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The body lying in the center of the floor was half eaten, but when Asher moved the light over its head, she could see the bullet wound that caused its brain to splatter all over the floor like a grisly work of art. The sound of another flashlight clicking on had her looking over and up at Mason. His face was a hard mask, but he sensed her stare and looked down at her. Their gazes held for a moment.
“You have to be ready for anything, Sparrow.” His voice was deep and low. He handed her a flashlight and then wrapped his hand around hers that held the pipe. “Just stay close, okay?”
She nodded, and he let go of her hand and took a step forward. They entered the small backroom, and she turned on her flashlight and lifted her arm to move the light around the space. There were shelves lined up on all sides, a small desk with papers scattered around it, and a metal door, which she assumed must have been a freezer of some sort. The body lying in the center of the floor was grossly decomposed.
“Come on,” Asher said at the same time he made his way to the desk and picked up a tote bag. He emptied the contents, and she watched as papers, pens, makeup, and even tampons fell onto the ground. “There is some water and canned goods over there.” He pointed his flashlight over to the ground where the things he mentioned were scattered around the floor.
They moved over to the items, but the room was so dark that even with their flashlights Sparrow could hardly see anything. She moved away from the body, but her foot caught the edge of a box overturned near the corpse and she tripped. Before she fell forward and landed right on the rotting flesh, a strong, big arm wrapped around her middle and hauled her up against an impossibly hard chest. She knew instantly that it was Mason who held her before she even lifted her eyes to see which man was in front of her and who was behind her. The scent of him, wild and untamed, was the smell that always seemed to surround him. Her thoughts were solidified when he whispered gruffly against her ear.
“You have to know where you are at all times. Next time, I might not be here to catch you before you fall.” He didn’t say it arrogantly or with that hint of irritation that always followed. “Watch your step.” He lifted her off her feet and moved her away from the body before she could even comprehend what was going on. Once her mind was clear, she moved over to where they were shoving the supplies in the tote bag.
“I think that’s about all we’re going to be able to carry.” Asher tilted his chin toward the door, and they made their way toward it, but the sound of something banging had all three of them stopping and turning toward the side. They all pointed their flashlights at the metal freezer door. There was silence, but then the sound of something banging even harder against the door had her pulse racing.
“Think it could be someone trapped in there? Or even an animal?” Once again, she had spoken her thoughts aloud.
“No. The oxygen would have been depleted in no time. Whatever is in there is sick, and there is no fucking way we are letting it out.”
“For all we know, the freezer could be filled with the infected. Someone put it in there, and someone blew this one’s brains out.” Asher pointed the flashlight at the body on the floor. “Let’s get the fuck out of here. I’m starting to think the quiet is a bit of a front.”
They quickly went back out onto the main floor, but before they made it halfway up the aisle, Asher and Mason stopped, causing her to slam into them. She braced a hand on the center of each of their backs to catch her balance, and instantly she felt how tense they both were. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Shh.” It wasn’t even a word, but Mason managed to make that sound all growly and demanding.
“Sparrow, I want you to go toward the back of the store and hide behind one of the shelves.” Asher sounded just as tense as Mason.
“What? You have to tell me what in the hell is going on.”
Mason was breathing heavier, and when he reached around, it was only to push her back to do what Asher had said. “Here.” Mason looked over his shoulder and bent to grab a small pistol he had tucked into his boot. He shoved the gun in her hand and forced her to hold it tightly. “There are six bullets in there. If any fuckers come after you, shoot first and ask questions later.” She knew her eyes were big, but she nodded and kept her mouth shut.
