Love in the Time of Zombies by Cassandra Gannon Read Free Book Online

sounded.  “Scratch that.  We’re running. ”

Chapter
Three
     
    Bright side
to the zombie apocalypse:
    You’re now
the only one who remembers how dorky you looked in your eighth grade class
photo.
     
    Shopping
at Wal-Mart during a zombie attack was a bizarre experience.
    The
twenty-four hour store was filled with an uneasy mixture of panicking people
grabbing everything they saw, oblivious late night shoppers wondering what the
hell was going on, and apathetic clerks listening to headphones while they
stocked the emptying shelves.
    Scotlyn
had no idea what she and Zeke were even doing there.
    She
hurried after him, doing her best to keep up with him in her super expensive,
super uncomfortable heels.  They were made for looking cute, not jogging. 
Getting to the store had been agony on her toes.
    “What
are we looking for, again?”
    He
sprinted by the toy section and into hardware.  If Zeke passed up the opportunity
to browse for new plastic robots, you knew he was focused.  “We need duct tape,
tarps, and flashlights.  Grab those batteries, too.”  He unzipped the duffle
bag he carried and started stuffing in more supplies.
    Scotlyn’s
mouth fell open.  “You can’t just take that stuff!”  She sent a quick glance
around the maze of aisles, expecting store security to be bearing down on them
with handcuffs.  “We’ll get caught!  I always get caught when I do something
wrong, so just…”
    “I
don’t have time to pay.”  Zeke snagged a screwdriver and added it to his haul. 
“If we live through tonight, I’ll mail Wal-Mart a check.”
    She
highly doubted that.  “No, you won’t.”
    “No,
I won’t.”  He agreed.  “Do you have a hammer at your place?”
    “A
hammer?  No.  Why would I need a hammer?”
    “To
barricade doors.”  He grabbed one and some nails, then moved on to air masks. 
The most expensive one on the shelf got ripped open.  Zeke tossed the box aside
and scanned the directions.
    Scotlyn
cast a look towards the cameras set up in the ceiling.  Insane as it was, she
was more nervous about getting busted for stealing than the zombies.  Petty
theft was at least something real and normal and human to focus on.  “We’re
going to get arrested.  They’re probably taking our pictures and calling the
police, right now.”  She gave the camera a sheepish “sorry we’re looting you”
kind of wave and hoped she didn’t look as bedraggled as she felt.  When it came
time to show the tape in court, she at least wanted the evidence to prove she
wasn’t an ugly felon.  “I told you I once got busted for shoplifting, right?”
    “Yeah,
I saw that you dutifully confessed to the lipstick robbery on your employment
application.  You’re a real criminal mastermind, Trix.  Luckily, I think the
cops have bigger problems today than your reign of terror.”  Zeke finished
fiddling with the mask and handed it to her.  “Put that on.”
    A
loud scream came from the direction of the greeting card aisle, the sound of it
cutting through the muzak playing over the speaker system.
    Scotlyn’s
head whipped around, her heart pounding.  “Zeke, they’re inside the store.” 
She whispered fiercely.  “They must’ve figured out the automatic doors.”
    Zeke
seized her arm and pulled behind a rack of light bulbs.  “Do you know how to
shoot?”
    “Of
course I do.  You pull the trigger.”  It wasn’t nuclear physics.
    Zeke
stared at her for a beat and then shook his head.  “I’m gonna call that close
enough.”  He handed her the revolver.  “Just try not to shoot me . 
That’s the safety.  Leave it off.”  Not satisfied with her pace, Zeke adjusted
the air mask over her face himself.  His hand briefly touched her hair.  “Whatever
happens, you stay right behind me, got it?”  He repeated.
    Scotlyn
nodded.
    Zeke
yanked his own gas mask on and then started off again, passed the automotive
and paint departments.  Rather than go towards the front