Black Friday

 This little tale of shopping horror was originally printed in Dark Moon Presents Zombies horror story anthology. This is an excellent collection of zombie horror stories put together by Stan Swanson and the people at Dark Moon books. You can pick up the collection here: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Moon-presents-Jason-Shayer/dp/0983433534/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1353685323&sr=1-1&keywords=dark+moon+presents+zombies.  My little edition to the anthology is listed below for your enjoyment. But beware. Shopping on Black Friday can be brutal.

BLACK FRIDAY

“Cam, check this out,” Scott Norris said above the continuous Christmas music being piped in through the overhead speakers of the ValMart Superstore.

“What?” Cameron Miller asked. “Why aren’t you back in Hardware?”

“You’ve got to see what’s on TV. Where’s the remote?”

“By the register.”

Cameron stood from kneeling in front of a shelf of laptops. He had spent a long and tiring night preparing the display of new electronics. The last thing he needed now was to be caught talking to Scott, especially when the assistant night manager, Mr. Dolton, hovered around looking for any reason to write someone up.

“I just got a text from Linda.” Scott grabbed the television remote from the checkout stand located in the center of the electronics display floor.

“You’re not supposed to carry your cell phone at work.”

“Something’s on the news.”

“What?”

“I’ll show you.”

He clicked the remote at the wall of HD flat-screens and the televisions switched to the news channel. The same broadcast filled all the multiple flat-screens at once. Overhead images shot from a helicopter showed a massive train derailment and flames rising in to the sky.

“-two hours ago outside of Timber Heights,” the female newscaster said in her unemotional tone. “This is the scene confronting firefighters and emergency responders. A massive chemical spill and fire due to the derailment of an Army -”

“That’s less than five miles from here,” Cameron said.

“I know,” Scott replied, and added, “I drive that way home.”

“– a toxic chemical cloud spreading out from the crash scene. Reports of multiple fatalities are unconfirmed at this moment. The governor has-”

“What are you doing?” A stern voice asked from behind.

Cameron and Scott turned around. Mr. Dolton stood in the aisle behind them between digital cameras and PC printers. He adjusted his thick black-framed glasses and crossed his arms in disgust.

“You need to see what’s on the news.” Cameron nodded toward the wall of flat screens displaying the horrific scenes of the train wreck.

“No.” Mr. Dolton shook his head. “What I need is for you to get back to work.”
“The news said there was a train wreck -”

“So what?” He took the remote out of Cameron’s hand and clicked the televisions back to the endless loop of Disney promos. “There are hundreds of shoppers waiting outside in the cold for us to open in twenty minutes and you two slackers are standing around doing nothing.”

“But there’s been a terrible disaster - ” Scott said.

“There will be another one if we don’t have this store ready,” Mr. Dolton interjected. “You two have never worked a Black Friday. I have. It’s insane. Last year there were two old ladies fist fighting in the aisles for a Tickle Me, Elmo doll. I had to call the police.” He nodded toward the front of the store. “All hell is about to break loose when we open.”

Scott’s cell phone buzzed in his front shirt pocket. He jumped at the sound and tried to cover it with his hand.

“What’s that noise?” Mr. Dolton asked.

The buzzing continued.

“What noise?” Scott replied trying to ignore the irritating sound.

“It’s coming from your front pocket.” A stern look crossed Mr. Dolton’s face. “Is that your cell phone?"

Scott’s shoulders slumped. “I guess I forgot to leave it in my locker.”

Mr. Dolton held out his palm. “Give it to me.”

He removed the phone, flipped it open, and tried to read the text.

“Now.” Mr. Dolton snatched it from his hand. “This is a serious breach of employee conduct. I hate to do this to you boys but I want you both in my office now.”

“What did I do?” Cameron asked.

“You were standing around talking.”

He turned and started across the store. Scott followed Mr. Dolton. Cameron resigned to take the rear of the procession. Disappointment and frustration settled upon him like a dismal rain. He had already missed most of Thanksgiving with his family because he had to work stocking the shelves throughout the night. What was his reward? Another disciplinary report by that fat imbecile Mr. Dolton. He couldn’t think of anything more pathetic. ValMart had a three strikes and you’re out policy. This would be his second.

They wound their way through the various departments while the other employees witnessed their walk of shame. Cameron caught the eye of Julie, the cute auburn haired girl working at one of the front registers. She attempted a weak smile before looking away. His ears reddened with embarrassment. He must have looked like a complete loser. There would be no way she would ever go out with him now.

The sad march continued until it reached a flight of stairs leading to the Manager’s Office. Mr. Dolton took the lead and ascended to the door. He opened it, and motioned for them to enter.
The office beyond was a small room with a desk taking most of the space. Framed pictures of current and past ValMart managers covered the crappy wood paneling. One wall-sized window provided a bird’s eye view of the sales floor. Cameron thought of it as Mr. Dolton’s perch where he watched his employees like a fat vulture. The other wall housed a bank of security television screens showing surveillance of the interior of the store and the parking lot outside. One television mounted in the corner was set on the Weather Channel with its volume down.

“You boys take a seat,” Mr. Dolton said.

Cameron settled into a chair in front of the desk and felt his heart sink while his butt sank deeper into the cheap upholstery. This disciplinary action was the last thing he needed on an already shitty holiday. Scott took the chair beside him.

Once Mr. Dolton squeezed behind the desk, he peered at them both with disdain through his thick glasses.

“You know why I get to wear this shirt and tie, and you don’t?” he finally asked. Neither one of them provided an answer. Mr. Dolton cleared his throat and continued, “Because I didn’t slack off and stand around watching television. I dug in and got the job done. That’s why after seven years with the store, I was promoted to assistant night manager. This tie is my badge of honor for all the hard work I’ve done.”

“There’s a mustard stain on your badge of honor,” Scott said.

“That’s not important. If you want to be more than just a sales clerk and night stock boy, you need to change your attitude and get to work. Then one day you’ll get to wear a tie like me. The Christmas shopping season officially starts this morning and I need employees who can pull their workload. That’s why I’m writing you both up.” He opened a drawer on his desk and searched inside. “I won’t tolerate any breach of conduct on my watch.”

While Mr. Dolton was occupied searching through his desk, Cameron felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Scott pointing toward the bank of security monitors. One screen provided an overhead view of the area outside the front door. A mob of customers milled around waiting in the frigid cold. Cameron guessed their number to be at least three or four hundred.

Mr. Dolton closed a desk drawer and Cameron turned his gaze back to him.

“I don’t seem to have any more disciplinary forms left.” He stood and straightened his mustard-stained tie. “I’m going to run down to the HR office to grab some. You two are to stay here until I get back, and no talking while I’m gone.”

After Mr. Dolton closed the office door behind him, Scott turned to Cameron.

“Dude,” he said.

“Don’t talk to me, man. You got my ass in trouble.”

“Cam, listen to me.”

“What?”

Scott pointed to the screen showing the mob of shoppers waiting outside. “You don’t see it?”
“I see a bunch of people freezing their asses off.”

“I know.” Scott gestured toward a second security monitor. This one was fed by the exterior camera sweeping the parking lot. The shifting surveillance showed a parking lot void of vehicles. “So where are all the cars?”

Cameron wrinkled his brow in concentration. He tried hard to think of how a crowd of people arrived at the store without driving their cars.

“Maybe they came by bus,” he decided. “Or they took taxis.”

“I think they walked here.”

“That’s ridiculous. Hundreds of people didn’t walk through the cold in the dead of night to stand outside our door. Unless they are all homeless, I just don’t see that happening. Even if it is Black Friday.”

“Listen, man, the last text by Linda that got us in trouble … I only got to read a little bit of the message before Mr. Lardass snatched it from me.”

“What did you read?”

“I saw the words ‘dead people’ in the text.”

“So what?”

“It’s just weird, and all.”

Scott stood and crossed to the television screen displaying the Weather Channel.

“What are you doing?” Cameron asked.

“Turning it to the news.” He changed the channel.

“You’re going to get us in more trouble with Mr. Dolton.”

“Don’t be such a puss,” Scott stepped back so they could both see the screen.

More shocking images of the train derailment shot from an overhead news copter flashed on the television. The scene shifted to uniformed men in black gas masks and scenes of a raging fire with a white cloud rising into the night sky. Next, the story cut to an impressive looking military officer in full dress uniform giving some sort of statement at a news conference. There was no sound so Cameron couldn’t make out the gist of the statement but could tell by the dour look on the man’s face something serious had happened.

“We need to hear this.” Scott increased the volume. The man’s voice filled the little office.

“- aren’t ruling out the possibility that this was a terrorist attack, either. Right now we are handling it like an accident. I will let you know when more information is revealed to us.”

“General,” a reporter said raising her hand. “What exactly was the train carrying?”

“It’s classified. All I can say is that the cargo was bound for incineration in Colorado. That’s all I’m willing to divulge at the moment for national security reasons.”

“That’s the shits,” Scott said. “This train wreck happened just five miles away and it’s all over the news.”

In one of the security monitors, Cameron spotted Mr. Dolton crossing the sales room floor toward his office.

“Change it back,” he said. “Lard-ass is on his way.”

Scott switched the television back to the Weather Channel and quickly took his seat. Soon after, the door opened and Mr. Dolton entered the room. He sat heavily in his chair behind the desk and crossed his arms. Cameron noticed he didn’t have any disciplinary forms with him.

“Well the HR office was locked,” Mr. Dolton said. “I wish they would leave me a key during the night shift. Anyway, I’ll make a deal with one of you. If you will help me with something, I’ll skip the write up.”

“What something?” Scott asked.

“One of you two boys needs to unlock the front doors to let the customers in.” His gaze shifted back and forth between them.

“Isn’t that your job?” Cameron asked.

“Normally, I would, but a couple of years ago, one of the store managers got trampled to death on Black Friday by a crowd in Rochester, New York. It was during our promotion of 50% off all big screen TVs for the first fifty shoppers.”

“So you want one of us to take the risk,” Scott replied.

“You boys are younger and faster than me. You can get out of the way of the crowd better than I can.” Cameron sensed fear in Mr. Dolton’s gaze. He had probably agonized all night about opening the doors to the mob waiting outside. “So who’s going to do it?”

“I will,” Cameron answered.

“Dude, you’re ass is going to get trampled,” Scott said.

“No it’s not. I’m Captain of the track team. There’s no way a bunch of fat old ladies are going to catch me. Besides, I need this job and can’t get into any more trouble.”

“Good.” Mr. Dolton let out a sigh of relief. He peered down at his watch. “Three minutes to open. We better get moving.”

They exited the office with Mr. Dolton leading the way. Descending the stairs, Scott said in a low voice behind him, “Cam, you saw the news story. The air outside may be poisoned by the train wreck.”

“The crowd has stood out there for an hour and haven’t gotten sick or died,” Cameron replied. “The air has got to be okay.”

They reached the sales room floor. Mr. Dolton crossed to Julie’s register and grabbed the microphone to the store’s PA system. The slim auburn haired beauty stood silently behind her register and caught Cameron’s gaze. She smiled and his heart quickened. God, he wished she would go out with him.
After a second of screeching feedback, Mr. Dolton’s voice boomed throughout the store’s PA system. “Listen fellow ValMart sales representatives. We are about to open for Black Friday. I want everyone in their places and ready to assist the crowd. Look sharp and show them the true ValMart spirit.”

Mr. Dolton put down the microphone. “It’s time.” He reached for the store keys in his slacks pocket, singled out one large silver key, and handed it to Cameron. “This opens the front door. Turn it to the left.”

Cameron took the offered key.

“You’re going to open the store?” Surprise showed on Julie’s face.

“I guess so,” Cameron replied and started stretching his legs.

“Now what are you doing?” Julie chuckled.

“I always like to stretch before a sprint,” he answered, hoping it didn’t make him look like a dork.

“Enough chit-chat,” Mr. Dolton said. “Cameron, go unlock the doors. Scott I want you back to assist in electronics. The shoppers are going to head that way because of the Black Friday special we’re running on laptops.”

“Dude,” Scott said before he left. “I hope you run fast.”

“I do.” He smiled at Julie. She returned the favor.

With Mr. Dolton by his side, Cameron headed for the entrance. Together they walked past the bay housing all the shopping carts waiting for eager shoppers. Mr. Dolton stopped twenty-five feet from the front doors, which were fogged due to the cold. The crowd beyond appeared like dark forms through the misty glass.

“Okay, son,” Mr. Dolton said stepping off to the side. “Let them in.”

Holding the silver key, Cameron approached the front door. When the crowd spotted him, they started to pound against the glass.

“Unlock the door,” they shouted in chorus.

“Step back away,” Cameron demanded while slipping the key in the lock. “I’m not going to open until you step back.”

Cameron was about to turn the key when a man’s face pressed against the fogged glass. He resembled something out of a nightmare. Burned flesh scarred the man’s features and fresh blood streamed out of his dead eye sockets and down his blistered cheeks.

“Let me in,” he croaked in a hoarse voice.

A jolt of shock passed through Cameron’s body. He staggered back while more blistered faces with blood pouring from their white eye sockets pressed against the glass.

“Open the door,” they demanded in an inhuman chorus.

Panicked, Cameron turned and fled. Behind him the shouts grew louder and more intense.

“Why didn’t you open the door?” Mr. Dolton stepped out and grabbed him by the shoulder.

“They’re not human,” Cameron sputtered.

“What do you mean?” Mr. Dolton asked above the pounding against the glass. “They’re just customers.”

The doors shattered in an explosion of battered glass. The horrific mob poured into the store in a seething mass of blistered bodies and the stench of something reminiscent of chlorine and sulfur. Mr. Dolton screamed and tried to escape the onslaught, but was too slow. A multitude of burn-scarred hands grabbed him and forced him to the floor. The mob ripped into his flesh while he laid screaming in terror and flailing madly in his own blood. In seconds, they had devoured his body.

Cameron ran to Julie. She stood frozen in fear beside her register. Behind him, the blood-thirsty cannibalistic mob flooded in to the store. Other clerks were dragged down and devoured to the tune of the inane Christmas music piping in above their screams.

“What’s happening?” Julie shouted.

Cameron grabbed her hand. “Come with me!”

She followed while he raced to the back of the store. In the aisles on either side, the inhuman cannibals swarmed the employees. The ValMart Superstore had become a scene of incredible carnage.

He reached the electronics department.

“Camer -” Julie’s shrill voice screamed behind him.

He turned and saw he still held her hand but it had been severed at the wrist. He looked back down the aisle. Julie was being engulfed by the vicious mob. Her terror-filled eyes met his one last time before the pack of cannibals ripped into her flesh. In the next instant, she was lost in the devouring mass of people.

“Oh God!” He threw aside her soft hand. “Julie!!”

Cameron retreated until his back bumped against the wall of flat-screen televisions. To the side, he watched the mob feed on Scott behind the register. His bloody legs kicked and flailed while they ripped him apart with their bare hands. Before he became a victim, Scott must have clicked the televisions to the news story of the train wreck because the wall of screens was filled with the same image of a female newscaster.

“… the Army isn’t saying if the disaster is the result of a deliberate act of terrorism.” Her calm voice reported above the feeding of the crowd. “Nor are they saying what cargo the train was carrying. Homeland security has declared Timber Heights, Colorado, under martial law and a news blackout is in place as a matter of national security. Reports of multiple casualties due to the disaster are reaching the station. We will keep you informed when details become known to us.” 
    
Cameron watched in terror. The mob drew nearer with blistered faces and dead white eyes now focused upon him. The mass of cannibals licked their bloody mouths and their stench of chemical gas choked his lungs. He pushed further back harder against the flat-screen.

“On a much lighter note,” the female reporter’s voice said at his back. “Today is Black Friday and stores across the nation are preparing for the hordes of consumers-”

Cameron screamed before the mob fell upon him.