Chapter 02

    Celie said I should never run, but Celie never had some little girl shouting at her.  I run as fast as I can, leaping over bodies and twisting in the air so I land right.  My only hope is to reach the store before the zombies can get me and somehow barricade myself in.
    A zombie comes into the street just ahead of me and I twist at the last moment.  My footing is off and I slam to the ground.  The zombie groans.  He reaches down for me and I can’t help it, I scream.  I kick up at it and slam my foot into its stomach.  I hit it three times and finally back it off.  I jump up. 
    There are now ten zombies behind me and two more are coming around the nearest corner.  If the stupid little girl has kept yelling, I can no longer hear it.  I leap over the next two bodies, put on a burst of speed and reach the convenience store.
    “Thank God thank God thank God.”
    But I haven’t thought about how to get in without letting all the zombies in too.  Crap.  If I smash the window, they’ll come right in.   
    Then I just pull on the handle.  It opens easily.
    “Thank you thank you thank you,” I shut the door and immediately look for something to block it.  A few feet away is one of those newspaper shelves.  I push it over, and it’s high enough to block half the door.  Hopefully that will discourage them.
    However, the entire front of the store is glass.  I run to the back, drop to hands and knees, and peak around one aisle, hoping it’ll cover me.  I watch the glass front.
    I stay still, sucking air and watching for the zombies.  Slowly, I see one come to the door.  It pushes on the door.  I clench one fist and open it, grabbing for air repeatedly.  The zombie pushes with both palms flat against the glass.  The newspaper stand holds.  The zombie steps back and shuffles on.
    I breathe out and put both hands back on the floor.  One hand slips from the sweat.  A small noise escapes me.  I check to see if anything heard, but it looks like I’m okay.
    I collapse to the floor and then I’m shaking all over like I’m really cold.  I try to stop but I just can’t.  I close my eyes.  This is worse than any horror movie I’ve ever seen.  I use to have this ritual after watching a horror movie – racing up to my room, barricading the door and jumping into bed.  I’d watch the room until I fell asleep, and when I woke the next day everything would be okay.
    I keep waiting for everything to be okay, but it still hasn’t happened.
    After a while my shivering stops.  I shift my head, and look out the window, watching as zombies pass like ships slowly sailing by.  None of them tries the door.  I don’t know if it’s because only one of them saw me go in, or if they’re smart enough to figure out that they can’t get in that way. 
    I move and a zombie’s head flips my way.  I freeze.  This one must be hungry because it comes right up to the plate glass.  I hold my breath and don’t move, even when my nose starts to itch.
    The zombie, a man with shaggy hair, just stares into the window.  He looks lost.  Then, eventually, one foot turns to the right and the rest of the body follows.  He starts his shuffle again, and eventually disappears.
    I watch the zombie parade for another ten minutes, until I no longer see any of them.  Now I can finally get food.  I’m on the aisle with oil and other crap for cars, so I’ve got to go around to the next row.  I crawl on hands and knees and peek around the corner when I reach the end.  Everything still looks clear so I zip around the corner, and then I’m in heaven. 
    I’ve found an entire row of candy.  Someone’s been in here –there are a few candy bars on the floor - but it hasn’t been ransacked.  I crawl forward and grab a Snickers.  I sit on my legs, tear open the bar, and bite into luscious chocolate.  My stomach growls as if it knows it’s about to get food.  I almost close my eyes it tastes so good.  I finish the whole thing in under a minute and then I’m thirsty.  I go back to the row of drinks, where the colas just happen to be on the top row.  I glance at the window and see nothing, so I decide to risk it. 
    Slowly, I slide up the glass, stopping when I reach my full height.  I open the door and grab a cola, keeping my eyes on the front glass window.  I shut the glass door, slowly open the soda and take a drink.
    It tastes really good.  Warm, but good.  I’m mid-drink when something plows into me.

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