Not banging but scratching lightly.
Cocking my head to listen, I heard it. A strange clicking sound.
Soft. Way softer than what I’d heard at school.
“Do you hear that?”
Ben shook his head. “Hear what?”
Adrian tilted his head slightly. “I hear it.”
The clicking came again. More than one. Like several of them were making the sound.
Talking.
My stomach clenched. “What the hell are they doing out there?”
The alarm outside shrieked again.
Then suddenly—it cut off.
Mid-wail.
Silence crashed over the building, and I turned to Adrian. “Why did it stop?”
He looked at the door, his expression completely calm. “Because something broke it.”
From outside, something grabbed the door handle.
And tried to turn it.
“What the fuck?” I stared at the handle in disbelief.
Luckily, the deadbolt was still strong even after the car crashed into it, with the building absorbing most of the impact.
“It’s almost like some of them are gaining the ability for critical thinking.” Adrian suddenly had an intense coughing fit.
Ben narrowed his eyes. “I’m thinking that I need to take my chances going back the way we came. You boys are a ticking time bomb.”
“You’ll die.” I covered my mouth when a wet cough erupted soon after I spoke.
“Maybe. But I prefer that to being eaten by you two.” He tilted his head, “Unless you want me to end it for you now?”
I gripped the pistol tightly, “No. I’m not giving up that easily.”
“Neither am I. This is different from what I’ve seen.” Adrian insisted.
“It looks the same to me," Ben said as he began to walk down the hallway back to the main part of the store.
“The building is surrounded. How do you plan on getting out?” My throat felt scratchy.
This guy was crazy.
“I’ll figure that out. You two need to decide what you’re going to do next.” He opened the door and closed it softly behind him.
I turned to Adrian. “Do you really think this is different?”
“I do. But that’s just an educated guess. Nothing more.” He rubbed his eyes as another cough erupted from his throat.
