by Chesla, Gary
Shaun walked to the back of the van and opened the doors. “I better check and see what tools I have in here. The other day I needed a saw and crowbar in this little store.
The shelves had been knocked over. They were too heavy to move with just Meg and I. I cut the shelves apart and found five little canned hams under there. The expiration date was past due, but they tasted good just the same. I want to make sure the saw and crow bar are still in the back.”
After making sure he had the tools he wanted, he shut the doors. He then walked over and closed the door to the storage room.
“Let’s go see what trouble the girls have gotten themselves into.” Shaun laughed.
Megan had emptied the ashes from the hibachi into the fireplace and had the oatmeal pan cleaned up and put away. To save water they had been using the pack of plastic spoons and paper plates they had found at the little deli.
“Do you have enough water that maybe I could clean up a little? I was sweating so bad last night when those things were trying to get us. I am really stinky.” Lisa asked.
Megan laughed. “You have had it pretty nice if this is the most stinky you have been. You haven’t been stinky until you have been slimed by one of those dead things.”
Lisa laughed. “You were really stinky the other day.”
Megan got serious. “Water is low right now. We have a jug up in the bathroom. We only wash up once a day now. Before you go to bed you can get cleaned up.”
Lisa wrinkled her nose.
“Trust me. You smell fine.” Megan laughed.
Megan walked back over to the couch and sat down as
Shaun and Doug came back into the dining room from the garage.
“You get the van finished?” Megan asked as the guys came in the room.
“The van is ready to go. Now we just need the dead to cooperate.” Shaun replied. “Talking about the dead, I’m going to go upstairs and see how things look outside. You want a look?”
“No Thanks!” Lisa said looking afraid.
“”Na, I’ll stay here with Lisa. I really don’t need to see any more of those things right now. The sound is bad enough.” Megan answered.
Shaun turned and started up the steps followed by Doug.
As they entered the pulley room Shaun said. “Stay off to the side of the window so they don’t see us. Otherwise they might hang around for days.”
They walked over to the sides of the window.
“There’s still a shit load of them out there.” Doug whispered.
“Yes, but I can see the ground. That’s something.” Shaun said as he turned and left the room.
When they came back downstairs the girls looked at them waiting to hear what they saw.
“Well?” Megan asked when Shaun didn’t start telling them what he saw.
“There are more than we want to mess with, but I can see the ground around them now. They also seem to be moving towards town. Hopefully they are starting to move on. With any luck tomorrow will be a better day.” Shaun said.
“What do we do until then?” Lisa asked.
“We could play cards or we could take this opportunity to catch up on our rest.” Shaun said.
As a loud groan came from the living room window as something bumped hard into the iron bars, Lisa jumped. “I think I’m too nervous to sleep. Maybe we could try cards. Just an easy game, a game where you don’t have to think too much. I think I’m too nervous to think too.” Lisa said.
“Me too.” Megan said. “It feels a little creepy to be playing games surrounded by all those dead banging around out there.”
“I know.” Shaun said. “I’m just trying to think of something to take our mind off of them so we don’t go crazy.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have any wine or vodka?” Doug asked. “That would help take my mind off of things.”
“No, we don’t have anything like that. We got rid of all our liquor after the first week. Meg got drunk and wanted to go out and play with the zombies.” Shaun smiled.
“Shaun!” Megan yelled, then caught herself and put her hand over her mouth. “I did no such thing. You tell them the truth.” Megan whispered this time.
“No, Meg didn’t get drunk. We had a bottle of scotch, but I dropped it and it smashed all over the garage.” Shaun laughed. “It’s probably better we don’t have any anyhow. When the dead are around you need to be able to think straight.”
Another loud groan came from the kitchen window area.
“Let’s try playing cards. If that doesn’t work we can try going to bed.” Megan said.
Shaun got out a bag of pretzels, a bag they had found at the little deli and divided the pretzels into four piles.
They managed to play poker for most of the afternoon until Megan ended up with all the pretzels.
She divided the pretzels and shared them with everyone after the game was over. They ate the pretzels and decided to try and turn in for the night. No one had an appetite for anything else.
Lisa got her chance to clean up. After showing Doug and Lisa the extra room upstairs where they were going to sleep, they all turned in for the night.
The sound of the dead and the idea that they were trapped inside the house had them all feeling tense and tired.
They went to bed and hoped they could sleep and that tomorrow would be a better day.
They hadn’t had a good day for a long time. They felt they were due, at least they hoped they were.
Chapter 6
Shaun woke up. Megan was still silently sleeping next to him. He got up to go to the bathroom. He couldn’t tell if it was day or night because the heavy curtains were pulled tightly across the window.
He felt for the bottom of the bed and followed it around to the other side. From there he knew where he would find the door to the hall.
He shuffled his way quietly across the room so he wouldn’t wake up Megan. It had taken her a long time to fall asleep last night with all the groaning outside. He wanted her to sleep as long as she could.
As he went out into the hall it hit him. It still smelled like death but it was now quiet outside.
He wanted to go look out the pulley room window, but he had to use the bathroom first.
He walked into the bathroom. Even over the smell of the dead, the bathroom smelled pretty bad. It was bad enough with just he and Meg, but the addition of Doug and Lisa had just added to the problem. If Ligonier didn’t work out and they decided to stay here, he would have to locate some nearby surface water or something. The once a day flush had to change. But of course it could be a lot worse. If they had to live in the woods they would have to go behind a tree. Of course it would probably at least smell better than his bathroom.
He walked into the bathroom and lit a match so he could find and light the candle.
Lisa shrieked looking up at him from the toilet.
“I’m sorry Lisa. I didn’t know you were in here.” Shaun started to apologize.
“It’s OK.” Lisa said. “Please, go ahead and light the candle. I didn’t know you had a candle in here. I almost fell into the bath tub when I came in. The candle light will help.”
Shaun lit the candle. “I’ll wait outside until you’re done.”
“That’s OK. I’m done.” Lisa said as she got up from the toilet. “Did you notice that it is quiet outside now?”
“I did.” Shaun said. “I was going to look outside, but I needed to come in here first.”
“I was going to go look, but I was too scared.” Lisa said.
“If you wait outside for a minute you can go with me to look if you want.” Shaun said shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
“OK.” Lisa said and left the bathroom.
Shaun hurried up. He decided to let the candle burn in the bathroom when he left. He felt it couldn’t hurt. He should have lit the candle and let it burn throughout the night. It could help avoid other embarrassing surprises.
He walked out into the hall and left the door open
so the candle would shed some light in the hallway.
Lisa was sitting on the floor waiting for him.
“Come on if you want a look outside.” Shaun said as he moved over to the door to the pulley room.
Lisa stood and came over to stand behind him.
Shaun slowly opened the door and was surprised to see the sun shining in through the window.
“Wow! It looks bright outside.” Lisa said.
“We must have been asleep for a long time.” Shaun said. “Now stay off to the side of the window so the dead won’t see you. OK?”
“OK” Lisa answered.
Shaun slide over to the window and looked out from beside the window. He was surprised. From where he was standing he didn’t see anything other than the grass. It used to be green, but this morning it was a slimy black color. Shaun moved closer to the window, finally standing directly in front of the window. Other than everything being a black slimy color, it was amazingly clear out there this morning.
He looked at Lisa. “They’re gone!”
Lisa walked over to the window. “Good. Does this mean that we can go to Ligonier today?”
“Maybe.” Shaun answered. “Why don’t you go back to your room and wake up Doug.”
Shaun started to say when Megan came in through the open door wrapped in her fuzzy yellow bathrobe.
“What are you two doing?”
Lisa smiled. “I’ll go wake up Doug. Shaun said maybe we can go to Ligonier today. The dead all left.”
Lisa smiled as she left the pulley room and went back to her room.
“I got up to go to the bathroom and ran into Lisa. I came in here to look out the window because it was so quiet outside.” Shaun said.
“Lisa has only been here one day and already you are starting to dress inappropriately around our guests.” Megan smiled.
Shaun started to get embarrassed when he realized he had been looking out the window with Lisa in his underwear. “I didn’t mean….” Shaun started.
“I’m teasing you Shaun. You tease me all the time, I’m just trying to get back at you for teasing me.” Megan smiled.
“But the next time you get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom when we have guests, maybe you should wear my fuzzy robe.” Megan grinned.
Shaun looked at Megan’s bright yellow robe and laughed. “I think I will just wear my jeans.”
Megan laughed as she turned to go over to the bathroom.
Shaun went back to their room and came out in the hall a few minutes later dressed in his jeans and sweatshirt and ran into Megan as she was coming out of the bathroom.
“I think our bathroom has been overworked.” Megan laughed.
“That’s what I thought.” Shaun laughed. If we end up staying here, we need to store up some flushing water. Go get dressed and I’ll go start breakfast. I think we might be able to get outside today.”
“Can we go to Ligonier?” Megan asked looking optimistic.
“Depends on what we find outside.” Shaun answered.
Doug and Lisa came out of their room as Shaun and Megan were talking.
“Good Morning!” Doug said. “Lisa told me the dead are gone. Sounds like good news.”
“Other than everything being covered in slime it looks good out there. After breakfast we can go out and check things out.” Shaun smiled.
“Hey. Could we go over and see what condition our house is in before we go anywhere?” Doug asked.
“Sure. Come on. You can help me get breakfast ready while Meg gets dressed. Then we can go over for a look.” Shaun answered.
Doug and Lisa followed Shaun downstairs. Shaun peeked around the kitchen curtain before pulling the curtains to the side letting the bright morning light shine into the Kitchen.
“Lisa, would you take a look out the living room window and if it is all clear, open the curtains to let some sunshine in here? It feels great to see the sun again.”
Shaun poured some charcoal into the hibachi and was about to light it when Lisa screamed.
Shaun and Doug ran into the living room to see what was wrong. Lisa was standing at the window holding her hand over her mouth.
“There is something on the window!” She whispered as her voice trembled.
Shaun went over to the window and pulled the curtains back just enough to see outside. Then he pulled it completely open.
A detached arm was hanging across the bars on the window.
“It looks like all of the dead didn’t leave.” Shaun laughed.
“Gross!” Lisa said trying not to look at the window.
“After breakfast we’ll get rid of the arm before we go over to look at your house.” Shaun said.
“Can we close those curtains?” Lisa asked.
“Sure.” Shaun said as he pulled the curtains back over the window. He walked over to the other window and peered through the side of the curtains before pulling them fully open as the sun’s rays came into the room.
“Thanks.” Lisa said now feeling more comfortable with the arm out of sight.
Shaun walked back over to the hibachi and lit the charcoal.
He put some water in the pan that was sitting on the sink.
Megan came dancing down the stairs in a good mood. “That sunshine looks good. Why didn’t you open the other curtain?” Megan asked as she walked over to the window.
“Don’t!” Lisa yelled.
Megan turned around with a curious look on her face. “Why not?”
Shaun laughed. “One of the dead left a little of himself behind on the window.”
“Oh!” Megan said. But her curiosity got the best of her and she had to go over and look out the window. “That is disgusting!”
“That’s why we closed the curtains.” Lisa said making a face.
Megan laughed. “Good. It didn’t look very appetizing. By the way, what are you making for breakfast?”
“Can you handle oatmeal again?” Shaun asked.
“Do we have any twisties left?” Megan asked.
“What’s a twisty?” Lisa asked.
“Twisty pasta.” Megan replied. “It’s like macaroni.”
“That sounds good. Can we have twisties?” Lisa asked.
“Ok.” Shaun laughed. “I’ll go get a can of tomatoes.”
“Shaun makes the best tomato sauce.” Megan smiled at Shaun.
He disappeared out into the garage and returned with one of the cans of tomatoes Megan had picked up at the deli.
He started to mash up the tomatoes after dumping the box of twisty pasta into the boiling water.
Ten minutes later they were eating their brunch.
“Doug, I’ll lend you a pair of old jeans, my spare boots and a pair of gloves when we go out. You don’t want to get any of that crap on you.” Shaun said.
“I’ll help Lisa get dressed.” Megan said.
“We’re just going across the street. Doug and I can do this. Why don’t you and Lisa get dressed for our trip to Ligonier?” Shaun said.
Megan perked up at the idea of going to Ligonier. “OK, but you two be careful. Don’t take any chances without me there to keep an eye on you.”
“We will. It’s just across the street and we are only going to take a fast look so we have an idea what is there so we can make a better decision about whether we want to stay or move to Ligonier.” Shaun replied.
As Lisa took the last bite of her brunch, she sat up and smiled. “I like twisties!”
“Good.” Shaun replied. “Maybe you girls could keep an eye out for more twisties when we are out today. We just ate the last of them.”
“Maybe we should make a list of things to look for?” Lisa said.
“It would be a long list!” Shaun smiled. “I think we need to just grab anything that we can eat.”
Shaun stood and took his plate over and tossed his plastic spoon and plate in the garbage bag. “I have some extra clothes down in the garage. Doug come on down and we can get ready.” Shaun looked at Doug.
<
br /> Doug got up and followed him down to the garage.
Shaun picked a jacket that was hanging on a hook on the wall and put it on. He took another jacket and handed it to Doug. Shaun next picked an old pair of jeans off of it’s hook then bent down and selected his spare pair of boots off the floor that were sitting next to Megan’s often slimed smelly boots.
Doug started getting dressed as Shaun went over to the van and took out two pair of gloves. He then went over to the front corner of the garage and picked up two more metal poles.
He handed a pole and the gloves to Doug. “I thought I had an endless supply of metal poles, but they seem to be disappearing.” Shaun laughed.
Doug put on his gloves and held out the pole testing its weight. “I think I’m ready.”
“Let’s go out the kitchen door. I don’t want to take a chance of opening the big garage door until we look the area over.” Shaun said as he started walking back into the house.
Megan looked them over as they came into the kitchen.
“Do we look ok?” Doug asked looking at Lisa.
“I think you need to wear a hat.” Megan said. “So you don’t get any gunk on your heads.”
Shaun looked at Doug. “Check your jacket pocket.”
Doug reached in the left jacket pocket and pulled out a black ball cap and quickly put it on his head.
Shaun reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out his key ring. He took off two keys and walked over to Megan. “Here is a key to the van and a key that will open all the doors and the bars. Just in case.”
Megan gave him a concerned look.
“I know we are just going across the street, but you know what to do if anything happens while we are over there.” Shaun said looking at Megan.
Megan nodded her head. She gave him a little kiss on the cheek. “Just be careful!”
“We will.” Shaun smiled.
Shaun walked over to the kitchen door and looked out through the peep hole. Then he began to open the door to get a better look outside.
“My God this smell is bad!” Shaun said as he cracked the door. He unlocked the rack holding the bars over the door and pushed it open.