I never walked a trail.
You gonna start that shit again?
If I ain't done somethin', Imma tell ya. Just so you know.
Alright then...there's an awesome Pizza place. Italian Garden. You've had pizza before, yes?
Yes, smartass. Continue.
Well, Italian Garden was the best around.
Better than the chain stores?
Much better. Way better.
Then that's some good ass pizza...I can almost imagine it....damn I miss good food.
It was amazing pizza. They also had an award winning pizza...baked potato pizza.
Say what??
You heard me, baked potato pizza. Sauce? No....mashed potatoes. Onions, sour cream...
I should fuckin' shoot yo ass right here and now for never bringing me out here you sumbitch.
[Laughs] it was nice. And they had more than just pizza...they had burgers, appetizers, pasta, calzones...fresh hand scooped ice cream.
Alright, just shut the hell up now. I'm hungry and getting to feel miserable. Talk about the rest of town.
Let's see....the local pharmacy is cool.
How is a pharmacy cool? You lost me.
Mantua Station Drug Company. There's a piece of rail road outside the place, with a caboose on it. Big red one. A rail road used to go through the area. The whole place is set up in a 1950's style theme.
That's pretty neat...
Yeah, Tim and I went there a lot.
Y'all hung out at the drug store?
Uh huh. For one thing, they had a little toy section in the back...we'd by those little styrofoam airplanes you'd assemble and throw [laughs].
I remember those! I used to buy them when I was little.
Found something you did!
Finally!
And secondly...they had a 1950's soda fountain and bar....this place was established in the 50's so they went all out. They also had hand scooped ice cream.
Okay, just shut up. You keep coming back to food...any place in town you didn't eat at?
The park. By the river. Basic park, ya know? Swings, slide, monkey bars, that damn spinning thing...you get the picture.
Parks were always fun. Never been to a country one though...probably much better.
Better scenic wise anyway. There used to be a haunted attraction like the one in G-Ville but that was gone while I was still a kid.
I'm good on that, anyway. That it?
Off the top of my head, yeah. Been a few years. It's small, it's quaint. That's what people liked about it. What I liked about it.
Well, being Kelly's first day out, let's just hope all goes well.
Fingers crossed.
***
When I came down stairs it was nearly noon. Kelly I noticed had a small pistol attached to her hip and there was a roofing hammer on the counter...guess that was her blunt weapon of choice. Not bad.
She was smiling and already anxious to go soon. She was actually excited about this...no one had seen her smile in...not sure how long it had been. Awhile. I guess even just the idea of leaving the house had brightened her up. I'm not sure why she had never brought it up herself. Maybe she thought we'd all unanimously agree it was a bad idea and said fuck it. Dwelling on that probably had pissed her off a lot over the last couple weeks.
Jim was at the counter reading another pointless magazine. He looked grumpy.
Ben was at the table eating potato chips and Tim was nowhere to be seen. After I inquired I was told he was out back somewhere.
Kelly asked if Reggie was up. I said no and stated that if I had to be then so should he, so feel free to wake his ass. To which she went to do so very happily.
Ben got up and went out the back door, taking his chips with him and disappeared to the right somewhere.
RECORDING:
He upset about something?
We told him a little bit ago that he was staying here with Tim. He's a little disappointed and bummed.
He'll have plenty of opportunities to risk his life. He needs to still have kid moments, too. Keep him sane.
Yup.
So...Kelly is pretty damn amped up, you think?
Yeah...and I'm not sure if that should ease my mind or worry me more.
I think for now it should ease your mind. For one thing, she's not biting our heads off. She wants to learn and has to anyway, so it's a win win. Besides, when's the last time you've seen her excited about anything? Or smile?
...Yeah, but still. She's my wife. I'm terrified of her being out there with us. The shit we've already encountered....we came damn close! I'm scared. I don't like her risking herself. Gotta learn, I know...but I ain't gotta like it.
These days, we risk our lives just walking out the door. The more she knows how to handle herself, the safer she'll actually be.
It's just the process of getting her to that point safely.
We will.
We better.
END.
When Reggie came down he was ruffled looking and agitated. He wasn't a morning person despite his carefree personality. In the morning he was a whole different thing altogether. After a cup or two of instant coffee he'd be fine.
Kelly wandered back in and flopped onto a stool across from Jim. She was ready to go like...yesterday.
***
At 1:00 we gathered in the SUV and began toward G-Ville to show Kelly the lay of the closest land. We stopped first at The Hutt. We did the normal routine of sitting and waiting and then got out.
The door was locked as we'd left it. No one had been here. Once inside with the doors closed, Kelly noticed dark stains on the carpet near the arcades.
ME: That's where Ken died. Or died again....I don't know what you call it.
KELLY: Again...I'm sorry.
JIM: It's a nice setup for a safe house. You really nailed this one.
REGGIE: Thank you!....again, my idea....in case any y'all forgot that.
ME: We'll never forget that, Reggie. You won't ever let us.
REGGIE: Damn right.
KELLY: I would have loved to see this place before. Looks like it would have been fun.
ME:...It was.
JIM: Never asked before...where'd you stash the supplies?
ME: Up there. [Pointed at ceiling]
JIM: Well done. What happened there? I see blood in the rink.
ME: There was a Shambler there when we came in. He never made it out of here...he was on skates. Standing and falling. Over and over.
KELLY: That's horrible. Sad. And I bet you all had a good little laugh at that.
ME: Not gonna lie, for a moment we did. It didn't last though....it became just as sad to us after a short time.
KELLY: Where'd you put him?
ME:....Outside...in the dumpster...
KELLY: In the dumpster?! How would you like it if-
JIM: Hey! Like we talked about last-
KELLY: I know, I know....just having a little bit more of a hard time on that part of it all.
REGGIE: We thought it better than just leaving him lay outside.
KELLY:...you're right....yeah, that's better. Better than nothing.
ME: Now we'll go show you the other areas...
We locked up and left and headed down into Sky Plaza.
ME: There's the doctors office...and there's the bowling alley where we found Ben. Or rather, where he found us.
KELLY: That poor kid.
ME: See there, across the parking lot.
[she gasped seeing the once Bolters, now Stagnants near the discount store]
KELLY: The ones that attacked you guys at the store...
ME: Right...there's the store right there.
KELLY: Fuckin' mason jars...
ME:...yeah.
We proceeded into down town. She was impressed and a little awestruck at the Mill. We pointed out the gas station where the Bolter had been that broke my damn mirror.
Kelly wasn't as excited anymore. Rather, she was in the zone now. She was taking it all i
n carefully and intensely.
We continued straight. Up a hill and down a hill, around a curve and up another hill until we reached an intersection. We went straight, all the way to our next destination.
***
Looking back, had we only checked around a few back roads...we'd have been better off much sooner...but once we made routes, we tended to stick to them because we knew they were clear and less likely to run into trouble, and if we did find trouble, we knew the route...this seemed most important for Reggie, Jim and Kelly who would never memorize all the routes quickly. They were used to the city life. Getting to know the country life and all the back roads, which to them all looked the same, took some getting used to.
***
We eventually made a left and then a right. The outskirts of town before us. We passed the old fenced in Storage Units; the walking trail running past it into town. We crossed a small bridge over the Cuyahoga river and slowed down as we got closer to town.
I pointed the park out to the others, specifically Reggie, since I told him everything the night before. So far, quiet. But the same was sad about G-Ville at first, so I kept my mouth shut for fear of jinxing us.
We ascended the hill leading up into down town. Glancing down some side roads we caught glimpses of some Roamers and Shamblers. A few here, a few there.
I slowed to a stop at the former stoplight. The quiet post office to the right of us. We stayed there for a little while to listen as usual. I looked across the intersection at the police department...then to my left further down the street at the gas station. Seeing it reminded me that we needed to get more gas. The cans we scavenged were running low.
I turned right finally and eased down the road. We began to pass a Circle K convenient store on the right. On the opposite side sat a three story building that was now...or was...doctors offices. When I was a kid, however, it was an elementary school. Tim and I had known people that went to school out here from all the time we spent in town during the summer.
Down further on the left, up a hill, stood Crestwood High School. Further on behind it, out of sight, was the middle school. To our right was Mantua Station Drug. Reggie was elated by the caboose and commented on how even the outside of the place had a 50's vibe. I had to fill Jim and Kelly in on the rest. I decided to pull in. It was at that point Kelly grew anxious. Not that I could really say much...we all got anxious when we knew we were going to leave the relative safety of the vehicle.
KELLY: Sit a bit and wait again?
JIM: Yep....that's become our protocol.
REGGIE: Better safe than sorry. Don't wanna hop out too soon, never know when we may have been being stalked by a Bolter pack and didn't even know it.
ME: That image sent a shiver, thanks for that.
REGGIE: I know, right? Just sayin'.
JIM: You thinking this for a safe house?
ME: No. Not at all. Those store front windows...wouldn't be wise.
KELLY: I was thinking the same thing. You sure it's safe bringing my husband? He's not the sharpest tool apparently.
JIM: Hardy Har. I did think it, that's why I asked...I was confused as to why...
ME: Just thought we could see if there was anything we could use that hasn't been taken. Antibiotics and such, ya know?
REGGIE: We all going in?
JIM: I think we should, yeah.
KELLY: Shouldn't someone be on lookout though...what if those things come around and get close...or people see our car?
REGGIE: I can stay and watch.
ME: Buddy system, remember? I have an idea though...inside there's a walk way where the counter is and on the other side is the soda fountain....we'll clear that area first, of course, and once we do, Reggie can keep watch though the front windows. The place isn't big at all...Reggie will always be within earshot.
REGGIE: I like it...I'm closest to door....I hear y'all scream and I can bounce......Nah, not really...I mean, I come help...unless there's like little doubt y'all fucked...then I'm out, you can't hate for that.
KELLY: Just shut up and let's go....we haven't seen anything, I think we've sat enough.
ME: Alright...let's do this.
JIM: [mumbles] First day out and she thinks she's an expert.
KELLY: Say again?
JIM: Nothing, dear.
KELLY: That's what I fuckin' thought.
The door, as seemed to always be the case, was open. I'll probably go into shock if I ever encounter a locked door. Should start taking bets on this.
The inside was a little foyer with candy machines and a bulletin board. To the left the door leading in. I cracked it open and peeked inside. Sunlight gleamed over the dark carpeted floor, dust floating through it. It didn't smell like anything dead, so far, so we had that on our side.
I opened it further and completely fucking forgot about the bell at the top of the door. It let out its soft but loud clanging. It was even louder in the dead silence. To my left in my periphery I saw Kelly edge toward the wall. I heard the shuffle of Reggie's feet behind me. Then I heard...nothing. I was bracing for the sound of Bolters thrashing through the store from the back or a loud Dead Call to cut through the stillness. Nothing.
Of course, sometimes a Stagnant wouldn't call until it got a visual. So we still had to be careful. And just because the bell didn't bring anything rushing didn't mean shit. One could have easily not heard it or been in a dormant state. I wanted to be extra sure while we were already at the doors....we could be back to the vehicle in a matter of seconds. I turned to whisper to the others and then I reached up, lightly grabbed the bell, and shook the living shit out of it.
We all braced. Silence.
If they were in here they'd have come to that like a fuckin' dinner bell. This place was empty and we'd now make sure of that.
We walked in casually and looked around. It was light enough to see around the front of the store and the soda fountain. The back was black as night though. I shined my light to the aisles and saw nick knacks strown around the floor from the glass shelves. Decor knocked to the ground by people fleeing to get out at some point. A note was at the counter:
Pat,
If you've come to look for me here, I'm gone. I hope you find this...I took the kids and we went to one of the military safe zones...we went to the one in Kent. Get to us, please! We'll be there.
Love,
Em
We all knew what happened to the safe zones. I hope he found them first at the very least. Who knows, maybe they even survived or got out well before hand. It's a nice thought anyway. Keeps us going. The others read it but said nothing.
***
Reggie kept watch at the windows while the others and myself went down an aisle directly to the back of the store. I glanced at the small two aisle toy section with a fond distant memory.
To the left was a large shelf with rows a vitamins and supplements. Atop stood a model train set running some of the length of the counter.
Most of the bottles were gone and many were scattered on the floor. Kelly removed a small backpack she'd brought that she found in the basement the night before when she searched for a blunt weapon. Looked to be one of Tim's old school bags. Dark blue with black straps.
We rummaged through what was left. I found some garlic capsules and tossed them in. Jim gave me a funny look. "Natural antibiotic," I explained.
We also gathered some C and B vitamins. From there we went behind the counter and behind the large shelf where medications were located. It was even more scarce. The one thing maybe on our side was that in the rush of it all, some may have just grabbed aimlessly hoping they had stuff they needed. Of course there were some that had more control of their panic and read some labels.
Some bottles remained on the shelf...most of those left were on their sides. The rest were on the floor, many broken. Pills littered the area of all different variety.
A lot left we had no use for. Antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, you name it.
Fin
ally, we lucked out in our search. We found a bottle of lower grade pain killers and two bottles of amoxicillin. Just the antibiotics made that day a win.
The Dead Lands Diary (Book 1) Page 12