“Hello?” Jenni called out cautiously.

They all jumped when the metal doors that opened to the loading dock outside began to shake as something on the other side beat on them. Snarls and growls that set their hair on end emanated from beyond the closed doors.

“Okay. We got one outside. Those doors are locked and holding.

Check the storage room,” Ed ordered.

It took ten long minutes to scour the narrow room. They moved slowly and purposefully. They checked the shelves, the boxes, the small bathroom, and the small manager's office. Nothing appeared.

Nothing was hidden. They made as much noise as possible to try to get something to come out. Nothing.

“One more sweep through the store,” Ed ordered.

In twenty minutes they stood outside in the street.

“Got the empty stores now,” Ed said.

Jenni nodded and hoisted her ax up. “Let's do it.”

Chapter 3

1. Army of One

Nerit climbed down the ladder slowly. Juan looked down at her with concern as she lowered herself into the blocked off street.

“Be careful, Nerit.”

“ I'm not that old.” Though her voice was stern, she winked at him.

She ignored Bill's attempt to help her off the ladder, but he still took hold of her arm as she lowered her booted feet to the redbrick road.

“Stores are all clear, but we got one or two dead guys trying to bust in a back door. Making an awful fuss now that they know we're here,”

Ed said.

Nerit nodded. They had called her over when no one could get a clear shot at the zombie or zombies. They had seen her in action and knew she was a deadly shot. All the survivors were fascinated by her past as an Israeli Army sniper. It amused Nerit, but at the same time it gave her a sense of purpose in her new home.

Nerit had brought her old Galil sniper rifle with her from the hunting store she had shared with Ralph. Over the years it had developed a few issues, but Ralph had carefully restored it. Her ammunition for the weapon was limited, but she had shunned several hunting rifles offered to her. It was a good weapon, but also it was a reminder of her deceased husband's thoughtfulness and appreciation for her skills.

“I can get him,” Nerit assured Ed.

“You ain't seen him yet,” Ed answered.

“I can get him or them,” she repeated.

Ed looked at her for a long moment, a thoughtful expression on his grizzled face then shrugged. “We'll get you up on the roof.”

Nerit smiled warmly at Jenni as she passed the much younger woman. The brunette was holding an ax smeared in foul, congealed zombie blood and looking at the older woman worriedly. Nerit knew Jenni had confidence in her abilities and did not doubt her. The look of concern was because Nerit had lost her husband to the bandits.

What Jenni didn't understand was Nerit had accepted that loss. It was not easy to let Ralph go, but he was gone. She was part of a new family: she was determined to help them survive.

“Good luck, Nerit,” Jenni said.

“Thank you, Jenni,” she answered with a warm smile.

They entered a darkened store and Ed lead the way to a staircase near the back. The store smelled of mold and mildew, the wood floor creaked as they walked. Motes of dust swirled around in the few shafts of sunlight that managed to puncture through the grime covering the large plate glass windows in the front. The stairs moaned as she ascended them. She was careful with her footing, as it was obvious that the store had stood empty for nearly a decade. Rat droppings and dead insects littered the wood floor of the second floor.

“Got windows here, but the view is blocked out by the Dollar Store.

It's a newer building and comes out further than the rest of the stores in the back. Probably built out a bit for storage and loading,” Ed explained.

Nerit glanced out a broken window. A spider had taken great pains to fill in the gap between the glass and the wood frame with an intricate web. Nerit could see into the back alley that opened up behind the Dollar Store into an empty dirt lot. She could hear the zombie or zombies howling and slamming up against the loading doors of the Dollar Store, but she could not see the undead.

“Roof is this way,” Ed said, and guided her up another set of very rickety steps.

Nerit was rather worried about Bill and his weight, but he followed them, treading very carefully. Ed pushed open a rickety door and they stepped out into the sunshine. The roof was not in the best condition, but seemed sturdier than the stairway.

The town spread out around them in a panorama. The red brick buildings of downtown looked quite lovely against the scenic green hills surrounding the town. The large hotel hovered behind them, untouched, waiting for them to invade. It actually was quite beautiful until you took in the cement brick walls closing off the construction site, the long abandoned storefronts, and a few zombies wandering around in the distance.

Nerit walked to the edge of the building as the warm air buffeted her yellowed silver hair from her face. The zombie was hidden from view by the side of the building. Only one leg was slightly visible as it braced itself and shoved hard against the back doors.

“See? Can't get to 'em,” Ed pointed out.

“I can,” Nerit assured him, and unslung her sniper rifle from her shoulder. As usual, the sniper rifle felt good and comforting in her arms. It was like an extension of her. She closed one eye and focused through the sight. Her senses narrowed down to just her vision and she removed herself from the world around her.

She pulled the trigger.

A gout of black blood erupted from the shattered ankle of the zombie. It lost its balance and tumbled. When its body fell into view, Nerit quickly adjusted her aim and fired. A plume of blood and gore erupted from its head, then it lay still.

Lowering her gun, she listened.

The pounding and growling had ceased.

“You got him,” Bill said in an awed voice.

“Yes.” Nerit shrugged. She watched the shadows dwelling behind the Dollar Store. “He was it.”

Ed gazed down at the body, then looked toward the small field where a bike was laying on its side. “Looks like the Ramirez boy. I heard he was in trouble for dating some girl in town. His Dad worked on my farm.”

Bill sighed. “Betcha he is the one who bit the girl and they managed to lock him out.”

“And then it went to hell from there,” Ed agreed.

Nerit looked back toward the fort and the people gathered to watch what they could of the proceedings. “Let's get some sentries up here to watch for anymore approaching this way.”

“Yeah. And get the Dollar Store stock cleared out.” Ed shook his head and headed back toward the stairs.

Bill looked down at the remains of the young man. “I bet he only wanted to see her and he ended up killing her instead.”

Nerit could hear the sorrow in Bill's voice and knew it had nothing to do with the boy, but everything to do with his own loss.

It was an emotion they were too well acquainted with in this new world.

2. Packing Up and Moving On

“It still smells like zombie in here,” Stacey muttered under her breath. The too-slim younger woman made a face and rubbed her pert nose.

“Zombie and bleach,” Katie amended with a wry grin.

“Sounds like a drink almost.” Stacey laughed and puffed air up at her flyaway bangs. She was busy packing up the contents of a shelf laden with boxed dinners and cans of soup.

“In some freaky bar down on 6th Street in good ol' Austin, Texas.”

Katie grinned at the thought and continued clearing the shelf. Sweat was trickling down her back and beaded her forehead. The store had been without air conditioning for weeks. At some point the breaker had been tripped. Now the air conditioner was humming loudly as it worked hard to cool the store down.

Stacey smiled ruefully. “The good ol' days.”

Katie's smile faded. “Yeah. The days of yore.”

“In the B.Z.”

“Before Zombie?” Katie arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Stacey answered. She taped the box shut and scrounged around for the black marker they were using to mark the contents of the boxes on the outside flap.

Katie laughed slightly and shook her head. She was dressed in shorts and a tank top, trying not to let the heat get to her. Stacey was dressed similarly and her toothpick legs made Katie wince. Stacey and Eric had almost starved to death as they took refuge on the water tower. Though they had been on the edge of town, they had not been able to brave the zombie hordes to make it to the fort. Jenni, Bill, Felix and Ed had saved them from certain death.

It was nearly two in the afternoon and they had been working since the area had been declared clear. Katie's legs were aching and her arms felt bruised, but they needed to get the area clear. The faster they were done, the sooner they could make the area safe. Once it was secure, they could seriously consider going into the hotel.

“Sometimes it doesn't feel real. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday I was a coach at an elementary school refereeing dodge ball and hoping the bullies didn't kill the nerds,” Stacey said in a soft voice.

“I know the feeling,” Katie answered as she taped her box closed.