I still had the barrel of the shotgun aimed between Durbin's eyebrows. I spared a look at Rich who had uncovered his face, showing off a deep gash on his left cheekbone. Blood slowly trickled out now over blood that had dried. He looked to me appreciatively, but instead of acknowledging him I looked away slightly annoyed at him at the moment.
My eyes fell upon Cody who was still trapped under Durbin. I pleaded to him with my eyes, wondering what is it I should do. Should I kill Durbin, or should I let him live? Cody shook his head, which didn't answer my question. No, I shouldn't kill him, or no I shouldn't let him live? I argued with myself in my head, turning my head side to side as I thought of the repercussions.
I switched my gaze to Durbin who was frozen where he kneeled. There was complete silence from everyone when we locked eyes. I don't think I even heard them breathing. My nerves started to boil inside of me as I started to pull the trigger. When I saw Durbin close his eyes and whisper something under his breath, I stopped. I took a long look at him and then brought the butt of the gun down against his temple, knocking him out.
Durbin's body went limp like a noodle and fell to Cody's side. Cody kicked off Durbin's legs with disgust and stood up, grabbing the gun from me. He held it out to Rich who stumbled over to take it gladly.
Cody turned his attention back to me. “Why didn't you do it?” He asked; his gray eyes piercing into mine.
“He said something when he thought he was going to die,” I said looking down at sleeping Durbin. “I want to know what it was.”
I could tell Cody wasn't sure how to react, but Rich stepped in saving him. He had torn a shirt off of the rack and held it to his bleeding cheek.
“Who's up for some tuna salad sandwiches?” Rich said. Cody chuckled at his dad's optimism and volunteered to go get the ingredients. Rich handed him the shotgun and Cody set off on his mission.
I glanced over to where Selma and Aundrea had been to see that they had gotten out their sleeping bags and laid them across the floor. Aundrea looked up at me.
“Thanks for not shooting that man,” Aundrea said. “I know he cusses a lot but he found me some chocolate.” I watched as she pulled a Snickers out of her pocket. “Mmm, I loooove Snickers.”
Selma snatched the candy out of Aundrea's hand. “Not before bedtime,” She said authoritatively. Good to know that she still expected her daughter to mind her. I heard Aundrea give out a whine as she started to argue with her mother.
I turned to look at Rich who was smirking at me.
“What?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.
“Look at you,” Rich said. “Growin' up and takin' care of business.” He reached over and gave me a slap on the back. Even though I was irritated with him for acting cowardly, I still gave him a smile.
We all sat in silence, except for Aundrea who kept talking about her two dogs she had, “Well used to have,” She had to keep correcting herself.
When Cody came back he had an armful of bread, tuna, and mayo with the other arm carrying the shotgun. He plopped it down by Rich and came to sit next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist. I leaned my head against his shoulder and watched as Rich used a hanger to stir the tuna and mayo together.
With a full belly and a quenched thirst I rolled my sleeping bag out next to Cody's. Rich had declared that he would keep watch and leaned back against a pillar with the shotgun in his hands.
I laid down on top of my sleeping bag and Cody laid next to me, holding out his arms for me. I scooted close to him and laid my head on his chest, feeling his arm wrap around my waist. I could hear his heartbeat faster when I rested my hand on his stomach.
I looked up at him. “You think you can protect me one more day, guardian angel?” I asked. My lips curved up into a smile.
“I could protect you forever if you'd let me.” He gave me a kiss and I laid my head back down on his chest, closing my eyes.
My body seemed to relax as his heart beat a constant rhythm. I smiled. I'd let you protect me forever, I thought to myself, and I would die to protect you. Only knowing Cody for this long and feeling this made the butterflies rise in stomach, afraid that I was getting myself in too deep. But I think Cody might feel the same way. Knowing that the person next to you might die at any given second makes you hold an attachment to them. I felt my heart falling, and it was falling fast.
I opened my eyes groggily, to see Cody's face leaning over me. “Good morning sunshine,” He sang with a smile on his face. “I have some pop-tarts for you.” He grabbed my hand and helped me sit up. Selma, Aundrea and Rich were up eating cereal bars and pop-tarts; Aundrea smacking her lips with every bite.
I looked around for Durbin who was no where to be seen. “Don't you dare tell me you let him go Rich,” I threw a glare at him and leaned back onto my hands.
“I didn't really let him go,” Rich glanced down to hide his embarrassment. “I wandered off a couple of aisles down and picked up that wind-up radio.” He motioned to the radio with a long antennae and crank in the back. “I figured we needed it, to see if we hear anything about the safe camp.” Rich shrugged his shoulders. “When I got back he was gone. I was just thankful yall were all okay. God, I could slap myself right now.” Rich's cheeks flushed. How could I have ever been angry with this man? He's just always trying to do good.
“Well,” I said with a light tone. “On the bright side, we don't have to worry about him anymore.” I turned to Cody. “Pop-tarts, please?” I held out my hand. The package landed in my hand and I tore into the bag, savoring the chocolate-iced masterpiece.
Rich picked up the radio and turned the crank on the back until static broke through the speakers. He strung out the antennae and turned the dial, trying to pick up something. Three loud beeps sounded, and Rich stopped turning.
“This is Vivian Hoff, from the Safe Camp, outside of Springfield,” the woman's voice rang. We all exchanged glances then turned our attention back to the radio. “We have a camp that is infection free and has food, water, medical attention, and a cure.” I heard a gasp from Selma. Vivian's voice raised in excitement.“If anyone listening has B Positive blood; you are the cure. We need you. Our capacity limits only allow us twenty-five more spots, so please, hurry.” Her voice was cut off by static.
“Well,” Rich huffed, turning the radio off. “They sure filled up fast.”
“Let's go,” Selma said shakily. “We have to get there before it's too late. We can't live like this.” She turned and kissed her daughter on the forehead.
“I wanna sleep in a tent!” Aundrea said standing to jump. “That'd be so cool!” She giggled.
I smiled to myself and started to roll up my sleeping bag, tossing the empty pop-tart wrapper to the side. The others started to pack up there stuff while Selma tried to calm down Aundrea who was skipping around chanting 'tent'.
Cody snuck in a quick kiss before I slung my backpack around my shoulders. He smiled and handed me my trusty chair leg. I gripped the end of it and yanked him closer to me planting a hard kiss on his lips.
“You know,” Rich chuckled, breaking Cody and I apart. Cody's cheeks flushed pink. “There is a four-year-old over there.”
“She's too busy to notice anyways,” I shrugged my shoulders glancing at Aundrea. She had moved onto dancing and it was absolutely adorable. How could a child be this unafraid?
We started to make the trek back towards the front doors of the Walmart. We passed by the pharmacy, the food, and when we made it by the checkout aisles, I snagged a Reese's from the rack and stuck it in my backpack.
My heart stopped as we rounded the corner. Durbin was stumbling around the front door. He had a cigarette hanging by his mouth, and was staring at a door with a big black X spray-painted onto it. I'm guessing he'd finally finished his flask because it had been tossed to the ground a few yards away.
“Don't you just wonder what's behind that door?” Durbin said when he sighted us. He took a drag of his cigarette. Smoke blew out of his mouth as he spoke. “What do you think Desi?” He said, drilling his black eyes into mine. “Should we open door number one?” He made it sound like we were on a game show.
“I think the X means not to open it,” I said bitterly.
“Ah,” Durbin said raising his eyebrows. “But X can also lead to buried treasure.”
“Well, we aren't pirates,” Rich said, putting his word in. “And I have a bad feeling about that door.”
Before anybody could even react, Durbin opened the door. “Ha!” He yelped when nothing showed but darkness. “Nothing there!”
But it turns out that Durbin's buried treasure wasn't a treasure after all. Because through the darkness came a deep snarl, and a group of infected to go with it.