Dead Calm (7 page)

Stepping into the hall, he nodded to his left and
said, “Watch the kitchen,” before turning his attention to the
doors directly in front of him.

Nudging one with the toe of his boot, it swung open
at his touch. Pushing it further so he could look into the next
compartment, Steve saw that the area was illuminated by the same
low-level lighting they had encountered in the watercraft storage
area. In this more cavernous space though, the dim light left
shadows everywhere.

Built on three tiers, the formal dining room was as
wide as the ship and nearly as deep. Tables draped with white linen
tablecloths were clustered on every available bit of floor space
and created hundreds of hiding places. Steve was surprised to see
that they were set with dinnerware, cups and glasses, all of which
was covered with a thin layer of dust.

With just a quick glance, he counted four bars and
eight semi-enclosed serving stations for the staff. More hiding
spots, he noted. Mirrors on the walls gave an impression of immense
size, and multiple chandeliers reflected back to fool the eye as
they gave a disco ball effect to the small amount of illumination
thrown off by the emergency lights.

This'll be a nightmare to clear, he thought to
himself. Shining his flashlight across the room, he noticed that
the two sets of double fire doors, one on the port side, and one on
the starboard that led into what he assumed were the next
compartments, were shut. This gave him an idea. Ducking back into
the hallway, he found Heather, Tick-Tock and Susan covering the
doors that led into the kitchen.

“Here’s what’s up,” he told them. “The formal dining
room is fucking huge, and we could waste hours in there trying to
clear it. And I don't even want to think about what a mess the
kitchen’s going to be when we check it out. The good news is that
the doors leading into the next section beyond the dining room are
metal, so they should be pretty sound proof. What we do is clear
the kitchen first by standing at the doors and making noise to see
what we can attract. One person stays here and keeps an eye on the
dining room to make sure nothing comes up behind us and cuts us
off. Once we're done with the kitchen, we do the same thing in the
dining room. Almost like how we cleared the bank building. Draw
them out and waste them if they show themselves.”

Realizing it was the best way to clear the cluttered
areas, they put the plan into effect.

With Susan watching the dining room for any signs of
the living or the dead, Steve and Heather covered Tick-Tock in the
kitchen as he banged pots and pans and smashed a dozen plates by
flinging them like Frisbees against the walls. He added to this by
calling out as loud as he could, “Here zombie, zombie, zombie” and
“All-e-all-e-in-come-free.” Echoing off the metal walls and floor,
the noise was enough to wake the dead, but none appeared.

After ten minutes of this, the three of them rejoined
Susan and moved into the dining room. Here the acoustics, muted by
the heavy carpet, tablecloths and wall tapestries, were not as good
and they found they had to yell louder. After Steve upended a few
tables and sent them crashing into their neighbors, they decided
that the noise was enough that if any of the dead were around, they
would have come out. Tick-Tock also pointed out that any humans
hiding in ambush would have to be very disciplined not to have
shown themselves. Satisfied they were alone, but still not letting
down their guard, the foursome crossed the dining room without
incident.

Standing in front of one of the fire doors on the
starboard side of the ship, Steve placed his hand on its push bar
and slowly, soundlessly eased it inward until he heard a click.
Gripping his M-4 tightly in his right hand, he used his left to
open the door just enough to look through. He starred so intently,
and for so long, that Tick-Tock finally asked with anticipation,
“What is it, what do you see?”

Without missing a beat, Steve replied, “It's a rock
climbing wall.”

Susan's hand flew to her mouth to stifle the laughter
that bubbled up.

As Steve pushed the door open to give him a better
view, the others were able to get a look. An almost perceptible
thrill went through them at what lay ahead.

Without turning, Steve said, “Tick-Tock, grab a
couple of chairs so we can prop these doors open. I don't want them
closing and locking behind us.” When he returned, Steve said, “We
go through one at a time and spread out. There's plenty of open
space just past the door, but there's also a lot of area to cover
beyond that. Everyone take a good look before we move.”

When they had each taken their turn, Heather held the
door open while Steve went through. After checking the blind spot
behind the door, he moved forward twenty paces and stopped. Rifle
at the ready, he tried to take in as much as possible of the
overwhelming sights around him.

Daylight, streaming in from skylights multiple
stories above, lit the front of the shops, clubs and restaurants
that stretched away from him in a neat row on the right side of the
ship. The stores all appeared to have their glass panel and metal
security doors shut and locked, but Steve made a mental note to
check them anyway. They didn't want someone or something coming up
behind them after they passed by.

Perpendicular to his left sat a row of five elevators
situated in their own hall with three glass elevators facing into
the Centrum on the opposite side of their common wall. Beyond this,
he could see more shops lining the port side of the ship. Although
he was too far back from the opening to look straight up, Steve
assumed that the entire roof of the Centrum had to be glass, due to
the amount of light coming in.

Despite his vertical sight line being limited by the
second floor walkway above him, he could look across the Centrum
and see the top half of the restaurants lining the port side on the
next deck above. Even from the small bit he could see, he was
amazed at the detail.

There was a reproduction Italian sidewalk cafe right
next to a Japanese sushi bar, both done up in exquisite detail.
Turning his head to look back down the length of the deck, he could
see the middle area was filled with kiosks, fountains and what
appeared to be a miniature golf course. He noticed that, while
grand in stature, the Centrum had a slightly eerie, unused look and
feel to it. With everything intact, but with all of the storefronts
closed, the fountains dry and chairs set around tables as if
waiting for someone to sit down, it appeared the people had
suddenly vanished. His mind wandered to thoughts of the Bermuda
triangle and ships like the Mary Celeste that were found abandoned
but completely intact, right down to the tables set for diner. The
dining room they just passed through came to mind, and he felt a
shiver run up his spine.

Steve jumped slightly when he heard a sharp intake of
breath next to him but realized it was Heather when she said, “Oh
my God, I've never seen anything like this in my life.” Turning, he
saw her standing a few feet away with mouth slightly agape as she
tried to take in their posh surroundings.

Susan came up on Steve's left, and even though she
had been on cruises before, she seemed awe struck by the sights of
the Centrum. He could almost feel the excitement coming off her in
waves.

Only Tick-Tock seemed less than impressed. He took in
the area at a glance and then assumed the posture of a man waiting
for his wife in a shoe store. While he appeared bored, Steve
noticed that the former Marine’s eyes never stopped moving as he
searched for threats.

After giving everyone a chance to adjust to their
surroundings, Steve asked Tick-Tock, “How do you want to do
this?”

Without hesitation, he answered, “Diamond formation,
you're on point, Heather's left handed so she's on the right. I'm
on the left and Susan brings up the rear.” Turning slightly toward
Susan, he added, “You've got to walk backwards most of the time to
cover our rear. You up for that?”

“No problem,” she answered.

Nodding, Tick-Tock continued, “Everyone keep about a
ten foot interval, and keep your eyes on the floors above us. If we
stick close to the starboard row of shops, we should minimize our
exposure from up top. Remember that if anyone fires on us to move
toward them and unload with everything you’ve got. It's the only
way to break up an ambush.”

Steve put in his own thoughts. “Heather, since you'll
be closest to the shops, make sure they're locked.”

She nodded and added, “Like Tick-Tock said, we need
to be careful so we don't bunch up. Right now, I'm not as worried
about Z's as I am about getting shot.”

“Words to live by,” Susan said.

Grateful for Heather's experience in law enforcement,
Tick-Jock's in the Marines and his own from his time in the Army,
Steve stepped forward as the others fell into position behind him.
Cautiously walking forward, they saw that the emergency lights were
on in all the shops and couldn't help but notice what was displayed
in the glass storefronts. As they moved further into the Centrum
without seeing anyone, living or dead, their confidence grew and
they began to comment on what they saw.

“Duty free booze shop,” Tick-Tock pointed out. “Maybe
on the way back we can pick up something to celebrate with.”

Heather tried the door, which only rattled in its
casing, and said, “It's locked.”

Hefting his M-4, Tick-Tock replied, “That's okay, I
brought my key.”

“Then you can open the door to the bath and body shop
for me,” Susan said.

“Or how about this one,” Steve said as he pointed
with his rifle at a shop with its facade done up in a nautical
theme. “The Ship's Store.”

Tacky tourist souvenirs cluttered its display racks,
but lined up by the cash register were shelves full of bottled
water, sodas, candy and snack foods.

“I'd kill for a bag of those Nacho Cheese Doritos,”
Susan said wistfully.

Tick-Tock brought the group back into focus by
saying, “You might have to.”

Silent again, they continued to move across the two
hundred foot length of the Centrum. After passing numerous shops
containing a variety of items from bedspreads to Waterford crystal,
the opening to the upper floors ended at an ornate, curved, double
staircase that Steve was almost tempted to use to explore the decks
above. Looking in front of him though, he saw that the Centrum also
ended here, and a long, angled registration desk of some type began
that would funnel them to another set of the now familiar metal
fire doors. This would be their turning around point, he decided.
They had gone far enough on their first expedition and had come
across the essentials, and some extravagances, they needed and
wanted. They could grab a few things from the shops on their way
back and explore the kitchen further to see if the coolers were
still working. Steve suspected they were, since he hadn't smelled
anything rotten when they were in there. But even if the food had
turned, and the thick walls of the coolers had contained the smell,
they could still raid the dry storage area.

He was even daydreaming about kicking back on the
sailboat with a Bacardi and diet Coke, maybe with ice, when a
familiar stink brought him to an abrupt halt.

“Z’s,” he hissed as he went into a half crouch.
Without even looking, he knew that behind him the others had done
the same and were now facing outward as they looked for
targets.

“Where?” Tick-Tock asked as he searched the area.

“Don't know,” Steve replied. “But I can smell
them.”

“I smell them too,” Heather said, her voice thick
with revulsion.

They had stopped just past the grand staircase and
were in an open area, so any threat from the walking dead should be
readily apparent. When nothing came at them, Steve decided to try
and find the source of the stench. Heading toward the registration
desk on his right, he made his way to within a few feet of the
counter before stopping. Behind it was the only place where any of
the dead could be hidden. Reaching out, he tapped the granite
countertop with the barrel of his rifle and then drew back as he
waited for any zombies to be attracted by the noise.

None of the dead popped up like a jack-in-the-box
from hell, so he stepped forward and tapped louder. He knew he was
close to something not still alive because as he approached the
desk, the smell had gotten stronger. Loathe to putting his head
over the top to take a look, he moved further along the counter
toward a pass-through a few feet away. Here he could move behind
the desk without exposing himself too much. As he did, he noticed
that the musky, rancid stink of the living dead became even more
cloying, but now it seemed to be emanating from another direction.
Suddenly realizing that the smell wasn't coming from behind the
registration desk, he stopped and slowly turned around to see
exactly where else it might be coming from.

That was when he saw it. The double steel doors that
led from the Centrum into the next compartment were chained
together. Now he realized why they hadn't seen any of the dead,
even though they could smell them. The Z's were locked away in the
next section of the ship.

Not trusting any barrier that he hadn't erected
himself, Steve cautiously approached the doors. He knew before they
could turn their backs on them that he had to make sure they were
secure.

Something he hadn't noticed at first in the low light
became apparent as he drew closer. What he had originally thought
was a decorative design on each of the doors was actually a
five-foot high, ornately painted cross. Further proof of the
religious graffiti was the discarded spray cans lying near-by on
the rug. Stopping within arm's length of the barricade, he glanced
over his shoulder at the others. All three of his friends stood
with weapons ready to cover him. Turning back to the door, the
stench of death became thick in his nostrils, telling him he had
definitely found the source.