Dying Days 3 Read Free Page B

You never knew what you were going to need, and as items were destroyed, broken or ran out of their usefulness, they couldn't be easily replaced.
    Eric used his key to unlock the Master padlock on the door. Anyone with a foot could kick the door in, but Eric insisted on the extra precaution anyway. Everything was safe inside, items piled high.
    "Look," Chris said. He was pointing at some footprints around the door.
    "Barefoot," Eric said. "Might be a zombie, but they aren't necessarily fresh." Eric looked up. "The bar could've just blocked the wind at the right angle. They could be days or weeks old."
    "I guess. Can we go now?"
    "Sure. Keep your eyes open."
    "How many times are you going to tell me that?"
    "Until it really sinks in."
    They got back on the dune buggy and headed north again. The road was still clear ahead and behind.
    Eric picked up the pace. He wanted to talk to the others now. If a large group was in the area, he doubted they would skip over the Golden Lion and would have definitely kicked in a locked door. It didn't make sense.
    "Stop," Chris, suddenly, cried out.
    Eric pulled over onto the side of the road.
    "Back there. I thought I saw someone standing on the ramp."
    Eric turned the dune buggy around slowly. "Where?"
    Chris pointed at the Java Joint. "That coffee place. I swear, someone was just standing there as we drove past."
    "Get the shotgun."
    Eric pulled up to the bottom of the ramp and stared at the dark interior, but he saw no movement, especially from this low angle. "I'll lead. Give me the shotgun and stay a few feet behind me."
    They took slow steps up the wooden ramp, careful not to trip on debris. At the top of the ramp, they stepped onto the main deck, which wrapped around the building to their left. The front doors were open, the glass long since broken.
    Eric stepped inside and led with the shotgun. The tables and chairs had been jammed to either side. The wooden counter was still intact, but the cash register was on the ground in pieces. Two bathroom doors stood before him to the right. "Cover me."
    The men's room was empty. Eric flung open the ladies room but it was also unoccupied. Eric pointed to the counter. "Let's check out the kitchen."
    "I wish they had a cheeseburger and coffee."
    Eric smiled. "Maybe they will. Stay sharp."
    Behind the counter was a brush of sand from the broken side window. The cabinets were open and empty, and the soda cooler was a jagged mess. "I've been in here before. Months ago. It's been picked clean."
    "Then let's get out of here," Chris said.
    "Not until we check the back."
    "I have your back," Chris said.
    Eric wasn't too relieved by his words. The kid would run in a heartbeat, if there was trouble. "Ready?"
    He didn't wait for Chris to say anything before stepping into the kitchen area. It was a wreck but just as he remembered it. There were also bare footprints in the dirt and dust on the floor. Eric didn't like it, but figured a zombie had wandered in at some point recently. More than likely, it was now piled under the boardwalk.
    "Clear. Let's get out of here." Eric walked out and back into the sunshine, breathing in the clean air. At least with the demise of the human race, the pollution and noise had stopped. The air was fresh with no vehicle exhausts, cigarette smoke, and music playing. But it was lonely.
    They got back into the dune buggy and started driving away.
    "I'm almost positive I saw someone," Chris said.
    Eric nodded. Normally, he would doubt anything the kid said, and they'd walked through the Java Joint. But Eric couldn't help the feeling they were being watched.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
     
    Griff's stilt house was dark, the blinds all closed, when Darlene came up the stairs and knocked. "Hello?"
    There wasn't any noise coming from inside. Since their return from St.