Mark Clodi - About a Woman, a Zombie Chronicles Novel

"What about him?" she asked.

"I thought the other guy owned the place?" asked Paige, "Why would the keys to the safe be on him?"

"Well he is dead. Look at him. How did he die?"

"Uh, you mean like 'CSI' him?" asked Mike, coming closer and squatting down by the body. All three of them looked for another moment, before Mike spoke again, "It looks like his head got bashed in by your neighbor."

"So?" said Dora.

"So what?"

"So that means my neighbor had his hands on the guy, probably on his head or neck, right?"

"Oh, yeah, I see." Mike pulled at the corpses shirt, tilting his body up, peering underneath he didn't see anything at first, then looking closer he said, "Yeah, hold on, I found the key. It's stuck to the back of his head, looks like the blood dried and it got stuck in his hair. Get me a stick or pliers or something to pull it off."

Paige moved right away towards the washing machine, she stooped down beside it near a black tube that went into the ground, a sump pump. She then reached down and her hand came back with a pair of rusty pliers. Stepping to Mike she handed him the pliers, "Here."

He took them and held the body up with one hand pushed the pliers back onto the corpses head, after a few tries the key fell out of its hair and landed with a dull ring onto the cement floor where he was able to lift it with the pliers. He brought the key over to the utility sink, also near the washing machine and rinsed it off with laundry detergent until there was no more blood on it. Turning to the women he held the key up with a flourish and said, "Ta-da!"

Dora made a sweeping gesture with her hands, ending by pointing at the safe, "After you, you are the gun expert after all."

Mike approached the safe and put the key in the lock, there were no surprises and the safe opened easily, revealing a half a dozen rifles and two shelves with pistols and ammo.

"Wow." said Mike, "He does have a few guns." He started sorting through the pistols, sitting one aside on top of the safe and leaving the others on the shelf.

"What's wrong with that one?" Paige asked, pointing at the gun Mike had set on top of the safe.

"Uh, it's black powder, an old gun. I don't know how to load it, I could probably figure it out, but we have enough guns here for all of us, and more. These are shotguns, those three, the others are normal rifles, it looks like a thirty aught six, a two twenty three, and a little twenty-two plunker. Plus three pistols and a good old fashioned revolver. Ammo for everything, but not much of the two twenty three, only a box of twenty five. All in all this good."

Dora and Paige looked at each other, then Dora said, "Gee I don't suppose you were planning some sort of school shooting or something where you? Maybe you felt bullied by the 'normal' kids?"

Mike looked at her confused, "No, no, nothing like that. I just grew up hunting. Shot my first gun when I was six, so I know about these things. I own a couple of rifles myself. I have fired pistols before, but my dad doesn't see any reason to keep pistols in the house. He says he sleeps too heavy and if a burglar breaks in he wouldn't be able to get to a gun to stop him anyway."

"Nice." said Paige.

"Okay. Good enough, so can we get all these in one load? What guns should we have, Paige and I? Anything easier to fire than the others?"

"Um, I would guess a shotgun. I mean it isn't much more likely to hit, but it is a little easier. The longer the barrel the easier it is to aim for beginners. No pistols for you two."

"So you get what? Five pistols and we get two of the rifles? That hardly seems fair." said Dora with a little pout in her voice.

"No we take all of them, I will show you how to fire them in your yard, so we all know what to do if we have to. No more fighting these things with table legs or paint ball guns."

"Or pool cues." said Paige.

"Okay, let's find a duffel bag or a backpack." The three set out finding the needed bags to carry the guns and ammo. Mike took the precaution of loading one of the rifles and carrying it with him as they searched the basement for what they needed. Everything they needed was found in the basement bedroom, which had its own bathroom and a huge walk in closet. The closet was full of hunting clothing and also had a duffel bag with padding and a gun cleaning kit in it. Mike took that, while Paige grabbed the camouflage backpack to put the ammunition in. Dora took another, slightly larger pack and told them it was to put any food they could carry into.

They loaded up the guns and ammo and went upstairs to raid the kitchen. After making sure the house was locked and there was no one else inside the ground floor Dora sent Mike and Paige upstairs to get more clothing for Paige. In the mean time she opened the fridge and discovered it was well stocked. Dora loaded the pack up with all the fruit and vegetables she could get and then packed in the package of steaks that were thawing out. She left the alcohol and soda pop, but moved on to the cupboards to steal some packages of crackers and chips.

By the time she was finished Paige and Mike were back. Paige held a bundle of clothing and she picked up the ammo bag to carry as well. Dora slung the backpack up over her shoulders and Mike carried the duffel bag and his rifle awkwardly towards the door.

"Let's leave the back door unlocked in so we can get back in. There is still more food in the fridge and cupboards. Plus we have to come back for our cloths and your shoes later too."

The other two shrugged and Dora took that as agreement so she unlocked the back door before moving to the front of the house. Dora, who had both hands free, opened the front door and held it for the other two. Soon enough all three of them were standing on the walk looking down the street towards Dora's house.

The street was deserted. Dora could see waves of heat coming up from off the pavement, distorting the distant houses, making them seem to dance in the heat. Mike led the way sticking to the wide white sidewalk, before braving the hot dark pavement in his bare feet. After the third step he was wishing he had taken his shoes out of the wash, wet shoes were better than burned feet. He made it across, followed by the two women who were yelping as they stepped. All of them were sweating from the heat and the heavy loads of the various packs they were carrying. They made it up to Dora's front door and turned to her to open it.

"You know how you were saying 'no one locks their doors around here'?"

"Oh, for Christsakes! You locked us out?" said Paige.

Dora shrugged and sounded truly apologetic as she said, "I am sorry. We can go through the back, right? I didn't shut the back door."

They made their way to the side of the house to the gate in the stone wall. The wall was still eight feet tall here, but the gate was only six feet and made of iron bars with some wood woven through it for privacy. The top of the gate had pointed spikes on it.

Mike tried it and it was locked. He turned to Dora with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought we could climb it." she said slowly.

"It's got spikes on it!" Paige said.

"Well they are not sharp, not really, just pointy, I am sure Mike could get over it with no problem."

"Spikes, no spikes, I'm the guy with the gun. Why don't you boost Dora over Paige?"

"Why me?" Dora protested, "You're a guy! You're good at climbing over stuff, right?"

"Yeah, but if I do it there won't be anyone to cover you."

"We haven't seen any zombies on the street!"

"Oh for crying out loud, boost me over then!" Paige said.

Dora gave Paige a scathing look, "Fine, my mess. I forgot the key. I'll go. Will you at least help Paige boost me up, oh mighty gunman?"

Mike nodded and all three of them dropped the various bags and packs they were carrying. Paige and Mike boosted Dora up and she carefully balanced herself on the top of the gate, her bare toes curling around the sides to grip it with all the strength she had. Mike kept staring up and Dora realized he was looking at her bare ass.