Sneaky

Chapter 165

Eve parked right in front of the store but with a good 15-20 foot gap just in case and as she turned the car off, Maggie and Glenn both got out, checking the empty front parking lot.

"We're clear outside." Maggie said as soon as Eve got out and tossed the keys to Glenn since he's driving on the return trip.

She took out her knives as Glenn dug into the back and got out his backpack and the bolt cutters for the small grocery store doors.

Glenn took the cutters to the chains wrapped around the front of the doors, keeping out looters as Eve and Maggie stood sentry and when the chain fell from the doors, Eve readied herself to be the first one inside when he opens it. Maggie will stay here and keep watch.

All three of them had to duck the second the door opened as a half a flock of birds came flying out, and Eve couldn't help it. She started laughing at the fact they all ducked in cover for some birds.

"It's not funny." Glenn elbowed her but he was smiling too. "Can you ever be serious for once?"

She pretended to think for a moment before shrugging like he's out of luck.

Eve went in first, Glenn right behind her just like old times.

Looking around, the inside of the store is untouched. Understandably seeing as how the doors were chained shut. There's an undisturbed layer of dust covering most things, so that's a good sign. The only things that have been messed with are the stuff the birds evidently got into but, 'How'd they get in?'

Glenn picked up a red basket from right inside the door as he immediately saw a shelf to the left wall filled floor to ceiling with baby stuff.

While he started grabbing things, Eve went farther inside making sure the place is clear and trying to find out how those birds got in.

Walkers didn't get to them so obviously it's unlikely there's any in here, but the birds must've gotten in somehow and it's possible they haven't been in here long enough to attract attention.

After several quiet, careful steps and listening to Maggie & Glenn talking about duck toys for the baby, she stopped just before a stream of warm sunlight pouring in from above and looked up.

'Well, that answers that question.' she stared at the great big hole in the ceiling in the back but what the Hell could have made it? No idea. The floor is all smashed up too. It looked like a damn catapult had tossed a vanishing boulder through the ceiling. There's water damage on the floor but the ceiling doesn't have any sort of weakness that she can see and there's no blood, new or old, so it's doubtful that something fell through a weak spot in the ceiling.

"Eve, come on."

Eve clicked her flashlight off and turned back, as Glenn walked out to Maggie with a basket full of stuff.

"We just hit the powder formula jackpot." Glenn came out of the small store, setting one of the two baskets of stuff he'd collected on the ground as Maggie came over to see.

"I also got beans, uh batteries, cocktail wieners, many mustards. It's a straight shot back to the prison from here. Probably make it in time for dinner."

Glenn took the basket he'd kept in his hands and walked towards the car while Maggie grabbed the other one, which is entirely full of formula. Enough to last them for weeks.

"I like the quiet. Back there, back home. You can always hear 'em outside the fence no matter where you are." Maggie looked up at the horizon, towards the direction the prison is in, just thinking about the constant whitenoise of growling and groaning outside.