Free Lost World by Kate L. Mary Page A

comes up behind us, and the second he gets within six inches of me, my back stiffens. “Need any help?”
    Parv shakes her head. “This isn’t really a three person job.”
    Jon doesn’t leave. I shuffle from foot to foot. Wait for him to take the hint. He doesn’t. I swear, he’s lucky he’s good-looking, because he’s as dumb as a rock sometimes.
    After a few seconds, I can’t stand still any longer. “I’m going to run across the street. Check out that convenience store real quick.”
    Before Jon or Parv has a chance to tell me not to, I take off. Practically running to the front of the store. Angus and Darla are busy making out like they’re considering using one of those condoms right here. Just to be sure they work.
    Angus pulls his tongue out of Darla’s mouth long enough to say, “Where you headed?”
    “Across the street. See if there’s any food in that store.”
    “Watch your ass, Hollywood.”
    I pull out my gun and stop at the door, taking a peek through the window to make sure it’s still clear. “Always do. Before all this started, I actually had my ass insured. Since I’m pretty sure the company isn’t around anymore, it’s my job to keep it safe now.”
    Angus chuckles as I shove the door open.
    The bright sun makes me squint, but the air is cool and crisp. Clear. I close my eyes for a second and take a deep breath, feeling like I can finally breathe. Then the door opens behind me, and that feeling evaporates. I don’t have to look to know it’s Jon.
    “You shouldn’t go alone,” he says, coming up beside me.
    I don’t even pause long enough to look over my shoulder. “It’s fine.”
    Jon doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t go back into the pharmacy either. Dammit. I really wanted to be alone. To think and have time to pull myself together. I’m slowly starting to unravel, and the fact that I can’t get three seconds to myself isn’t helping.
    I reach the convenience store and turn the knob, and just like the pharmacy, it’s unlocked. When I step inside, I pause for a second to look the place over. The shelves don’t look like they’ve been touched, and they’re fully stocked like they’re waiting for the former inhabitants of this town to come back. There’s a thin layer of dust on the merchandise. Just like the rest of this town, the store is clear of the dead and the living and any sign of normalcy.
    “This is weird,” Jon says, stepping into the store behind me. “It’s like everyone in town was sucked up by a UFO. There should be bodies walking around or blood or something. But we haven’t seen a damn thing. It’s kind of freaking me out.”
    He may annoy the hell out of me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t agree with him. “I hear you. We should get some stuff together and get out of this town. Fast.”
    The door clicks shut behind us just as I flip my flashlight on and pan it around. I’d feel like we hit the jackpot if I wasn’t waiting for it all to blow up in my face. Something about this whole situation has my stomach in knots.
    I’ve only taken one step forward when a boom echoes through the air, shaking the entire building. There’s a flash of light, and the inside of the store is suddenly three times brighter. Jon shoves me to the ground, landing on top of me. My heart pounds so hard that for a few seconds I can’t figure out what’s happening.
    Then it hits me. It was an explosion. But what blew up?
    I shove Jon off me and roll over, lifting myself high enough to get a good look out the window. In the street, a fire is blazing, but before I can figure out where it’s coming from, Jon’s pulling me back. I try to shove him off again, but he won’t let me go.
    “Get off!” I grunt, trying to break free of his grasp.
    “Hadley, you need—”
    Gunfire erupts in the street, and the words die on Jon’s lips. My heart skips a few beats and I try to move toward the door, but Jon pulls me to my feet. Toward the back of the store. I grope