buildings around me. I shivered at the sound because it reminded me of the low moans that Matthew had made when he became infected. Pulling the rucksack and rifle out, I waited for Spirit to jump out. She sat on the passenger seat and looked at me.
“Look, this is the best we can hope for. It’s getting dark and I am not wanting to head into the city.” I said to her.
She huffed and slowly climbed over on to the driver’s seat and jumped down.
“See, not so bad!” I said and watched as she stepped up to the front tire and pissed against the wheel.
I suppose that meant she wasn’t happy with our accommodations for the night.
I shrugged the rucksack on and headed for the main doors. Spirit followed behind with the nails clicking on the tarmac. The doors leading inside the building were half glass and half metal. One of the handles had dried blood smeared down it and there was a small pool of black on the step below it. I reached for the other door and pulled on the handle.
The door rattled in its frame locked and I quickly looked round over my shoulders hoping that I hadn’t alerted any of the infected. Pulling my sleeve over my hand I tried the other door and it opened. I sighed and pulled the door open enough that Spirit and I could slip through. Once inside, I looked around trying to find a way to make the doors secure.
I stood in a small reception area and there was large leather couches on either side of the room. In the center was a desk that had a single chair behind it. Behind the desk were two doors; one marked employees only and the other had toilet. I dropped my rucksack and went to check behind the desk.
Holding the crowbar with both hands, I crept up to the desk and looked behind. Finding nothing but a telephone and a few pens, I decided that I could probably drag one of the couches over and wedge it in front of the main doors. Spirit had climbed up on to the other couch and lay there with her head on her paws watching me huff and puff as I dragged the couch over and shoved against the doors. I might not keep anything out for long but it might give us some breathing room to escape.
My attention was now the two doors leading out of the reception area. I chose the lesser of two evils and headed for the door marked with toilet. Holding the crowbar in one hand and pushing on the door it opened into a small, single toilet and hand basin. Spirit had lifted her head to look at me and then lowered it again and closed her eyes.
“Fat lot of use you are!” I said.
Her ears flicked and lay flat. I suppose that meant for me to get fucked. I grinned and crossed the short distance to the other door the one marked employees only. This time I stood and listened for any noise coming from the other side of the door. I was really beginning to hate the quiet in this building. Pushing the door with my free hand, I swung open on a small corridor with four doors. Two of them were on my left and one on the right. The last door was directly opposite the one I had opened. I could make out dark streaks down the walls toward that door and I knew that it was the last place I wanted to go at the moment.
Chapter Five
I turned to look at Spirit and said “Are you coming or not?”
She lifted her head and yawned and then slowly jumped down from the couch with a slight humph.
“Hey, it’s not like I am putting my life on the line for your hairy arse.” I said, looking down at her.
She yawned again and licked my hand.
Smiling, I ruffled her fur and headed into the short corridor. Spirit stayed close to my leg. I stopped at the first door on the left and listened. All I could hear was the soft panting of Spirit next to my leg. I tried the door handle and pushed the door open.
Inside was a small office with a window that looked out at a brick wall. The desk had a computer and monitor and the other usual small office stuff. The chair back was facing the door and I was instantly wary because all the horror films I