1

The streets were empty and the only sound heard for miles was the shuffling of feet. The clouds high overhead casted cool shadows decreasing the feeling of summer heat.

“Are you sure this gas station actually exists?” moaned Cody as he turned his head towards Alex.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Alex huffed.

“Because I really wouldn't judge you if your imagination tricked you,” Cody pushed.

“I said I’m sure!” Alex snapped, as he took a sip from his water.

“Well I’m just sayin’-” Cody started to argue further but Dylan tuned their conversation out. They have been bickering back and forth for hours now. It almost made him regret coming on this run. He definitely could’ve justified staying back and guarding their belongings while they went to find more fuel for the car. He just didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to find something better to eat.

Alex claimed that he had been on this highway before. He said he knew that there was a gas station only a few miles down this exit. Dylan was skeptical of his brother’s clear state of mind. It had been a couple days since they had somewhere safe to sleep. It didn’t help when their car ran out of gas before they could find a new house to crash in. It had been nothing but bland farmland since they left the city anyways.

“I see it! It’s coming up! Over the horizon," Dylan pointed forward.

“Thank god!” Cody sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

The boys picked up their speed. The gas station was small. It had two pumping stations and an ice machine on the outside of the building. There was one vehicle sitting in the parking lot. It looked as though the whole place was run down before the world ended.

Soon they had approached the front entrance. The lock had been busted as though someone had already broken in. Dylan double checked the amount of bullets in the cylinder of his hand gun. He had three left. He hoped he wouldn’t have to use them.

Alex pushed the door open slowly and the three of them stepped quietly inside. Cody searched the wall and found a switch. The lights above flickered on and off; sparking every now and then.

“I think it's safe here,” Dylan was tall enough to see over each aisle, the store was completely empty.

“It looks pretty cleaned out too,” Cody pointed out as he picked up the last can of peaches from the shelf.

“There’s a clear siphon pump and a container back here!” Alex shouted, “We can use this to collect gas from the car out front.”

“You know how to do that?” Cody questioned.

“Yes of course I do,” Alex rolled his eyes and turned to Dylan, “Seriously why did we bring him with us?”

“I wasn’t gonna leave him behind,” Dylan repeated for the hundredth time as he adjusted the sword he carried on his back.

“Damn right you weren’t!” Cody laughed.

dylan found a few cans of beans that were left on the counter. He knew they weren’t going to taste good but at least they were more fulfilling than anything he’s had in a while. He attempted to slip them into his bag but dropped one. It rolled behind the counter and he noticed a padlock on the floor sticking up from the carpet.

“Hey guys, have you seen any bolt cutters anywhere?” Dylan shouted as he crouched down and lifted the carpet up; revealing a trapdoor underneath.

“Ummm,” Cody turned back down the left aisle, “Yeah there’s a pair over here.”

Dylan pressed his ear against the floor, he didn’t hear anything other than his racing heart beat.

“Here,” Cody appeared behind him, offering him the bolt cutter.

“Thanks,” Dylan said. He stayed crouched down and forcefully broke the lock off.

“What do you think is down there?” Cody asked.

“I’m not sure, it’s quiet,” Dylan lifted the door and it revealed a dark passage with a ladder leading down it.

“Holy shit it reeks!” The boys quickly covered their mouths with their hands.

“I don’t think you should go down there,” Cody gave a muffled warning, “It has to have been locked for a reason.”

“It could be supplies,” Dylan coughed, “We barely have any ammo as it is.”

“At least let me grab you a working flashlight,” Cody scrambled to his feet. Dylan took a coin from his pocket and dropped it down the hole. It didn’t take long to hear it clink when it hit the bottom.

“Let me go down first,” Alex approached him.

“It’s fine, I can go,” Dylan looked up at his brother.

“I’m older, I’m going first,” Alex cemented, pushing him aside. Cody reappeared and pointed the flashlight towards the darkness.

“Thank you,” Alex snatched the flashlight from Cody’s hands and put it between his teeth as he descended down the ladder.

“He’s gonna die down there,” Cody whispered to Dylan.

Dylan crossed his arms, “Probably.”

Alex attempted to cover his face with the loose handkerchief he had in his pocket but dropped the flashlight in the process.

“Are you okay?” Dylan yelled.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Alex fumbled around for a minute until he felt the flashlight under his fingers.

He shook it on and shined it around the small dingy room. It was stacked with supplies from food that filled the shelves and riles that hung on the walls. There was a large cross straight in front of him with old melted candles underneath it. He walked forward slowly when he heard a slight clinking of chains coming from behind him.

He spun around, “Oh fuck!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. Two creatures reached their hands out in front of themselves, attempting to grab him in the darkness. He shined the light in their faces, and they had a bar between their teeth. Completely muffling their moans. Without hesitation shot them each in the head, twice.

“Alex?” Dylan shouted again into the darkness.

Blinking twice in shock, “I’m fine it's just a couple infected! Can you find a bag or something? There’s a shit ton of supplies down here. And bring another flashlight!” Alex called back.

“Go down there with him, I have to go to the bathroom really quick,” Dylan said, “There’s a duffle bag behind you.”

“Ugh, I really don’t want to go down there,” Cody complained.

“Relax, at least now you know you won’t die down there,” Dylan tapped him on the back and headed on his way outside.

Cody turned around and threw the duffle bag down the hole and then climbed down himself. He carried a portable lantern in his mouth and when he switched it on it really lit the room up.

“It looks like they committed suicide,” Alex pointed out, “Chained themselves to the wall and kept the bar between their teeth so they couldn’t bite anyone.”

“They still had all this food and they decided to kill themselves anyway?” Cody questioned.

“Don’t think about it too hard,” Alex ordered, “start filling that bag up.”

Cody approached the cross, “this just doesn’t seem right. I don’t think people who believe in God would kill themselves.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Alex said as he quickly filled the duffle bag with the food, “Grab yourself a new gun and let’s get the hell out of here!”

“And if they killed themselves, who would’ve padlocked the trapdoor?” Cody looked up at Alex with wide eyes.

Alex paused and turned to Cody, “Where’s Dylan?”

“He’s right here,” an unfamiliar voice cackled from above. The boys looked up the shaft. The man had dylan on his knees and pushed his head forward so they could clearly see him. There was pure fear in his eyes as the man held a gun to his temple.