Mauri handed Michael to Abby and she swung him onto her back. Shawn sat on Mauri’s hip.
“We have to get to the bedroom stuff.” Mauri said and ran out the home theater room door.
When she got to the bedding display she handed Shawn to Kate and whipped the heavy comforter off the king bed and then whipped off the top sheet. She did the same to another king bed display a few feet away. She took the first sheet and ran over to Abby.
“Are you two comfy?”
They both nodded.
Mauri twisted the king sheet until it looked kind of like a rope and slung it over Abby and Michael’s back. She crossed it in front of Abby creating a letter x between her breasts. She then brought the two ends under Abby’s arms and Michael’s legs and tied them under Michael’s butt in a secure double knot and then tied that to the part of the sheet across Michael’s back.
“That feel good?” Mauri asked.
Abby nodded.
Mauri took the other sheet and made the same preparation. She draped the sheet over her shoulders like a boxer’s towel and took Shawn back from Kate. She slung him over shoulder and onto her back and told him to hold on. Having done this a hundred times before Shawn wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck as she leaned forward to keep him in place.
She then performed a series of ninja like moves that made her look like a crouching tiger, or maybe a hidden dragon and Shawn was secured in a similar fashion, except with the knots in front, and the baby covered more complete with the semi open sheet behind him.
“You good Rugrat?”
“Good.” Shawn repeated.
“Where did you learn that?” Abby asked.
“MacGyver.” Mauri replied.
A third explosion rocked the store, this one much closer than the last.
“Everyone grab a bat or a golf club on the way by. We are going to the fire stairs near the elevator. It’s right near the exit into the back parking lot.” Mauri said.
“What is that?” Kate asked again.
“I think he hit the gas line either by accident or on purpose with his shooting.” Abby said.
“Shit.” Kate said.
The four women got to the bottom of the stairs and stopped. The door was locked from the inside with a dead bolt.
“I don’t think there are going to be many in this part of the store. The explosions hopefully got their attention and they headed towards the mall entrance. If any get in our way, whack them in the head like the news said. Try not to scream if you see any, it will only bring more.” Mauri said, scanning the faces of the other women.
Abby was nodding, Debbie and Kate were looking doubtful. In that moment Mauri knew she picked the right girl to strap her oldest boy to.
“We are going to run out the back and across the field towards the street and head toward Route 20.” She said.
“I came from Route 20, it’s a parking lot.” Debbie said.
“I hope so.” Mauri said and opened the door.
The back of the store was empty, no zombies between the stairs and the rear entrance of the building. They ran to the big glass doors and looked out. There were a few zombies straggling past left to right. They seemed to be headed towards the explosions. Mauri looked to the left and gasped.
There were hundreds of them streaming down Southbridge Street approaching the mall parking lot.
“We have to run and run fast. Follow me!” Mauri yelled and swung open the door.
Then she turned left and ran at the advancing mob. Abby followed without hesitation. Kate just stood where she was frozen in shock. Debbie shoved her out the door.
“Run bitch.” She screamed and ran around her trying to catch up with Mauri and Abby.
The first zombies spilled over the parking lot’s knee high guard rail when Mauri and Abby were thirty yards away. Several more toppled and staggered to their feet as they continued their dead run. With twenty yards to the road, there were a dozen of them back on their feet and heading straight for the running women. With less than ten yards between Mauri and the closest creature she signaled Abby and they made an abrupt left turn away from the point of entry and towards the guard rail a bit further up the road. From Mauri’s back Shawn said, “Yee-Haw Cowboy.”
The three women jumped the rail, Debbie and Abby following Mauri’s lead. She slammed into the hood of a big red SUV and scampered up it and then onto the vehicle’s roof. The other two followed.
“Don’t move or make a sound.” Mauri said.
Two or three zombies had been close enough to notice them climb the SUV, but as they stood motionless the creatures lost interest and turned back towards the mall.
Mauri saw Kate in a half assed trot weaving between the undead. Mauri knew that she had no chance. Kate made it another five yards before one of them reached out and wrapped itself around her neck. It took a big juicy bite of her right cheek and Mauri had to turn away. The others did too. As long as they lived, none of the people standing on the hood of the red SUV would ever forget the desperate wet sounds of Kate screaming as she was eaten alive.
There was another large explosion on the far end of the mall. The women all turned to face it and saw the fireball shoot into the air. For the next half hour they all stood in amazement as three separate small fires became one huge inferno engulfing the entire structure. The sound of the raging fire was deafening and they could feel the heat radiating off the structure like the world’s biggest bon fire. The zombies didn’t seem to mind the heat. They shambled and shuffled towards the sound and didn’t know enough to stop so they burst into flames one by one.
“We have to move.” Mauri said. “That fire is the perfect diversion. They are all fascinated.”
“Where are we going?” Debbie asked.
“To Route 20, like I said.” Mauri said and started walking.
Southbridge Street was the parking lot Mauri was hoping for, and the inferno a sweet bonus. The women took the better part of two hours hopping from cars to SUVs to school busses to delivery vans. Only twice did they have to put boots on the ground. Both times they went to the far left of the road and moved very quickly. The creatures were still coming by the thousands but they were instinctually taking the straightest line to their destination and staying on the right side of the road. When they got to the intersection of Route 20 and Southbridge Street most of the creatures were behind them, heading towards their flame broiled final resting place.
“Look over there.” Debbie said pointing to a small Dunkin Donuts delivery truck.
Mauri squinted and surveyed the intersection.
“Yeah. We need a break before we go the rest.”
The cab of the truck was empty and there was an access door into the cargo area between the seats. The women made their way to the car next to the Dunkin truck and stopped.
“Hold on.” Debbie said and climbed up the hood and onto the roof of the cargo area. She got down on her hands and knees and but her ear to the roof.
“I think it’s empty. I don’t hear anything.” She said and climbed back down in the hood.
Mauri looked around and didn’t see a zombie for twenty yards.
“No time like the present.”
“I got this.” Debbie said and jumped to the road.
She quickly scrambled into the cab of the truck and pulled the door shut. She listened again at the access door for a long time. She took a deep breath and slid it open. She peered into the truck and turned back to the other women and gave the “all clear” sign and went into the back of the truck. She appeared a second later waving Chocolate frosted donuts.
Mauri took a deep breath, looked around and jumped to the road.
Chapter 11 - Sleepover
An hour and three dozen donuts later, Mauri looked at her watch. It was five of one. She reached into her pocket but the phone wasn’t there. She checked her other pocket and then the diaper bag. Then it dawned on her.
“Fuck.” She said.
“Fuck” Michael repeated with a face covered in
chocolate frosting.
They all broke into laughter.
“I left my phone in the home theater. It was charging with the cord I found. Either of you have a phone?” She asked.
“It was in my locker.” Debbie said.
“I left mine in the car. We were only supposed to be in the store long enough to pick up a weed whacker.” Abby said.
“Damn. I was supposed to call Jessie at one to check in.” Abby said.
“Where is he?” Abby asked.
“New Jersey.” Mauri said.
“Holy shit! That’s a long ways away.” Debbie said.
“He told me he would see me soon.” Mauri said.
“He will.” Abby said and gave her the best smile she could muster.
Mauri wiped the boy’s hands and faces with baby wipes, changed Shawn’s diaper and got them back into place with the bed sheets. This time Abby took Shawn and Mauri had Michael. When they emerged from their hiding place, there were still dozens of creatures making their way towards the inferno, but very few were coming from the direction they planned on heading. Most were coming from either direction on Route 20.
The three women made their way over roofs and hoods to the far side of the road and mentally prepared for being at ground level for the next two miles. Mauri had an aluminum little league bat, Abby had a youth golf putter and Debbie had much heavier softball bat. Mauri worried that Deb would have trouble swinging it.
They walked shoulder to shoulder up the hill towards the Millbury plaza two miles away. A quarter mile into their journey they stopped. Up the road twenty yards was a cluster of a dozen or more creatures crowding the road, coming their way. They were bloody and bitten. One was missing an arm and another didn’t have a lower jaw. It was just the top row of teeth and raw neck meat.
“We have to head into the yards. If we go behind the houses they may not see us.” Mauri said.
“Let’s go.” Abby said and headed towards the driveway fifteen feet away on the right.
As they approached the house, Mauri noticed a light on in an upstairs window. They scrambled behind the big beautiful house and waited. Debbie stood guard, watching to make sure the zombies kept on truckin’ and didn’t detour down the driveway.
Once the undead parade was twenty feet past the driveway Debbie came around to the back of the house and joined the group.
“They are gone.” She said.
Ten feet away the back door to the house creaked open and a little girl came out onto the raised deck. Mauri guessed she was no older than ten. She was wearing her pajamas and had bare feet.
“Do you want to come in? My mom has hot chocolate, but I can’t reach it.” She said.
“Is your mom home?” Abby asked.
“No. I don’t know where she is. I think she went for a walk with my dad.” The little girl said.
“What’s your name sweetie?” Mauri asked.
“Rebecca Newton.” She said.
“Mommy, a girl.” Shawn said from Abby’s back.
“Mommy?” Michael asked.
“Yeah buddy?”
“Does she have transformers?” Michael asked.
“I don’t think so pal.”
“Oh.” He complained.
“Rebecca, can we come in?” Abby asked.
“Sure, but you have to take off your shoes if you go in the living room.” She said and headed back into the house.
Debbie went up the three stairs first and turned before going in.
“Why don’t you wait here for a second and let me check it out.”
“Take this and give me that.” Mauri said handing Debbie the lighter weapon.
Debbie nodded and switched. She entered the house slowly checking behind the door and sweeping her gaze from far left to far right. She saw no other people or movement. She stood very still and listened. No sound. She walked through the enormous kitchen and into the living room.
“Take your shoes off!” Rebecca chirped.
“Oh, sorry.” Debbie said and went back into the kitchen.
As she headed towards the back door she saw something that made her heart skip a beat.
“Where does this door go honey?” Deb asked.
“To Daddy’s work bench room.” Rebecca answered.
“Come on back outside with me Rebecca.” Debbie said and turned away from the blood stained door knob.
As she came out the back door Debbie shook her head at Mauri and Abby, then she had a thought.
“Rebecca, you stay here with my friends, I have to go check on something.”
She went to the side of the house and was glad to see the two ground level windows. She got down on her knees and cupped her hands to the glass. She looked in for thirty seconds letting her eyes adjust to the murky light. Then the scene came into focus and what she was seeing registered. She fell backwards and rolled onto her stomach with her hands clamped over her mouth to stifle the scream.
In the basement she saw two bodies; A woman in a sheer nightgown and a man in a polo shirt and dress pants. The man was sitting in a wicker chair as if watching a football game. He had a large chuck of skin missing from his right forearm and a very large hole in his head. There were brains splattered on the wall behind him. The woman was on the floor in front of him. There was no visible wound, but she was lying face down in a giant pool of blood. There was a revolver in her right hand.
Had he known what he would become and made her shoot him? Had she not been able to handle it and then taken her own life? Had they both been bit? If so, why did the woman get to do the honors?
Debbie tried to make sense of it. As she calmed down she pulled her knees under her and knelt on the grass. She took several deep breaths as she regained her composure. Once she felt she was under control she got to her feet and joined the others in the back yard.
“Rebecca, do you have any brothers or sisters?” Debbie asked.
“My brother James, but he lives at school.” She said.
“I think it’s safe.” Debbie said gesturing towards the house.
As they entered the house Debbie nodded her head towards the bloody door knob. Mauri looked at her with great concern on her face. Debbie shook her head.
“It’s ok. I’ll explain.”
The three women took their shoes off and went into the living room. They untied the boys and plopped them on the couch. Spongebob Squarepants was on the giant flat screen television. Abby investigated and found it was a DVD. She found the remote control and switched the input to “dish.” There was a message scrolling across the screen: “No signal, please contact your representative.”
“Damn.” She said and switched the input back to DVD.
The kids were happy, Spongebob was back on and they were back in their cartoon comas. Rebecca was sitting on the floor Indian style combing her hair and studying the boys. Debbie signaled Mauri to join her in the kitchen.
“Her parents are down there.” Debbie whispered. “It looks like they were bit and the mother killed the father and then herself. I think.”
“Jesus, Debbie. Are you sure they are really dead?” Mauri asked.
“His head is almost gone and she is lying in a lake of her own blood, besides they would be up and walking by now, right?” Debbie asked unsure.
Mauri thought about it.
“Yeah, you are right.” She said and went over to the kitchen sink. She picked up a dish towel and went over to the basement door. She turned the knob and pulled. It was locked from the inside.
“They locked themselves down there and killed themselves.” Mauri whispered. “They must have been bit. If not they would have shot her too.”
“Yeah.” Debbie agreed.
“We need to secure the house. We should stay here for the night. Get some good sleep and come up with a plan.” Mauri said.
“Both doors have dead bolts and I don’t think those things can climb into windows. They are all at head height. I think we are already good.” Debbie said.
Mauri nod
ded her head and looked at her watch. It was three in the afternoon. She went over to the land line telephone hanging on the kitchen wall and dialed Jessie’s number. She got a recording saying all circuits were busy. She hung up and tried again. It rang, clicked and went to dial tone.
For the next eighteen hours the women took turns eating, showering, sleeping, giving baths, feeding and reading stories to the kids. One of the women stood guard, for lack of a better term, at all times. They managed seven solid hours each while the children slept almost twelve after their dinner and baths. Debbie and Abby slept first, Debbie in a spare bedroom and Abby on the couch. Rebecca was in her own bed and the boys were tucked into her parent’s California King. When it was Mauri’s turn to sleep she climbed into the big bed with her boys and slept dreamlessly until nine AM, when she heard the gunshots.
Chapter 12 – The Plaza
Mauri’s eyes flew open and she screamed in panic when she saw her boys were not in the bed. She leaped off the bed and bounded for the door. Another shot rang out and she instinctually ducked. It sounded close enough to be coming from the house. She flung the door open and ran down the stairs.
“Michael…Shawn.” She yelled.
At the bottom of the stairs someone tackled her from the left and landed on top of her. Her head hit the hardwood floor and she saw reverse fireworks behind her eyes. Hands covered her mouth and nose.
“Shut the fuck up.” A women’s voice said.
Mauri opened her eyes and tried to focus. Another gunshot. She tried to inhale to scream.
“Don’t scream. Don’t scream. The boys are alright.” The woman whispered.
Mauri squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them and tried to focus again. The image came into focus and she saw it was Abby. She didn’t understand.
“Don’t make a sound. Look.” Abby said and turned her head towards the living room.
Everyone was down on the floor. Debbie had Michael and Shawn in her lap huddled beside the chair in the corner. The little girl who’s name Mauri couldn’t recall just then was beside them. Debbie had her index finger to her lips. Shawn and Michael were mimicking her. Mauri looked back at Abby and nodded understanding. Abby took her hand away from Mauri’s mouth slowly.
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