The Rot

Chapter 17

 Cynthia pulled me back into the stockroom. "What are you thinking about doing now, Reid?"

"We just have to distract the eaters once again," I answered.

"How?"

"Using the shopping carts. I'll wheel one out of the store, hopefully the eaters will give chase. Then, we lock the dead fuckers outside."

"And then what?"

"Look for your mom."

Cynthia shook her head at me. "No way this is going to work."

"Come on, have a little faith in your idiot buddy over here. What other options do we have, Cyn? Walk up to each eater, tap them on the shoulder and ask if they've seen your mom? These dead things aren't the friendliest people on the planet you know."

Cynthia sighed, "Fine."

"You just stay over here and watch my back. If anything comes sneaking up on me, let me know. Got it?"

"Got it. Be careful, Reid."

"I'll try."

I left my axe with Cynthia for the time being and then snuck out of the back room, heading for the entrance. My shoes were making a squeaking sound on the tile floor with every step that I took. I was irritated that the noise could alert the eaters, but on the plus side, the floors looked fantastic.

I made it over to the rows of shopping carts and carefully pulled one towards me. I looked to the entrance of the building, trying to find a door that was staying open, and I found one. I had to hurry, however, as an eater was wandering in from the parking lot. I reared back and pushed the shopping cart out of the store.

My aim was off. Because, as I've established, I flat out stink. The shopping cart clattered around the door frame and then fell on its side just outside of the store. The eaters inside the building and out began to flock towards the sound and I had to get the hell out of dodge. I took off back towards Cynthia. The look on her face indicated that she was less than thrilled with my little plan.

"Before you say anything, Cyn, I know. I fucked that one up," I told her.

"Yes you did," Cynthia answered. She sounded like one of my high school teachers when they were scolding me for not paying any attention.

The two of us watched the large group of dead things congregate around the entrance. The corpses were all looking around, like they were trying to find the source of the noise.

"Cynthia, try and see if any of those corpses look like your mom," I whispered.

Cynthia scanned the group of dead things, "There's so many of them. It's hard to tell, Reid."

"Try."

Inside and outside of the entrance  were around fifty dead things. After all of the commotion died down, the corpses started to fan back out, giving Cyn and I a better look at each dead thing that wandered close enough to the back room.

"There's nothing, Reid," Cynthia muttered to me.

"Yeah, I'm not seeing anything either. Maybe she's not in here, Cyn," I replied.

"Looks that way."

"Now what do we do? We can't even gather any supplies."

Cynthia didn't give me an answer, the two of us retreated back into the stockroom.

"Fuck it," Cynthia sighed. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it. At that moment, I couldn't say I blamed her. "I don't know what to do, Reid."

"I wish I did, Cyn. But I'm fresh out of ideas. Sorry my aim was off."