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Prince Light Circles
040617
Gabe quickly ushers everyone out of the room, though Dani is loath to go.
“I'll bring you something here right quick,” he says to assuage her desire. “Cynthia, would you go fetch me a Frisbee or something?” She nods and hurries off back into the store, while Rebecca finishes coaxing Dani out. The little one's eyes never leave the pair of corpses.
Gabe searches around the storage area for any kind of blade; he does not find the prospect of using his teeth quite so appealing this time. He comes across a box cutter just as Cynthia returns with the makeshift plate.
“Thanks. Is there any rubbing alcohol left?”
“Yea, most of the bottle actually,” she replies, pulling the medkit out of her backpack and drawing out the requested bottle. “Here.” Gabe takes the sterilizing agent and pours a little into his hand, wiping down the edge of the box cutter as well as he can without cutting himself.
“Thank you. I can handle it from here,” he says, handing it back to her. She quickly excuses herself and Gabe gets to work sawing off a chunk of the corpse's other arm.
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Eventually, Gabe wanders out with a hunk of meat on the pink plastic plate, interrupting a tea party the three were having behind the counter. Dani is immediately on her feet when she sees him, moving over to accept what she knows is for her. While Gabe was busy, she's found herself a plastic tiara and pink tutu. Cynthia and Rebecca are both wearing similar crowns. Cynthia seems a little bit uncomfortable, but Rebecca looks like a natural. Gabe can't help but smile at their outfits, and, as a way to distract himself from what has and is about to take place, he decides to play along. Getting down on one knee, he proffers unto the child her lunch.
“Your food, madam,” he jokes, and for a fleeting moment he's actually able to forget he's feeding a child with another human being.
“Yay!” she cheers, “Thanks Mr. Gabe!” She takes the plate and hurries back to the tea party. “Come sit down!” she excitedly beacons, quickly being shushed by Rebecca. Gabe complies, baffled with the turn of events his life had taken in such a few short hours.
So this is how the world ends. With teacups and tiaras.
As soon as he's seated, Dani goes to dig in before restraining herself. She then bends over, locks her hands together, and starts to pray, barely audible.
“Dear God, thank you for my food today and for Mr. Gabe and Ms. Rebecca and even Ms. Cynthia even though she doesn't know what to do with me like she said. Please bless this food, Amen.” She then proceeds to dig in, eating it like a bloody sandwich. Gabe, meanwhile, is blown away with the absurdity of it all. Watching a little girl pray over an old woman's flesh before eating it made everything seem surreal.
“Dave? You okay?” asks Cynthia, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder.
“Wha? Oh, yeah, sorry. Just kind of spaced out there.”
“Well don't scare me like that. You make me think you're going to go zombie on us.” Everyone but Dani half-freezes.
“That's the first time any of us have called them that,” Rebecca says quietly breaking the awkward silence.
“Well, I know I've been thinking it,” Gabe interjects.
“We all have,” Rebecca counters, “But it's still weird to hear it said aloud. It kind of makes all this craziness seem less real.”
“Believe me, I know what you mean,” Gabe replies.
“So anyways,” Cynthia eventually says, trying to change the somber mood, “What do we do now that all of us have had at least something to eat?”
“Mommy!” Dani says cheerfully, licking her fingers clean.
“Well I was thinking we head to a storage place near here first. My brother has an RV there and I know where he hides the keys,” Rebecca suggests.
“I could probably use some medical attention though,” says Gabe, rubbing the back of his head.
"We could also use some more food," Cynthia finishes, "We're all out of the regular stuff, and who knows when we'll find more of what you guys need again?"
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