“We were just showing him the TV.” Lincoln added, trying to help clear things up. “Then I was gonna take him right back. We also went to get his hair cut, but that was it ma’am. Honest.”
Lesly crossed her arms and shook her head. “Still. You can’t be too careful. There’s no telling what he might try to do.”
Antonio scoffed at her. “Man, I ain’t tryna do nothin’ but go home and never come back here. Y’all the ones keepin’ me and my brother here.” He wiped his nose with a thumb. “Ain’t nobody tryna live up int here with y’all just cuz you got the big TV and lights. You don’t even know how to survive.”
Lesly was insulted. “We’re surviving just fine thank you. We have everything we need in this store, not just a big TV. We have food, we have shelter, we have a garden!” She pulled at the bottom of her blazer and postured up. “We’re actually thriving here. And on top of that, yes, we do have a big TV and we watch movies on it. So, I think you’re jealous of how we’re surviving.”
Antonio blew air from his nose with a smile, “Yo, I can’t take you serious with a voice like that. You ain’t real right now.”
“Excuse me?” Lesly’s cheeks were bright red.
“Is that your real voice? Like for real? Cuz you sound like a cartoon character or somethin’.”
Lincoln chuckled but when he saw the aghast look on Lesly’s face, he covered his smile and coughed into his hand.
“Excuse me, mister! Just who do you think you are talking to? Have some respect.” Lesly crossed her arms in a huff and turned up her nose to Antonio.
“You right, you right. My bad. You is a young lady and I respect the P.Y.T.s; pretty young thangs.” Antonio was rubbing his hands as he looked Lesly up and down in her pencil skirt and form fitting blazer.
Lesly gasped. “What did you--”
“So, what’s up though Ms. Lesly, can I take you out sometime and get to know you?”
“Excuse me!”
“Lesly, I’m so sorry,” Brandon took Antonio by the arm and pulled him aside. “What the heck are you doin’ man?” Brandon spoke with a low voice.
“What, is she yo girl Mr. Brandon? Yeah that’s what’s up!” Antonio smiled big and spoke low while trying to dap Brandon.
“Naw, man. That’s one of our community leaders’, and she’s a grown woman dude. You can’t be talkin’ to her like that.”
“I’m grown too! I’m nineteen now!”
Brandon blinked. “Nineteen? Really? Man, that’s crazy. It’s… it’s really only been two years. It feels like we been in this store longer than that.”
“Y’all was in this store. Me and my brother been out there.” Antonio put his hands in his pockets. “Y’all wouldn’t make it out there for two days.”
Brandon lowered his head and was somber. Lincoln cleared his throat and went over to them, “Hey man, really. You gotta be more respectful to your elders. You sure can take care of yourself when it comes to those freaks outside. But in here, you gotta follow the rules.”
Antonio was about to roll his eyes but blinked and sighed. “Yeah, you right man. You right.” The teenager put a hand on a blanket hanging on the couch—ready to snatch it when no one was looking—when heavy boots behind him made him turn to see Major Carver and two armed men approaching.
“What the hell is going on here?” The major coughed with a look of cold fury on his face.
Antonio looked at the major and the two men. They were rough looking guys, but they held their guns like toys and Antonio felt insulted when they tried to stare him down.
“Lesly… Lincoln… why is this boy just roaming around the store?” Carver coughed as he regarded the store manager and the big black man.
“Major Carver, sir, I was just…I talked with the captain and asked him to let me cut Antonio’s hair.” Brandon was trying to explain and felt sweat starting to wet his under arms, “And I was just taking him to see the big TV we use for movies.”
Carver turned his head just slightly enough to see Brandon. “I’m sure you wanted to have a moment with someone from your past life, but this boy is a foreigner to this community… and that makes him a threat.” The major quickly disregarded him. “Lincoln.”
The big black man shook, and his face went white. “Uh, I uh… Captain Baker told me to take him back to the office after he finished with Brandon.”
“I just got here!” Lesly piped up and was trying to exclude herself from the major’s wrath.
Carver closed his eyes and waited a beat. “This boy is dangerous. We can’t have him wandering around the store.”
“Sorry Major Carver.” Lincoln was the one who apologized but Brandon and Lesly also hung their heads in shame.
Antonio sniffed and ran a hand over his chin. He stared down Carver and the major returned the measuring eye. Carver was big but Antonio considered his coughing might slow him down if they were in a fight. Even if he took the bastard down, the other two men would be on Antonio. Don’t kill to die, the old man would always say. Don’t make a kill just to get yourself killed in the process. So even though Antonio was certain he could take out the other men individually, he still decided against trying to beat them and the major at the same time.
“I’ll take him to the office now sir… Major Carver sir.” Lincoln went to usher Antonio along and Carver put up a hand to stop him.
“No. I’ll take him and make sure he goes this time.” The major waved the boy over. “Lincoln get back to your rounds.”
The big man took off down the aisle and hit a corner as quick as he could. Brandon started to back away, rubbing the back of his neck, “Sorry Major Carver. It was good seeing you Antonio.” Brandon said his goodbye and turned to leave.
“Yeah. Thanks for the cut Mr. Brandon,” Antonio patted his head then eyed the store manager, “See you later, Ms. Lesly.” He smiled and spoke with a high-pitched voice.
Lesly gasped and spun on her heels to leave. Antonio laughed as he watched her go and Carver cleared his throat. The major started moving and expected Antonio to follow while the two nameless gunmen stood on either side of them. Antonio did follow and they made their way down the aisle where more people started to peer out and watch. They crawled from tents and opened doors to sheds-turned-homes, eyeing the major with pride.
“All these people came looking to get stuff in the store too?” Antonio asked, looking around at everyone filling the aisles as they passed. “Why you let them stay?”
Carver scoffed at the boy, “Everyone living here has been from the start. They came here for the quarantine stations they put up outside. This store was only open for a week before the outbreak.”
“And you and yo army men protected the people and ran in the store when it went bad out there?”
Carver paused. “Yes. I saved these people when the monsters came, and I got everyone into the store. And I saved them when outsiders came looking to break into the store. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the people here safe.”
“Oh, so you did it all? Nobody else helped you?” Antonio’s tone was contrived and irritated the major.
“You’re goddamn right I did it all!” Carver coughed and coughed so hard he stopped walking and put a hand on his knee for a minute.
“Damn, you hella sick though. How you do all that by yo self?”
Carver grit his teeth before spitting on the floor and smearing it with his boot. He stood up straight, stared Antonio down and put his hands behind his back. “Be quiet and c’mon.”
Antonio rolled his eyes and followed the grizzled major. After a small moment of silence though, the teen started up again, “Y’all got a nice little set up here. It’s coo.”
Carver didn’t respond.
“But you know it won’t last right? Nothin’ like this lasts that long. Too many people and too many problems to deal with. Y’all got lucky it was just me and my brother or whoever y’all ran off the last time. Y’all kept people out or kicked them out to keep y’all safe. But what’s outside ain�
�t the problem. Inside is. Big groups of people eat theyself. That’s what the old man always said.”
Carver prepared to turn and give the young man a piece of his mind but stopped when he saw Captain Baker and Ben going down an aisle adjacent to them. “Captain!” The major shouted and Baker saw him, then trotted over.
“Major Carver.” Baker saw Antonio with him and looked around for a second. “Where’s Lincoln and Brandon?”
“I found them taking this boy on a tour of our facilities and showing him our movie room. I thought I’d show him the pool and the gym.” The major’s tone was playful and sardonic, but his eyes were stone.
Baker took a moment. “Sorry sir. Brandon just wanted--”
“I’ve already heard this from both Lincoln and Brandon and quite frankly I don’t care what excuses you have captain.” Carver stifled a cough.
Baker sighed deeply. “Of course. I’ll take the boy to the office now.”
“No. I will. I want to make sure he actually goes this time and you don’t get distracted by some request for Julia.”
Baker bit his tongue and just turned his head. “Well I’ll still go with you major. Just for the added support. This kid is extremely dangerous.” The captain took a more formal stance, similar to the major’s, but with a dull look on his face.
Before Carver could comment on Baker’s mocking expression, Ben stepped forward and cleared his throat. “Major Carver, is it alright if I go with you too?”
Carver turned and started moving. “Let’s have a parade why don’t we. Hurry up.”
The small group started following Carver with no comment. Ben moved closer to the major.
“Carver,” Ben spoke low and tried to hide his words from Antonio, a step or two behind him, “We need to talk about what we’re going to do to send these boys home when the others come back.”.
Carver wasn’t as restrained, “We’ll hand them both a bag of rice and send them off. And of course, have someone follow them to make sure they don’t try to double back.”
“Ok. But what after that? We just let two kids continue living in the woods on their own? Out there with hives, and freaks, and sirens?”
“And lurkers. Don’t forget about the lurkers.” Antonio was loud with a smug expression.
Carver looked over his shoulder, “And they’ve done pretty well on their own with the lurkers and the boogiemen out there. No reason they can’t continue to do the same.”
“Ex-Zactly.” Antonio exaggerated the word and even gestured with his hands to add emphasis. “We can take care of ourselves. In fact, give us two bags of rice each, them big bags and boxes of them granola bars and some can shit. I know y’all can spare.”
Carver chuckled, “And cases of water too right?”
“Naw, we good on water. But I heard y’all got a garden, let us gets some seeds. And one of them chickens too.”
Carver threw his head back, roaring with laughter. “This boy has some nerve.”
“Eric… look.” Ben continued to argue his case as they went through the doorway that led to the security room. “I know this isn’t what you wanted, and Antonio may say he doesn’t either, but these boys can’t just stay out there. They need our help.”
“No, they don’t.” Carver said.
“No, we don’t.” Antonio also said.
Ben was left with a surprised expression on his face, but before he could keep on, Carver’s radio came on and Nadine’s voice was coming through it. “Major Carver, Major Carver. There’s someone approaching on the front cameras.” Nadine’s voice was hesitant.
Carver grabbed his radio and brought it to his lips, “What was that?!” He took off running down the hallway, followed by the others, and reached the security room in a heartbeat.
Nadine spun around in her chair at the monitor table, “Oh. Major, sir.” She was flustered when the small group came bursting in.
“Is it the search team, are they already back?” Baker asked.
“Did the hive come back?” Ben followed.
“Who is it Nadine?” Carver barked and the technician spun around to the monitors.
Nadine enlarged the image on screen to show a woman stumbling through the parking lot with a child in tow. They avoided the infected people in the lot and made their way to the front door of the store.
“Is that Julia?” Baker looked at the screen but knew the answer before he even asked it.
“No.” Carver growled.
“That’s… that’s Karen… and her son.” Ben put a hand up over his mouth.
Antonio looked at the screen then at the adults, “Who is that?”
***
“Say it ain’t soo-oh-oh! Your drug is a heart break-er!” Miles belted out as he rocked back and forth with his hands up, doing an awkward air guitar. Weezer’s Say it Ain’t So was blasting through the speakers of the van and the boy was in a one person concert as he sang along. “Say it ain’t soo-oh-ooh! My love is a life take-er!”
Julia looked in the rearview mirror and watched the boy with a smile on her face. She also noticed how annoyed Lance and Manson were, sitting next to the young teen. Castle was in the front seat, shaking his head and looking over his shoulder. But when he saw Julia looking, he just turned around and scrunched up his face.
Miles jumped up against the window of the van and pointed, “There! We gotta stop!”
Julia slammed on the brakes and everyone lurched forward. Before she could turn around, Miles was already pulling open the sliding door. “Miles, what is it this time?”
“Really, Julia? Again?” Manson took his glasses off and rubbed at his eyes.
“You gotta be kidding me!” Lance was at the end of his rope, “Are we going to stop every time he points out some shiny object?!”
“I got him!” Torrez went out the van and chased after Miles.
Julia sighed, “We don’t know what he’s pointing out, Lance, he isn’t exactly the best at communicating!” Julia undid her seat belt and jumped out the van. “It might be Franklin and the others.”
“Like it was the last three times?!” Lance had his fist balled at his side.
“We’ve barely gotten more than three miles from the store.” Manson put back on his glasses and moved to the driver seat of the van and leaned out the window, “We would’ve found them ourselves if they were this close, Julia. He’s wasting our time.”
“We ain’t gonna get nowhere if we keep stoppin’ every time like this.” Clint chimed in from the back.
“Maybe he’s lost.” Burrows threw in his two cents.
“Or maybe he knows exactly where he’s going and he’s leading us into a trap.” Manson smacked his lips and stared off down the road with a cold demeanor.
Julia saw Castle grab for his gun, and she flared her nostrils, “Alright, all of you calm the hell down. I’ll go get him.”
“Please do.” Manson looked back her way.
“And get the hell out of my seat Manson.” Julia’s flat eyes left no gleam for jest or sarcasm.
The scientist started moving, “Of course, of course. I have no intentions of driving.”
“Good.” Julia went off but stopped in front of the van. Then she went back to the driver’s window, reached inside and took the keys out. “Wouldn’t want you guys to take off without us.”
“We would never.” Dr. Manson put on terrible theatrics that just made Julia roll her eyes and leave.
Into the trees about five or six feet, Miles picked through some leaves and found an old box. He lifted the box and silver cans started falling to the ground. “Sweet!” he exclaimed, then turned around when he heard leaves crunching.
“What you find mijo?” Torrez asked as he approached.
“I found, one… two… three… fo--four… I found all these cans of beans!” Miles turned the box to Torrez to show off the words BAKED BEANS. The boy was ecstatic about his find.
“Wow. Where did those come from?” Torrez helped pick up the cans and started putting them in his
backpack.
“We can have a feast for lunch! Everybody might be able to get their own can!”
“Miles. What’d you find this time?” Julia was stamping through the brush and making her way to the boy.
“Ms. Julia, I found some cans of beans! I found us some cans of beans! They the good kind too!”
“Miles… what about our people? Did you and Antonio find our people over here? Because if not, we have to go. We can’t keep making stops like this.”
“These beans are a good find though Ms. Julia.” Torrez paused, then stood up and cleared his throat. “And he found that duffle bag with all those blankets.”
“That’s all stuff we have in the store Torrez.” Julia replied.
“But, I’m the map. I gotta keep my eyes open for any supplies we might need.” Miles held out two cans for her.
“But we don’t need food Miles. We don’t need blankets. We need to find our people and get back before it gets dark. Like you said, right? We can’t keep stopping every time.”
Miles’ face turned into a frown and he dropped the cans. “Ok.” He sulked away and started back for the van.
“It’s ok Miles. You’re still the map.” She sighed and put her hands on her hips.
“Should I just drop these cans then?” Torrez asked.
“Pick ‘em up! Pick ‘em all up!” Julia said and left the soldier to gather the remaining cans of beans. “You know what Miles, those cans might’ve came from some of the people who left the store a long time ago. Not everyone wanted to stay locked up in a Costco. I can’t stand Eric Carver either.”
Miles was standing on the side of the road, tight and on high alert.
“Miles… are you…” Julia looked up and heard the van come to life and the engine rev. Castle was behind the wheel and Manson was in the passenger seat. “Manson! What the hell are you doing?!”
“Julia. Well, the major gave me a spare key to the van in case there were any issues along our journey.” Manson waved them over, “Come along now. Castle has offered to drive so that there are no more sudden stops.”
“You sonofva--”
“Everybody be quiet!” Miles shouted, then he pointed at the van, “Turn off the car!”
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