Black Sun by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 51

Morning gave way to early afternoon as the shifting light of the sun beamed through the windows of their room, illuminating Ryan and Abby, who still lay asleep in the bed that had quickly become their sexual playground. Ryan was suddenly jolted awake by the sound of a bird striking the window. Getting out of bed, he walked to the window. Although there was no damage, the sudden thud left him both suspicious and vigilant. But there was one thing he took note of; something both of them needed badly—a shower. During their erotic escapade, he noticed a strong odor wafting from their unwashed bodies. However, without power, there would be no water for bathing. He would have to improvise.

He continued standing naked in front of the window, scanning the area for any signs of human activity. The only movement was the gentle wafting of leaves, warming in the early summer sun. Setting aside his suspicions, Ryan's next thought was food. Looking over toward the bed, he saw Abby still asleep. He needed to go to the convenience store nearby, but remembered Abby's reaction to being left alone. He could let her sleep or wake her, so she could accompany him. Four hands can always carry more than two. This being the case, Ryan gently woke her, saying that they should to go out for food and that he needed her help.

With every muscle in her body in a state of rebellion, Abby was slow to rise. Stretching in every possible direction, she took a deep breath and inhaled the odor that now filled the room. “Oh my fucking God,” she said. “Is that me?” Ryan was already dressing as he commented on her remark. “Yeah,” he replied. “You really stink. But so do I, so don't worry about it. We'll get something at the store.” With both of them dressed, they left the room and quietly made their way toward the lobby. They would need to get back into their room, so Ryan made sure to put a small piece of cardboard between the door latch and the lock. As long as there was no one else in the building, their place of hiding would be safe and accessible.

Once at the lobby doors, Ryan glanced behind them and having made certain they were alone proceeded to crawl back through the jagged-edged hole in the door. Abby was quick to follow. Once outside, Ryan, again, took a few moments to scan the area for any signs of activity—human or otherwise. When he felt confident enough, he proceeded towards the Stewart's store. His fear of being seen reminded him why they choose to travel at night.

It was only a short distance to the store, but for Ryan and Abby it felt like miles. Approaching the doors, Ryan stood off to the side, looking into the gray light of the store's interior. He saw nothing but selves and racks filled with the things convenience stores usually sold. Lining the back were the refrigeration units, filled with goods likely spoiled by time without power. These cases would not even be opened as the risk of releasing their noxious contents was too high. With so much death lying about, Ryan determined that it was not likely that anyone would be inside, especially considering that the doors and windows were left untouched. With Abby close behind, Ryan tried the door but found the mechanism holding it shut refused to budge. Again, he would have to shatter another window, possibly attracting attention. Their visit to the store would have to be brief.

The plate glass shattered into a shower of gravelly shards, dropping to the ground as a curtain of snowflakes. Abby grasped Ryan's hand as he led her through and into the store. Once inside, they searched through the shelves and racks looking for items that might be close to nourishing. Most convenience stores were not known for stocking such things and they would have to choose their items carefully. Again, Ryan reminded Abby to be cautious about what she chose reminding her of the sugar-induced illness she had imposed on herself not long ago. Abby did not want to be reminded of this event and momentarily confronted Ryan. “You know,” she began. “You're really starting to piss me off about that.”

Lacking hostility, her words were mixed with a faint smile. She could never be truly hostile to the man she loved. Ryan's response was immediate but spoken in jest.

“Hey, you know I love you.”

His words were also intertwined with a gentle smile as Abby blew him a kiss.

Their exchange was brief and they quickly got back to task at hand. As necessities go, the first items to be retrieved included deodorant. Having already determined the need to eliminate a certain odor from the bodies, they found a small shelf stocked with stick deodorant and took all of them. What they needed now was water and a lot of it. But this meant opening one of the refrigeration units. If they were careful, they would be able to confiscate as much water as they needed without disturbing the containers of heavy, rotting fluid nearby. They focused their search on non-perishables only and made several trips, ensuring that once they were well-stocked going out for food and water in the near future would be unnecessary. They would, however, take the time to explore the hotel hoping to find sheets, blankets, and other needed items. Ryan planned on staying put for a couple of weeks, seeing the need for a few days of rest and planning.