we could actually get there and get back?”
“Don’t see why not,” Corey said. “It’s not like we can’t outrun the fuckers if need be.”
Brian nodded. “What about the others? I don’t think that anyone is going to be too hip about us running out to a store for toys.”
“We’ll just tell them that we’re doing a patrol since we can’t really see down the side roads. And if we just happen to stumble upon the store, and just happen to get a few toys and dolls and stuff, well, hey, that’s just too bad.”
“Sounds good,” Brian laughed. “We’re humping it, right?”
“’Course.” Corey picked up a rag and wiped his hands. “Don’t want to draw any more noise to us than necessary. We’ll pack light.”
“A4s and machetes.”
Corey nodded. “We’ll have to raid Ernst’s supplies, too, see if he has utes.”
“Of course I do,” Ernst said, climbing up the stairs that led from the tunnel.
“Jesus Christ!” Brian said.
“You just about made me fill my pants,” Corey laughed. “What’s up?”
“I don’t trust either of you,” Ernst grinned around his pipe. He smoked happily, the smoke curling up around him. “You’ve been alone long enough to come up with some sort of plan to break up the monotony of the end of the world.”
“No, not us,” Brian said.
“Never us,” Corey said. “We’re just thinking that we should do a patrol, make sure that everything’s okay out there.”
“See what isn’t covered by the cameras,” Brian added.
Ernst looked at them, took the pipe out of his mouth, and smiled. “Did you two know that your ears get red when you lie?”
Corey cleared his throat.
“Um, yeah, our mom,” Brian said, “she may have mentioned that before.”
“Yeah, right before dad took off his belt,” Corey said.
“Listen,” Ernst said. “I’m pretty sure that you’re planning on doing something other than simply checking out what’s going out there. But I also trust you two. If you don’t want to tell me, or anybody else, that’s fine. We’ll let it be a surprise. Just remember,” Ernst said, looking at them both as he put his pipe back into his mouth, “that those fuckers out there want to eat you. And who knows if there are other survivors, and if they’re going to want your gear. Adversity doesn’ t bring out the best in everybody.”
Corey looked over at Brian, and together the twins nodded. “Yeah,” Corey said, “thanks.”
“No problem,” Ernst said. “Now, utes are on the third sub-floor. Boots, too. Plenty of gear, actually. Just make sure that you secure each room as you leave. I really don’t want Michael wandering around and getting lost, or, worse, getting into any of the weapons.”
“Yeah, I copy,” Corey said.
“We’ll both make sure that it’s squared away,” Brian said.
“Right,” Ernst said, grinning. “Make sure that you two bring a handheld, and be safe.”
The twins said good-bye, Ernst waving as he left.
“Motherfucker’s quiet,” Corey said after a moment.
“Right,” Brian said, shaking his head. “Want to get geared up?”
“Damned right,” Corey laughed. He tossed the rag onto the work table and picked up his A4 slinging it as Brian did the same. In silence the two of them left the machine-shop, following the stairs down, a slim trail of pipe smoke leading the way. They made their way to the tunnel and moved through it, the walls cool concrete with fluorescent lights set into the ceiling. A fan whirred , keeping a steady flow of cool air moving around them.
In a few minutes they reached the stairwell for the main warehouse, steel stairs led up to the first floor while other s led down to the remaining sub levels. As they passed the open doorway for the second sublevel they could hear Emily speaking in Chinese and Michael’s small voice answering.
The brothers continued down to the
“Don’t see why not,” Corey said. “It’s not like we can’t outrun the fuckers if need be.”
Brian nodded. “What about the others? I don’t think that anyone is going to be too hip about us running out to a store for toys.”
“We’ll just tell them that we’re doing a patrol since we can’t really see down the side roads. And if we just happen to stumble upon the store, and just happen to get a few toys and dolls and stuff, well, hey, that’s just too bad.”
“Sounds good,” Brian laughed. “We’re humping it, right?”
“’Course.” Corey picked up a rag and wiped his hands. “Don’t want to draw any more noise to us than necessary. We’ll pack light.”
“A4s and machetes.”
Corey nodded. “We’ll have to raid Ernst’s supplies, too, see if he has utes.”
“Of course I do,” Ernst said, climbing up the stairs that led from the tunnel.
“Jesus Christ!” Brian said.
“You just about made me fill my pants,” Corey laughed. “What’s up?”
“I don’t trust either of you,” Ernst grinned around his pipe. He smoked happily, the smoke curling up around him. “You’ve been alone long enough to come up with some sort of plan to break up the monotony of the end of the world.”
“No, not us,” Brian said.
“Never us,” Corey said. “We’re just thinking that we should do a patrol, make sure that everything’s okay out there.”
“See what isn’t covered by the cameras,” Brian added.
Ernst looked at them, took the pipe out of his mouth, and smiled. “Did you two know that your ears get red when you lie?”
Corey cleared his throat.
“Um, yeah, our mom,” Brian said, “she may have mentioned that before.”
“Yeah, right before dad took off his belt,” Corey said.
“Listen,” Ernst said. “I’m pretty sure that you’re planning on doing something other than simply checking out what’s going out there. But I also trust you two. If you don’t want to tell me, or anybody else, that’s fine. We’ll let it be a surprise. Just remember,” Ernst said, looking at them both as he put his pipe back into his mouth, “that those fuckers out there want to eat you. And who knows if there are other survivors, and if they’re going to want your gear. Adversity doesn’ t bring out the best in everybody.”
Corey looked over at Brian, and together the twins nodded. “Yeah,” Corey said, “thanks.”
“No problem,” Ernst said. “Now, utes are on the third sub-floor. Boots, too. Plenty of gear, actually. Just make sure that you secure each room as you leave. I really don’t want Michael wandering around and getting lost, or, worse, getting into any of the weapons.”
“Yeah, I copy,” Corey said.
“We’ll both make sure that it’s squared away,” Brian said.
“Right,” Ernst said, grinning. “Make sure that you two bring a handheld, and be safe.”
The twins said good-bye, Ernst waving as he left.
“Motherfucker’s quiet,” Corey said after a moment.
“Right,” Brian said, shaking his head. “Want to get geared up?”
“Damned right,” Corey laughed. He tossed the rag onto the work table and picked up his A4 slinging it as Brian did the same. In silence the two of them left the machine-shop, following the stairs down, a slim trail of pipe smoke leading the way. They made their way to the tunnel and moved through it, the walls cool concrete with fluorescent lights set into the ceiling. A fan whirred , keeping a steady flow of cool air moving around them.
In a few minutes they reached the stairwell for the main warehouse, steel stairs led up to the first floor while other s led down to the remaining sub levels. As they passed the open doorway for the second sublevel they could hear Emily speaking in Chinese and Michael’s small voice answering.
The brothers continued down to the
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