Total Collapse by Shupert Derek

Author:Shupert, Derek [Shupert, Derek]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Post-Apocalyptic | Survival | Thriller
Amazon: B08KSLY93J
Goodreads: 55679389
Published: 2020-10-26T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

RUSSELL

Darkness consumed the far corner leading to the back of the building. What light that shone through the front windows struggled to reach the blackness.

Russell stooped next to the rucksack, then shoved his hand deep into the depths of the canvas bag. He rummaged through the contents as he looked in the direction of the noise.

Max trotted toward him with his nose trained to the floor.

“Not this time, bud.” Russell said, fishing out the flashlight. He pointed at Clyde. “Stay here and guard the front and Cathy.”

“What’s happening?” Cathy’s voice trembled with uncertainty. “What was that noise?”

“We’re not sure. Sounded like it came from the back of the store. Perhaps the stock room or something,” Clyde answered in a low tone.

Russell rubbed Max’s head, then pointed toward the entrance. “Go on. Get back up there.”

Max groaned, lowered his head, and did as commanded. He skirted past the end of the aisle, turned, and looked at Russell with his ears up and eyes trained on him.

“Watch that entrance.” Russell thumbed the button to the flashlight. “There may be more people trying to break in here.”

Clyde tilted his head. “Watch your back.”

“Always.”

Russell trained the sharp, white beam of the light at the far corner of the store. His wrist rested on his forearm, the Ruger pointed ahead of him. He swept the empty shelves and the dark walkway leading to the swinging gunmetal steel door.

The soles of his boots crunched over fallen packages and knocked various bottles of cola and other flavored drinks out of his way. Beads of sweat raced from his hairline and down his forehead. They dipped into his eyes, burning each one. He blinked, then rubbed the sleeve of his shirt over his face to clear his vision.

The banging noise sounded again–louder.

Russell paused and listened, then moved on.

The light trained at the bottom corner of the shelves and the low light of the walkway that the light stretched to reach. Between the smoke and the cloudy skies, the full brunt of the sun’s rays was hit or miss within the tumult of the city.

The banging stopped, leaving nothing more than a dull silence that lingered from the darkness beyond the steel door and window molded inside it. No other sounds loomed from the space.

Russell gulped and moved on. He peered over his shoulder at Clyde who kept out of view from the front entrance and watched from the cover of the wall near the door. He shot Russell a simple nod, then offered a thumbs up.

Max growled. Even from the far side of the store, Russell could detect the canine’s tension and apprehensiveness of the strange noise.

The endless void of blackness behind the plastic window revealed no shadowy shapes or black clad figures lingering in the depths of the building. The surface of the window had scratches that coated the front, making it difficult to see anything with any sort of real clarity.

Russell moved his head around and squinted, studying the ether and listening for any subtle hint of movement.

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