Queen's Highway

Chapter 9

Steve helped her come down the stairs, holding his hand up to shield his eyes as he stared at the big store who's parking lot he managed to get them into safely. Not that it had been easy. People were impatient, honking at them, zipping around them in their cars and trucks, more than once with a rude gesture.

He had managed to get them to the back of the parking lot, though, without any real incident, where he could park the RV without being in anyone's way. It did mean they had a bit more of a walk to the store doors than she normally would have, driving her Volvo. But as she stood on the pavement, the cool morning being burned away by the rising summer sun, the heat starting to soak into the soles of her shoes, she had to admit there was something otherworldly about the way the store seemed to present itself.

The brown brick building didn't look from much, from the parking lot, really. The blue and yellow letters on the sign gleamed dully in the morning light, but she imagined at night, when they were lit up from within, they must appear as some sort of beacon for those in need. She could see why people relied on these massive super center stores to survive. If the advertisements she had seen in the papers and on the television were anything to go by, you could get your medication, your eyes checked, buy food for your family as well as clothe them, while also getting anything and everything you could possibly need, all in one place.

Steve turned, shutting the door and locking it, checking it, before taking her hand.
"Well. Here we go. Our first Walmart." He nodded, his jaw firming.

"I'm sure it'll be okay." She patted his hand, before bringing their conjoined hands up, kissing the back of his. "It's just a store. We've gone to stores before. We go to the Target all the time, for things."

He grinned at her, nodding, reaching up to adjust his ball cap. "We do. And we do fine in there. Got the list?"
Brooklyn nodded, patting the messenger bag hanging by her hip. "Yup. Right in here."

"Okay." He began heading towards the Walmart, pulling her along, pausing occasionally for a passing car. "Well, we should be fine then, right?"

They managed to get to the sliding doors that were under the 'GROCERY' sign, with little to no issue, beyond a few people in their cars honking at them. Steve paused, before striding forward as if on a mission.

The doors swept open and they stepped inside, and then stopped.

The chill from the AC hit her, causing her to shiver, as the smell of the place smacked her in the face.

Disinfectant, the biting chemical smell of an overworked AC, a harsh plastic scent that over lined it all, as well as the tang of urine. It made her wrinkle her nose.

Steve dropped her hand, walking over and grabbing a shopping cart, wheeling the squeaky thing over towards her. He paused so she could put the messenger bag in the front section, then started off, his strides strong and sure.

As if he was striding into battle.

The florescent lights made her squint a little, the otherworldly feeling she had standing in the parking lot returning. Everything was too bright, to big, to colorful. It just didn't seem real. She had a moment of disassociation, feeling like this wasn't what was actually happening, but that it was almost like a hyper realistic dream.

Steve led her towards the bakery section, pausing as he looked at the offerings. "We need bread."

"We do." She nodded, taking a deep breath, shaking off the hyper-realistic feeling, reaching under his arm to grab the shopping list from her bag. "Bread. You wanted donuts, or pastries. We also had discussed getting snack cakes."

Reaching for a prepackaged french loaf, he paused again, frowning. "These can't be the prices."

She leaned over, her eyebrows raising. "Oh, wow. That's really cheap, compared to home, Steve. Cheaper than when we go to the grocery store."