“Yes.” She hated to venture out, but she felt obligated to warn the new people about the Progg. The trio might not care, but she’d bet the others would.
Rice done, she added it to the simmering bean mixture and stirred it all together. She forced herself to eat a small bowl. It would be her last hot meal for a while.
First thing in the morning, she’d leave St. Louis.
Chapter Four
Being outside and exposed gave Chloe the willies. Could the Progg see them from the Arch? Were they watching with powerful binoculars? Could they attack from there? She pictured them knocking out a view window and setting up a vaporizer like a machine gun.
With great relief, she stepped up to the porch of the neighboring house. The front door was locked tight, so they skirted around the side to the rear where they discovered a swinging doggy door. Sandy couldn’t fit, but Chloe squeezed through and unlocked the big door.
In the pantry, they filled their bags with tuna, canned chunk chicken, cereal, corned beef hash, peanut butter, and canned fruits and vegetables.
“I’m going to check out the closets,” Sandy said when the shopping bags were full.
“Great! I’ll be there in a sec. I’ll make sure we didn’t miss anything good.”
With Sandy gone, she snagged a box of granola bars, bottled water, and a can of mixed nuts, which was light enough to carry and would provide good protein.
She found Sandy in the master bedroom stripped down to her underwear trying on clothes. “The woman dressed like an old lady—but there are a few tops that aren’t hideous that will fit me.”
“I think shewasan old lady.” She pointed to a picture of an elderly couple on the dresser and felt a pang. A lot of her dog grooming customers had been elderly shut-ins.
Sandy laughed. “That explains it, then.”
She could use some clothes, but if they fit Sandy, who was a couple of sizes larger, they wouldn’t fit her. “Any shoes?” She’d put countless miles on her Crocs, and they hadn’t been new to start with.
“Ugly ones, and they wouldn’t fit me anyway. Too small.”
Chloe found a new pair of lace-up running shoes still in the box, only a half-size larger than her normal size. She doubted the elderly lady did much jogging.She probably had bunions or corns.Chloe swapped her worn rubber slip-ons for the lady’s sneakers and snagged some socks from the dresser. She also took apair of slip-on sneakers, a little worn, but good for emergencies.
“Fire shoes,” her mom would have called them. If the house caught fire in the middle of the night, you didn’t worry whether your clothes matched or what kind of shoes you put on—you grabbed something and ran.
Progg shoes.In her nightmares, she’d awaken to find an alien coming in through the window. If that ever happened, she wouldn’t stand a chance, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a pair of fire shoes anyway.
Sandy, back in her own clothes, rummaged through the lady’s jewelry box. “I think this stuff is real!” She held out her hand to display a diamond ring, one with rubies, and another with a giant emerald. “She wore ugly clothes, but she had good taste in jewelry. You want some? There’s plenty for both of us.”
How generous to offer me someone else’s stuff.“That’s okay.” The owner was dead, and Chloe had no qualms about taking what she needed to survive, but raiding a jewelry box felt too much like stealing.
As Sandy donned a diamond pendant, Chloe focused on the chunky silver medallion around her neck. “What’s the deal with Zack’s medallion?”
Sandy shrugged. “It’s cool, that’s all. Ready to go?” She pulled the pillow out of its case and shoved her acquisitions into it.
Chloe put her Crocs, the fire shoes, and extra socks in her backpack. “Ready.”
Returning to the trio’s house, she marveled at the comfort and padding of her new sneakers.I knew my shoes were wearing out; I didn’t realize how bad they were.
“I was about to come look for you,” Zack said when they entered. “You were gone longer than I expected.”
“Clothes shopping.” Sandy swung the pillowcase.
“I should have guessed.” Zack grinned.
They would have been gone longer if Sandy had found clothing she liked.
“I got some jewelry.” Sandy showed off her hands, a ring on every finger.
“We have about an hour before we have to leave,” he said. Neither of them moved to put away the groceries, but instead, vanished into the bedroom.
