The rain had increased before Sam started the engine and drove closer to the store, so they wouldn’t have to run so far. JR opened the door, then shut it. “After what you spent last night for guns and ammo, are you sure about letting me shop for lots of clothes? And how about shoes and boots? These places have good name brands, but they’re expensive.”
Sam grinned at her serious concern for his money. “Thanks for breakfast. Yes, I can afford it. When my dad died, he left the house to me. It was paid for. I was in my third year studying business admin and management and quit. The house sold in three weeks for near the asking price and I’ve got the proceeds minus what I spent on the slide-in camper and trailer.” Sam neglected to mention the $60,000 he invested in one-quarter ounce gold coins. Maybe later, if she stuck around, he’d share that when he knew she could be trusted. As he opened his door to exit, he said, “We’ll also load up on vegetable seeds, garden tools, bottled water, and some of the five-gallon bottles of water, if they have them. And let me know if you see items like canned hams, stews, and other canned main dishes. We’ll buy them by the case if they’re available. If you’re ready, let’s go but be quick because we need to get north ASAP. Very soon news of what’s going on will spread like tumbleweeds blowing in a gale. Then everyone who has the means is going to be buying supplies before running away too.”
Inside the store, Sam left JR in the women’s clothing section with two carts. He wandered the store searching for items he might have overlooked when he planned his escape.
When they’d entered the store, he noticed a lady at the checkout looking at them askance as she used a radio to talk to someone. A man in a white, short sleeved shirt, and black trousers soon approached him almost in a run. A name tag showed Jimmy Gropli. “Ha there, you can’t run around the store with a gun on your hip. That’s not allowed here; there’s a no guns sign on the front doors. You’ll have to leave and come back without it.”
“I guess you haven’t heard about zombies attacking people on all three coasts.”
Jimmy grinned. “Yeah, I heard that silliness. But you still need to leave and come back without the firearm.”
“It’s real. I shot three yesterday afternoon in Lawton and four more last night this side of Carnegie.”
Another man and woman had stopped behind Jimmy and listened.
Jimmy started to reply but was interrupted.
Jimmy shook his head as the middle-aged man spoke, “The young man is correct. My wife and I drove up from Frederick overnight. The zombies were taking the town over in full force. My family shot at least eight on our way here. My two sons and daughters-in-law will tell you the same thing. They’re coming in right behind us with our grandkids.”
Jimmy’s cocky grin left. “You can’t be serious . . . you are serious, aren’t you? I need to call the main office and find out what the hell’s going on.” Jimmy noted both people carried sidearms also. Jimmy hurried away as Sam thanked the couple and wished them good luck. The couple said they were headed north to the Canadian border too. Everyone separated to shop. With the undead advancing from the East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast, there was nowhere else to go but north to Canada and then further north.
He cruised aisles thinking of his dad and wishing he was still alive. His dad would be an asset when sensible decisions needed to be made. He stopped reminiscing when he found the men’s clothing department and gathered several Carhart items from a sale rack; he added them to the garden supplies already in the cart. At a food section near the front of the store, he filled another cart to overflowing with cases of overpriced canned hams, stews, spices, soups, and mixes.
He looked for JR and found her waiting for him near the checkout. Two full carts were loaded with clothing and several boxes of snack foods and soda. “Is this too much?” she asked.
“It’s a lot, but not too much. As I said, it might have to last the rest of your life.”
She grinned mischievously. “Then maybe I should grab some more while you still have money to throw around.” A woman passing them nodded and smirked. “That’s the way girl; get it while you can. My ole man complains about every dollar I spend.”
Sam shrugged and said, “Okay by me. Go to it. It’s eleven thirty now, I’ll pay for what we have with a credit card and then load it.” He handed her ten, one hundred dollar bills. “Max out your credit cards first, then use the money.” He noticed the store had at least fifty grim faced customers, and many wore sidearms. Jimmy must have given up confronting everyone. Ten minutes later he was at the cashier to check out. The lady appeared spooked by what other customers had told her about the zombie influx. Sam used his credit card and maxed it out and then paid cash for the remainder of the charge. The cashier summoned another clerk to help him push the four carts to his truck.
An hour and fifteen minutes later, JR’s final bounty was loaded. She handed him three hundred dollars and change, but he told her to keep it and buy lunch. Light gray clouds still hovered overhead, but lighter blue sky was clearing to the north. They moved down the road a short distance before stopping at the Broken Arrow Café for lunch. When they entered, they received
