~ ~ ~
Ethan and Kinsey left the area to make the rounds searching for the items they needed.
“What should we look for first?” Kinsey asked.
“Doesn’t matter. We need whiskey, a pair of pliers, and bandages. Also, any type of over-the-counter pain reliever. It’ll help with pain and fever.”
They walked past a row of corpses someone had placed along a wall. The crash and the resulting explosion and fire didn’t discriminate regarding who it killed when parts of the compromised stadium crumbled, burying the stunned fans in rubble or fatally injuring them with falling debris. Young and old, men, women and children all had breathed their last breath, and were now beginning to bloat. A swam of flies covered the bodies, and a feral cat nibbling on an exposed body part scurried away at the sight of living humans.
“What’s going to happen to these people?” Kinsey asked.
“The dead don’t have anything to worry about.” Ethan sighed. “Their troubles are over. At some point, possibly months or years from now, and if the electrical grid comes back on, what’s left of these people will be buried in a mass grave, probably in a nearby field. By then, only bones will be left. Anything organic will have been ravaged by feral dogs and cats. Rats too.”
Kinsey shuddered at the thought. “That’s awful.”
“That’s reality,” Ethan said.
For the next thirty minutes, Kinsey and Ethan gathered the items they needed, plus some. The bottle of whiskey had been found at a local chain restaurant, the pliers found in a utility room, and bandages in a first aid kit. Kinsey pocketed non-perishable food like chocolate bars with almonds, crackers, an apple, and several bottles of water. Ethan found a hammer he planned on using as a weapon if needed. He secured it on a belt loop, then fluffed his shirt over his pants.
“Time to go,” he said. “We don’t want to be gone longer than necessary.”
“I need to use the restroom and wash my face,” Kinsey said. “The women’s restroom is up ahead.”
“I’ll stand guard while you go.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes I do. I’ll stand right inside the entrance while you do your business.”
“Umm, well, I plan to wash too. I feel gross,” Kinsey said.
“You have five minutes to get everything done. Don’t make any noise, don’t talk, don’t sing, and don’t bother flushing the toilet. On the slim chance it works, it’ll make too much noise, and noise is something we don’t want to make. The survivors are starting to clear out, meaning the bad guys have fewer targets. Understand?”
“Yes. I’ll be quick. Don’t look, okay?”
“I won’t. I promise,” Ethan said.
~ ~ ~
Getting antsy regarding how long it took Kinsey to do her business, Ethan peeked around the corner into the room where the stalls were located. “Kinsey?” he whispered. “Time to go.”
“Coming,” Kinsey whispered back. She quietly opened the door to the stall, careful not to let it bang against the metal partition. She washed her hands, then met Ethan at the front.
Ethan heaved a backpack onto his back. “Since we’re on the opposite side of where your mom and brother are, let’s take the other way around.”
“Sounds good.”
Walking in silence along the concourse, Kinsey finally asked, “Why are you helping us?”
“Because you need help,” Ethan replied.
“So do a lot of other people. Why us?”
“Quite simple. You showed tremendous courage and tenacity when you looked for help for your brother. When we found your mom, you didn’t become hysterical. You kept a level head, and did what was necessary. I’ve seen too much regarding the outcomes of when someone loses their cool. People can die.”
“You sound like you have firsthand experience with that.” Kinsey glanced at Ethan, waiting for his reply.
“I do, unfortunately.”
“You can talk to me about it.”
“It won’t bring back my—”
Kinsey and Ethan saw them at the same time. A group of three teens had spotted them and were walking briskly towards them. Their cocky swagger indicated they thought highly of themselves, invincible in fact.
“Hey, old man!” the oldest teen yelled. “Waz up?” His baggy jeans were ragged at the bottom from scraping the ground. Dark thread trailed behind him.
It took Ethan a long second to size up the young man. He had a thin mustache, dark unkempt hair that probably hadn’t been touched by a real barber in a year. He wore a fake gold necklace around his neck, but the gold Guido ring studded with diamonds appeared real, no doubt stolen from someone who’d earned the right to buy it instead of stealing it.
“Hey! I’m talkin’ to you, bro.”
Ethan said nothing, keeping his eyes trained on the guy doing the talking. The two who flanked him were his minions and probably would get on all fours and bark if their leader ordered them to.
“Stay behind me,” Ethan said through tight lips. He purposely refrained from using Kinsey’s name.
Kinsey stepped behind him.
“Whoa, pretty lady. No need to hide behind your old man.” His tone was mocking.
“You don’t want to do this,” Ethan said in an even voice.
“Do what? I’m tryin’ to be friendly. Yo, Tomas,” the leader said, addressing one of his gang. “I’m a friendly guy, don’t you think so?”
“Yeah, you’re friendly, Miguel, especially with the ladies.”
Miguel cracked a thin smile, showing a crooked set of tobacco-stained teeth. “Especially the hot chick over there.”
A shiver shot up through Kinsey starting at her arms, through her midsection, shoulders, then out through the top of her head. She hunched over, taking cover behind Ethan.
Miguel stepped closer to Ethan, who mirrored the move.
“Don’t even think it,” Ethan growled.
Miguel sneered, “Or what?”
“I’ll make you wish you hadn’t.”
Ethan’s last statement gave Miguel pause. Perhaps he had misjudged the “old man.” However, if
