Chapter 6
And so they started, walking; It was a longer walk then they first thought, but they soon didn't mind. Well, not all of them minded.
"On the road again," sang Nate, suddenly and without warning, "I can't wait to get on the road again."
"Just a-walkin' with my gun and my two friends," sang Pandora, "I can't wait to get ON the road again."
"Stop…" said Shatner.
"On the road AGAIN!" sang Nate and Pandora together, "Where memories are made and drinkin' ain't a prioritay! With ym best of Friends, been thinking that Africa ain't so far away. It's my way."
"No…" said Shatner again, "That's NOT how that song goes… AT ALL!"
"…Second Verse, SAME AS THE FIRST!" sang Nate and Pandora together, "King Henry the Eighth I am, I-am. King Henry the eighth I am…"
"Oh my god, really?" burst Shatner finally, "It's the frickin' twelfth time! Can't you go back to 'I Spy' or some crap? Anything?"
"Don't saaaay, good-byyyeee!" sand Nate, leaning against Pandora, "Cuz I don't wanna hear those words, toniiiight! Cuz baby that's not the END for you and I!"
"I swear, I'm going to shoot you, I will this TIME!" said Shatner.
"I'd like to make myself believe," sang Pandora, softly, "That Planet Earth…. Turns….slow….ly…"
"And I can't find myself awake while I'm asleep…" continued Nate.
Shatner coughed something, loudly, and Nate glared at him.
"I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad…" sang Nate, "The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had… I find it-"
"Ok, NO!" yelled Shatner, stopping and turning around, pushing at Nate and Pandora, 'Stop, singing! Ok? No more, none, ZERO! No more singing, ok? No more of this frickin human Ipod CRAP!"
Nate and Pandora nervously looked at each other, then back at Shatner, who slowly breathed heavily and calmed himself back down.
" 'The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had'?" asked Shatner, "What the HELL kind of song is that?"
"I don't know," said Nate, "Want something happier?"
"NO! I don't want ANYTHING!" said Shatner, turning around and continue to walk.
"So, yeah, what kind of rifle is that anyways?" asked Shatner, pointing at Nate's gun.
"It's a FN Fal," answered Nate, "I believe a... Brazilian semi-auto."
"Why do you have a Brazilian Semi Automatic?" asked Shatner.
"I like the semi autos, dude," answered Nate, "Besides, I had a single shot, single barreled, twelve gauge shotgun but when I found this there was no compare."
"Huh," said Shatner, "You see, the problem I find with semi-autos and autos are that they're fun and all but I waste way too much ammunition. I find that I need to do everything efficiently. I like the bolt actions and pump shotguns for that reason."
"Uh-huh," answered Nate, watching Pandora trying to balance himself on one of the guard rails on the side of the road.
"I know there are situations when I'm going to hate that," said Shatner, continuing on, "But for the most part I think in times like these it would be way better to try and work together then be ready to fight at a moments notice."
Nate nodded his head, and looked out beyond the horizon. He thought a moment, and it was another 3-4 steps of silence before he spoke.
"But if you could have, like, any gun… ever… what would it be?"
"Like… for fun or for practicality or…" answered Shatner.
"Hell if I know," answered Nate.
"Well," said Shatner, "The AK-47 is considered one of the best weapons of our time for the amount of ammo it can use, the beating it can take, the power and accuracy that it has, and the multiple uses it can use. I think one of those would be nice. But the new M16A1 is pretty good itself, and is considered one of the BEST new weapons of our time."
"Uh-huh… not a bad choice, then," said Nate.
"And you?" asked Shatner.
"I want an M14," said Nate, nodding, "Get me one of those and I'll be ok. I have a soft spot for the M60 and M204SAW as well…"
"Those are heavy," said Shatner.
"I know… it's totally worth it," answered Nate, "I know odds are I never would but the idea of just going Rambo on some squad of Russians. YEAH!"
Nate imitated firing a machine gun from the hip with his rifle, and Shatner just shook his head.
"They'd gut you in a second," said Shatner, smiling.
"Wanna hear what I'd like?" asked Pandora.
"No," came from Nate and Shatner together, and they both smirked when they realized they had said it together.
"Jynx," said Nate, "Owe me a Dew…"
"You child…" answered Shatner, smiling to himself.
"Hey," asked Nate, looking towards Pandora, "Do you have a Zombie plan?"
"A zombie plan?" asked Shatner, looking questionably at Nate.
"Sure," said Pandora, "But it changes all the time, especially now."
"Oh," answered Nate.
"Are you being serious…. Hypothetical… or…" started Shatner, unable how to say anything.
"I'm not kidding around," said Nate.
"A Zombie plan? A real frickin' Zombie Plan?" asked Shatner, beginning to get a little snappy.
"Uh, yeah," said Nate, "A Zombie Plan. You know, when the living dead rise from their graves and try to feast on whoever's left of humanity."
"And… you seriously have a fully functional plan for this?" asked Shatner.
"Yeah, of course," said Nate, while Pandora nodded his head, "It's to keep us one step ahead of the unexpected Human Happy Meals."
"You're being serious," said Shatner, looking to Pandora, who nodded, "So… you have a plan?"
"Of course, I have a few," said Nate, "You see, after my stores had run out, and the dead began to rise, I would back up and head North, towards where Zurom lived. You see… way up north it's cold… and Zombies cannot produce body heat. So, a few days in Canadian wilderness and, blammo! Safe with Zurom."
"Uh-huh…" said Shatner, nodding his head a little, before turning to Pandora, "And you?"
Pandora blinked in surprise for a second before saying, "Well… mine was not as thought out as that. Mine mostly consisted of grabbing the nearest weapon and going Zombie-Hunting."
Shatner just shook his head, and continued walking, "You're all idiots. And you really believe in this crap?"
"Better to be overprepared then underprepared," replied Nate, beaming with a sense of importance.
"Ugh," said Shatner, rolling his eyes, "If you would've shot me back there…"
"So, tell me, before the war…" started Shatner, "Did you… have a girl or anything?"
'What?" said Nate, watching Pandora far off, jumping from car to car, "No… heh heh, I'm not that kind of guy, I guess."
"You're gay?" asked Shatner, taking a few involuntary steps away from Nate.
"No!" said nate, swinging out to hit him, "I just… was never the dating type, you know… no one ever really…"
Nate didn't have to continue, Shatner understood.
"Before all this… I had my eye on someone," said Shatner, staring up into the sky as he walked, "We took classes together, in DC. I was much like yourself, though, there was no way I was going to ask her out. Well… unless you add four cases of peer pressure, two beers, and $50 bet."
"So, what happened?" asked Nate.
"I never got a chance," said Shatner, "The next day, it was warnings, and then Boston was hit at the missiles started flying. Recruiters were here and there but it happened so fast… by the time anyone knew what to do, the war had consumed us all. I never really found out what happened to her."
"Damn," murmured Nate.
"I had a girl," said Pandora, "She's was lean, and fi-ine! I'm telling you, guys. It was the fith grade, and I totally knew right then that-"
"Shut up, Bailey," said Shatner.
"No one cares," said Nate.
Pandora puffed out his lower lip, but ceased talking for a while. They continued walking for another 15 minutes until anyone spoke again.
"Do you guys really not care?" asked Pandora.
"Of course we do," said Nate, "But, Beatle, you ruined the mood with your Middle school love… crap…. That's only crushes, that's not love."
"Maybe that's all Shatner had," said Pandora, as Shatner shot him an annoyed look, "Adult crush."
"Maybe," said Nate.
Shatner's face turned a little more angry and he began to walk faster, "I'm going to crush you BOTH if you don't stop talking."
"Are you serious?" asked Pandora, "Because, I'm serious, it was about the Eighth grade when I was-"
"Super Market," yelled Nate, suddenly, then he pointed and a smile spread across his face, "Land Ho!"
Nate, Shatner, and Pandora stood outside the super market. It had been left in obvious neglect, and many of the windows were bashed out, boarded up, or painted black. The front door was braced and boarded up, and no lights or signs of life could be seen from the inside.
Nate stared at it, without blinking. Pandora looked around nervous, and yet eager. Shatner kept scratching his head and looking awkwardly at the supermarket, and the parking lot surrounding it.
"You think they're still inside?" asked Pandora.
"Some of these cars have been stripped of parts and the like," said Shatner, examining the parking lot, "They could have fixed a vehicle or two and hit the road."
"There's only one way to find out," said Nate, smiling a little bit.
Shatner grabbed his shoulder, holding on tightly, "Now, Nate, Let's think this through. Remember, there might be people in there. Strange people, people who have deranged views on how this world has turned out."
"Or, there could be frightened Brits who would be thrilled beyond belief there are others alive out there," said Nate, smiling again, "Besides, we can't just leave. We have large needs that must be filled. Food, water, etc etc."
"You think after so long there'd still be things in there eatable?" asked Pandora, "Or not already eaten by the inhabitants?"
"We're not going to know until we look, am I right?" asked Nate, who smiled and took a few steps forward.
Shatner held him back, "Now hold on a minute, think a little bit, PLEASE."
Nate broke free of Shatner's grasp and walked up to one of the front doors, and began banging really hard on the boarded up doors.
"Ring, ring," yelled Nate, taking a few steps back from the door, raising his rifle to aim at the windows, "Room service!"
Shatner and Pandora raised their guns as well, and waited for any response. There was none, no movement or motion inside the storefront.
"Hello," yelled Nate again, "We come in peace. Is there anybody alive in there? Anybody at all?"
There was a pause, and no response continued to come from the super market.
"How about anybody dead?" yelled Pandora, "Is there any dead people in there?"
Shatner rolled his eyes, "Or wounded. What the HELL kind of question is that? Obviously they don't wish to answer."
"Or they aren't home," said Nate, taking a few steps forward again and grabbing ahold of some of the boards.
Before Shatner uttered a sound of protest, Nate began pushing and pulling on the large boards and plywood, trying to loosen some of them up. Nate took a step back in defeat, and observed the way they hammered in the nails and screwed in the screws. Shatner was about to smile when Nate took a few steps towards them, but without warning Nate turned and ran, full power, into the door, creating a very large ruckus and the sound of glass breaking and wood splintering could be heard.
Shatner rolled his eyes, and Nate smiled, pushing over some of the broken wood and getting enough off to aim his rifle inside the supermarket, looking around inside. Shatner and Pandora walked up and joined him.
"That was, smooth, that was REAL smooth," said Shatner.
"Shh, quiet," said Nate, observing the inside, and in seeing nothing, "Come on, keep your eyes peeled.
Nate ripped away the last few boards, and broke the last bid of glass so they could easily get inside the supermarket. Nate, Shatner, and then Pandora walked in, and looked around the Supermarket, sweeping it with their guns.
The super market was disserted at first glance. They could find nothing, much of the food and sweets had been stripped from the shelves, and light filtered down at odd places, casting some light in this dark place. Some beds, board games, and even trash was littered around the front counters, but otherwise no sign of life could be found.
"Clear," whispered Nate, "Move Up."
"What the… what are we? Black Ops now?" answered Shatner.
"Roger," whispered Pandora, who walked up slunked again one of the cash register counters, and carefully peered out from behind.
Shatner rolled his eyes as Nate moved forward as well, clearly clearing one isle to the next. Shatner began looking over the beds and game boards. Pandora followed Nate, keeping up the Spec-Ops agme until they reached the end of the isles.
"Clear!" yelled Pandora, making Nate jump a little.
"Damn, Beatle," said Nate, shaking his head, "And that's so what we think. Keep your eyes open. They could be out back, they could be hiding in the isles…. They could EVEN be hiding in the ceiling."
Nate slowly pointed upwards, and Pandora's eyes shot up, and his rifle slowly rose up to it as well. Shatner approached them from behind, completely relaxed.
"I don't think they just left, or ran away," said Shatner, "There's A LOT of dust on those blankets and game pieces. They moved out a LONG time ago."
"Uh-huh," said Nate, "Just our luck… or it's a TRAP. We should keep our eyes open."
'Yes we should," said Shatner, looking around, "Some of the none-perishables might still be here, we should see what we got and load up, then leave."
"Jackpot!" said Nate, his face lighting up, "Pepsi Products!"
Shatner watched as Nate ran up to a row of coolers. Different soda companies were on the side, and a variety of different sodas still sat inside, and the cooler lights were even still on.
"Wow," said Shatner, "I am really surprised."
"Dew… Dew… Dew…" said Nate to himself, "Pepsi products!"
Nate tried to open both the Pepsi coolers, which were locked shut. He tugged, before giving up and slamming the glass with all his might, shattering it open. He looked inside, and his smile disappeared. He moved around a lot of bottles, before slamming his fist down on the cooler.
"Pepsi?? There's only Pepsi!" said Nate, slowly getting angry.
"Yeah?" answered Pandora, "It IS a Pepsi cooler, duh."
Nate glared at Pandora, "No one can hear you scream out here, kid."
'What's with the whole… Dew fascination, huh? Captain Ahab?" said Shatner, "You hunt for it relentlessly. What was so good about Mountain Dew? Why not enjoy a Pepsi, or a Coke."
"Or a Sprite!" said Pandora, looking into another cooler, "Or an Orange Soda! Ah, WIN!"
Nate shook his head, "It's just that Mountain Dew is the most awesome and delicious thing ever CONCEIVED by man and it was my 'alcohol' through many a party."
"You never drank?" said Shatner.
"Never have, no need to," said Nate, "And… this Dew thing… It ain't over!"
"Let's get a crap and leave," said Shatner, sipping on a Coke, "Oh! It's cold!"
"Don't patronize me," said Nate, grabbing a few cokes and shoving them in his bag, "Now let's get some crap and go!"
"I don't remember the last one of these I had…" answered Pandora.
"A revelation, isn't it kid," said Nate, beginning down one isle and looking over the last food choices.
It wasn't long before they left the market, and made an agreement to keep their eyes open as they entered the city now. The city was in serious disrepair. Craters, car pileups, debris, and falling/fallen buildings everywhere. The once mighty sky scrapers now looked ghostly and hollow, and added to the spookiness to the city.
"Keep your eyes open… please," said Shatner, "I have a feeling there are DEFFINATLEY survivors in here, of SOME sort."
"They could've split up," said Nate, eyes scanning the building on either side of them.
"I'm not leaving anything to chance," said Shatner, carefully scanning the buildings.
They worked deeper into the city, careful where they stepped and who was where. Nate and Shatner both started getting paranoid half way through, and became jumping at the littlest things.
"Dang, they could be ANYWHERE!" burst Shatner suddenly, this is ridiculous. How do we know they aren't UP there?"
"I know, we could be ambushed at any second," said Nate, "We need a few people up inside the buildings."
"And one as bait? No, we all go together," said Shatner.
They got to the next traffic circle, and they headed to one of the side buildings that were still intact. A lot of the building had fallen, and it left only a small crack in which you could see inside, and the stairs leading to the other floors.
"This would have been supreme," said Nate, examining the hole, "But I don't think I can fit through, and making this bigger could collapse it all on the opening, or even bring down this whole building."
"I can fit," said Pandora, and without another word he lifted himself up and dived inside, rolling on the floor and scanning the room eagerly as he got up.
"Bailey!" called Shatner, reaching inside for a moment, but it was true Shatner NOR Nate were going to fit, "Get back out here, we'll find another WAY!"
"No, really guys, this is fine. If I get into trouble I'll call out," said Pandora, walking quickly through the building and scanning the room with his weapon.
"No, DON'T!" cried Shatner after him, as Pandora took off up the stairs, "We need to stay together, don't do this! Bailey!"
"Beatle, get back HERE!" yelled Nate as well, "You fool!"
"I knew it," said Shatner, giving up, "This was going to go bad."
"Let's find another way in and look for special agent man…" said Nate, continuing down the street.
Shatner followed him down, eagerly scanning the buildings for a way in.