All That I See - 02 by Shane Gregory Page A

of boxes of trash bags and used them to hold what we collected. We would fill a bag then put it by the door to carry out when we were done. On each trip back to the front, we would take a look outside and check on the clerk behind the counter. He paced around in his little space, but never did find a way over to us.
    We were able to get plenty of beverages, but the food selection was limited to mostly junk like candy, cakes, chips, and crackers—snacks people ate while on the road. They did have a few cans of soup and chili and two small boxes of cereal.
    We were able to restock our toiletries somewhat, too. When Sara wasn’t looking, I grabbed all the condoms. I guess it wouldn’t have mattered if she saw me do it, but I just didn’t want to talk about it right then.
    Sara was in the back emptying the jerky rack when I noticed movement outside. I went up to the glass door and looked out. There were three shuffling into the parking lot from the west, and there was another by the gas pumps.
    “Time to go!” I yelled.
    Sara ran to me carrying a partially full bag and her rifle.
    “Do you think it’s because of me?” she asked. “We haven’t been that loud.”
    “I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe they heard the car when we pulled in, and they’re just now getting here.”
    She looked down, “How many bags did we get?”
    “Six,” I said. “We’ll carry out two each then you get the truck started while I c ome back in for the other two.”
    She nodded, slung her rifle onto her shoulder and grabbed two of the bags.
    “I’m ready,” she said.
    “Don’t use your rifle unless you have to,” I said, picking up two bags. “Save the bullets.”
    We opened the doors, and went out into the sunshine. The nearest creature saw us and stepped up its pace. It was in a state of decay, but not as bad as the clerk. One of the creatures by the road howled. Behind us, the clerk howled as if in reply.
    “Are they talking to each other?” Sara said.
    We tossed our bags into the bed of the truck, and I heard breaking glass from one of the bags.
    “Shit,” I said. “Sounds like we lost some bottles of something.”
    Another howl, and another reply.
    “Start the truck,” I said, turning to go back inside.
    Off to my right, another one was coming at me from around the corner of the building. She was a teenager in pink shorts and a gray Hello Kitty t-shirt. She was more recently turned that the others. She still looked relatively healthy, except for the chunk of flesh missing from her left calf. She was very excited to see me.
    I ran into the building and pulled the door shut behind me. She slammed into the glass door over and over trying to get in to me. I looked past her to the truck, and I could see Sara looking in the big side mirror. The creatures coming from the road were at the pumps by this time, and the one from the pumps was now at the front of the truck. There were six more coming down the road. Behind me, the clerk howled again.  Sara started signaling me with her arms. I wasn’t sure what her plans were, but I thought she was telling me to get out of the way. I grabbed the last two garbage bags then stepped over by the sandwich bar. I heard the engine revving then the rear of the truck came crashing in. Glass doors and Hello Kitty were shoved all the way into the counter.
    I tossed the two bags into the bed of the truck then climbed into the bed myself. I had to sit on top of our bags, and I could feel snack cakes and chips being crushed under my weight. Glass from the doors was everywhere.
    Sara shifted the truck into drive. I curled up, shielding my head and she pulled back through the hole she’d made. A few pieces of glass and a brick dropped into the bed with me as we exited the building, but none of it hit me. She sped away from the building back toward the highway, and the creatures chased us. I noticed that there were more in the distance converging on the little store. 
    It was a bumpy ride, and I