Free A New World: Return by John O'Brien Page A

shelves.   The pickings are slim on these shelves as there had been down some of the other aisles.
    “Horace, this is Jack, how do you copy?”   I ask quietly on the radio.
    “Loud and clear, sir,” she responds.
    “The water is in the fourth aisle.   Start gathering quietly.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    I see other lights pan about the store as Blue Team begins heading our direction.   I focus back towards the far side of the store hoping nothing is back there or at least does not get stirred up.   I think about the sheer number of times we are going to have to do this in order to get supplies before we are able to be self-sufficient.   We are going to have to plant crops, hunt, fish, develop adequate water supplies and such, but until then, non-perishables and bottled water are our friend.   Of course we’ll have natural water and it should be easy to find back home in the Northwest but we’ll have to be careful of anything close to cities.   Maybe we can cut holes in the roofs and install skylights , I think pondering an easier way to do this.   My mind goes through various scenarios including just blowing the roofs off.   I immediately eliminate that one as we may need access into the store again and the simple fact that the roof caving in will destroy the very thing we want to get.   The skylights or a portable generator with lights seem the best options in my mind right now.
    Lights illuminates us as Blue Team turns down our aisle.   The thoughts in my head vanish as if the lights banished them.   Horace and her group begin removing the cases and gallon jugs of water from the shelves.   From the looks of things and the scarcity of them, it should only take them about two trips.   It should be enough to keep us for a few days.   As they start back up the aisle for their second trip, the startling sound of something metallic hitting the ground sounds out from the inky dark in the back in the store.   It sounds like a pan hitting the floor and skittering across it.   The sudden noise causes an adrenaline release.   With the adrenaline hitting, the pounding of my heart feels like a bass drum being hit.
    Lights converge in the direction of the sound and all movement stops as our alertness meter climbs to the top.   The shelves block most of our vision toward the back.   More sounds of items falling from shelves echoes throughout.   It is hard to tell in here if it is getting closer but the noise is becoming constant.   Gonzalez edges to the far right of the lane with McCafferty on the left.   All of our weapons are pointed down the open lane.   Gonzalez looks back at me over her shoulder asking for direction.
    “Keep alert and focused.   We’re the rear guard.   We’re going to cover and pull back once Blue is clear.   As you know, they come suddenly,” I whisper to her turning to Horace and her crew.
    “Horace, get out of here.   We’re covering.   Tell Henderson to remain in place until we get to the entrance.   Go,” I say down the aisle where they have become as still as statues.   Alert, tense, and focused toward the continued noise of items falling.
    The sound is coming rapidly closer.   Amongst the clatter, I make out the faint slap of feet on the floor, although muted in some way.   Our lights are focused in the middle of the store where the majority of the noise is rapidly drawing near, but without picking up a sight of anything.   Horace and her team begin withdrawing backward down the aisle toward the entrance, still facing in the direction of whatever is coming toward them.   I can tell that they aren’t going to make it to the end of the aisle before whatever is making the sound is upon them.   I see by their faces that they know it too.
    I stand to get a better angle over the shelves.   My light immediately catches sight of a night runner leaping across the top of the shelves; the gray-skinned creature gathers itself before leaping to the next shelf, with other night