Chapter 3
As they arrived at the superstore it looked deserted just like the rest of town. They parked near the front entrance and exited the vehicle. We need a plan before we separate Bev said. Christi said we should block off all the exits and sweep the store for survivors or to make sure we are not attacked. They entered one side of the store. No signs of anyone around, so they locked all the doors to the entrance and stacked all the shopping carts four deep and two high to stop anyone from breaking through the entrance. After they completed that they headed to the other entrance to do the same. Now that the entrance is secure I think we should scout the whole store and block off all the exits to make sure we can’t get attacked and if they are any survivors that can help us Bev said. They scouted the entire store only finding about fifteen people that had been killed. I think we should put the deceased outside just in case the infected smell the blood Abby suggested. Bruce grabbed a flat bed from the backroom of the store and one by one they piled the bodies on the flat bed and put the bodies outside the back of the store. So what should we do first Bruce asked. I think Bruce and Bev should empty one of the semi trailers and have it ready to go. Abby and I will start getting containers and start with the healthcare and medicine aisles Christi said. When the truck is ready you two head over to the front of the store and fill up all the batteries, flashlights, and radio’s you can find then we’ll load the truck and figure out where to head next.
Christi and Abby took a flatbed full of containers and headed for the healthcare section. Once they arrived Christi took three of the containers to the Pharmacy and emptied every pill container into the containers and told Abby I need to get my medicine books from home so we know the affects of each pill that way we are covered for anything. Christi was a nurse so she had several medicine books at home that would help treat anything she was able to obtain in the Pharmacy. Once she loaded her containers onto the flatbed she headed next over to the over the counter medicines and started empting the shelves into containers saying don’t know if we will need everything but just in case we’ll take everything. Abby started grabbing bath supplies such as soap, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, and everything that may be needed to start off with so we won’t have to come back if something is missing.
Bruce and Bev starting look at the ten trucks docked in the loading bay to see which one was the largest and could hold the most. The truck docked in the fifth bay was a 53 foot trailer and was mostly empty with the exception of some large items that could be unloaded quickly. It took them thirty minutes to unload the trailer, than they had to go outside to secure the truck and trailer up and have it ready to go once the truck was loaded. Once they returned and barricaded the door again they headed for the front of the store and started grabbing supplies. Once they all finished with their first areas they met on the docks and loaded the truck with what they had packed already. Bev noticed that the truck in the seventh bay was a refrigerator truck. She said it is about the size of a Fed Ex delivery truck and we could use that for any cold or frozen food and that way we could pack the other truck with everything else. Next Bev and Bruce headed to the hardware and auto sections. They got everything that may be needed to keep all vehicles functioning properly. Tools, oil, filters, and storage shelving that way everything can stay organized where ever we end up. Abby and Christi headed for the Home and Garden section and got tons of gardening tools. Shovels, picks, sledge hammers, crowbars, plus weed whackers, chainsaws, and extra chains, weed whacker tether, and lawn mower blades. On their way back to the storeroom they also hit up the sporting goods department. Grabbing all the baseball bats, golf clubs, sports medicine braces, athletic tape, and anything else that could be used as a weapon or aide in the upcoming weeks.
Once the truck got loaded again the bigger rig was barely half way full. Bev suggested they hit up the season section for grills and charcoal since the since everything electrical was out still and we would need something to cook on. They also hit up the cookware department for cup, plates, pots, pans, silverware, and anything that could be cooked in. The truck was about two-thirds full, so they took the flatbeds and filled all the toilet paper and all the bottled water from the shelves. They closed and locked up the truck when they heard several gun shots outside the front of the store. They ran and checked each exit until they got to the south entrance but didn’t see anything out front. As they sprinted to the north exit they were shocked to see more than twenty infected people trying to enter the building. There was blood dripping down the windows, some shattered by gun shots. Get down Bruce yelled, as more shots went off; they are trying to get in. Who’s shooting outside they wondered.
After they drove off in the jeep Rus and I had a plan to enter the sporting goods store and secured the perimeter then we could load the van which we would move to the back shipping dock and could park it in the building. We entered the store and found two dead employees behind the counter. We continued our search and once the store was clear I drove the van around back while Rus waited at the roll up back door. When Rus opened the door I noticed a delivery truck in the dock so I parked the van just outside the back door. We headed to the front door and to avoid anything in or out we barricaded several gun safes in front of the doors to avoid anyone just breaking the glass out. We headed for the storeroom which was located next to the delivery dock and looked through the small windows leading in. We noticed a little movement near the backdoor. We entered with extra caution. It was easy to scout the backroom since it was mostly open with only three aisles. We walked on each end of the aisles seeing they were clear. We approached someone trying to break out the back door. Don’t fucking move Rus said. The person froze and started to cry. My name is Jeff. I am just trying to get out of here. The store is clear, are you injured I asked. No I am fine are there any of those things out there still Jeff asked. No the parking lot, docks, and store were emptied once we got back here to find you Rus said. We also blocked the entrance to avoid anyone else coming in behind us I added. Jeff asked what was going on. We explained that something had infected people everywhere, but we didn’t know what had caused it. We had other friends gathering supplies at the superstore right now while we were looking for weapons and camping gear. You are more than welcome to join us if you pull your weight I offered. Jeff asked what we do first. Rus asked delivery truck parked in the dock. He said do you know whose truck that is or where the keys are for it? Jeff said it’s my truck and I’ve got the keys. I was making my last delivery when the store got attacked. I’ve been here for the past three days hiding in the backroom. I tried escaping when I heard you come into the store. Well let’s get to work loading the truck so we can meet back up with the others I said.
We headed straight out to the camping section and grabbed tents and sleeping first. We also grabbed lanterns, propane canisters, mini stoves, and water bottles. Then we found binoculars, walkie talkies, and a few CB radios. Rus couldn’t help himself by hitting up the fishing section next. Fishing was a passion of his for a long time plus he figured we would be hunting and fishing for food. He loaded the truck with several poles, reels, lures, and tackle boxes. Next the three of us headed over to the archery section. Rus and I grabbed all the bows and crossbows and loaded them up. Jeff grabbed all the tips, arrows, shafts, and quivers that were available. Next Jeff and I started loading up all the ammo from the fire arms section and then we emptied the backroom of all the ammo as well. I found a 9mm berretta and a .22 caliber rifle under the counter behind the register while looking for the keys to all the gun cases. I gave the rifle to Rus and tucked the 9mm in my back under my belt. I think one of the employees must have a set of keys in their pockets Jeff said.
I headed to the front of the store to search the bodies for a set of keys to the store. Jeff was making his way up to the front as well. When I got to the front I noticed only one body lying on the ground. Rus! I yelled out. Weren’t there two employees when we searched the store? I saw Rus in another main aisle walking toward the front. I heard Jeff scream out. When I looked toward his direction the missing employee had grabbed him from behind and was biting into his neck. He had those piercing white eyes. I pulled the 9mm out of my belt and fired four quick shots in their direction. I clipped Jeff in the shoulder and the employee dropped him. The other three shots hit the employee, two in the chest and the other just above his right eye. I looked toward Rus who had the .22 rifle pointed right at me. Easy Rus I said. He yelled Get Down. I dropped to the floor as Rus was pulling the trigger and looked behind me. The other employee had stood up and Rus shot him in the middle of his forehead. Rus ran over to me and asked if I was alright. I said I was fine, thank you. Let’s look for the keys get the guns and move on to the next store. We were both filled with adrenaline and more aware of what we had to watch for now. We searched the employee behind the counter he didn’t have any keys. Rus walked over to the next employee and searched his pockets. I was only a few steps behind him. Got them he said. He started to head toward the gun cases. He was about to five feet from the employee and Jeff when all of a sudden Jeff sat up with those white eyes. I was in front of him when he sat up. I didn’t miss a stride in step as I kicked him square in the face and unloaded a 9mm shot into his head. Rus turned around a little startled and asked what happen. I looked at him and said apparently those not affected once bitten will come back to life infected. Rus said you mean like a fucking zombie? I said exactly like a zombie we need to hurry and warn the others. I don’t know if they have any dead in the store they are in. We emptied the gun racks, display cases, and all hunting knives then we loaded up the truck. I ran back over to Jeff’s body and pulled the truck keys from his pocket. I threw the keys to Rus and reloaded my 9mm berretta and said we better hurry!
Rus and I hit one more sports store with no issues. We grabbed all the guns, ammo, knives, and archery gear from both stores. I told Rus I know of a store we can hit before we head over to the superstore. Rus asked what store I had in mind. I suggested the auction house up the road that always has the sign out front that reads “Largest Gun Selection in Town”. We headed straight to the store. The front doors locked and barricaded Rus said. Let’s try the back door I suggested. We headed around to the back door and it was wide open. We slowly entered the store and as we did a buckshot hit the wall next to us. We took cover behind some furniture by the back door. Hey friendly fire Rus yelled. No one is coming into my shop, leave or get shot a voice yelled back. I yelled we are just looking for weapons and survivors. Please come with us we have friends readying supplies at other stores. We rose from our spot and started walking, when we got half way through the shop the shop keeper jumped up from behind the counter and shouted surprise. He fired another buckshot toward us. Rus and I dove in opposite directions and unloaded every shot we had in our guns into the shop keeper. He took ten shots over his body and was killed instantly. Rus and I started loading all the rifles and shotguns that the shopkeeper had behind the counter. I gave Rus my 9mm berretta since the two desert eagles in the glass counter caught my eye. As we loaded any other weapons we could find Rus grabbed two machetes that he found hanging on the wall and hung them from his back so he could grab them over his shoulder. Rus noticed a small red button on the wall behind were the machetes hung on the wall. He pressed the button and all of a sudden the counter rolled back to reveal a stair case leading downstairs. Rus looked at me and said lock the back door and barricade it. We headed downstairs and down a small narrow hallway to a twelve by twelve room. I flicked on the light and revealed an arsenal of semi automatic guns and sub machine guns. As well as boxes of TNT, hand grenades, and land mines. We loaded all of the hidden room into the truck. As we were walking the last load into the truck I noticed something under a sheet behind the counter. I walked over and removed the sheet to reveal two middle age battle axes. They were both about three feet in length sitting on top of a solid black handle was a spear like point on one side, a sharp crescent blade on the other side, and a small mace at the end of the handle. I just like Rus placed the axes on my back with being able to grab them over my shoulder. Now let’s get to the superstore and help the other out.
As Rus and I arrived at the superstore we saw a group of zombies trying to break into the front of the store. Rus drove as fast as he could to the front of the store and slammed on the brakes. I exited the vehicle first and pointed both my newly acquired desert eagles at each end of the group and opened fire until I was in the middle of the group. I was able to take six of them down while Rus opened fire with the .22 rifle. He managed to take down another three, so we both pulled out our new melee weapons. We hacked and sliced our way through the last six and made our way to the front door. We shouted out oooooooooo wooooooo in which we heard a return from Bruce. We parked next to the semi that was running and entered the back door where the rest of our group was waiting for us. We resealed the door for now and grabbed something to drink. We told the group about what had happened and declared that the diseased people were really zombies. The zombies don’t attack each other but they will eat another zombie if it’s killed. That would explain why the kids haven’t killed each other Rus said. How they became zombies we still didn’t know I said. We need to finish up and build a camp somewhere. I suggested my parent’s house since they were out of town with all my family on vacation and they lived in the country. Their house was on five square acres surrounded by fields so it would give us time to prepare if we got attacked. Everyone agreed that would be best so we loaded the refrigerator truck with all the food we could and prepared to make our way thirty miles west to their house in the small town of Memphis. Rus and I gave everyone a firearm. Christi took the 9mm berretta, Bev kept the magnum, Abby took two Uzi’s from the truck, and Bruce grabbed an AK-47. Rus and Bev will drive the big rig, Abby and Bruce will take the refrigerator truck, and Christi and I will lead in the firearms truck. Let’s move fast the sun is starting to set.