70

Unlike every time the children of our world had been in the local store or the countless stores just like it, the exterior doors didn't whoosh open to greet them and there wasn't an old geezer handing out smiles and hellos at the entrance. Instead, they found the smaller side door used for emergencies.

Billy pushed on it carefully, checking it to see if it was unlocked. To their surprise, the door pushed in slightly.

"Doesn't look like it was busted open," Hope said.

"No, and there's no broken glass anywhere. They must have just left it open."

"Why?"

Billy thought for a minute, then smiled. "Maybe the last guy whose job it was to close up forgot? The Zs came and he forgot. All this time … no one looted it."

The smile wasn't because he could imagine someone going off their rocker but that Hope had no idea what minimum-wage even was let alone someone having a 'job' they despised. As they pushed their way inside, Billy wondered if the door had ever really been used. It was heavy. Maybe, he thought, I'm just weak from being beside someone who could tear it off it's hinges with less effort?

They manoeuvred through a half-emptied rack of buggies. When they got to the front of the line where the main entrance of the store really was, Billy told Hope that they both needed their own buggy. Ash had been kind letting them pillage while getting Sean.

Noisily, the two tried to separate a couple buggies that seemed like they'd been welded together. The unavoidable clanging made Billy nervous. He expected to be attacked at any second, but nothing happened. After their buggies were finally separated, the building returned to uncomfortable silence.

This part of the store was still well lit from the windows near the entrance. Billy watched anxiously for any signs of life deeper inside the store, but the shadows took over near the check-out registers. Beyond that it was pitch black. Billy listened for activity, scuffling feet, anything. Instead, he was struck by the shear silence like the curtain of darkness was some membrane through which light and sound couldn't pass. He imagined a different world on the other side.

"What should we get first?" Hope asked. "Will Ash and them mind us taking some stuff? Don't we have to ask Fallback?"

Billy shooshed her. "Be quiet."

"Why?" Hope said in an obligatory whisper.

"Just because no one has attacked us outside doesn't mean this whole place is empty." He replied "Ash said they didn't sweep yet this week."

Hope rolled her eyes as she had clearly said what was or wasn't in here but saw that for some reason Billy needed to be a jackass. Fine.

Billy led the way, but he soon realized how difficult it was to push a buggy while holding a light and a handgun.

Finally, after a few awkward configurations, Billy resigned to place his gun on the little kid-seat near the handle. He told himself he would be disciplined, keeping the pistol no more than a step away.

They searched aimlessly at first, walking through the produce section and not seeing anything that excited them.

Further down, Billy spotted what he'd hoped to find, canned meat of all kinds. Billy decided they'd hit the jackpot with this aisle. Spam may not sound delightful, especially to people older than them. But to the two knew the extended shelf life on this product made the stuff calorie dense, salt ridden, preservative packed cans and boxes of awesomeness.

Billy started selecting different meats by the handful, two or three at a time. Then, as if he became conscious of their situation, he liberally scooped them into his buggy by the dozens. It would have been unadulterated fun if it wasn't for the noise. The metal cans clanged and chattered against the wire buggy like poorly tuned tines.

He cringed hoping it didn't attract unwanted attention. Billy heard Hope's buggy pull up behind him. Of course, she had picked the one with a squeaky wheel.

"So, what's left?"

"I don't know … you see anything he might have wanted?" Billy asked "what did he go for?"

Over here" she motioned and began to push the cart "This way. Billy? What would he want a … what is a siphoning hose…"

"A hose to suck gas out of other cars for when we run out. Pours it into a gas tank."

"Do you think they even sell stuff like that?" Hope asked. "I mean, the hoses and stuff."

"Alright, come on. Let's get this over with," Billy said as he wheeled his cart toward the end of the aisle.

"I wanna look for toys"

"Sure. Fine. We'll meet back right here…" Billy shined his light up at the sign, "in front of check-out number six.

You know where to look?"

"Yep," Hope answered quickly, already with her back turned squeaking away toward the aisle that had the flashlights, fire starters, charcoal, and other assorted goodies.

Billy started to really shop. Remembering vaguely his mother letting him push the trolley like a big boy. Wow. He remembers the smell of her.

Toilet paper—another flash of insight. Luckily, he was close by that aisle. He took a detour and grabbed a small pack.

One down, one to go, he thought as he wheeled out of the aisle.

He hoped Hope was lucky and had found some big beam flashlights, maybe even those that take the lantern six-volt batteries. They could come in handy, especially out on the highway.

Billy looked over toward the other end of the store where Hope should be. He watched the ceiling and could see a flicker of light occasionally bounce off. She was still there, he thought.

As Billy approached the gardening section, he saw what he was after. Seeds.

Just as he started to change his mind, he heard the distinct sound of glass shattering followed by Hope's roar of challenge.

Sean's faint cry of fear in another part of the store also unexpected.

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Those asking … Ash and his family tried to fit in, were part of Fallback and tried Stronghold in the winter but it did not appeal to them. Too long on the road on their own I guess. They now hold the first outpost, the small township that separates their valley from the rest of the world to the North. He has a small band of men and their families who choose to live the old ways without Tosh's help. A CB Radio to communicate with Stronghold is all they seem to want or need.

They agreed to politely let them go. The vote was unanimous.

Now they barter with the two Domes, their fresh meat and preserves wonderful. Especially their goat's cheese that Jack loves. Meretrixvilis and I thought it was time we started spreading the love a bit … so many lives … bound to be splintering into little societies sooner or later right?