Home by Shawn Chesser

Author:Shawn Chesser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: zombies, living dead, post apocalyptic, undead, dystopian, special forces, walking dead, zombie apocalypse, preppers, survival thriller
Publisher: Shawn Chesser

Chapter 43

Raven had been correct in her initial assumption. Beyond the swinging doors lay a massive open kitchen. Revealed in the beam lancing from the SBR’s light were dozens of feet of stainless-steel counters, industrial-sized glass-fronted ovens, utensils and pots hanging from the ceiling, and, to the right, a long, narrow cooking line that tested the reach of the encroaching beam.

She jumped off the chair and squeezed through the doors, the suppressed SBR’s business end leading the charge.

The stench of death tailing Raven through the doors was quickly nullified by the eye-stinging odor of disinfectants.

To her left, exposed by the light spill, was a cramped office. It contained a small desk, filing cabinets, and a paper shredder. Its windowless door was open and resting against the right-side wall.

On the other two walls were corkboards papered with official-looking documents.

Above the desk was a framed article from the Food Scene section of the local newspaper. It was full of praise for Ray’s. The article’s author noted how pleased the community was to see a locally owned concern move into a property vacated by a big chain.

The man and woman in the picture accompanying the story looked to be Duncan’s age—maybe sixty years old. Big smiles painted their faces. The American Dream.

Something banged against the wall, causing the picture frame to vibrate. Raven looked closely at the couple, studied their faces, then moved on.

A legal pad on the desk was covered with the names of people Ray had taken in. Next to the names were dollar amounts and contact numbers.

The evidence was mounting that the rumors were true. Raven didn’t know how she felt about it. Was Ray taking advantage of the families’ emotions? Or were the families taking advantage of his kindness?

Instead of chewing on it further, she filed it as yet another mystery of the apocalypse never to be told by those involved.

Again, something heavy impacted the wall at her back.

As Raven left the office to investigate, her light splashed across a massive steel-skinned door. It was just to the right of the office door and inset into a wall clad entirely with shiny, white tiles. Emblazoned on a plastic plaque below the door’s lone window were the words: WALK IN FREEZER - KEEP CLOSED! Under the plaque was a handwritten sign: DANGER! DO NOT OPEN DOOR!

The admonition only served to pique Raven’s interest.

Looking closer, she saw that the window glass was clouded by something smeared on it from the inside. Judging by the noises she had heard coming from within, she guessed the “something” was bodily fluids. That guess was confirmed when another “something” slammed against the door from inside.

Then a face filled up the window. It was bloated and gray and wore a full beard just like the man in the photo. The eyes darted in the sockets as it mashed its broken teeth against the glass. That the cataract of fluids on the glass didn’t smear as the dead thing dragged its tongue across it suggested to her it had been trapped in there for some time.

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