Night of the Living Hipsters, Part IV

The car rolled up to the hidden access road as the passengers sat in uncomfortable silence, their nervousness hung in the air like a warm fog.

“There’s the road,” Jim Daniels grunted. “We clear out that brush and we’ll be on our way.”

“Except for the flat tire,” Eve added. “We’ll never get through that with a flat.”

“Don’t you have a spare?” I asked.

“Man, this is my spare,” Jim answered.

Officer Reed mumbled something from where he was hunched over.

“What did you say?” asked Dr. Porter.

“Nothin,’” he answered. “Just… I’m not feelin’ so hot.”

“You do look pale,” she said as she looked him over. “The scratch still bothering you?”

“Must be,” he mumbled as he lightly rubbed the bandage on his neck. “It’s been quite a day, you know.”

“That tattoo,” Dr. Porter looked at his arm. “I never noticed this before. Is that some sort of tribal tattoo?”

“What this?” Reed looked at the exposed marking on his bicep and chuckled weakly. “Yeah, that’s just a reminder from the ole Army days. Get a few beers in you on payday and stuff happens, you know.”

“I hear that,” I replied while thinking back to my Army days. “Heh heh, I remember one time… uh… nevermind.”

“So what are we going to do?” Eve seemed to grow more desperate as time ground on.

“There’s an auto center at that department store.” I pointed back to the darkened mall. “Let’s go there, replace the tire, and get back on the road.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jim backed his car up, turned around and headed towards the service center. The doors were locked but Jim kicked in the glass of one and we were soon inside with the car up on a lift.

“It’s only 9:30,” I said while looking at a clock. “I can’t believe this place is closed.”

“Yeah well this place is pretty much abandoned,” Jim replied.

“Anyone who wasn’t turned into… one of them,” Dr. Porter tossed her head towards the general direction of the city. “Is long gone. Everything in the city is abandoned.”

“It gives me the creeps.” Eve hugged herself and shuddered. “I wish I was out of here, too.”

“Yeah, well we’ll be out of here in a minute,” Jim said as he worked the lug nuts off his tire.

“Anybody hungry?” Reed asked. “I’m starving. Maybe we can get some food over at the mall.”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” I shook my head.

“I am getting hungry,” Dr. Porter admitted. “Maybe we could stock up on something to take on the trip. It’s going to be a bit of a ride through the mountain.”

“Why don’t you and I go check it out?” Officer Reed pointed his thumb towards the main mall building. “We’ll be back in 10 minutes.”

Before I could protest any further, the two were out the door and heading towards Happy Valley Mall.

“I don’t like this,” Jim grumbled.

“Me either,” I concurred. “You two stay here. Find something to block that door and keep an eye on it. I’ll be right back.”

Before they could protest, I headed out the door and quietly worked my way quietly into the mall.