ecstasy | corpse husband

chapter 27.

7-eleven
day ten

the entirety of the next day is spent in silence. no lights are turned on, no loud sounds are made unless accidentally, and speaking is done only at a whisper. their fear of getting caught by the guard, or worse the pales, forces them into hiding. flare even has the idea of taking the iron bar out from the door handles so it wouldn't raise suspicion if the guard checks the store and the door is locked.

"they'd know people are hiding inside," he explained. a dead giveaway.

everyone stays together in the storage room instead, where there are no windows, surrounded by the bags they packed the night prior when they were under the impression they'd be leaving soon. they allow for the door to the storage room to be locked, at the least.

elowen spends the day counting food packages with no reason other than being bored. It isn't like they're rationing, per se, but perhaps the knowledge that there are approximately eight packs of cookies and twelve packs of gummy candy would come of use down the line.

occasionally, she whispers with anette who entertains her with small talk or flare to talk plans and routes, a map spread out before him. for example, they discuss where they plan to go once they get the green light to leave the store. according to flare, there's an interstate along the coast that would take them straight to seattle west bridge. that's their way across the bay to the next island and out of seattle. this is all contingent on how dangerous the interstate turns out to be.

she wants to tell him about the bunker, she decides, and even let them come stay in her house. she was wary of the idea before, unsure if they were good people, but flare had saved their lives. he didn't hesitate to do so. monroe is often unpleasant but the other two seem to have good character. she feels comfortable giving that information.

she'd tell them soon, when they aren't forced to whisper.

corpse sits alone in the far corner of the room. he hadn't taken a spot next to elowen, barely even spares her a glance, and she takes it as obvious language that he's upset about what happened. It confuses her, because hadn't she done him a favor?

in her mind, she'd done nothing wrong. but clearly, she did something wrong. if she didn't know better, she'd assume that she killed his beloved great grandmother that he never told her about.

anette had freaked out when they all went back inside for the night and she'd gotten a glimpse at the wicked scratch on his neck. she fears it'll trigger him to get the virus and turn psycho, the way it works with zombies sometimes. a valid worry, according to flare, and it's for this reason that everyone spread out away from him to be safe, as if that would do much in protecting themselves if he is infected. corpse would have opted to isolate in the corner himself without their say. he's upset with her, and he wouldn't allow elowen to look at his scratch, either.

monroe took the liberty of keeping a close eye on him, and elowen dislikes the way her hand hovers over the gun at her hip. she could be trigger happy.

"do you guys hear that?" anette whispers after a few minutes of benumbing silence. monroe nods her head, joining her in observing the door. "I thought I heard something before but now I'm sure."

"hear what?" owen exclaims, not whispering, just as the sound of the front door of the store opening startles them. flare immediately lunges for owen and throws his hand over the drunk man's mouth. he hisses in his ear, shushing him. being stuck in the storage room for twelve hours had only given him more reason to do nothing but drink alcohol. he complains about having to piss every other hour.

elowen, sitting the closest to the door, tenses. she bends her knees tighter and hugs them to her chest, as if making herself small will make a difference, and her gaze is stuck on the bottom of the door for any movement or shadows to give her warning. she wonders if it's the national guard, or just a survivor like them.