Realizing he couldn’t see out of the fence, Shawn concentrated on his hearing as Arthur walked over. “Let it air out for a second,” Arthur said, walking over. “A few died inside and have been shut inside for a few days. Don’t think my place of work would be my primary spot to go and die.”
“Does it have skylights?” Shawn asked, following Arthur to the Suburban.
“Not really,” Arthur said, pulling a stroller out of the back. “We’ll have to use the lights.”
Shawn watched as Arthur unfolded the dual seat stroller. Smiling, Arthur pushed the stroller up to the back door as Jodi opened it up. Taking Pam, Arthur put her in the front seat and buckled her in. Reaching back, Arthur took Lucas as everyone climbed out of the Suburban holding their flashlights. “Who has front door duty first?” Arthur asked, looking around.
Holding up his hand, “I’m taking it first,” Kirk answered.
“Follow me,” Arthur said, leading them inside and they found the dogs waiting. Everyone jerked and covered their noses as they walked inside, getting hit with the pungent odor of rotting flesh.
“There are the bins. Everyone grab one and older ones assist the younger group before starting on your own,” Arthur said, pointing.
Kirk followed as Arthur led him to the front of the store pushing the stroller. Letting the stroller go, Arthur moved to the door and unlocked it. Pushing the doors apart, Arthur stopped when he had a foot-wide gap. Feeling the air rush in, Arthur turned to Kirk.
“Remember to listen as well as watch, and stand back from the window,” Arthur told him, walking back to the stroller. “Anything at all, you call me,” Arthur said, grabbing the stroller and moved back into the store.
Pushing a shopping cart, Shawn moved along with Beth and picked out clothes for her. Coming to shoes, Shawn stopped and sat Beth down. Taking off her shoes, Shawn moved over and grabbed some boots as Vicki forced a naked Robin to stay in the shopping cart.
When Vicki had stopped, Robin had tried to climb out but Vicki grabbed her and pulled her out of the cart. When Robin saw racks of clothes, she let out distressed cry and tried to climb back into the shopping cart. Hearing the battle with Robin as he tried boots on Beth, Shawn shook his head. “Glad I got my sister,” he mumbled.
Finding a pair of small cowboy boots that fit Beth, Shawn looked over to see Vicki sitting on Robin’s back, holding Robin’s legs up while Jodi brought over shoes. “That girl really doesn’t like clothes,” he chuckled and Beth grinned as Shawn put the boots in the bin.
Reluctantly, Arthur came over and helped dress Robin in jeans and a shirt, even putting pink cowboy boots on Robin as she tried to kick her feet.
“Arthur, I hear a car coming,” Kirk called over the radio in a panic.
Standing up and gripping his AR, Shawn saw Arthur pushing the stroller back to the front of the store. “Vicki, hold the others here and let me check out where Arthur wants us,” Shawn said and Jodi came over to grab Beth as Vicki let Robin up.
Feeling tension from the group, Robin stopped fighting and clutched Vicki as Jim and Pat came to them, pushing shopping carts. Trotting to the front of the store, Shawn slowed to see Arthur open the doors wider. Even as he ran toward the front, Shawn heard the whine of an engine getting closer.
Skidding to a stop behind Arthur, Shawn watched Arthur take the sling holding Nicole off. “Shawn, take her and move to the side of the windows,” Arthur said. “The dogs are guarding the side doors so if we have to leave fast, you call them to load up in your ride.”
Taking the sling, Shawn put it over his head and looked down to see Nicole sleeping peacefully. Wanting to leave, Shawn did what he was told, moving to the side and Kirk joined him. Watching Arthur step through the small opening, Shawn gripped his AR as Arthur checked his pistol and AR and then moved behind one of the columns that supported the overhanging roof at the front.
Putting his back against the concrete column, Arthur turned to the west where the noise of the engine was coming from. Hearing the high-pitched whine, Arthur knew the engine was redlining. Glancing around the column to the parking lot, Arthur saw four cars, three pickup trucks with trailers, and a minivan.
Pulling back behind the column, Arthur moved to the other side and glanced out, hearing the car getting closer. All of a sudden, a gray car screamed along the main road in front of the store and then the brakes locked up as the car turned and drove over the curb. The driver stomped the gas, throwing dirt up as the car sped over the grass before jumping off the curb and into the parking lot.
Steam was pouring out from under the car as the engine whined, but the car barely rolled toward the store. Finally, it seemed the car had just given up as the engine whined louder, but the car didn’t move. Arthur recognized the car as a Mitsubishi Lancer as all four doors opened.
“That’s not the trucks we saw,” a teen-aged girl cried out, looking at the pickup trucks with trailers.
“They have to be close,” the driver shouted, looking toward the road from the way they had just come. “They were carrying fencing stuff and their trailers weren’t full, so they have to be close because this store sells stuff like
