Vanguard | Post-Apocalyptic YA

Part 17: Winter Wonderland

It's only when we exit the vehicle that I can clearly read the script lettering dotting the gable: Winter Wonderland. The entire two-story structure is paneled in dark wood and it does have a certain mountain cabin style to it. Like the ones in Switzerland or wherever it was in that one James Bond movie. There's also a giant stylized snowflake decorating the facade, which I guess also goes along with the name.

"Why anyone would've opened a ski store in central Florida is beyond me, but I guess it's coming in handy now," Bram observes, rubbing his palms together. Meanwhile, Nate and Jed begin to circle around the building in opposite directions to – I'm assuming – find a way in.

From what I can tell, the door and all of the windows are covered in solid wooden shutters and when they return, Jed confirms this. "The place looks untouched. Since we'll be doing a full haul, let's winch the doors."

"Yes, sir." Freddy agrees with a smile, running to his truck and releasing a hook and cable from a contraption fixed to the bumper. Attaching the end to the door, he reels it back in and quickly makes an opening inside.

"Listen up. We're here to clear this place out. Freddy, take your truck to the back. We'll open up the loading dock and these two." Jed gestures at Bram and Nate. "They can help you load the boxes directly from the storage area. The rest of us will take whatever we can from the display areas. Everyone grab a flashlight and let's get moving."

We do as we're told and split up. Jed and Pam disappear up the staircase in the middle of the store that has a large arrow pointing upward next to the words "Equipment and Gear," while I'm left with the two girls downstairs. I'm still orienting myself and deciding whether to start in "Footwear," "Snow Apparel," or "Accessories," when my sister shrieks out from somewhere in the darkness by the back wall.

Oh, shit! I scramble to get to her in the darkness, running into a couple of racks filled with clothing in the process.

"Ellen! Where are you?" I yell, but before she has a chance to answer, I come across her standing next to a shelf full of colorful garments.

"Oh my God, Will! Proper clothes. They're brand new, and pretty and best of all, they're in my size," she unexpectedly gushes, grinning ear to ear while holding out a pink long-sleeved shirt.

I exhale in relief. "You're kidding me, right? I thought you were being attacked or something. You had me freaked out." I shake my head and decide to start as far away from her as possible, which takes me back to the shoe section. But like my sister, I also get momentarily mesmerized by the variety of styles and colors. From rough, leather boots labeled for hiking, to fur-lined ones made for snow, there's everything. I've never personally had a need for such stuff on Vanguard, but I'm tempted to try one on. WhenI hear a metallic squeak behind me, I turn to see it's Nelly with a wheeled, flat-bed cart.

"I found this in the storage area. I thought it'd come in handy," she says.

Instead of responding, I start to stack the shoe boxes on the cart. There really isn't anything I want to talk about with a murderer.

"I'm surprised we haven't run into each other since you've been back," she presses on, joining me in the packing.

"Yeah, weird huh?" I lie, omitting the fact that I've been purposefully avoiding her.

Picking up four boxes at a time, we quickly fill the cart. Since it's stacked so high, it takes both of us to push it to the loading dock to make sure none of it falls off on the way. After we've unloaded it into the truck, we go back for the rest. Two more rounds of boxes later, we've emptied out the boots section and head toward racks filled with men's jackets. We decide to put a whole rack on the cart and while we're pushing it to the truck, something finally dawns on me.