12 Taking a Short Break (1/2)
Mark easily managed catch up with the rest as evading the slow moving and the most normal of zombies is too easy. Unless he got surrounded by overwhelming numbers, caught in a surprise attack or immobilized, getting away from this kind of zombies was a piece of cake. It wasn't like these zombies would teleport towards people like zombies from some American zombie apocalypse series.
With only a few zombies on the way, their group arrived at the entrance of cinema area. In here, there are several cinema halls that can be accessed by customers who had tickets. Right now though, the dark cinema area looked like some haunted part of the mall.
As they arrived, Mark cautiously looked around and noticed the retractable gate sticking out from the ceiling. He tapped the shoulder of the employee carrying the mother and pointed at the gate.
”You know how to close this one?”
Everyone looked up to what Mark is pointing at above them and saw the metal gate on the ceiling. They thought that it could serve as another assurance for their safety and also looked that the man. The expectant gazes that turned to him made him somewhat uncomfortable so he immediately shook his head.
”I don't know how to pull that down.”
When the man saw their downcast eyes, he hurriedly explained.
”My work here is to deliver cargo from the warehouse. Most are boxes delivered to stalls, so I never had the opportunity to enter other workplaces for utility staff. And, it hasn't been long since I started working here.”
The others immediately understood when he explained.
”It's a pity. Can't we look around? Maybe we can find how to close this. If we can hole up here then we don't need to go there? There should also food here right?”
Without minding their expression, Ange started blurting her own opinion. But only to be rebuked by Mark who shook his head.
”We don't have much time to look around. There are just too many rooms here. And it is a totally bad idea to hole up here.”
He then walked away, put his duffle bag on the food counter and jumped over it. He then opened a refrigerator and took some cola and drinks and put the beverages on top of the counter urging the others to take one before looking at the entrance of the cinema.
Outside, he can still see the zombies that are still chasing after them though these guys are the typical slow moving ones. They should arrive in a few minutes. They still have time to take a breather.
The employee let the mother down and Paula sat the child on the counter. The mother picked up a bottle of fruit juice while she helped her daughter punch a straw on her kiddie drink. The employee and Paula both picked up a can of cola while Ange stared at Mark for some reason.
”What are you staring at?”
Of course Mark would ask that.
”I want the same drink as yours.”
What Mark is drinking is a bottle of energy drink. He didn't put the same drink on the table since it very rare to see females consume this kind of drink and the employee is looking at the can of cola. Still, since she requested, he just picked up another bottle and threw it at her which she agilely caught.
Ange immediately downed a few mouthfuls from the bottle without any regard on how she looked like. After releasing a satisfied breath, she turned to Mark and is about to ask something what he said earlier but he disappeared. She leaned over the counter and saw him crouching under the counter looking for something.
”What are you looking for?”
”We should pack up some of the food here so I'm looking for a bag or something we can use. They only have small paper bags and carton boxes here.”
”Bags huh? We left ours in the fast food on the second floor when we escaped.” Ange reminisced as she looked at Paula who also felt downhearted.