The Early Days Trilogy: The Necrose Series Books 1-3

by Tim Moon

  Circling around the building at a crawl, the power steering groaned in protest when he finally turned into the side entrance of the parking lot.

  “Need something for your over-active bladder?” Anuhea asked.

  “Don’t you need some feminine hygiene products?”

  “Actually…”

  Ben made a face that made her laugh.

  He pulled up in front of the entrance, parking sideways so that the van’s sliding door faced the pharmacy doors. One tiny perk of the apocalypse was getting rock-star parking every time.

  “Looks safe enough,” Ben said.

  “Agreed.”

  Satisfied, Ben reached behind the seat for their empty backpacks. He handed one to Anuhea and then climbed out of the van. The door creaked so loudly that it echoed softly off the nearby buildings.

  Ben froze and looked around. He raised his eyebrows at Anuhea.

  “Not a great way to start,” Anuhea said with a hint of amusement.

  Rather than shut the driver’s door, Ben just left it open to avoid more noise and stalked forward with his rifle raised. He watched the darkened interior of the pharmacy as he stopped beside the entrance. Anuhea approached on the other side so they were flanking the doors.

  They both carried guns even though they were weapons of last resort. Firing even one shot would lure any infected within earshot to their position. Anyone alive that long knew it for a fact.

  However, they brandished the weapons as if they were going to use them. If they encountered zombies, they could simply beat them to death with the weapons rather than shoot them, or switch to a different weapon. If they encountered looters, or other survivors, then they would be ready to shoot. Or at least intimidate.

  Anuhea nodded at Ben to signal she was ready. He slung his rifle as she covered him, stepping forward and grabbing the electric sliding doors. His fingers dug into the seam between them and he heaved, his back muscles straining. They opened slowly; reluctantly, like a dog that knows you’re trying to put a pill in its mouth.

  Anuhea threaded the needle, moving quickly into the darkness. Ben gripped his rifle and followed. She had picked a smart line, past the cash registers towards the photo development center, which gave them a view down each aisle.

  Ben’s eyes adjusted slowly to dim light as they prowled the perimeter. The aisles were clear of any surprises. The store was a dream-come-true, untouched and fully stocked. He stopped for a moment and gazed around the store like Bilbo Baggins surveying Smaug’s horde of treasure. He beamed at all the medicine, supplements and snacks they would return home with.

  A hand on his shoulder pulled Ben from his reverie. Anuhea pointed to the back of the store. Other rooms still had to be cleared. He gave a nod and followed her lead.

  The first stop was the bathrooms which smelled like bleach with a hint of piss. Further down the short hallway, they found the administration office. It was locked so they moved on and pushed through plastic double-doors into the stockroom. Ben noted the dusty cardboard smell that reminded him of when he worked at an office supply store in high school.

  Anuhea let out a breath and relaxed a little. “We’re good to go.”

  “The actual pharmacy area is the last stop,” Ben said, leading the way.

  A memory flashed in his mind. Before moving to Korea with Ty, to teach English, Ben had shopped here to buy a few last-minute odds and ends. The store had been busy thanks to their great location. The contrast to that moment was stark. Now, Anuhea and Ben were alone, walking through the quiet, darkened aisles.

  The lack of people stung more than it had in Kona or Hilo, because this was his hometown. The loss felt personal. After all, this was his own backyard. Ben couldn’t help but wonder if any of his old friends were still around. Who had made it? Who had turned into infected?

  I hope I never have to find out, he thought, jaw clenching along with his fist.

  “Are you okay?” Anuhea asked, placing a hand on his arm.

  Ben flinched and found that he’d stopped in the aisle, caught up in his own thoughts.

  “I’m fine,” he said, taking a deep breath and continuing towards the pharmacy.

  Anuhea looked at him with concern but didn’t press for more.

  Shining his light into the pharmacy, through the pick-up window, Ben checked for unwanted surprises. All he saw were shelves filled with bottles and boxes of medication. No infected.

  “Ready when you are,” Ben said.

  She tested the door and to their surprise, it was unlocked and swung open easily. Ben led the way in, and they quickly moved through with ease as they had done so many times before.

  “All clear,” Ben said.

  “Let’s go shopping,” Anuhea said, jerking her thumb towards the main part of the store. “I’ll start out there. While you get what you need here.”

  “Okay,” he muttered as he scanned the shelves of medication. He leaned close to read the labels of a few boxes. None of the long technical names sounded familiar. This was going to be a pain in the ass, he realized.

  Ben heard Anuhea riffling through items on the shelves just outside the pharmacy. She had a list of things that Charlotte wanted for their medical supplies. There was no doubt she’d find a good portion of it right here. He marveled at how this place had gone untouched.

  Digging into one of his cargo pockets, Ben pulled out an important scrap of paper. He turned to face a window and held the paper to read the name of the thyroid medication his mom needed, levothyroxine.

  Since the electricity had gone out, it was almost as chilly inside the building as outside. That meant there was a good chance any insulin they had was still good. Thank goodness for that. If this had happened during summertime his mom would have been in a tougher spot.

  Scanning the shelves for levothyroxine was tedious. His mind began to drift. How long could he scavenge insulin for his mom? Without the daily injections, his mom would become ill and could potentially slip into a coma and die. Thyroid medication could be a problem over the long-term as well. The pills didn’t expire as quickly as insulin did, but it was another issue they had to deal with.

  One thing at a time, he reminded himself.

  Ben took a break from searching the shelves to stretch out. As he rolled his head to ease the tension in his neck, he spotted the refrigerated case where they would normally keep the insulin. Rushing to the case, he scowled at the thick padlock that gleamed silver in the light of the window.

  Once again, Ben was on a mission to find keys. Unlike the Army’s Humvee in Kona, he knew for a fact it required a key. Thinking back on what they had gone through, it seemed impossible to have survived it all.

  He began searching for the key at the counter where the pharmacists dispensed medication. On the counter were a pair of computers. Their darkened screens were ominous, like the eyes of the infected. Ben avoided looking at them and reached underneath the counter to rummage through the desk drawers.

  As expected, he found pencils, rubber bands, sticky notes and random office supplies that they didn’t need. Ben opened and closed drawer after drawer, fighting the urge to slam each one shut. Instead, he gritted his teeth and moved on to the next one. Inside the next drawer he opened were reams of printer paper. To the left of the computer, he found another set of drawers. Anxiety grew in his chest, tightening it like a vice grip. There were no keys.

  Nothing can ever be easy. Can it?

  He thought about smashing the lock or finding something to pry it open but dismissed the idea since it would be so loud. The store might have a crowbar or some tool that he could use. That would be quieter than smashing it. A saw would take forever and was impractical.

  A few minutes later, Ben gave up the search. He would check other stores first and if nothing panned out, he could come back and spend the time sawing the thing open. For now, he turned his attention back to hunting down thyroid medicine.

  Dozens and dozens of medications lined the shelves. It was one of several times
that Ben missed having internet access. Some of these could be very useful antibiotics or pain medications, but he’d never know it. Next time he would have to bring Charlotte.

  He did recognize one label. It was the strongest medication he’d ever used. After a back injury from weight lifting, he’d been prescribed Tylenol 3 with codeine. He skipped it. There was no point taking potentially addictive drugs such as codeine and Vicodin. Their survival would only be compromised if someone began abusing them.

  Finally, after what felt like hours, Ben found levothyroxine pills and loaded up his backpack. Satisfied with his haul, he left the pharmacy to find Anuhea and see what she’d been able to gather. The store was oddly quiet. He stopped and listened.

  Did she go out to the van?

  “Hey, where are you?” he whispered. Anuhea was inside somewhere. If she jumped out to scare him, Ben was going to give her a piece of his mind. His heart began to race. He raised his rifle and crept forward to search for her. If zombies had attacked, he would have heard something, and he didn’t really think she’d play a joke on him.

  Ben’s shoes squeaked softly on the floor. There was a muffled sound. He paused to listen. The hairs on his neck stood up, something wasn’t right. He heard the swish of a jacket and another muffled sound, like someone trying to talk with a hand over their mouth.

  Adrenaline spurred Ben towards the front of the store. He stopped at the edge of an aisle and peeked around. Three men stood back lit by the front doors. The man in the middle held Anuhea and was flanked by the other two who aimed their guns in his direction when they noticed him.

  “What the fuck?” Ben said.

  “Drop the gun, asshole,” one of the men said.

  “Don’t try to be a hero,” another one quipped.

  He couldn’t believe what he saw. Three men had gotten the drop on Anuhea. She was a tough fighter and great shot. A split second after that thought crossed his mind a chill raced down his spine. If they were good enough to ambush her, they likely outstripped his meager skills as well.

  Gritting his teeth again, Ben glared at the men. He couldn’t give up. Not after what they’d been through. Ben aimed at the head of the guy hiding behind his friend.

  “I said drop it,” the man on the left said.

  The man holding Anuhea took his hand away from her mouth and pointed at Ben. “Don’t even think about it. You put the gun down or we’ll kill this bitch.”

  “Don’t do it,” Anuhea snapped.

  “Shut your mouth, bitch.” The man tightened his grip around her neck and pressed the blade of his knife against her skin, eliciting a wince of pain.

  Ben kept his aim as steady as he could. With one guy on either side, he knew he could shoot one, possibly two if their reactions were slow. It would be risky though.

  The thought of losing Anuhea sent a jolt of pain through his heart. He glanced at her, and she mouthed something to him. At first, Ben wasn’t sure what she was trying to say. Anuhea mouthed it again slowly.

  It clicked, and he gave her a slight nod.

  The man on the left said, “What are you nodding about? Ricky, did you see that? She was saying something to him.”

  “Don’t use my name, idiot,” the man named Ricky said from behind Anuhea.

  Ben glared at the man and his finger twitched ever so slightly on the trigger. He wanted to shoot him so bad. The only thing keeping Ben from doing it was the knife pressed against Anuhea’s neck.

  Then the decision was made for Ben when the man on his right moved suddenly, taking a large side-step to flank him. Ben dropped to one knee, turning as he did. He took a hasty aim at the man’s chest and squeezed the trigger three times.

  At the same time, Anuhea flew into motion. She slammed her palm into the elbow of the arm around her neck, popping the man’s arm overhead, as she dropped all her weight, allowing her to slip underneath before the man could react. Anuhea spun around, head-butted him square on the nose and then kneed him in the groin. A stunned expression was frozen on Ricky’s bloodied face as he tipped over backward to the ground, gasping for air.

  The third guy had totally frozen. His mouth dropped open in shock.

  Ben swiveled back the other way. He had to traverse more than forty-five degrees to get a bead on the last man. A shotgun blast boomed overhead. He heard the shelf behind him come apart as his instincts made him flinch away. He lost balance and flopped to the ground, squeezing off a few rounds as he went down, hoping to get lucky.

  He did. Although two rounds missed, one smacked into the man’s leg, just above the knee. The dude crumpled to the ground in a blink. Ben scrambled back to his feet, grimacing. He had struck his elbow on the ground when he tipped over. The least funny bone had smashed into the tile floor and left his hand was numb and the joint was tingling.

  Ben looked down at the scene as he flexed his hand to work out the numbness. All three of the troublemakers were down. One was dead. One was still curled up, clutching his man bits. The third sat on the floor, howling in pain and horror at the blood pulsing out of his leg. It oozed between his fingers and dripped on the floor in an ever-widening puddle.

  “Shut up,” Anuhea said, kicking him in the face.

  His hands flew up to clutch his nose and a sob escaped his lips. Blood gushed from his nose, covering the front of his jacket. More leaked from his leg. The screaming turned into a dull groan.

  Ben kicked away the man’s shotgun and turned to Anuhea. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Watch him,” Ben said, gesturing to the man bleeding out.

  Ben was mad at himself for not thinking to at least shut the front door after they had cleared the place. An ambush in a place like this seemed so obvious now. Almost inevitable. That mistake could have cost their lives. Only sheer luck kept them alive. The weight of that realization bore down on Ben like a ton of bricks.

  Scum like these men, were left for people like Ben to eliminate. He wouldn’t play Russian roulette with his friend’s safety. These guys had crossed a line by grabbing Anuhea. He wouldn’t run away from this as they had in Hilo.

  Nope. Ben and his people were here to stay. He walked over to the guy clutching his nuts; the one who had held Anuhea. The guy looked up at him, pain etched on his face. Hatred burned in his eyes. Without hesitation, Ben shot him in the head.

  Anuhea slapped his arm. “What the hell, Ben? What are you doing?”

  “I can’t let it happen again,” Ben said. “Assholes like this, we let them go, and they’ll come right back at us. Just like on Hilo. I’m not going to risk losing anyone else to these pieces of shit.”

  Anuhea stared at him with sad eyes.

  Maybe she understood, maybe she didn’t. Only time would tell.

  Ben turned away from the body and walked over to the first guy he’d shot. He was face down in a pool of blood, but Ben wanted to be sure he was done. Turning the body over, he was pleased to see that all three shots had stitched him from the gut to the left shoulder.

  Tic-tac-toe, motherfucker.

  He still placed two fingers along the guy’s neck to feel for a pulse. Nothing.

  The last survivor clutched his leg, letting blood drip from his nose. He watched Ben approach with wide eyes.

  “Anyone else with you guys?” Ben asked.

  The guy couldn’t seem to find his voice, so he merely shook his head no.

  “Is there anyone outside waiting to ambush us?”

  The man glanced at the two of them. Tears streamed from his eyes and spit dribbled off his lip onto his shirt.

  “Answer me,” Ben said with a growl.

  “No.” He shook his head. “There’s no one outside.”

  “Where did you guys come from?”

  The man spit out a mouthful of blood onto the tile. “I don’t know.”

  “How do you not know?” Anuhea asked.

  The man shook his head and gave a weak shrug.

  “Here’s how this works,” Ben said, narrowing his e
yes. “We ask, and you answer. Don’t play games. Don’t jerk us around.”

  He shifted his rifle sideways on its sling and pulled out his pocket knife. He wasn’t sure that he could stomach torturing the man, so he hoped a simple threat would work. The man’s eyes followed Ben’s hand and widened when he saw the knife.

  “I don’t know, okay? I don’t know where we stayed,” he begged.

  Ben raised the blade in front of his face. A whimper escaped the man’s quivering lips. Before he threatened to cut the guy, Ben reached over towards the injured leg. He paused with his hand over the gunshot wound.

  “Tell me honestly. How many people are in your group and where do they live?”

  “I’m not from here. I don’t know the address. I probably couldn’t find my way back. Please don’t hurt me. This is my first time scavenging with these guys, I swear.”

  “How many are in your group?” Ben repeated.

  The man bit his lip and wavered.

  Ben pointed the knife blade at the guy’s face. “I’m not playing around.”

  “Seventeen back at home,” he gasped.

  “Any other groups out scavenging?” Anuhea asked.

  The man shook his head again. “We have twenty in all, if you count us.”

  “Does your group know about us?” Ben motioned to him and Anuhea. “Or any other survivors?”

  “No.”

  Ben slapped the man’s leg with the back of his hand. “Don’t lie to me, man.”

  His scream was so loud that Ben quickly cupped his hand over the guy’s mouth. A few seconds later when the screams subsided he removed his hand.

  “I’m not, I’m not lying,” the guy said, panting. Sweat glistened on his brow like Christmas lights. “Trust me. We didn’t know there were any other survivors. You were the first we’ve seen.”

  “So, why did you attack us?” Ben asked.

  “It was Ricky’s idea. He thought you’d be easy prey, and maybe a little fun.” He glanced up at Anuhea. “I told him he was being stupid. He doesn’t listen for shit though.” Sweat trickled down his cheek as he tried to force a smile. It looked more like a grimace. “I guess it’s too late for I told you so.”