A New World: Chaos (11 page)

I test the steel door in a similar manner as at the back and find it is also locked.
 
We retrace our steps around the building as I don’t want to walk in front of the store just yet.
 
If there is someone here and alive, they most likely know we are here already but I don’t want to publicly announce the fact.

“There’s the possibility of at least one person around,” I say as we turn the corner to the rear.

“How do you know that?”
 
Robert asks.

“The car is locked with no one in it,” I say and relate exactly what I think that means.
 
He nods thoughtfully.

“Looks like we’re going in through the front door,” I say once we are back at the Jeep.
 
“We’ll do a visual check through the side window and then see whether the front door is locked.
 
If it is, then I’ll tape the front door,” I hold my left wrist with the duct tape bracelet up slightly, “and break the glass.”

“Once inside, both of you will be right inside the door.
 
Michelle, you’ll have the door itself.
 
Robert, you cover toward the back of the store.
 
I’ll go right to check the aisles and the Subway station.
 
If it’s clear, I’ll head back.
 
I’ll then check the back and the refrigeration units.
 
While I’m doing that, Robert, you’ll switch to covering the right,” I say outlining a quick plan.
 
“If something happens, our best bet is to just get out.
 
If it does come down to where we have to shoot, make doubly sure you’re not firing towards each other.
 
Make sure you have a clear shot.
 
And,” I say with emphasis, “I mean a very clear shot.
 
Any questions?”

“How do we tell if they’re alive or one of those, well, things if someone happens to be in there?”
 
Robert asks.

“I’ll call out once we are inside.
 
If no one responds, then we’ll assume that anything is hostile,” I say after thinking about it momentarily.
 
“Always know where everyone is.”

“Any more questions,” I ask looking from one to the other.
 
They shake their heads.

“Robert, get the flashlight off the shotgun.
 
You’ll be using that,” I say reaching to pick up my monster flashlight.

Robert returns and I see from the tape still on the light that he chose to cut it off rather than unwrap it.
 
Okay!?
I think.

I walk towards the wall a little ways from the window waving them behind.
 
Against the wall, I edge up to the window and peek in the corner.
 
There’s something blocking my view from the inside and I have to rise up until I can see in.
 
The light streaming inside through the door in front reveals the first cash register on the front counter, along with several drawers, and the drink machines by the front door on the other side of the entrance aisle.
 
I’m not able to see all of the way to the floor.
 
Crouching under the window, I proceed to the other side of the window and peek in the opposite corner again having to rise up slightly.
 
I see the interior aisles, or at least where they should be.
 
The light from the windows and door doesn’t penetrate very far in due to the building being angled away from the sun but there’s nothing moving that I can see.
 
The rear of the building and the Subway side remain blocked.

I put my flashlight against the window with my hand between it and my eyes to cut some of the glare and play it around the interior.
 
I see end displays with candy and donuts and can only glimpse items peeking out on the shelves themselves.
 
The aisles look to be clear and the light reflects back off the glass cases of the refrigeration units in back.
 
I move to the first window situated just around the corner.
 
From this vantage point, I see more of the front counter and some of the floor.
 
Again though, it is more of the same.
 
I glance back around to Michelle and Robert to find them crouching behind.

Ducking under the window again, although I’m not quite sure why after the light display inside, I move to the front door and peek inside.
 
Again, the natural lighting only extends a few feet inside before fading off into shadows and darkness.
 
I play the light in towards the rear of the store again but it doesn’t penetrate all of the way back and only stillness prevails.
 
I think about driving the Jeep to the front and using the headlights to give us more light inside but I don’t think I can get it angled correctly between the pumps and the door.

I reach up to the handle on the front door and give it a slight pull.
 
Very cool
, I think as the door opens.
 
No demonstration of breaking taped windows today apparently.
 
But my thoughts also drift to the locked car parked on the side.
 
Locked car plus unlocked store possibly equals someone inside.

I turn back to my shadows and motion them forward.
 
They don’t have to come far as they are beneath the front window right behind.
 
I tell them what I saw and my thoughts.
 
“If I tell you to leave, you both leave through this door immediately.
 
No questions, no huh’s, no ‘let me see what’s going on’, you just leave immediately.
 
You got it,” I whisper to them.

“Yes, Dad,” Robert whispers with a nod.

“Yes, Mr. Walker,” whispers Michelle.

“Just make that Jack from here on out.
 
I’m rather used to it and more or less respond to that,” I whisper back to her.

A concrete cigarette butt stands next to the door across from me with a garbage can on the other side.
 
I notice a concrete block at the foot of the butt stand, nod to myself, and reach across the door dragging the block over.

“As I open the door and go in, Robert, you grab it and move in behind me.
 
As you move in, Michelle, you grab the door behind him and block it open with this.
 
Robert, you stop about five feet inside focusing on the rear of the store, I’m going in and around to the right.
 
Michelle, you have the door,” I whisper reiterating the plan and push the concrete block out of the way of the door and our path.

They both nod.
 
Crouching by the front door, I swing it open and enter, low and quick, stopping about five feet inside.
 
I look quickly around, my light playing around the interior as Robert settles in beside me.
 
I hear the scraping of the block behind me as I search out the interior.
 
Again, my light still doesn’t shine all of the way to the back but I can see a very faint line of light close to the ground in back that must be coming from the back door.
 
The first aisle looks clear.
 
I lean over the counter clearing the floor behind the registers.
 
I kneel by Robert who is shining his light around the interior.

“That’s your area,” I say pointing to the back of the store with my light.
 
“Stay right here until I return.
 
I’ll be to the right,” I add.
 
He adjusts his light and focuses on the rear of the store.
 
It isn’t penetrating as far as mine did.

“Okay,” he whispers back.

“Is anyone here?”
 
I call out, my voice seeming to echo around the interior.
 
“Come out slowly if there is.”

Silence.
 
“Okay then,” I whisper slowly walking low to the end of the drink counter and focus my light down the second aisle.
 
Nothing but the front end of peanut cans, bags of cookies, and potato chip bags shine back at me.
 
I peek around the corner and see the side door along with the Subway kitchen area entrance.
 
All clear.
 
The third aisle in front of the cooler section to the right is blocked from my view but I notice a musty odor permeating the air.

There is a sharp corner to the right a couple feet in front of me that leads to the Subway counter itself.
 
I edge up to the corner keeping my light alternating between the aisle, the side door, and the Subway counter as more and more of it slowly appears.
 
At the corner, I now play my light across the whole counter.
 
It looks alien here in the darkened building, so different from the place I so often came to.
 
I angle toward the counter focusing my light on the area behind and on the last aisle.
 
I still can’t see too far inside the refrigeration units because of the glare.

Looking to the rear of the Subway, I see that the various cheeses, meats, and vegetables are strewn on the floor and counter; some squished beyond recognition.
 
Adding to the mess, bread pans and loaves are scattered about.
 
The once spotless plastic shield is covered in dried spots and bits of cheese.
 
I play the light on the floor once again and the hair on the back of my neck stands straight up.
 
There is a partial footprint in some of the cheese.

I turn my light quickly to the back of the store.
 
Nothing.
 
I move further in order to see the entire third aisle.
 
Nothing.
 
I turn to the kitchen entrance.
 
There is no door there but only an opening.
 
I focus on the floor near the entrance.
 
There, faintly on the linoleum, I barely make out greasy footprints; a partial one here; a full one there.
 
These could have been made any time, but with the footprint in the cheese, I don’t think it was that long ago.
 
Unless, this was ransacked before
.
 
But why not take the items from the shelves and only mess with the Subway items
.

I shine my light around the interior once again.
 
Everything seems in perfect order.
 
I have the feeling like something is here but just out of sight or reach.
 
Like when trying to remember a song or name; it’s there and you know it but you just can’t quite bring it to mind.
 
I trace out the prints with my light.
 
They are very faint but head up the third aisle a few feet before disappearing altogether.
 
I inch over to the kitchen entrance keeping as much distance from it as possible.
 
The kitchen reveals itself to my light as I draw closer.
 
I get into a position so that I can see the entirety of the kitchen, my gun held out and ready.
 
But there is nothing but more food littering the floor.

“I’m opening the side door,” I call out reaching for the door wanting to let a more light in if possible.

I close my left eye and squint with the right as I push open the door not wanting to be blinded by the light nor lose what night vision I had acquired.
 
Light floods into the small area and I feel the sun cascade down.
 
It feels good, the sun in some way filling me back up.
 
The fact I feel this way about being outside leads me to think there is something quite abnormal about being inside the store.
 
Perhaps it’s just the tension and weirdness of the past few days
, I think yet another aspect within reminds me that the subconscious will pick out clues that the conscious doesn’t and relate them to the mind in the form of vague feelings; intuition.
 
I do know a small amount of tension leaves knowing there is another way out.
 
Another concrete block sits to the right of the door and I maneuver it to hold the door open before heading back in.

“Coming back your way,” I say and walk to the front near Robert clearing the aisles again as I go.
 
Still nothing; for which I am grateful.

“Okay, we still need to check out the back and the coolers.
 
Shift up by the corner there and cover the right,” I say to Robert nodding to end of the drink counter.

I glance back to Michelle at the door, “I’m heading into the back.
 
You doing okay?”

“Yes, Mr.
Walker
.”

“That’s Jack, remember.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I give up,” I mutter and orient to the rear of the store.

Creeping past the register counter, I approach the bathroom door on the left switching my light between the area in back and the store interior.
 
I give the handle a twist, push the door inward, and immediately flash the light inside expecting something or someone to be hiding there.
 
It’s a standard store bathroom with a toilet, sink, and wall-mounted paper towel dispenser and no one seems to be using it at the moment.