Old Navy: A Zombie Story (part 2)

Disclaimer:  This is a work of fiction. The events that take place are for entertainment purposes ONLY.  This was written very quickly.

And now….

Before Noon Presents

Old Navy: A Zombie Story

Part 2

The Back Room

After Aaron and Madeline race into the Men’s stock room Aaron grabs the door from Josh.  Madeline wipes the bits of Zombie off of her. Aaron just leans against the door hoping his heart does not pound though his chest.  The pounding so hard he does not feel the pounding coming from the other side of the door.

Josh asks “What the hell was that”

Jason replies “I think your worst fears have come true.”

Josh “No.”

Jason “Zombies. The store was just over run with Zombies.”

Aaron catches his breath, “how many of us made it?

“Well.” Scott looks around.  He sees that Caroline, Anne and Lauren made it. Nick, Patrice and Erica helped Shawn into the back room after he hit his head trying to save Andy. Madeline and Aaron just came though the door Jason and Josh where some of the last ones in. Oh and of coarse himself. “There are about twelve of us so far.”

Patrice looks around. “Damn is every one OK.”

Shawn moans, “Degobah…Yoda…Degobah system…”

Patrice continues, “Ok is every one else besides Shawn Ok.”

“I’ll go get Shawn some ice.” Anne says. She goes over to a cooler full of Coke and Diet Coke. Grabs a hand full of ice looks around for a bag. “Damn it.” She splashes the ice back in to the cooler walks over to the stacks of boxes holding the poly bags yanks one down, rips it open goes back to the cooler fills the bag and helps Shawn with the ice.

Patrice runs to the office and tries to dial 9-1-1. No answer. She hangs up this time a busy signal. “Damn” She slams the phone down.

Scott walks around the corner. “Patrice, was any one there?”

“No.” she answers.  

“Huh, so I guess that we’re just on our own then?”

“Yeah.”

“Jason and Josh are checking the other doors to make sure that they are not open.”

“Good.”

“Madeline and Erica moved Shawn to the couch. He seems to be doing better. I think he was more shook up by seeing Andy get ripped apart than the bump on his head.”

“Ok.” Patrice just stairs at the phone.

“Patrice?”

“Yeah, what?” She just has her head in her hands with her elbows on the desk. Still starring at the phone.

“Did you hear any of that at all?” Scott starts to get a little worried about her.

“Josh and Jason are checking the doors. And Shawn seems to be fine.” She just sits there silent as a mouse and is rocking a bit.

“Ok, we will be out here if you need us.”

Scott walks out of the office and every one stands with a can of soda-pop or a bottle of water in there hand. No one is drinking. No one is talking.  The only sounds come from the rain and the hum of the machines.  Nick is trying to get the TV to work.  There is a rerun of Friends is on, it’s the one where Ross is a fake host of a game show type game between the team of Chandler and Joey and the team of Monica and Rachel over who gets the ‘good’ apartment. But nothing else comes in.

Caroline and Lauren still in shock just stare at the TV.  Aaron hops up and goes in to the Men’s stockroom. He picks up a couple of t-stand face outs and starts swinging them around like Jackie Chan.  He clangs them together and shouts, “Yeah, Zombies you got nothing. Aaron one, The Undead ZERO!”

Jason and Josh come from the Women’s stock room.

Josh starts to talk. “Ok the doors are shut and locked. I think we are safe, for now.”

Jason looks in to the Men’s stock room and sees Aaron kicking and jumping around.  “What the hell is he doing?”

“Well,” Madeline replies. “To get in here he had to put a face out in the skull of a Zombie.”

“Oh, well I am going to try to calm him down a bit.”

By this time Aaron had noticed that his shirt was covered in blood. He grabs a fresh shirt off of the back stock rack and rips the sleeves off. The then takes one of the sleeves and tears a strip off and wraps it around his head. 

Jason interrupts Aaron’s dress up time. “What the hell are you doing? You look like Larry the Cable Guy meets Rambo.”

Back in the break room Shawn has sat up and Scott and Josh share the couch with him. Josh seems catatonic.

“So,” Shawn says. “Now what?”

“Well we have plenty of food and drink with all of the food for the meeting still there.”  Amy replies.

Scott chimes in “If we need to we can use the back door.”

“Ok, so how long was I out” Shawn asks.

“Oh about ten minutes” Scott replies “but most of that was back here.”

“What.”

“Yeah, from the time Andy was pulled through the door till the time we got back here took maybe three minutes.”

“Andy gets ripped in four and you look at your watch.”

“No, I was thinking ‘man it’s getting late’ I look at my watch, it reads 8:05 Aaron slams the door in the Stock room I look at my watch its 8:08.”

“Oh so what time is it now?”

“It’s around eleven.”

Patrice walks out of the office grabs her huge jug of water and takes a big drink. “Man I was hoping in all of this craziness that my water would have been vodka. Sorry about that every one I was just…”

Anne interrupts, “we all are PJ, we all are.” She stands up and hugs Patrice.  Patrice wipes away a lone tear.

Jason comes in from the other room.  “Hey, Double A and I where thinking about eating and, ah, if any one would care to join.”

Erica replies “Oh, I almost for got about eating. I am starving.”

Lauren jumps at the chance, “oh we have food thank the maker.”

Everyone slowly gathers around the pizza boxes in the men’s stock room. The Pizza is cold but it best pizza that they have ever had.  They start to forget about the worst moment of there lives. Or the fact that they are trapped in a dark and cold back room with a fake sun set painted on the wall.  Well every one except Josh.  He is still on the couch; gazing at the television with a glazed look about it him. Caroline notices him and grabs a few slices of pizza and a bottle of water and walks it over to him.  She sets the plate and the water on the table and sits next to him on the couch. 

“Josh, are you ok? Here I brought you some food.”

“Oh thanks, I just…” He digs in.

“What the heck are you watching?”

From the TV “set it and forget it!”

Josh pushes the food in his mouth to one side to say “it was the only thing on.”

“Ok”

They just sit there awkwardly while Josh eats. 

A few minuets later Scott comes in, “So this is a lively group in here. You know we are having a pretty good time in the other room you guys should…”

Josh cuts him off, “Thanks Scott but I don’t know if I would be much fun right now.”

“You know every one has to face their fears at some time. Just most people let a spider crawl on them or go to the top of a building.  But you’ll get through this.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is...Oh you’re worried about Scopes, Katie. She was with the other group.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Hey Steve was leading that groups activities. Remember the whole thing about the Zombie contingency plan. The Kids Stock room, you hiding Ensure, granola and beef jerky back there.”

“Well, it was Andy who brought up the Ensure and Granola so there is probably no food or water over there.”

“Right but Steve was there! He knows that, that is where you go in case of Zombies.”

“We where joking around. You don’t think…”

“You have to keep hope alive Josh. That may be the only thing we have left.”

Every one walks back in to the break room.

Lauren “I am stuffed.”

Patrice “Any one know what time it is?”

Nick “Yeah it’s 12:37”

Patrice “We should all get some shut eye. It could be a long time before we can peacefully sleep.”

Nick “Hey, we could make some beds out of the cardboard in the other room.”

Scott “I’ll help you bring that in here.”

Madeline asks, “What about blankets? It’s cold back here.”

Shawn replies, “We have all of those Logo prize towels in the office. I’ll get those down.” 

The first dozen survivors are starting to act just like that, survivors. They are working together and caring for one another. As the beds are being made Patrice sits down at the table in one of the office chairs. She starts to jot down on a piece of paper what needs to be done.  She writes:

More Food (we may run out soon)

Water (can we get to the bathrooms or mop sink)

Where can we go potty?

She stops. Giggles to her self, “potty, tee he.” She continues to write.

Can we get to the roof to signal for help? 

Did any one else survive out there? Can we get to them? Could they get to us?

I hope WE survive this thing!

She dots the exclamation point, lays down the pen and falls asleep.

Patrice is awakened by a song. She can’t place it at first. It’s a phone ringing. She looks up and Shawn is scrambling around looking for his coat. He picks up his phone.

“Hello?” Every one is awake now and looking at Shawn.

“Alex, hey it’s great to hear some one else is alive are you in the kids stock room.”

A flood of questions fly at Shawn.  “How many are there?” “Who is dead?” “Have you seen Katie?” “Is any one hurt?” “Did any one get bitten?”

Aaron is in the front stock room and makes his way to be next to Shawn to see what is going on. He looks at his watch. It’s 7 AM. The sun should be up by now. 

“Would you guys shut up? I can’t hear Alex.”

Lauren “Sorry Shawn.”

Madeline “yeah sorry.”

Shawn speaks into the phone again, “Alex repeat what you just said….Ok…you’re where?...On top of the booth sets?...How many of there are you?...Ok…No, we came in through the first door in Women’s?…And how many Zombies?…Wow, that’s a lot. Ok man we are going to try to get you down and in here some how.  Just hang in there. We will come to get you soon.”

Stay tuned for Part 3………