Fiction – Ruth’s Tale Part 7

Avoiding my pile of loot while leaping the counter again, I go to the wooden side door which is a little worse for my axe work. Looking out through the shattered glass in the door, I notice that it is really dark in the baggage claim area. If there are zombies wandering around I cannot see them; therefore I hope they cannot see me. Not being sure of the visual acuity of the zombies I do not wish to test their vision either.

Quietly opening the wooden side door, I look quickly outside. Holding the door open while looking to see if I spot any zombies, I jam the door open again with the brown plastic door wedge. Otherwise the springs in the door hinges would slam it shut locking me out of the room again. I could get into the room much easier this time, but I want a clear quick exit if I need it in a hurry! I have to jam the door open significantly wider than I would like so that I can slip Williams’ body out of the room.

There is a barely any light left. I can see just enough to drag the corpse out of the small room. Grabbing Williams’ body by the boot heels, I begin dragging him from the room. Remembering too late that I left the fireman’s axe buried in Williams’ head. About halfway across the small security room the axe slides out of Williams’ head with a wet sucking noise. Watching the axe falling to the floor where it lands with a “thunk” making me cringe. Leaving the fire axe where it is for now I decide to finish moving Williams’ body.

Sliding Williams’ body out of the room proves to be more work than I bargained for. I barely weight more than 45 kilograms (or 100 pounds). I still have a hard time thinking in the imperial system. Why the United States has to be one of only three countries in the world that do not use the metric system I will never understand. Growing up with the metric system seemed much easier. Williams’ body easily is easily twice my weight. Dripping sweat while dragging Williams’ body out of the room across the floor, I see I am leaving a nasty smear on the floor.

Gently as I can, I lay Williams’ down beside the wall and slide him underneath the plastic seats I was sitting in earlier. Wishing that I could better cover his body I try to do my best to tuck him out of the way. Should I mumble a few words over him from either the Torah or Qur’an? I wonder if he was a religious man.

Taking a quick look around I can barely make out grunge zombie which I killed earlier. Noticing again her knee-high brown Doc Marten boots are very nice and might be close to my size. Taking mental note of the boots, I decide to wait for tomorrow morning when the sun is up and I can see better without using a light that might attract zombies. Last thing I want to do is fight zombies in the dark! I also do not want to fire either of my pistols as that noise will surely bring all the zombies shambling here as fast as their rotting legs can carry them!

I quietly slide into the small room that I have designated my sanctuary for tonight. I see that I left the small Surefire E2L flashlight on low power on the floor. I forgot to turn off the flashlight; damn hunger and lack of sleep is playing havoc with my memory. However, that small amount of light makes it easy for me to orientate in the dark and enabling me to slip into the room quicker.

I place the E2L still on low power on the counter next to the pile of stuff I got from Williams. It gives me a point of reference in the dark tomb-like air port terminal. The baggage claim area is very dark; I could easily take a wrong step and get lost. The idea of stumbling around in the dark does not appeal to me, even armed as I am now.

Stepping back outside the room, I grab an armful of gossip rag magazines and discarded clothes from the floor. Carrying my bundle of trash I quietly tip toe back into the room. Dumping my armful of stuff on the floor, I turn around and leave the small room again. Taking three more trips grabbing armfuls of discarded clothing and rag magazines each time, I make a nice pile. After the last trip, I close and lock the door once again, kicking the plastic door wedge back into the room. Now that I am out of the wide baggage claim area I feel much better.

Using the Surefire E2L flashlight still on low power to search around the back of the counter hoping for office supplies I am not disappointed. I find both clear masking tape and a thick roll of one-inch wide silver duct tape. I smile because the silver duct tape makes me think of Willy, my first American lover who was from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. He referred to silver duct tape as “Mississippi chrome.”

Taking some of the paper gossip rag newspapers and magazines I tape them over the shattered window trying to make sure that I block as much light as possible. I put several layers over the window. I believe the blinds in the front are good enough to prevent light from escaping but I need to close the shattered window.

I intend to maintain strict noise and light discipline. From what I have observed, zombies are attracted to noise and bright light. They do not make any noise other than the shuffling of their feet, which is eerie. I need to get some rest otherwise I will be thoroughly dafuk barosh.

So much for today being my last day at SeaTac airport! I have decided that I will sleep on the floor behind the counter. That way any light I may use will not shine through the mini blinds in the front. Leaving the E2L flashlight on the low setting so I have some light to see, I begin to take inventory of my things.