The Living Dead Boy (The Living Dead Boy #1)(20)

“See you on the bus, kids,” Derrick said, giving them an encouraging smile.

The store was very big with a large empty space inside the entry for incoming foot traffic. The walls were decorated in Texas flags, wagon wheels, blue bonnets, and fake tumbleweeds. The main walkway led directly to the restrooms with a cowboy and a cowgirl over each entrance. There was a separate room with showers for traveling truck drivers. To both sides of the entrance were aisles with food, souvenirs, clothing with Texas themes, and various other supplies. The right side of the back wall had soda fountains along with coffee, sweet tea, and ice cream dispensers. The left wall was one long line of refrigerators filled with drinks. The two checkouts at the front of the store were unmanned, the counters stacked with boxes filled with plastic bags. Josh noticed that maybe a quarter of the food and drinks were already gone. Probably the evacuation groups in front of them had taken the stuff.

Josh’s thoughts turned to the people fleeing San Antonio stuck behind the barricade the night before. Where were they? Had they driven in circles all night, too? Were they somewhere on the road behind the convoy he was in?

Unease filled him as he wondered.

The pile of burning zombie bodies haunted him.

What if more zombies had showed up after the convoy had turned onto the highway? What would have happened to all the people in the cars waiting in that long line?

“Josh, hurry up! Don’t lag behind!” Savannah called out as she ushered the kids across the empty store. In the corner, a beer sign flickered on and off. “Drake and Oscar can come with me into the girl’s restroom. Boys, you hurry and meet me out here.”

Sam didn’t need any more encouragement. He ran into the restroom.

“I’m with him!” Troy followed, his sneakers squeaking on the floor.

“No, I want to go with Josh,” Drake said firmly. “I’m a boy. Not a girl.”

“Me, too!” Oscar chimed in. “I’m a boy!”

“Drake, you should stay with me,” Savannah answered. “I promised your dad–”

Josh was about to burst a leak, but he knew it was best to go along with Drake’s demands or things would devolve into a drawn out drama. “I’ll take him.”

With a sigh, Savannah relinquished her hold on Oscar and Drake’s hands. “Okay, but hurry, Josh. This place is going to be packed with people really soon.”

The bell over the door chimed as another group entered.

Josh took hold of the younger boys’ arms and tugged them into the Men’s Restroom. “I got it covered, Savannah.”

The old man was drying his hands when Josh rushed past him and shoved Drake into the nearest stall. “You go here, and, Oscar, you go in the next one.”

“I need help,” Drake protested.

“I can do this by myself. I’m a big boy,” Oscar said, and slammed the stall door shut. The lock clicked into place.

“You boys better hurry up,” the old man said before the restroom door swung closed behind him.

“Why does everyone keep telling us that? We know!” Sam exclaimed from a stall down the row.

“Dude, no talking. I’m trying to go here,” Troy responded from another stall.

“I’m the baby. Help me, Josh,” Drake said.

With a grunt, Josh shoved Drake into the stall and helped him with his pants. It was the worst kind of torture to have to stand with his back to his brother holding the stuffed dinosaur, and feel his body demanding release. It seemed to take forever.

Finally, Drake announced he was done and they switched positions. Drake didn’t keep his back turned, but stared at his older brother the whole time while clinging to Rex. Josh tried to ignore him, but it was hard. Drake’s big blue eyes seemed to latch onto him like some sort of anchor.

“Turn around. I can’t go with you watching,” Josh ordered.

“No. I’m scared.”

“Please, Drake?”

“No.”

“If you do, I’ll make sure you get chocolate milk.”

Drake pouted, but swiveled around slowly.

Josh had never been so relieved to use the toilet in his life.

By the time the brothers exited, more boys were lining up for the urinals and stalls. It was clear his dad had given the handicap and elderly people a little more time before having everyone enter the truck stop. Things were getting crowded fast.

After supervising Drake and Oscar washing and drying their hands, Josh caught sight of Troy and Sam waiting near the restroom exit. He and the two little boys hurried over to join them.

“Took you long enough,” Troy chided him.

More men pushed past them, anxious to get into the already crowded bathroom.

“Sorry. Drake and I had to share a stall.”

Troy scowled. “And I thought my brother was bad.”

“Your brother is dead,” Sam said helpfully.

“I know, Sam,” Troy snapped, frowning.

“Sorry,” Sam said, and it was clear he meant it.

“Savannah and Corina are already getting stuff to eat and drink. We need to hurry.” Troy spun about and marched into the main part of the store.

“I think he’s mad at me.” Sam sighed.

Josh was about to point out it was because Sam had said something dumb, but realized he should give Sam a break. “He lost all his family.”