Clyde vanished back into the store. The door swung closed, casting the storage room into utter darkness.
Russell peered at the dark hallway, training his flashlight at the door.
Clyde’s voice carried from the front of the store, shouting while Max barked. The tumult remained and showed no signs of waning.
Russell advanced down the corridor toward the exit with the Ruger pointed ahead of him. The light shone on the door, then moved to the blackness across from it. His finger rested against the trigger. He held a bated breath.
The rapping of his boots against the tile floor echoed in the tight space. A thin bead of light bled through the narrow opening of the exit door.
Russell drew closer to the wall. He glanced at the exit, then peered around the bend to the hallway. A staircase led to the second floor. He studied the landing at the top and spotted no movement.
The discord from outside funneled through the open door. Gunfire rang out. Russell moved from the corner, slow and cautious, toward the door. He grabbed the handle to the emergency exit, and pushed it open.
The hinges squeaked. Russell stepped out of the building and searched for any threats within the alley. A handful of people rushed past the entrance near the street and vanished around the edge of the building across from them. He turned and checked the other end of the alley. It was clear.
Footfalls sounded at Russell’s back. He turned and shone the light at the darkness of the hallway. Max emerged from around the corner of the wall with Clyde shouldering Cathy’s weight. They plowed through the boxes and other items on the floor, then made their way down the hall after Max.
“The people out there are busting through the front of the store right now,” Clyde said, panting.
“The alley’s clear,” Russell said, keeping the emergency exit pushed open.
Cathy kept her head tilted to the tile floor. She pursed her lips and scrunched her face with each step.
Max faced the dark hallway leading to the front of the business. He bared his fangs and growled at the discord engulfing the building.
Russell patted his leg, then pushed his way out through the exit. “Come, Max.”
The German shepherd ran out of the building, then sniffed the pavement.
Russell held the door open, allowing both Clyde and Cathy to get out. He stepped away, letting the door close.
Cathy limped away from the door. She stopped and faced Russell. “Christ. The people in this city are freaking crazy.”
Russell nodded, then wiped the back of his hand across his brow. He licked his lips, then stared at the street.
Glass shattering echoed around them as did the yells and other sounds of destruction that tormented the chaotic city street. A dense cloud of black smoke rose high in the sky. The smell made Russell’s nose scrunch.
“Down here.” Clyde ventured away from the building, waving his arm and motioning for them to follow.
Cathy limped to Russell, who took her by the waist and helped her along. Max trotted at their sides as they left the growing unrest behind them.
Russell moved faster, putting as much distance between them and the mob of people looking to burn the city to the ground as possible.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
SARAH
The hammering of Sarah’s heart lessened, but the fear remained.
The Chevelle surged down the winding road, taking each sharp turn as fast as it could. The tires hugged the asphalt, keeping the beast out of the grass. The red fuel gauge dipped below a quarter of a tank. Sarah would need to get fuel however she could soon.
Sarah took a deep a breath, held it for a moment, then released it slowly to calm herself. Her mind swam in muddy waters, unsure of what to make of the scene at the Johnsons’ home. The crazed look that filled Mr. Johnson’s eyes lingered in her thoughts. She didn’t spot Mrs. Johnson and feared she might be dead.
Downtown Dover wasn’t far away. It was past the old red barn that sat in the overgrown field and across the bridge and she’d be there.
Her foot kept the pedal pressed to the floor. Both hands gripped the steering wheel at ten and two. She shifted into fourth gear with ease, not fumbling with the clutch or shifter.
A flock of birds flew overhead in a tight formation.
Sarah watched the pack of black feathered birds vanish beyond the canopy of trees she drove past. She peered to the sideview mirror one last time, checking for Mr. Johnson or any other vehicles closing on her from behind. The road sat empty.
Cold air blasted from the vents, cooling Sarah’s heated skin. The beads of sweat populating her brow and face lessened the farther she drove. Despite being tired and worn down, she remained vigilant, watching the road ahead and behind her with cautious eyes.
The Chevelle crested the peak of the hill and raced down the other side. The red barn came into view, just as she remembered it. The weeds had gotten much taller and hid most of the bottom portion of the structure.
The years and weather had not been kind to the building. The walls had many holes where the wood had rotted and crumbled away. It leaned to the side some. The front part of the roof was missing. Darkness filled the back half.
Sarah drove past the barn, spotting the remnants of the roof sticking up over the tall weeds in front of the building. She followed the winding road past more landmarks that she had forgotten about.
A car traveled in the opposite direction, heading her way. The headlights flashed as she drove over the bridge. She stared at the white sedan as it drove past her and continued across the bridge. She checked the rearview mirror and
