Chapter 13 - Panera
Mauri quickly made her way back to the alley between the two restaurants and peeked around the corner. There were several zombies in the alley and more in front of it in the parking lot. She ran past the alley, behind the nail salon, and continued beyond the tanning place and the movie theater. She came out on the far side of the movie theater lot. There were dozens of zombies. She decided her best path was to go the long way around, outside of the fence that lined the lot. It was only chest height, but it would give her some protection from one of those things getting too close. She knew she had to be careful because there were only two feet between the fence and a two-story fall down the steep hill to the ground below.
It was slow going, but most of the zombies were on the other side of the lot. It took her fifteen minutes to travel the fence to where she could see the intersection and the yellow school bus below. She got down on her hands and knees and made her way to the edge of the hill.
Abby was gone. She examined the bus carefully looking for any kind of movement inside. There was none. Abby could have been in the bus sleeping, but Mauri doubted it. That alarm hadn’t been quiet long. She could be hiding. What about the gun shots they heard? Mauri didn’t know what to do. She thought about whistling or shouting, but there were zombies within twenty yards of her. She had avoided their attention thus far and didn’t want that to change.
She took a deep breath and looked down the hill. It was a few degrees short of a vertical drop. She figured if she slid feet first and kept her back flat and dragged her fingers into the grass as she went she might not pick up that much speed. The hill ended in a grass clearing below enclosed by a chest high fence of its own. She would have to jump the fence to get to the school bus and try to find Abby.
She looked back over her shoulder in the direction of her children. Was she making a stupid decision here? She was responsible for her boys, what if she got hurt? What if she started to tumble and cracked her skull? Debbie certainly would not be able to care for all three of the children. She looked back at the bus. Abby had strapped a stranger’s child to her back and risked her life countless times in the last twenty four hours. Mauri knew the survival of her children would depend on having people around her she could trust with their lives. She needed Abby as much as her children needed her. She transitioned from her hands and knees to her butt and dangled her feet over the edge. She tossed the bat down the hill and watched as it came to rest in the field below. She dug her hands into the grass and inched her butt towards the edge then over it. She lost grip on the grass and rocked feet first towards the field below. A scream escaped her as she picked up speed. One of the zombies in the lot above heard the scream and shambled over to the fence.
It took less than five seconds for Mauri to skid to the bottom of the hill. At the last second she lifted her feet and took the brunt of the impact with the ground on her butt. She let out a small grunt and sat there trying to figure out if she was okay. She moved each leg and flexed her back. She seemed alright. She got to her knees and then to her feet. She stood still for a long time making sure she was stable. Above her she heard a repetitive clicking sound. Her butt hurt, but no movement she tried caused any more than a dull ache. She walked over and bent down to pick up the baseball bat. She was about to make her way to the fence when she heard a metallic snap above her. She looked up and saw what could only be described as an avalanche of zombies plummeting towards her down the hill. She jumped to the left as the first few landed with dull thuds and cracking bones. She watched as one landed face first with its arms at its sides. The thing was almost vertical to the ground when it landed, and the momentum kept the body going even after the head had struck. This caused the neck to tear open in front and come all the way off by the time the body had come to rest on the ground. Mauri scrambled further backwards as another dozen tumbled down the hill. As they landed they were snapping legs and arms, shoulders were separating and skulls were cracking like hard boiled eggs. Not seeming to notice their injuries the creatures tried to get up. The ones with leg injuries kept trying to stand not understanding why their limbs no longer worked. The only ones that stayed down were the ones with head trauma. Mauri kept backing up until her back hit the fence and she stopped. She was unable to stop watching the zombies fall.
She looked up and watched another creature wander to the edge and simply step off. It tumbled head over feet down the hill and landed on top of the growing pile of undead base jumpers.
Mauri assumed one of them must have heard her scream and the clicking she heard was it walking into the fence. That noise attracted the rest until the fence gave.
With her bat in hand Mauri made her way around the pile and headed for the school bus. She hopped the fence and ran for the bus. There was one zombie in her path, facing away. She held the bat across her chest and checked the zombie high on the shoulder blades. It went down and she stepped on its back as she made her way to the bus. She jumped at the front fender and pulled herself onto the front wheel. She climbed onto the flat passenger’s side and stuck her head in the door.
“Abby?” She whispered.
No reply.
She dropped into the bus and made her way slowly to the back of the bus. Half way she found her backpack. She picked it up and slipped it on.
“Abby.” She whispered again.
No answer.
She got to the rear emergency exit and looked at the door. There was a bullet hole in the electric box. Instinctually Mauri ducked back into the bus listening for any sounds. She could hear the shuffling feet of the zombies all around her and the continued commotion from the highway below. She didn’t know what else she expected to hear. As her panic subsided she made her way back to the pedestrian door and climbed out. Her ass and her right leg were killing her, but she managed to pull herself up and out. She stood up and spun slowly surveying all she could see. There was no sign of Abby. She looked around and saw no blood. This led her to believe Abby had not been shot. She walked back and forth on the bus, looking at the dead as they lay on the ground soaking up the late September sun. Mauri had no way of knowing what direction Abby may have gone, she was no tracker. The instinct to get back her children hit her hard and she decided to make a run up the hill using the same path as before. Once up the hill she would find another shopping cart and repeat the process. Fifteen minutes later she was in the corrugated cardboard dumpster. She had skipped the shopping cart. There were fewer of them up here now. The school bus alarm had drawn a good deal of them down the hill. She ran, ready to use the bat to knock any down that came too close. She didn’t get within five feet of any of them, but they did follow her. Once she was behind the restaurant she rolled the other shopping cart across the alley before jumping into the dumpster.
She waited ten minutes for the three zombies that appeared to go back towards the lot. Once they were gone she left the dumpster and made her way to Panera’s back door.
Insane panic hit when Mauri found the door ajar.
She opened the door slowly and peeked around the corner. The hall was empty. She slipped off her shoes and moved as quietly as possible. When she got to the ladies room door she pushed on it and was relieved to find it was locked. She continued down the hall towards the main dining area. She got low and peeked in. She didn’t see any movement in the gloom. She headed to the kitchen area on her left, then stopped at the tall counter, looking and listening hard. No movement. She went towards the front of the restaurant where the light from outside made it a bit brighter. She walked the length of the bakery counter and took a right back towards the seating area. She came around the coffee station looking into the middle distance trying to make out any movement. She took two steps and kicked Debbie’s dead body.
Mauri slapped her hand over her mouth to quiet the scream. She spun, looking around wildly not understanding why the creature that did this was not banging around. Had it left out the back door? Was it not a creature at all? Had Debbie fallen in the worst
timed accident ever?
Mauri tried to focus and looked at the body again. Then it hit her all at once. Debbie was face down with her hands pinned under her. There was blood on her neck and under her midsection. Her shirt was ripped at the shoulder and her pants were gone. Mauri knelt down, reached for her shoulder and turned her over onto her back. She stared at what she saw for a long time. Debbie’s shirt had been ripped open from the seam of the left shoulder to just below her left breast. There were scratches and black and blues on her breast, collar bone and neck. There were more scratches on her face. She had a dish rag stuffed in her mouth. Her panties were ripped and stretched out of shape and hanging off one bloody foot. There was a stab wound just below her ribcage on the left side. The amount of blood on the floor seemed unreal.
Mauri could feel the terror rising up and knew she wasn’t going to be able to control it. She stood up not knowing how to stop the scream. She took a deep breath and felt dizzy. She opened her mouth and a man spoke.
“She put up a good fight.” The man said.
Mauri jumped and almost blacked out. She felt the room start to spin. She remembered to breathe and grabbed the edge of the coffee counter. She didn’t know where the voice came from. She scanned the darkness looking for the figure.
“I tried to be nice, but she called me a sicko.” The man said.
Mauri was able to focus and follow the sound. The man was sitting at a table right next to the window. Mauri could only see him in silhouette. He had been there the entire time sitting like a statue watching the scene play out. Somewhere far away she registered the sound of a motorcycle gunning its throttle and backfiring.
“Are you going to put up a good fight?” The man asked.
Mauri took three steps to her left to get a better angle and try to see the man’s features. He stood up and took two steps closer. He had a knife in one hand and revolver in the other. There was a rifle on the table where he had been sitting.
“What? Have you forgotten me already?” The man asked.
“Dale?” Mauri asked with freshly dawning horror.
“So, you didn’t answer me. Are you going to put up a good fight?”
Just then something clicked in Mauri’s head. She didn’t know if you would call it autopilot, or if self- preservation was taking control, but it was like she became someone else.
“Why would I need to fight?” She asked.
Dale just looked at her.
“We. We don’t need to fight. We would be wasting time fighting. Just tell me what you want.” Mauri said.
Dale continued to stare at her. His eyes moved from her face to her breasts to her bare feet, then back to her face.
Mauri smiled, or at least hoped it looked something like a smile.
“I want that dress off and you on that table over there.” He said waving the gun.
She turned, headed to the table he had designated. She looked back over her shoulder.
“You coming?” She asked.
She reached behind her and unzipped the dress and let it fall to the ground. She was left standing in her black panties. Dale stood in shocked silence at the almost naked women in front of him.
He put the knife on the table but kept the revolver. She sat on the table with her legs spread. He rushed over to her as if the time limit on the offer was about to expire. She put her arms around his waist and pulled him close.
“You going to take those off” She asked tugging at the back of his belt.
He nodded and started to fumble with the buckle one handed.
“Hurry Dale.” She whispered.
Dale tossed the gun on the floor behind him and fumbled at the buckle with both hands. That was a disaster for Mauri. She expected him to put the gun on the table next to her when he went for the buckle. She would have scooped it up and ventilated his head with it. Suddenly he was pressed up hard against her pushing her down into the table. She thought about her options and resigned herself. Dale got his knees up on the table and leaned in to kiss or bite her neck. She knew she would only have one chance at this. He licked her cheek. She put her hand on the back of his head and pulled him in close. She opened her mouth ready to sink her teeth deep into the soft of his neck when the sound of breaking glass made them both jump. Dale jerked his neck out of biting range and looked over his shoulder. Someone was breaking in. Dale turned back to Mauri and head butted her. The impact snapped her head back and caused a second impact on the table. She went limp. Dale leapt from the table fastening his pants and retrieving the dropped revolver. The intruder was moving a booth in front the window he has just broken. Dale crept up on the man as he finished and stood looking out the window.
The man in the motorcycle helmet turned and Dale aimed the revolver at his chest. Mauri hadn’t passed out from the head butt, it hurt like hell, but she had enough presence of mind to pretend to pass out rather than encourage a second blow. She got off the table slipped her dress back on and was now five feet behind Dale.
“Who the fuck are you? Mad Max?” Dale asked the stranger.
The guy swung his shotgun as Dale shot him and he went down. The man flew backwards, but the helmet had saved his life. He threw his shotgun at Dale who dropped the revolver. They both went for the shotgun as Mauri scrambled for the revolver. Dale came up with the shotgun and racked the slide.
“Guns are for shootin’, not throwin’ boy.”
Mauri took two wobbly steps forward and held the gun ten inches from Dale’s head. She pulled the trigger and saw a spray of blood and cartilage appear where the guy’s neck used to be. She pulled the trigger again this time hitting her target square in the back of the head. Dale flew forward and landed on the stranger. She watched as the stranger struggled to get out from under the dead body. It suddenly occurred to her that this guy may be no better than the one she just shot. She raised the gun as the man in the helmet got to his feet. As soon as he saw the gun he put his hand up. They were five feet apart. He reached for the helmet.
“Don’t move.” She said with all the voice she could muster.
He pointed to the helmet. She nodded figuring it would make for an easier head shot. The man took off the helmet and Mauri’s knees almost buckled. Tears filled her eyes and she wondered if she was hallucinating.
“Hello Mauri.” Jessie Brewster said.
She lowered the gun and stared at him in complete shock. He stood still staring right back at her. Tears started to roll down Mauri’s cheeks.
“How?” She said simply.
“Well, I know how much you like those coffee rolls over there.” He paused. “Mauri, where are the boys?”
“Asleep in the ladies room.” She said.
“Are any of you bit?” Jessie asked.
“No.” Mauri answered right away.
Jessie stood silent. Mauri started to sob. Then she giggled and put her hand to her mouth.
“What?” Jessie asked.
She pointed to his leather jacket.
“You’ve got…” Then she stopped and stepped into her husband’s arms.
From somewhere very far away Mauri heard a little voice.
“Mommy.”
“You go get them, I’ll get him outside.” Jessie said.
“Her too.” Mauri said bring Jessie around the corner to Debbie’s Body.
“Why don’t we just get out of here? We can make it to Target.” Jessie offered.
Not knowing how long she could stand the smell of blood and other bodily fluids Mauri agreed.
“I’ll get them ready. There is a knife on the table near the window.” She said and headed for the bathroom.
“Mauri.” Jessie said.
Mauri turned back to face Jessie.
“I knew you would make it. I knew you would keep them safe.” He said.
“That makes one of us.” She said and headed towards her children.
Jessie picked up the rifle but left the short dull knife on the table. He joined Mauri and the children in the ladies room.
“Hey guys. Did you miss me?” Jessie asked tearfully.
“Daddy, can I tell you something?” Michael asked.
“Yeah bubba, go ahead.”
“Mommy put me in charge when she went to the school bus and on the road she said ‘fuck.’ Michael said.
“Fuck.” Shawn repeated.
“Fuck” Rebecca repeated.
Mauri and Jessie looked at each other and laughed.
Chapter 14 – Dinner and a Movie
Ten minutes after a diaper, potty duties and a drink from the tap they were ready to make the trip across the lot to Target. Mauri suggested the shopping cart method again. Jessie went out the back door and surveyed the situation. There were no zombies behind the building that he could see. He walked quickly towards the alley and peeked around the corner. There were two creatures within twenty feet, but they were facing away. He sprinted across the alley and pushed the two shopping carts together and ran them back towards Panera. He stopped just short of the door, left the carts and ran back inside. He kept the door cracked. Three zombies appeared from the alley, looked around and were attracted to the broken section of the fence and whatever was still going on down below. One by one they disappeared over the edge. Jessie waited another five minutes and deemed it safe enough to go. He checked his blind side on the right of the door, it was clear as well. He went outside and positioned the carts side by side ready for a quick escape. They would make a right out the back door and follow the service road to the main parking lot. From there they had a hundred and fifty yards to the main entrance of Target.
“We should light this place on fire.” Mauri said.
“With what?” Jessie asked implying he agreed.
“With the cooking oil, the benches are all cloth and the rug will go up. I don’t want to leave Debbie here to rot, and it would be a good distraction.” She said.
Sawkill [Omnibus] Page 12