My pink undies and bra go on following my jeans and another tank top. Brushing out my hair I leave it down to dry. Looking in the mirror I apply a little liner to my eyes and use some lip gloss. Don’t really know why I bother to use this stuff, just out of habit, really. Cleaning up my mess I put my dirty clothes in the pack and head out.

Walking out the door I see there are 3 boxes by it. Those weren’t there before, Sal must have put them there knowing I would like to pack some up and take back with me. Putting the backpack on I grab the boxes and head to the YA section.

Setting everything down I look around, I don’t see Sal. I start grabbing some books. I don’t need multiple copies just one of each will do and I can get more choices that way. I really can’t fill the truck up with books when we need so many other things. Filling up one box I grab another one and go to the romance section. There’s so many to choose from. After getting the one’s that I want I push the box back to the YA section. I still have one more. So I fill that up too and I’m done. Grabbing my backpack I push one box to the back of the storage room. At least it isn’t too far.

Finishing up I walk back to the coffee shop. Sal is sitting at one of the tables and looking outside. Putting my pack down, I walk over to him. I put my hand on his shoulder.

Taking his hand he covers mine. Gently he pulls me to sit on his lap. I hesitate just a minute and sit down. Putting his arm around me he rests his hand on my hip. I follow his line of sight to see there are zombies everywhere!!

“Maybe this wasn’t a good idea … you know coming here?” I say.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world. Yes we need to be careful but we can do this,” he says.

“We will have to be doing a lot of these runs you know. But is it ever going to get easier?”

“I doubt it. It will get harder, I mean the stores will start running out. The people that are left will even be meaner, killing taking what others have. Let’s go out the back, so I can lock up behind us,” Sal says.

“Ok.” I walk beside him through the store. Looking around, I accept this is our life now. Going to stores and getting what we need and want. In the future I know doing this won’t be easier, there will come a time when the stores won’t have what we need. Stopping at the door I wait for Sal to unlock and check if it’s all clear.

“Ok let’s run for it Egypt, be ready for anything. Remember shoot first ask questions later,” he says.

I grab my 9mm and switch the safety off. Boy at one time I would have yelled at my kids for doing this. It just goes to show how we have to live differently, we can’t live by the same rules as we used to. All we can hope for now is to have our dignity and still know right from wrong. I didn’t get to think about that anymore.

We’re outside and it’s eerily quiet out here in the back. Staying behind Sal we make it down to the back door of the department store. I turn so my back is to Sal and I’m watching for anything coming our way.

“Shit Sal, a few zombies are starting to come our way. You better hurry up with that lock. If I start shooting more will come a running,” I whisper.

“A few more seconds Egypt, don’t get your panties in an uproar,” he whispers back.

I know that he’s grinning because let’s face it that’s how he is.

He opens the door for me.

“There could be more in here than out there ya know,” I say.

“We will be careful, let’s clear this back storeroom first, that way we have a place to run if we need to,” he says.

Walking to the left I start looking around. Down the rows of carts filled with clothes, in little side rooms that look like they might be offices. Walking up to the front doors of the storeroom I see that Sal is already there.

“We’re all clear my way. How about your side?” I ask.

“Nothing, I think we will be ok. The door was locked I don’t think anyone came into work. I don’t think we have to check the whole place out but I’m staying with you and we just have to be careful,” Sal says.

“Ok boss man,” I say laughing. Pushing open the door to the store I head in. Sal must have turned the lights on. I head to my section that I normally shop in and start looking through all the clothes. I’m not going to try anything on. That would be just too crazy.

He brings a cart over and I put what I have picked out into it. I grabbed ten pairs of jeans and just as many shirts and hoodies.

Looking over at him I say, “Let’s go to the men’s and then we can head back to the bookstore.”

“Ok I’ll grab all different sizes, get something new for everyone,” he says.

We take twenty more minutes more in the guy’s sections grabbing a bunch of sizes. Looking around I think we’re done here. I’m tired and want to head back to the bookstore. Looking over at Sal, he’s grabbing socks off the hooks on the wall. 

“Hey, let’s head to the back and use those boxes and put the clothes in them,” I say.

“Ok, I think we have enough to last a while.”

We head with the cart to the back of the store, once back there I grab the boxes and start to put the clothes in them.  Once that’s done I look at where Sal is. I really didn’t notice he wasn’t next to me until I was done packing all the clothes. Walking around the back room I don’t see him anywhere. Looking at the front storeroom doors they suddenly open up and in walks Sal.

“Hey there where were ya at? I ask.

“Oh you know I had to get some boxers stuff like that.”

  Looking at him I find it funny that he couldn’t have done that while we were both out there. Not like I haven’t seen them before.

“You ready to head out?” I ask.

Sal looks around the storeroom one last time. He runs his hands through his hair. “Yeah let’s get out of here. Remember, stay behind me and stay alert Egypt.”

Grabbing the boxes we head out the back door the same way we came in, using the hand I have free I reach down and make sure my 9mm is still there. Looking around I see those zombies are clear on the opposite side of the back service road. We get to the door of the bookstore and put the boxes down by the truck under an overhang. There’s really no reason to bring the boxes inside with us. Sal unlocks the door and he hurries in. He locks the door behind us and puts a 2x4 across it for safe measure.

The first place I walk to, is the little café so that I can get a pop. Sal joins me. We don’t say anything for a while just look outside watching all the zombies walking around aimlessly. I wonder if they think or have thoughts. Do they feel? Are they in pain? Stretching my legs out, I look over at Sal. 

“Well we better get some sleep Egypt. It’s going to be a hard early morning,” he says.

Standing up stretching I say, “Yeah I am tired.”

Walking back to the bathroom, man it’s a long walk. Finally we get there and I do what I have to do. After brushing my teeth I head back to the front. It’s darker in the back. Sal must have turned off some of the lights. Making my way back to the front there are only a few lights on. Sal is lying in the sleeping bags. He’s zipped them together.

Grinning he looks at me. “Oh come on Egypt I don’t bite much and besides you’ll be warmer this way”

He’s right but I’m just hoping I don’t do something stupid. Shrugging my shoulder I walk up to the sleeping bag. Well two can play at this game. Putting my pack down I unbutton my jeans.

Looking out the corner of my eye I can see him looking at me.  Grinning I wiggle out my jeans and toss them to the side. Leaving my tank top on I get in. I try to lay on my right side so we’re not touching and I’m facing away. But that doesn’t last long.

“Egypt, come here.”

Turning I look over at him. I sit up a bit and he wraps his arms under me. Lying on his bare chest feels great. And OMG the muscles on him are everywhere. I settle my breathing and snuggle into him. I feel my eyes growing heavy and start to nod off then I think I hear him say. “This is how it should be” wrapping my left arm around his stomach. I fall asleep. Feeling safe for the first time in years….

Waking up I don’t open my eyes. I can’t believe that I’m just about on top of him. His arms are around me. This feels good. I know he’s awake. I feel him moving a little. I know if I look at him what’s going to happen. Getting a flutter in my stomach I know what I want to do.

“Morning sunshine,” he says.

“Morning Sal, what time is it?” 

He shifts a little bit but doesn’t let go of me. “It’s just about 5 am.”

Putting his arm around me again I snuggle in closer. “UGH it’s too early to be up!”  

He laughs. “Well don’t you want to get home?”

Thinking about it a minute I look up at him. “Not this early.” Looking down at his lips and back up to his eyes, I know that I have set things in motion by the look in his eyes. Lowering my head slowly to his I know this is going to be amazing.

Our lips are a few inches apart. I see he’s got the start of a grin. Looking up into his eyes he doesn’t move. This is all on me. Our lips finally touch, there’s a spark that almost made me pull back but his arms wrap behind me and pull me in. Moaning I lean into him winding my arms around him. My hands run through his hair pulling the rubber band out. His hair falls around his face. He moves and lies on top of me. 

Deepening the kiss our tongues meet in an erotic dance. Moaning I hold him tighter. My hands are all over him. He’s hard and soft in all the right places. He breaks off the kiss. Looking down at me I can see there is a question in his eyes. “You sure? I’m protective. You’re mine kind of guy. This all will be mine.”

As he runs is hands over my body he says, “I don’t share Egypt.”

I push him back and straddle him. I notice how we fit perfect together. Bending down I kiss his lips. Moving to his chin and then down to his neck. Licking up to his ear I whisper, “I don’t share either, Sal.”

His hands hook under my tank top. Slowly he pulls it up and off me. He flips me under him. His weight is all on me now. Slowly his hands trail up my stomach and up to my breasts. Squeezing the one in his hands a jolt of electricity goes through me. It starts from my breast and shoots its way down between my legs. Arching up into him, I know this is what I want. I want the pleasure this man can bring me.