Chaos

The lanes of the Interstate stretch out ahead and behind. There are a couple of on the shoulders of the road but for the most part, it is as empty as any other road we have seen. A semi is pulled off just prior to the exit with triangle hazard reflector sitting along the road behind it. Passing by it, I take the exit ramp. I had expected the exit ramps this close to town to be partially blocked or at least have a few more cars on them but it is completely clear. Coming to the intersection at the top of the ramp, I notice the traffic lights are dark. Either the emergency power that was operating yesterday has now failed or just in this part of town. Proceeding across the street, with Robert behind, we pull into the parking lot.

I stop just before and in front of the first doors in the shadow of the building. There are no cars in the parking lot and the front glass doors stare back at us with darkness inside. I leave the Jeep running as I step outside and walk to the back gathering everyone else.

“The jewelry store is just inside these doors to the right so we won’t have to go in very far,” I say nodding in the direction of the doors. “It opens up in front and to the left as well. I want Robert and Michelle inside but just at the doors. Nic and Bri, you stay here with the cars.”

I gather the flashlights we brought with us. “Robert, you cover to the left with your light and Michelle, you cover ahead. I’ll be going in and to the right,” I tell them passing out the lights. “We don’t need anything here so we leave if there is anything inside. Call out if you see anything.”

Before closing the rear door, I take the new duct tape and slide it around my left wrist once more thinking, this would have been a great ad for duct tape. Bite protection. I actually plan on using it to tape and smash in the glass in the jewelry counter.

“Robert, go start your car and leave it running,” I tell him as I slowly move toward the front door.

There are two sets of double doors with glass panels set in between. Looking inside the glass panel to the right, I see that the radiant light from outside stretches a fair ways inside. Clothing racks to the left and fruit stands ahead. Looking to the right, I see the security fence to the jewelry store is still open. Thank god, I think flicking on my light. Pressing the light against the glass in the same manner as I did at the gas station, I move the light around the inside. A Starbucks counter comes into view as does a deli counter stretching into the darkness next to it. I play the light around the area but discern no movement within.

“Test the doors,” I tell Robert as I continue to run my light around the inside.

I see one of the doors open slightly in my peripheral. “They’re unlocked,” he says.

“Okay,” I say pushing myself away from the glass panel glad for 24 hour stores. Pushing the door open with my shoulder, I step inside followed by Robert and then Michelle. “You two hold these doors open.”

Glancing back outside, I see Nic and Bri leaning against the Jeep. “Robert, you have that area there,” I whisper sweeping an arc with my light to the left. “Michelle, you have that one,” lighting another arc in front. I step ahead and to the right as their beams sweep thjeir designated areas.

It’s a little darker in the jewelry portion of the store due to the angle it sits with not much radiant light from outside. The same goes for the rest of the store. An inky blackness swallows up the areas where my light doesn’t reach. I edge up to the jewelry entrance and peek around the corner with the flashlight extended out. A slow check of the inside reveals nothing but the glass cases of rings, bracelets, and watches. Inside, I lean over the first counter to my right shining the light along the aisle behind the counter. Nothing. Moving to the far glass case, I do the same. Nothing. Checking back out into the store proper, I flash my light down the aisle stretching away. Nothing.

I set the light on the glass in front of me with the light playing out into the store, covering the area as best as I can while ripping off several lengths of duct tape. I cover a section of glass with the tape to prevent glass flying and it cuts down on the noise. I pull out my knife and smack down on the glass with the butt hearing the glass crack below the tape. I hit it again and the glass gives. I tap a few more time to clear away the glass around the edges and lift the tape peeling the broken glass with it. Reaching in, I grab the watch sticking it in my pocket for later as a loud CRACK-BOOM fills the inside of the store.

I grab the flashlight and spin around toward the front entrance, going to my knee and bringing my gun to bear. My light stabs out toward the entrance. I am just in time to see a strobe-like light flash and another gunshot sounds rolls through the interior. I don’t see Robert or Michelle as the wall to the jewelry store blocks my view of the front doors. I see both of their lights are flashing over the clothes section where Robert was covering. “What is it?” I call out.

“I saw something moving over by the clothes racks,” Robert calls back. “I think there were a couple of them.”

“I’m coming out,” I say and walk to the entrance, panning my light once around my area and then focusing it over to where theirs are flashing.

My light catches something lying on the ground under and next to a section of clothes racks. I can’t really make out what it is but it does resemble a shoulder or something similar.

“Anyone there?” I call out circling around to the right to get a clearer look.

No answer. I continue to circle around. “Did you hit anything?” I ask panning my light to check out the area to my side and behind me.

I look over to Robert and Michelle who are holding the front doors open with their bodies with their lights and guns pointed into the area I am circling toward.

“I think so but I’m not sure,” Robert answers.

“Michelle, cover the area behind me to your right,” I say and see her switch her positions. Her light momentarily flashes over me as it transitions behind me.

I approach whatever is lying on the ground. It is definitely a shoulder with pale skin but not the pale gray skin of the things I saw yesterday. The body is wearing some kind of light halter top. I also see what appears to be another body on the ground next to the first one. The head must be at an awkward angle as I can’t see it or any hair. And, if they were hit, where’s the blood? A sudden flash of understanding goes off in my head; the light bulb comes on shining brightly. I chuckle and then my flashlight wavers as this turns into a full blown laugh.

“What?” Robert asks confusedly. “What?”

“And the score after a round one is Robert — 2, Mannequins — 0,” I call back noticing they were actually pretty nice shots from that distance with a .45. It looks like he hit the mannequin closest to me in the neck, turning it into dust and launching the head somewhere off into the darkness. I don’t venture closer to the other one to find out where he hit.

“”You’re kidding!” He calls over. “But I saw it move.”

“Trick of the darkness.”

I start back toward them and catch a trickle of movement out of the corner of my eye. I drop to my knee once again, focusing my light toward where I caught the flash of movement. My light focuses on the end of a row of shelves and such where underwear and socks hang on display.

“What the hell!?” I whisper trying to focus my eyes sharper.

Yes, I talk to myself quite a bit. I swear I am looking at part of a hand poking out slightly from the end of the shelf about twenty five feet away. I am at an almost right angle to the shelf unit so I can’t see down the aisle much. Really not at all. It looks like the pale fingers of a hand poking out in an almost sprinters start position. Fingertips on the ground; fingers rigid and palm raised. A thought crosses that perhaps Robert’s second round hit the arm and the hand flew over there. Possible perhaps. But what moved then?

I start to rise from my knee to a crouching position when I see the hand move back slightly into the aisle. Not much, just an inch or two. Okay, I’m outta here, I think rising the rest of the way and back toward the front doors.

“There’s something back there,” I mention as arriving at the doors. “I think you maybe did see something. Nice job.”

“What is it?” Michelle asks as we step out into the shadow of the building and let the front doors swing shut.

“I don’t know and I’m not all that keen on finding out.”

“Time check?” I ask as we step towards Nicole and Bri. “Oh, wait. I don’t need to ask that anymore,” I say reaching into my pocket and pull out my new watch.

I see the hands move as it automatically synchs up. As long as the satellites stay in place, we will have auto time. I don’t how long we’ll have the use of satellites but I don’t think it will be for much longer. Satellite orbits