Turning off the engine, he sighed heavily. His hands were clammy and his stomach growled in anticipation of eating. He’d gone through the unoccupied apartments and taken all the food. The apartments with dead bodies, he’d just left alone. Perhaps he just wanted to get out of the apartment and see if there was food out there. He knew he was being foolish, but he needed to get out and see what was left of his world. Getting out of the car, he once more scanned around him for movement. Nothing. He didn’t even see dogs. Would the tigers eat the dogs before people? He’d seen a lot of dogs lately, but at least here, there were none.
He walked toward the building and stopped to get a shopping cart. Going around to the front, he pushed through the glass front doors. The light was filtered and the store was darker toward the back. He could smell the rot of produce and flesh. Was it human? Or was it the meat department? He slowly advanced, his head on a swivel. He should have brought the flashlight; he’d left it in the car. He could have kicked himself.
“Stop!” Someone shouted from the back.
Flynn’s heart slammed into his throat and his legs nearly gave out. He clung to the cart, trying to discern the figure in the dark.
“Get out of here, this is the property of Casper.” The disembodied voice announced.
“What? Casper who? The friggen ghost?” Flynn barked with hysterical laughter, his heart still beating wildly. Sweat was running down his back and off his face. He tried to blinked it away and he wiped angrily at his face. His eyes flitted around but he could not see the person speaking to him.
“Casper runs this area, man. Get out or I got orders to shoot.”
“What? Hey, there’s plenty of food and I’m starving. At least let me get some.”
“No way, Casper will have my ass. Get out of here.”
“God damn it! I’m hungry. And I’m gonna…” Flynn was interrupted by a gunshot and he jerked back, shocked. His arm burned and he looked down. He’d been grazed by the bullet.
“Are you fucking crazy?” He screamed, clutching his arm.
“I told you, Casper owns this place. Get the hell out of here.” The man screamed back. Flynn turned and ran out of the store, clutching his arm. Looking over his shoulder, he tripped over a pile of gooey bones and went sprawling, the condor, ten feet away, took flight and he could feel the breeze from the flapping of massive wings, the stench of death roiling over him. Screaming in fear and rage, Flynn got back up to his feet and staggered to his car. He pulled out and peeled away from the store. His hands shook badly on the steering wheel. He turned left on Hampstead Circle, and headed to Sang Kee Bistro, he hoped there would be food there. Pulling in, he exited the vehicle and went to the front and looked in. There was a man with a gun looking back out at him.
“This place is Casper’s property. Get the hell out of here.” The man shouted, aiming the gun. Flynn stared in frustration and disbelief. What in the hell, had this Casper bastard taken over the whole city? Getting back into his car, he pulled away. He’d go to another store. Christ. He didn’t think it would be so hard to get food. There weren’t many people left, but it would seem there were two assholes and a Casper.
He exited onto King road, heading east and drove until he arrived at another Whole Foods supermarket. His arm was throbbing with each heartbeat. Getting out, he was more cautious now. He gritted his teeth; each movement of his arm was painful. He walked toward the store front and looked inside. He didn’t see anyone standing near the doors. Cautiously, he opened the front door. He listened intently, but heard nothing.
“Hello? Anyone here? I’m coming in, just to get a few things.” He announced loudly. His arm throbbed, his head pounded and his gut hurt.
“Stop. This store is Casper’s property!” A man called from back inside the store.
Flynn cursed. How could one person take over everything? How in the hell was he supposed to eat?
“Has Casper got every store? How in the hell am I supposed to survive?” Flynn yelled.
“Not my problem. If you want to join Casper’s crew, you’ll need to go see him. If he lets you join, you can eat. Otherwise, he’ll shoot you.” The man called.
“That’s crazy, man.”
“Hey, that’s the world we live in now. If I were you, I’d get the hell out of town. Casper is going through every building in this city, one at a time and taking what he wants. He’s got a good-sized army now. Mister, if you’re smart, you’ll get outta here, or you’ll join him.”
“Where the hell am I supposed to go? Christ, there’s plenty of food to go around. I’m pretty sure there aren’t many people left.”
“You stick around, and he’ll kill you. I’m telling you man, he’s a bad dude. And he’s got assholes that work for him, that guard him. He ain’t no one to screw around with.”
“Fine, then at least let me get some food, to last me until I can get out of this place.”
“Can’t man. The store has already been inventoried. If anything comes up missing, they’ll kill me and not in a fast way with a bullet. Casper skins people who don’t do what he tells’em. Like I said, get the hell out of this place if you want to live. Otherwise, you take your chances with Casper.”
Flynn shook his head. When had this Casper asshole taken over
