Finding Eden Read Free Page B

I realized I was hallucinating. I tore the backpack from my shoulders and pulled out a water bottle and downed half of it.
    “Shit,” I hissed. I needed to pay more attention, not to mention I was quickly losing grip of my sanity. I reminded myself that I was the only one here. Maybe I was the only one left in the entirety of California. It wouldn’t have surprised me in the least.
    By the time I reached the exit, I was down to one water bottle and I felt as if it was already in the form of sweat on my skin. I could vaguely see the outline of the gas station under the moonlight. For the most part, it seemed to be still upright.
    I was tempted to open my other water bottle, but I stopped myself and repeated the mantra in my head over and over again. I quickly forgot about my thirst as I reached the gas station. Thankfully, it was indeed still standing, but it looked ancient, like it had been abandoned for a hundred years. The earthquakes, from what I could tell, must not have completely affected it. The wood looked sun-bleached and the huge Texaco sign was lopsided above the entrance. The colors were faded and the whole building looked like it would fall to ground if the earth even jolted a little.
    I took a deep breath and pushed at the door with my foot. It didn’t budge. I found a large rock nearby and threw it at the door; it immediately shattered. The sound was foreign and frightened me. I wasn’t used to loud noises.
    I was hesitant at first, but I shook off the foreboding feel of the situation and stepped through the demolished entrance. I shined my flashlight around the tiny store and everything was as it should have been. Some things were knocked over, probably from tremors, but no looters had made it this far; it was as expected. I made a beeline to the candy aisle. I grabbed a chocolate bar and watched as it flattened in my hand. The sweet confection inside was completely liquefied. I put it back. It was a stupid idea anyway; I shouldn’t waste any pack space on something as trivial as candy, so I grabbed a few packs of gum and some hard, butterscotch-flavored candy. I could die tomorrow, I decided. I might as well live it up for the time being.
    I could feel my glands convulse as I set my eyes on the chip rack. I swallowed as I found my barbecue chips. I was tempted to sit down and eat an entire bag there, but I knew it would only waste time; the salt content would result in a stronger thirst for water. I stuffed a few snack-sized bags in my pack, along with some sour cream and onion flavored ones. Unable to stop myself, I threw in a couple small bags of cookies, which I was sure were horribly stale. I couldn’t forget the Twinkies either. I walked over to the refrigerated section, which obviously didn’t work, so I didn’t bother taking anything but a few water bottles. I’d come back for the rest another day. What little space I had left in my bag, I stuffed with toothpaste, first aid items, tampons, and other much needed miscellaneous items.
    Without warning, the light on my flashlight flickered a few times before dying altogether. As I cursed and reached for a spare battery, I saw a shadow pass by a window on the other side of the store. I quickly put the flashlight into its holder on my belt as I crouched down between the candy and first aid shelves. This time I knew for a fact that I wasn’t hallucinating. I could hear the footsteps and the crunch as the person stepped on the broken shards of glass. They were heavy footfalls. I immediately assumed it was a man and I placed myself on guard. I slid my knife out by its handle and tightly wrapped my fingers around it, fully gripping it. In deep concentration, I bit down on my bottom lip. I heard something unzip. He was filling his own pack with supplies. I knew if I just kept quiet and hidden, he would just go about his business and leave; there wouldn't have to be trouble.
    I heard him grow closer. I was discrete as I moved around the end of the aisle.