The First Days (As the World Dies #1)(10)

Katie motioned to his phone. "Does that work?"

He blinked, not expecting that response. "No, because we are in hicksville and there is no signal."

Katie slightly nodded. "Or the world has gone to hell and the city is in ruins. Doesn't anyone listen to their radio anymore?"

"Look, bitch, I make a six figure salary. I don't have time for radio or TV.

I dictate letters that will bring in millions of dollars a year when I'm on the road. I work constantly. I am a busy man. My time is money. I am money. I have a meeting in one hour in the city and I'm running late thanks to your stupid friend here and that damn truck."

Katie laughed in his face. "Well, buddy, hate to tell you this, but the world is over. The city is in ruins and you aren't going to make that meeting and you're not going to get a signal. Your six figures means nothing now."

The businessman moved toward her and towered over her obviously trying to intimidate her.

Katie looked up at him, her eyes cool, her jaw set.

"I don't deal with crazy people. And no one talks to me like that," he hissed.

"She does." There was an audible cha-chung! as Jenni raised the shotgun and cocked it. Her eyes were dangerous.

The businessman stumbled backwards. "You people are crazy."

"If you go into the city, you're the crazy one. You'll die. Something has gone wrong. People have gone insane and are killing each other. We barely escaped."

The man shook his head at Katie's words and backed up to the door. His eyes were wide and unbelieving.

"You're crazy psycho redneck bitches!"

Katie looked at Jenni and they both started laughing.

That was enough. The businessman ran out, narrowly avoided the back end of the truck pulled up to the doors, and ran to his Mercedes. Katie noticed he held onto his coffee and that made her laugh all the more.

"You really need to put that gun away or I will call the police!" The teenager finished bagging the latest batch of food and supplies and slid it across the counter.

"Will you really?" Katie arched an eyebrow.

The boy ducked his head and mumbled.

"Thought so."

She grabbed up several bags and headed out the door. They needed to load up the truck and head out as soon as possible. She felt too exposed and too vulnerable. Jack gazed at her solemnly through the back window and let out a tiny woof.

"We're hurrying," she assured him.

Jenni slung some bags in and ran back into the store. Katie followed and grabbed more bags. A few more trips and their stockpile looked pretty healthy in the back of the truck bed. Jenni huffed past her lugging several gallons of water and Katie walked back into the store as her gaze flicked briefly toward the road.

Still empty.

"You need to sign your receipt."

Would he never stop being annoying? Katie sighed and walked over and signed the receipt. It had to be at least three feet long.

"I will never pay this. The bill will never arrive. You need to understand this," she said to him.

"Look, I just want you to leave before my manager gets here, okay?"

There was a loud squealing noise outside and Jack began to bark fiercely. Katie whirled around to see a car nearly clip the truck and slam into the side of the building. The walls shuddered and the glass windows cracked.

From the steaming wreckage, a young woman, in the same color smock as the irritating cashier, stumbled out gripping an older man about the waist.

He was barely on his feet and it took all her strength to carry him. He was covered in blood.

"Mr. Carver! Rachel," the boy ran past Katie and out the door to meet them.

Jenni looked at Katie and their eyes met.

Jack's barking was frantic now.

"We're out of here!"

Katie ran after Jenni and they both swung open the doors to the truck cab.

There was a scream of agonizing pain, then the boy's voice said, "Mr.

Carver! Mr. Carver! Get off of her!"

Katie slammed her door shut and started the truck. Jenni was still standing outside the truck, watching, transfixed as Mr. Carver took another large bite out of Rachel's spurting throat.

"Just run!" Katie shouted at the boy as loud as she could to be heard over the dog's barking.

The boy finally listened to her and ran for his car. He fumbled with his pocket to get out his keys.

Mr. Carver now had Rachel down on the ground and was biting at her savagely as her body convulsed.

Jenni slid into the cab and shut the door, locked it, and looked at Katie.

Katie shifted gears and drove. She glanced into the rear view mirror to see a bloodied, resurrected-Rachel and Mr. Carver now in pursuit of the boy whose name tag she never noticed. He ran as fast as he could away from the gas station down into the valley behind the building.

"You did tell him," Jenni said finally.

Katie turned onto the highway.

"Yeah, I did."

"Coffee?" Jenni motioned to the cup holder fastened to the dashboard.

Two cups of steaming coffee sat there.

"Yeah, sounds good."

They drove on.





2. A Taste of the Dead World





Sometimes the world changes and you don't even notice. One day slips into the next and subtly the world around you transforms. A new building goes up. A tree is cut down. Your neighbors move out. The potholes in your street are repaired. A new elected official takes office. You gain five pounds.