Paige's lips moved slowly mouthing 'Without the drama' a couple of times, before she shook her head, as if to clear out some random thought, 'It got me here today.'
'How's the fat? You gonna be able to make the drop and run?'
'I'm fine.' Paige answered brusquely, turning from Dora in embarrassment.
Dora reached out her arm and turned back to face her and Mike. 'It wasn't an insult. If you can't run you better let Mike or me go and start the car, then pull it closer to the building. I don't want you to hit the ground and crumple. I don't think Mike and I could carry you.'
Flushing even deeper Paige looked Dora in the eye and said, 'I am fine, it's just bruised.'
'Okay, let's do this then.' Dora sat her butt on the edge of the building, then rolled over onto her stomach and lowered herself down. She dropped onto the grease container and walked across it to the red metal fence that blocked it from the parking lot view. Mike did the same and Paige came down without any problems. The three of them had not gotten the attention of any of the infected moving towards the building yet. Before they vaulted the gate, Dora held her hand up and turned to Paige.
'Get your keys out.'
'What? Why?'
'First, so we know you have them and they are not in your purse inside, and second so you can get the doors unlocked when we get to the car.'
Paige fished around in her front pocket and came up with an electronic key for her car. She pressed a button on it and the car's lights flashed and they all heard the sound of it unlocking. Unfortunately some of the infected either saw the lights or heard the sound too, a group of them were shambling towards the car now.
Dora vaulted the fence like a pro and was halfway to the car before Mike or Paige had even gotten over the fence. She pulled open the front passenger door with a yell of 'Shotgun!' and had it shut just as the other two were getting down from the fence. Despite the adrenaline surged rush, the infected were far too slow to catch them. Paige slid into the driver's seat the same time Mike scrambled into the back. They both shut and locked their doors and Dora told Mike to lock the other rear door as well. Paige pressed the ignition button and the car coughed to life. Dora noted with some satisfaction that the car had half a tank of gas too.
Both Mike and Paige turned towards Dora and said, 'Where to?' at the same time.
Chapter 7
'Pull out of here first, before those guys get any closer. Get onto the street, take a left. We can go crash at my place, it's like a mile away. I don't have any cloths that will fit you Paige, but could scrounge something up for Mike.'
'Thanks. Clothing was my first concern.' said Paige sarcastically.
'Well it should be, plus we all need showers, we're filthy!'
Mike stammered, 'I should call my dad.'
'I ain't stopping ya.'
Paige, still driving, asked, 'Okay where do I go from here?'
'Fairmount Estates. You know the way?'
Paige just looked at her, 'You live in a gated community?'
'Yes darling, now speed us along, I wrecked my car and my nerves are just shot this morning. Get me home Paige.'
'Rich bitch.' Paige muttered under her breath. Dora heard, as she was supposed to and just smiled and nodded.
In the back seat Mike was talking to his frantic father, the conversation was not going well. Mike got off his phone and said, 'I need to go home.'
'Me first, Mikey. We are almost there now. You can call your dad again after that.'
Mike looked out the window and didn't say anything. Paige pulled her car up to the security gate and looked over at Dora for the pin number to open the gate up. Dora smiled and said, 'I can't give it out to you. If I did that everyone would have it! You know your face looks very ugly when you do that. I am just kidding of course, just winding you up a bit. The pin is one four three two, which is also my street number, very not clever, right? I am surprised we don't have more robbery's here, I really am. Plus to get out just takes making the motion sensors go off, you could get in by throwing a basketball over the gate and waiting for it to open automatically. Stupid really.'
Paige snorted, 'Geez do you want to tell me where you hide your spare keys to get in too?'
'Under the stone in my potted plant on the front stoop. I mean, really I could leave the door unlocked, with all the heavy security around here anyway.'
They drove about two blocks into the community with Dora calling out directions in a haphazard way, which required a trip around the block to arrive in the correct driveway.
'So. Here we are.' Dora looked at Paige, who looked back.
'Yeah, get out.' said Paige.
'What?'
'You're home, Mike needs to be brought home, so you need to get out.'
'I thought we would stick together during this time of crisis? Don't you dare abandon me Paige Lynn!'
'Paige Lynn? My middle name is not 'Lynn'.'
'Oh? You look like a Paige Lynn to me. Anyway the TV said to get into your home and stay there, I thought we could crash here.'
'Us? With you?'
'Sure I saved your lives already, so I am useful. Plus I have organic eggs and probably some good beer, oh and a virtual cellar full of very good wine.' Roger would hate it if even one bottle were drank, which is why Dora was planning to foist as many off on her guests as she could.
'I'm twenty, Mike is seventeen, we can't drink yet. Not legally.'
'In my house, you follow my rules, don't you worry about the law in times of crisis.'
'You seriously think you can bribe us to stay here with alcohol?'
Mike's door opened and he got out. He looked sheepishly away from Paige as she looked angrily out the window at her. 'Besides we should keep our heads about us, we got infected people running around and, and…'
'And what?' asked Dora getting out of the car.
'And… the governor said not to break any laws!'
Dora threw back her head and laughed through the open car door. 'Oh honey, that's great. Now shut off the car and come inside so we can decide what to do.'
Still mad Paige shut off the car and followed the other two into the house.
Dora waited until Paige came inside then said, 'Lock the door honey, we don't need any baddies getting in.'
Fuming Paige turned and locked the door behind her, 'We are only here for a few minutes, I have to get Mike home. Right Mike?'
'Ah, maybe…' he mumbled.
'Relax, we are all safe here, don't rock the boat any Paige dear. Mike call your dad, you too Paige if you need to I still have an old fashioned land line. I'll go upstairs and find you something to wear. Turn on the cable when you are done and by all means help yourself to anything to eat or drink. Don't pilfer the silverware or steal any trinkets.' With that said Dora headed upstairs leaving them alone.
'Call your dad, then lets blow, she is fine here.' said Paige after Dora was out of sight.
'No, I would rather stay here, my old man, he is fine.'
'You'd rather stay here with her? You've got to be kidding.'
'She's funny.'
