Apocalypse Hero 3: A LitRPG Adventure by Wolfe Locke

Author:Wolfe Locke [Locke, Wolfe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-04-18T00:00:00+00:00

Discounted To Death

Inside was... chaos. Overturned shelves, smashed displays, a warzone in miniature. And stalking the wreckage were the Big Boxmart Club Crusaders, a cult of feral survivors gone mad on a diet of free samples and bulk buy insanity. There was a terrible mix of rotten produce, stale sweat, and something vaguely chemical that set my teeth on edge. The once brightly lit aisles were cast in an eerie half-light.

But it was the people that really caught my attention. Or rather, what was left of them.

They emerged from the shadows like wraiths, pallid and gaunt, eyes fever-bright in sunken sockets. Tattered vestments hung off their emaciated frames, a patchwork of stained red and blue employee vests and threadbare member jackets.

And at their head, a towering figure in a robe of stitched-together Kirkland Signature boxes, a crude approximation of a papal mitre perched atop his brow. In one hand, he clutched a battered metal rod, the top adorned with a battered "Employee of the Month" plaque.

"Halt, sinners!" he boomed, his voice a sepulchral rasp that echoed in the cavernous space. "You stand before the Big Boxmart Club Crusaders, loyal acolytes of the Wholesale Way! What business have you in our sacred halls?"

I shared a sidelong glance with True John, who looked about as nonplussed as I felt. Edgar and the others shifted uneasily, hands tightening on weapons.

"Uh, hi there," I ventured, taking a cautious step forward. "We don't want any trouble. We're just here for some supplies. You know, food, medicine, the essentials."

The leader's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his staff. "Supplies, you say? And just how do you intend to pay for such bounty? Do you bear the sacred membership card, granting access to the blessed bulk discounts of the Big Boxmart Club?"

"Well, you see, funny story about that," I began, but the leader cut me off with a slash of his hand.

"Silence! I sense the taint of the heathen Sam's Club upon you! You dare defile this temple of savings with your presence?" He turned to his followers, voice rising to a fevered pitch. "What say you, brothers and sisters? How do we deal with outsiders who would steal the treasures of the Big Boxmart Club?"

A susurrus of angry mutters rippled through the assembled cultists, pale hands tightening on improvised weapons. I saw kitchen knives and sharpened metal shelving brackets, a few hatchets and crowbars from the hardware section.

This was going south fast. I shot True John a desperate look, but the big man just shrugged, hand dropping to the hilt of his sword. He was ready for violence, as always.

The leader thrust his staff forward, the "Employee of the Month" plaque wavering inches from my nose. Up close, I could see it was streaked with long-dried blood, the name "Hank" barely visible beneath the rust-brown stains.

"By the power of free samples and members-only discounts, I pronounce you guilty of attempted theft and blasphemy against the Big Boxmart Club!" he roared, spittle flying from cracked lips. "The

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.