They Walk

Chapter Thirty Seven

“Sweet.” Sam says as he goes inside after Noah.

“I totally second that. Wow.” Claire retorts, as she looks around

Claire goes in next, and then Gabe and I follow inside, and glance around in awe of it, and I’m not even a big gun fan. Noah heads for the back of the room, and I notice he’s grabbing packs that are hanging on the wall. That’s good that those are there, because let me tell you, we are going to need them. I’m pretty much with the others walking from shelve to shelve and touching things in wonder. On a hook attached to the wall is an old kerosene lamp, and Noah lights it up and the room is awash with light.

To my right are all guns ranging in shapes and sizes, with the bigger ones on the bottom and the smaller ones on the top. By bigger I mean an IMI Uzi submachine gun, 9x19mm, and smaller meaning handguns. I step up beside Gabe, and I stare up at the array of handguns and think maybe I should change my opinion of them. To the left of us, is all the ammo for all of the weapons and let me tell you there are a lot of it on those shelves. On the back wall where Noah is, there are a few other shelves holding things like flares, armor, and a couple grenades, those of which he is stuffing into one of the bags.

On either side of the shelves at the back are two closed doors.

“Sam, take this bag and start loading as much ammo in it as you can.” Noah says as he tosses one of the packs in Sam’s direction, which is right in front of the ammo shelf.

He gives Claire another pack, and directs her to one of the closed doors to the left. I watch as she opens it, and can’t help the creepy crawling feeling I get behind my neck, as she does. When she opens it though, I see that it’s just a closet and has a variety of uniforms in it. It’ll be nice to have a change of clothes that’s for sure. Noah grabs two more packs and heads for Gabe and I.

“Stuff as many guns in these as you possibly can, and don’t worry about them going off, the safety is on all of them already.”

After we’ve both taken a bag each, he heads for the other door on the right of the one Claire went to. When he opens it up, I can see that is a small store room, but I can’t see what is inside as he disappears through the door. Turning back to the shelf I’m standing in front of, I find Gabe watching me with a smile on his face. I can feel my cheeks heat up again, and I don’t know why, expect that maybe I didn’t realize he was even watching me.

“Okay, you really need to stop doing that.” I try to sound irritated, but I can’t stop the smile that slips out.

“Like I said before, I’m just enjoying the view.”

“Yeah well, the view is better on the shelves with all these handy guns.” I look away and make a sweeping gesture of said shelf. I can hear Sam snort out a laugh, but tries to hide it with a cough.

“If you say so, but I think it’s only second by comparison. Speaking of guns, where should we start?”

Gabe stares along the shelf and I do the same. Since we have smaller packs, my guess would be the handguns, but I keep noticing Gabe checking out this crazy looking shotgun.

“Like Noah said, just get what we can fit first. I’m going to have to go with the hand guns though, can never have too many of those.” I say as I bump my hip into his.

“True that.”

For the next ten minutes we stuffed both packs to the brim full of hand guns ranging in shapes and sizes and even names that I can’t remember. By the time we are finished all the shelves with the smaller guns are empty, and the only thing left are the bigger ones. All the while we packed, Sam would double check the ammo type he packed with our guns, and I’m glad for that too. It would suck pretty badly, if we were in the middle of killing the dead, and found out the ammo didn’t match. The three of us are just shouldering our full packs, when Claire joins us with her own pack filled up. On her head is an army issued cap, and I can’t stop the snicker that slips out at the sight of her.

She strikes a pose with her hands on her hips, and pouts her lips at us, and says “I’m pretty darn hot right?”

“You’re something all right.” Noah says from behind her.

She spins around with a breathy gasp, while the rest of us full out laugh. Noah is smirking at her and wiggling his eyebrows, but he laughs a little when she blushes and shy’s away. Shaking his head, he carries what look like large duffle bag over to Gabe and I, who are now leaning against the near empty shelves.

“Saw you checking out the shotguns and Uzi, and thought these might be useful.” He hands over the big bags to Gabe, and I realize that they are for the bigger weapons.

Gabe takes the bags, with wide eyes and I can’t stop the thought that he looks like a kid on Christmas morning that got exactly what he wanted. It’s definitely a great look on him too. As he leans down to prod around the guns, I lean down to help and notice that Noah is leaving the room. I’m not the only one that does either though, and before I get a chance to ask, Sam beats me too it.

“Dude, where are you going?”

“Just down the hall, there is a communications room. I want to check if there is a signal on the CB radio, I’ll be right back.” He says over his shoulder.

“We shouldn’t go anywhere alone Noah, it’s not safe.” Claire says, as she makes as if she is going to follow him.

“It’s as safe as it’s going to be, but your welcome to join me. And Sam you should stay and help Gabe and Maggie.”

They both disappear from the door, and I notice that Sam looks hurt that he was asked to stay behind. To be honest, I’d feel better having Claire watching our backs while we dig around in the weapons, and not Sam. I know he’s been helpful, but he’s so squeamish sometimes, it makes me nervous with him as backup. But maybe I’m wrong to even think like that though, because he steps right in the doorway and scans up and down the hallway.

I guess people can actually surprise you sometimes.

“This is really the kind of weapons we should have in our situation huh?” Gabe asks, as I help him position the Uzi submachine gun into the open pack on the floor.

“No kidding, it definitely puts the odds in our favor.”

Once that one is safely inside the pack, Gabe grabs two sawed off shotguns, and I hold the second pack open for him. We are just standing back up and smiling like maniacs over our new booty, when we hear a scream cut through the room. At first we freeze, and our eyes shoot to the door, where Sam is leaning out of.

“Did that sound like Claire to you guys?” Sam asks as he slips out of the room, and raises his fire poker.

Gabe and I share a quick look, and it says yes we do think that sounded like Claire.

When she shrieks again, Gabe and I drop the heavy bags and push Sam out into the hallway. Somehow, I’m in the lead and the boys quickly follow behind me, as we start down the dark hallway. Down a ways I see a dim light coming from inside an opened door, and I quickly rush towards it. Reaching the threshold I raise my ax before entering, but end up coming to an abrupt stop, in alarm. Sam and Gabe run into my back and cause me to move inside with a whoosh. I stare in shock at what is inside, and I understand why Claire screamed. What I don’t understand is why she is just standing there, while Noah leans down over a body.

When the body clears its throat and moves around, I realize that it’s alive and not dead.