"Wait, what? You want to go out there?" Dale exclaimed. "Are you nuts, lady?"
"It's our only option," Bunny told him flatly.
"You can't be serious," Tish put in. "Even if I believe what you, and the news is saying, which I don't, it's obviously way too dangerous to even try. We'd never make it."
Bunny held up a hand. "I have a plan."
"Just hear her out," added Caroline.
There was general muttering, but everyone settled down after a minute, agreeing to at least hear Bunny's plan. She could tell from the looks on their faces that they weren’t in love with this idea. She also knew that in a few minutes, they would loathe it.
"Out back, about 20 yards from the loading bay door, is Randy's van. I know some of you guys remember it. We know it runs, because Randy still uses it now and then, and that it has at least half a tank of gas. We also know it's big enough to hold everyone," Bunny said.
"Twenty yards is a long way right now," Dale said. "And they’ll be on us in a flash."
"Not if we create a diversion," Bunny countered. "Something to draw them away while everyone else makes a run for the van."
It took a moment, but Bunny quickly saw that at least most of them understood what she was saying. In order to save everyone else, at least one person would have to be bait.
“So, who's going to be the diversion?" Tish asked.
"I am," Bunny told her.
Bruno made a sound she chose to ignore. Randy and Rebecca hadn't been wild about the idea either, while Caroline had flat refused to hear it, even insisted on going with her, a notion Bunny had shot down quickly.
"Randy will have the shotgun, and Caroline will have her handgun. They’ll cover everyone as they make a run for the van, led by Bruno, who will have the keys. Once everyone is inside, and the doors are shut, he'll drive you to Washington Park, and the safety of the military encampment," Bunny told them.
"And what are you going to be doing?" Dale asked, obviously surprised by the fact that this plan could actually work.
"I'm going to go to the roof, and down the access ladder. Once I'm on the ground, I'm going to make a run for my car. I'll use it to lure them away to the other side of the building and join back up with the van when it leaves the parking lot," Bunny said.
He nodded. "And if you get caught?"
"Then you'll still have time to make a break for it while they eat me," Bunny answered.
"Holy shit," Amber said.
"Look, I'm not wild about this, but I'm not going to ask one of you to risk your life for everyone else. I'll do that job. However, we have to be ready to move at our first, and best, opportunity."
"When would that be?" Gina asked.
"Dawn. Trying this in the dark isn’t a good move. We'll need everyone to be able to see clearly if we're going to make it out," she answered.
No one said anything at first, taking it all in. Slowly, they began discussing it, weighing in with each other on the merits and flaws of the plan, something Bunny had done long before she even brought it up.
"If you want to stay here, you can," Bunny cut into the conversation. "We won't make you go. But be advised, once the power goes, you'll have less than a day of water, and no food at all."
"Maybe we should get a show of hands as to who’s going and who’s staying?" Caroline suggested.
Bunny nodded and stepped back a bit, letting them each come to their own decision. In the end, everyone opted to go, the realization that there was no food making the risk worth the reward.
"Get some sleep then," Bunny advised. "When the sun comes up, we're getting out of here."
She turned and walked away, heading back to the far side of the stage. Since she’d started talking with Caroline and the others, two cable stations had suddenly gone off the air. It was getting worse out there, and her only hope, the one thing she didn't dare speak aloud, was that the military was still in Washington Park when they got there.
If not, they were as good as dead.
Chapter Six
AS BUNNY HAD EXPECTED, the night had been long. She’d slept in fits, dozing and waking at every little sound, too exhausted to stay awake, and too tense to sleep deeply, her dreams haunted by the hungry dead. She could only hope the others had slept better and were up for what came next.
With dawn approaching, she and the others gathered themselves for their escape attempt. Taking a moment to look at her watch, Bunny found it was six a.m. It’d only been 14 hours since her alarm had gone off. In just 14 hours, the world had gone mad and plunged headlong into a nightmare from which there was no waking up.
She took what comfort she could that the sun was, at least, rising. It meant there was still some measure of normalcy in the world, and though it was tiny, it gave her some hope. She knew, or believed at least, what she’d told Caroline before. As long as there was a tomorrow, there was a chance.
Nervous as she felt, the others looked worse. Everyone knew the stakes, and what lay ahead. No one, she felt, had any illusions that this would be a walk in the park. They all knew, as well, what would happen if they didn't try. Starvation was no way to go, and it had already been half a day, at least, since anyone had eaten anything.
