Invasion

"Here, take this," Nancy said, handing her sack of drugs to Cassy. Using both hands she tried to extract herself. She found it was not easy.

The light coming from the front of the store was suddenly dramatically augmented. At the same time a whooshing sound commenced and rapidly increased. When it reached earsplitting levels it cut off with such suddenness that its concussive effect knocked some teetering merchandise off shelving.

"Oh no!" Nancy moaned.

"What?" Cassy demanded.

"That was the sound when Eugene was consumed," Nancy said. "Where's Jesse?"

"Come on!" Cassy yelled. "We have to get out of here."

She put down the parcel Nancy had given her and tried to pull back the edges of the wire mesh. Flashlight beams began sweeping around the inside of the store.

"Go!" Nancy cried. "Take the package and run!" "Not without you," Cassy said, struggling with the stiff wire.

"All right," Nancy said. "You hold this side, and I'll push the other." Working together they were at last able to free Nancy.

Nancy grabbed the bag of drugs and together they began to run along the back of the store. They didn't have a specific destination. They were merely counting on the store having a back entrance. Instead all they found was an interminable frozen food bin.

Reaching the far corner, they turned into the first aisle and headed forward. They thought that by running along the periphery of the building they'd eventually find a door. But they didn't get far. Ahead a shadowy group of people rounded the corner. Most were carrying flashlights.

A simultaneous whimper of fear escaped from both Cassy's and Nancy's lips. What made the group particularly frightening was their eyes. They glowed in the dim light of the store like distant galaxies in a night sky.

Cassy and Nancy simultaneously reversed directions only to be confronted by a second group coming from behind. Huddling together they waited as the two groups closed in on them. When the people were close enough for the women to see their features, it was obvious they were equally divided between male and female, elderly and young. What they had in common was their glowing eyes and their plastic smiles.

For a few moments nothing happened except the infected people completely surrounded the women and pressed in on them. Cassy and Nancy were back to back with their hands clasped over their mouths. Nancy had dropped her bag of drugs.

Terrified at being touched, Cassy screamed when one of the infected people suddenly lunged for her and grabbed her wrist.

"Cassy Winthrope, I presume," the man said with a short laugh. "This is indeed a pleasure. You have been missed."

Pitt drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of Jesse's van. Jonathan fidgeted in the passenger seat. Both were anxious.

"How long as it been now?" Jonathan asked.

"They are twenty-five minutes late," Pitt said.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Pitt said. "If anybody was going to have trouble I thought it would have been us."

"As long as we kept smiling, nobody seemed to care what the hell we did," Jonathan said.

"Stay here!" Pitt said suddenly. "I got to check on that supermarket. If I'm not back here in fifteen minutes, drive back to the cabin."

"But how will you get back?" Jonathan whined.

"There's plenty of deserted vehicles around," Pitt said. "That won't be the problem."

"But ... "

"Just do it," Pitt snapped. He climbed out of the van and quickly descended the bluff. He emerged from the trees on a deserted street and set out toward the supermarket. He estimated he had about six blocks before he'd have to turn for the final block.

Ahead an individual came out of a building and turned in Pitt's direction. Pitt could see his eyes glowing. Suppressing an urge to flee Pitt coaxed his face into a broad smile just as he and Jonathan had done in the medical center. Having already smiled so much his facial muscles were sore.

Pitt found it was nerve-racking to walk directly at the changed person. He had to concentrate not only on the smile but also in keeping his eyes directly ahead. He and Jonathan had learned the hard way that any eye contact was viewed suspiciously.

The man passed without incident, and Pitt breathed a sigh of relief. What a way to live, he mused sadly. How long could they survive this cat and mouse game?

Pitt rounded the corner and approached the supermarket. The first thing he saw was a group of cars parked directly in front of the store. What worried him was the fact that their lights were on. As he got closer he could hear their engines were running as well.

Reaching the edge of the parking lot, Pitt saw a tight group of people emerge from the store and begin to climb into the cars. Soon the sound of slamming car doors reached him.