SurvivorZ: Grave Harbor

23

PATRICIA

"Jeez, that's foul. How can you stand it?"

Patty looked up from her spot on the queen-sized bed they claimed for the night. Across the darkened furniture store, Paige came out of the bathroom, still toweling herself dry after washing off the stinky remains of the dead man she wore for most of the day.

"You get used to it. After a while, your sense of smell just switches off."

Paige hopped into bed next to her. "Neat trick. You'll have to teach it to me."

"No trick. Just give it time."

Paige looked away, snickering softly to herself.

"What's so funny?" Patty inquired.

"It just hit me. Back before all this happened, I had barely mastered makeup. Now, instead of worrying about my mascara and eye shadow, I'm thinking about how to get the most coverage out of dead man guts."

Patty chuckled. "I know, right? What accessories go with bloody intestines, anyway?"

"Maybe a nice fur hat?" Paige snickered.

"Made out of what, exactly? Dead dog?"

Paige grimaced. "Oh, gross. Sick!"

"My dear, you simply must get with the times. Mangled poodle wear is all the rave this season."

Both girls squealed with laughter.

Their merriment lasted for several seconds, up until the moment an unnerving clunk disrupted their slumber party. The pair immediately sobered up and fell silent, listening with their nerves on high alert.

"Maybe we should check around one more time?" Paige whispered.

"We went through this place twice already. We'd know it if there was anyone or anything in here with us."

The noise repeated. A hollow tap came from somewhere near the main entrance.

"Sounds like something's moving around out front." Patty jumped to her feet atop the bed. She peered over the assortment of home furnishings they strategically positioned between them and the huge front windows.

A shadowy figure tapped the glass a third time, presumably to ensure that its own reflection wasn't edible. Satisfied that the faint aroma of mortal flesh it detected from the store must have been a mistake, the dead man shambled away in search of an actual meal.

"Zombie," Patty declared. "It's gone now. We should probably get some sleep."

She returned to her side of the bed, pulled her blanket up to her hips, and stared at the unlit lights hanging from the ceiling. For safety reasons, they kept lighting to a minimum. The hallway leading to the washrooms and the streetlights along Massachusetts Avenue provided all the illumination they needed anyway. It also had the added benefit of allowing them to see outside without anyone spotting them in return.

Nestled under the covers, Paige shaped her pillow and settled in for a good night's sleep. Despite it being her suggestion, Patty found herself unable to relax as easily. Her nerves were still live wires after their little scare. Maybe she'd do one more patrol later on, just in case. Now that Stan and the others weren't around, she'd have to get used to sleeping with one eye open. It was a small price to pay for their safety.

As if reading her mind, Paige asked, "How do you think the others are doing? Do you suppose they made it to their boat?"

"Yeah." She rolled over onto her side and gave the girl a smile. "Yeah, I'm sure they did. If I know Stan, he's probably puttering around the islands now, looking for one with a mansion and a three-car garage to suit his tastes."