After Siege (As the World Dies 4)

“The dirt in front of the entrance is disturbed. You can see where the door swung outward.” Emma leaned forward and pointed to the deep grooves in the accumulation of dirt and leaves. “Someone is in there.”

Juan killed the engine and reached for the shotgun tucked between his seat and the console. “Okay. Then we go in and Rune does his magic.”

“Ain’t magic.”

“Whatever. You talk to the fuckin’ dead, man. Sounds like magic to me.”

There was anger in Juan’s tone, and Emma wondered why. There had been some strain between Rune and Juan since they’d climbed into the truck. Rune gave Juan a long, hard look, his hand resting on the door latch. He appeared confused too, but shrugged off the tension and exited. Emma squeezed out behind him, scrutinizing their surroundings. There hadn’t been any sign of zombies in this part of town, but that didn’t mean they weren’t lurking about. The sound of the pickup might have caught their attention, so it was best to stay on alert. Emma slid her pistol out of its holster and trailed behind Rune as he skirted around the front of the pickup with a Glock in his hand.

Juan slapped the keys onto the roof of the truck and joined them. “In case I get eaten, you guys can get away” he said, answering Emma’s inquiring look.

“Oh.”

The front steps were red brick and solid despite one corner being chipped. The front door was thick metal with a leaded glass inset.

Tapping the spray painted mark on it, he said, “It should be clear of z’s in there. We already did a sweep of the building.”

Juan tugged on the door to find it locked. “Of course, it wouldn’t be easy.”

Rune returned to the sidewalk, searching for another way inside. “Better hurry up before the zombies show up.”

Emma jogged past him toward the corner of the building. “There’s a side door. I saw it when we pulled up.”

The wooden fence surrounding the side yard had long ago fallen over and was trapped beneath the heavy mesh of weeds and wild grass. A stone fountain was in pieces and the wrought iron benches set around it were orange with rust. Barely visible beneath the browned foliage, a flagstone path wound alongside the building to a wooden door warped with time and rain.

“Careful, Em,” Juan warned, joining her.

“I know. Crawling zombies.”

“Nah. I was thinking rattlesnakes.”

With those words, Juan brushed past her and cautiously started along the pathway. Emma followed, with Rune taking up the rear. The breeze stirred the thick overgrowth, making it undulate. It was easy to imagine a zombie scuttling along beneath it toward them. As a precaution, she kept her pistol trained on the ground, watching for any signs of the undead.

A jack rabbit erupted from a hiding spot nearby, darting through the shrubs and into the alley. Though all three of them started, no one panicked and shot at the frightened creature. Emma’s confidence in her two companions solidified. She liked that they could keep their wits about them even when under the threat of a possible zombie attack.

Juan reached the rickety wooden steps leading up to the door. With a firm hand, he shook the structure. It fell apart in his grip with a loud clatter. The noise sent grackles into an angry tirade in the nearby trees. A rapid search of the staircase remains revealed one solid piece of wood which he used to pry open the door. It swung outward on creaky rusted hinges. There was a loud crack when the top hinge sprang free of the doorframe and the door buckled over, striking the side of the building. The grackles furiously protested the racket, hoping from branch to branch to squawk.

“She definitely knows we’re coming,” Rune muttered.

Bristling, Juan shot Rune a sharp look. “You couldn’t have done it any quieter?”

“You need to take it down a notch. Now is not the time.”

“When will it be time, Rune?”

“I told you, I can’t control them.”

“I don’t know what this is about, but we just made a shit-ton of noise. We need to get moving,” Emma cut in, giving both men a disapproving glower. “Macy is what’s important right now.”

Juan responded with a curt nod.

“I agree. Let’s see what we got here.” Rune edged forward to peer into the open doorway that was about five feet off the ground. “Good news. He’s waiting for us in the hallway. We’re on the right track.”

“I’ll take lead.” Hoisting himself up into the doorway, Juan disappeared for a few seconds. “These are the only two entrances,” he said when he returned. “I can see her footprints in the dust heading upstairs. No sign of anyone else following, so we should be good. Let me help you up, Em.”

Emma holstered her pistol and extended her hands. His calloused ones closed around hers and he easily lifted her off the ground. His t-shirt clung to his muscled chest and shoulders, drawing her admiration. Catching herself, she looked away. Juan set her down on the filthy and warped linoleum floor, his hand briefly squeezing hers. It was such a rapid gesture, when he let go she wasn’t sure if it had actually happened. Ignoring the sudden flush of her face, she drew her weapon and stared down the long, gloomy hallway to a window covered in yellowed newspaper. The doors on the bottom floor were spray painted with the distinctive markings of the Fort. At the far end, barely visible in the dim lighting, was another hallway and the bottom steps of the staircase.

Rune hauled himself up to join them and wiped his hands off, then redrew his Glock. “He’s pointing up the stairs. I’ll take lead since he’s guiding me.”