Safe Zone

by Chesla, Gary

  Megan looked at Doug. “If it’s OK with Lisa, I’m fine.” Doug added.

  Shaun wrinkled his nose. “I think we can probably get it, but I don’t know if we can survive the smell.”

  “OK, I stink. Get over it!” Megan glared at him, then started to laugh. “Please. I’ll make you hot oatmeal for breakfast.”

  Shaun laughed as he swung the van to the left and towards Latrobe.

  “How far is it to the deli?” Doug asked as he surveyed the area around them, looking for the dead.

  “It’s only about a quarter mile down this road. It’s not far. It was the deli we were at yesterday. The area was clear when we were there.” Shaun answered. “Keep your eyes open. It could be a different world down there today.”

  They drove for another few minutes when Shaun made a big circle in the middle of the road and pulled in front of the old deli, with the van facing back in the direction they would go when they came out of the little store.

  He turned and looked the area over. “I see one of the dead staggering around back down the road. I think we can get into the store and back out before it can get very close. You and Lisa keep an eye on it while Meg and I go inside.”

  Shaun hopped out of the van and ran around to open Megan’s door. Megan jumped down onto the pavement next to Shaun.

  Shaun looked back at Doug and Lisa. “We’ll be right back. If that dead thing starts to get close before we come back out, come over to the door and yell at us. Don’t blow the horn. They’ll start coming out of the woodwork. Let’s go Meg.”

  Shaun ran to the door of the deli. Megan stayed right behind him. They were working as a team as they had learned to do over the last six months. Megan waited for Shaun’s signals. Out here there was no time for a debate. Shaun was in charge. Any complaints or disagreements she had, she would take it up with Shaun at home. Out here, any disagreements could get them killed.

  Shaun opened the door, then stood and listened. He waited to see if he would hear any sounds, particularly the sound of dragging feet, the sound the dead made as they drug themselves along. He listened for the sounds of something being bumped into. The dead weren’t the most graceful of creatures and usually bumped into everything they passed.

  When he felt it was clear, he and Megan disappeared into the deli. It was a good sign that the door to the deli was closed like they had left it when they left the store yesterday.

  “Where did you see the hibachi?” Shaun asked.

  “Back here.” Megan answered and began to lead Shaun towards the back aisle.

  As they rounded the last aisle, Megan stopped. “There it is.” She said as she ran over and picked up the box with a picture of a hibachi on it.”

  Megan smiled for a minute as she held up the box, then got a puzzled look on her face.

  “What?” Shaun asked as he looked at her.

  Megan shook the box and looked back at Shaun. “The box is empty!”

  “It must be a box for the display.” Shaun said. “Look around. It should be sitting out around here somewhere.”

  They began to look around frantically until Megan stopped and tapped Shaun on the arm. ‘

  He looked at her as she pointed to the top of the shelf that was against the back wall. “It’s way up there!”

  Shaun started to look around where they were standing, hoping to see a ladder. When he didn’t see any, he ran over to the shelf and reached as high as he could, but it was still two feet out of his reach.

  “What can we do?” Megan pleaded.

  Shaun looked at Megan and let out a sigh of resignation.

  “Come here!” he said with a disgusted look on his face.

  Megan looked at him wondering what he was thinking.

  As she got close to him, he got down on his knees. “Get on my shoulders.” He said then paused. “And keep your legs away from my face.”

  Megan gave him an ornery smile as she crawled on his shoulders.

  Shaun wrapped his arms around her legs to hold her in place as he stood and walked over to the shelf. Megan reached up and was just able to grab the hibachi.

  “I got it!” She said as Shaun dropped back to the floor so she could crawl off his shoulders.

  He stood and looked at the sleeves on his jacket. “Now I have to burn my jacket. We keep this up and we aren’t going to have anything left to wear.”

  Megan smiled at him. “Look for some charcoal. Don’t worry. You get used to the smell.”

  “You should know!” Shaun shot back smiling.

  They got up and started to dig through the debris lying along the back wall. It didn’t take long until Megan stood smiling as she held up two bags of charcoal.

  They were about to start for the front of the deli when Shaun heard a shuffling sound. He grabbed Megan’s arm and motioned for her to stand still.

  “What is it?” She whispered.

  “I heard something shuffling around in the store.” Shaun whispered back.

  He tilted his head and listened.

  Megan tapped him on the shoulder. “I hear it now too.”

  They both listened as the sound grew louder and closer.

  “It’s getting closer. It must have heard us and is coming back here.” Megan whispered.

  “I can hear it, but I can’t figure out where it is. I’m not sure which way we should go. Which direction do you think we should go?” Shaun asked as he looked at Megan.

  She thought for a second. “I think we should go this way.” Megan answered and pointed over to the right side of the shelf that they we hiding behind.

  Shaun grabbed her arm. “OK. On three, follow me.”

  Shaun counted. “One, two, three. Let’s go.”

  Megan started to stand, but was shocked as Shaun pulled her arm and they ran around the shelf going to the left.

  As they ran around the left side of the shelf and up the aisle along the wall towards the front of the store and the door, Megan saw a bloody arm and leg start around the shelf to the right of where they had been.

  Shaun pulled her out the front door, closed it and they both ran towards the van. He held her door open as she hopped up into the seat and dropped her items on the floor between the seats.

  Shaun took a quick look around and saw the zombie he had seen down the street before they had gone into the deli was now only about fifty feet behind the van. Dozens more were now in view, coming in their direction.

  Shaun ran around the front of the van and got in. He quickly started the van and they sped off down the road towards home.

  “Thank God you came out when you did. I was just about to come looking for you. Did you see how close that dead thing was getting?” Doug called out.

  “He wanted to come and get you five minutes ago, but I wouldn’t let him leave me.” Lisa shrieked.

  “Sorry, it took us a little longer than we expected. The darn hibachi was up on top of a tall shelf. I had to put Meg on my shoulders so we could reach it. I got all that crap from her jeans on my sleeves.” Shaun said.

  “Then we ran into one of those things in there.” Megan added as she looked at Shaun. “And what was that asking me which way we should go and then pulling me in the other direction?”

  Shaun laughed. “I think I have you figured out.”

  “After five years I would hope so. But what was that all about in the store?” She glared at him.

  “I think you have a sixth sense about these dead freaks. I think you can sense them, but you just don’t know it. That’s why you are always running straight into them.” Shaun laughed.

  “What?” Megan asked looking confused.

  “When I ask you what direction we should go and you said to the right, I figured that was where that stinky zombie would be, because you always run right into them. So I decided we should go to the left.” Shaun explained.

  Lisa started to laugh. “Shaun thinks you are a zombie magnet!”

  Doug started to laugh along with Lisa and Shaun.

  Megan flop
ped back against her seat. “Oh Great!”

  They drove down the road and were soon on Route 217 heading back home.

  They stared at the number of the dead now walking through the fields. There had to be twice as many as they had seen when they had come down this way in the morning.

  They soon turned right on Ruby Street and stopped as they pulled up in front of the gate.

  There were at least half a dozen of the dead roaming the street as Shaun hopped out to open the gate.

  Shaun drove through and quickly closed the gate and continued up the street. As he approached their houses, they saw another dozen roaming around through their yards.

  “I’m going to pull up to your door, so you two can get out and get in your house. Make it fast.” Shaun said looking at the dead in their yards.

  “You guys want to come back over for dinner again tonight?” Megan asked.

  Doug and Lisa looked at the dead outside the van. “No, I think we are going to stay put tonight.” Doug answered. “Let’s hope they clear out of here by morning so we can try to get some water.”

  “”I’ll send you a jug over on the pulley. If you need anything else, send a message over the pulley. We’ll come get you in the morning if everything is clear. I’ll send you a message on the pulley before we come over.” Shaun said.

  “Sounds good. See you tomorrow.” Doug said as he and Lisa jumped out of the van and ran for the door.

  Shaun and Megan waited to be sure they were inside before Shaun backed out onto the street, turned and pulled into his driveway.

  “When I get out, you slide over into the driver’s seat. As soon as I have the door open, you pull the van inside.” Shaun said.

  Megan slid over as soon as Shaun got out. She watched him fumble with the keys and finally opened the bars and raised the door. She quickly drove inside.

  As Shaun barred the garage door and right before he pulled down the main garage door, he saw Doug watching him from his kitchen window. He gave Doug a wave as he pulled the door down with a thud as it locked into place.

  Shaun turned back to the van and headed for the door that went into the kitchen. As he rounded the back of the van, Megan was standing in her underwear, having taken off her slime smeared jeans and jacket. She was standing there holding a bag of charcoal and the little hibachi.

  “Let’s go in and try out our new hibachi!” She said sounding excited.

  Shaun just stood and looked at Megan and began to laugh.

  Sometimes she amazed him.

  Chapter 3

  Megan woke up as the alarm went off at 7:00 AM. As she cleared her head, she began to smell the steaming hot bowl of oatmeal that was sitting on the stand next to the bed.

  Megan began to look around the room, then her eyes settled on Shaun standing next to the bed smiling down at her.

  “I see I am the one getting breakfast in bed today!” She said smiling back at Shaun. “It smells so good!”

  “It smells good? So you do know the difference!” He laughed.

  “Watch it smarty!” Megan threatened.

  “Or what?” Shaun laughed. “Or you’ll make me wear it. The first hot oatmeal breakfast we have had in months. I don’t think so!”

  Shaun picked up the bowl of hot oatmeal, took the spoon and put a large spoonful into Megan’s mouth.

  “Mmmmm!” Megan said drawing out the sound. “You put brown sugar on it too. Where did you find sugar?”

  “I found it on the floor of the deli yesterday. There were a few small packets lying on the floor. I put them in my pocket when you weren’t looking. I wanted to surprise you.” Shaun said looking pleased with himself.

  “Did you already eat your breakfast?” Megan asked.

  “No, not yet. I wanted to make sure you had a hot breakfast first.” Shaun answered.

  Megan sat up and took her bowl from Shaun. “Go eat your oatmeal before it gets cold. You don’t want to miss out on this hot oatmeal. I hope you saved yourself a packet of sugar?”

  “I did and we even have enough for a few more breakfasts.” Shaun answered before he disappeared out the bedroom door.

  He returned a few minutes later with his own bowl and hopped into bed next to Megan. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you.

  Megan smiled holding up her empty bowl. “Do we have anymore?”

  Shaun laughed. “Give me your bowl. I knew you would like it. There is more keeping warm on the hibachi. I’ll go get it for you.”

  Shaun got up and went back down to the kitchen to refill Megan’s bowel. He returned a few minutes later and handed her the steamy oatmeal.

  She smiled. “This makes everything we went through yesterday all worth it.”

  Shaun laughed as Megan began making quick work of her second helping.

  He began to eat his breakfast again, before it got cold.

  They had finished their breakfast, the dirty dishes sitting on the night stand, as they lay back on their pillows, feeling content.

  Clank. Clank. Thump! The sound came from the room next to their bedroom. Shaun had rigged the pulley system between his and Doug’s house, so it would knock over a box as the message came in through the window. This way they would know they were getting a message. It wasn’t as efficient as the ring of a telephone, but without electricity their options were limited. When all was quiet in the house, the box falling off the stand where it was placed, could be heard from anywhere in the house, except for the basement.

  “Sounds like we have a message from Doug and Lisa.” Shaun said as he started to get out of bed. “I hope everything is OK.”

  Megan watched as Shaun walked out of the room to retrieve the message. After the number of the dead roaming around the houses when they had come back yesterday, she hoped there wasn’t any trouble.

  She felt relieved when she heard Shaun laughing in the adjoining room. A few minutes later, she heard the pulley squeak as Shaun pulled on the rope, sending an answer back to Doug.

  “What were you laughing at?” Megan asked as Shaun came back into the room.

  Shaun laughed again. “Doug sent a message saying that the area looked clear out there this morning. He said Lisa has been up and dressed for an hour. She can’t wait to go on another run. He said he thinks we might have created a monster.”

  Megan laughed. “Sounds like she has gone from one extreme to another. After a few more supply runs, we’ll see if she is still so anxious to go back out there.”

  “I’m going to be curious to see what she wears this morning,” Shaun added, “after the little talk you had with her.”

  Megan smiled. “What did you send back to Doug?”

  “I told him we would be over in about an hour.” Shaun said. “I was going to tell him to have Lisa go out in the field behind the house so she could practice for today’s trip, but I decided I had better not.” Shaun laughed.

  Megan sat quietly for a few minutes. “I hope we can get some water at the dam today. If we can’t get near the dam, any ideas where we could go to get fresh water?”

  “If we go out the other end of Derry, I know there are some small streams out that way, but I think they have a lot of sulfur in the water from all the old coal mines that were out there. I suppose we could boil it or something. I guess it wouldn’t hurt us, but would probably taste like crap.” Shaun answered.

  “Yuck!” Megan laughed.

  “There were some reservoirs down near Blairsville that were part of the High Ridge Water Company; they would have fresh water. But I would hate to wonder that far away from home. No telling what we would run into down that way. Let’s hope we can get down to the dam. If not, we’ll figure out something.” Shaun said as he sat down on the bed to pull on his jeans. “We could always carry our water jugs through the woods and go into the river above the dam. It would be heavy carrying the jugs through the woods all that way, but it would get us enough water to last for a few days.”

  Megan pulled a sweatshirt over her head. “As long as we don’t hav
e to deal with too many of the dead.”

  “Let’s take it easy on the water we have left, until we see what happens today. We’ll figure out something.” Shaun added.

  “Hopefully I won’t get slimed again today.” Megan said as she looked at Shaun. He got a big smile on his face.

  “Don’t!” Megan said. “I know, I opened the door and walked right into it. I started it. But please, not now!” Megan stared at Shaun as a big smile crossed her face and they both started to laugh.

  The hour was about up as Shaun and Megan checked over the van for today’s trip. Megan watched as Shaun laid four metal pipes in the back of the van.

  “What are those for?” Megan asked sounding curious.

  Shaun took one out and handed it to her. “How does this feel? I thought we would take our own clubs today, so if we needed one, we wouldn’t have to depend on rotten branches. “

  Megan lifted the pipe. “It feels light.” She said surprised at how it felt. “Where did you get these?”

  “These are leg poles from my scaffolding. It’s an aluminum alloy. Light but strong. I figured I won’t be putting any roofs on anytime soon. Might as well use them for something useful.” Shaun replied. “Besides, I’m hoping taking them is like taking an umbrella. If you have one, then you won’t need it.”

  “Let’s hope.” Megan said as she handed the pipe back to Shaun and got into the passenger seat, as he opened the garage door.

  Shaun backed the van out of the garage and closed the door and secured the bars. He glanced around the area. It looked much better than yesterday. The sun had risen over the horizon. The warm rays felt good. The sky was clear. He hoped these were all good signs that they would have a good day.

  He jumped back into the van and backed across the street and into Doug’s driveway.

  He was just shutting down the engine when Doug and Lisa came out of their house.

  Megan tapped Shaun on the arm as they watched Lisa standing next to Doug as he locked the door behind them.