Yesterdays Gone: SEASON TWO (THE POST-APOCALYPTIC SERIAL THRILLER) (Yesterday's Gone)

weren’t there then. Or maybe they just didn’t see me.”
    “Well, for future reference, I’d find another place to shop, okay?”
    “Yeah, there’s another drugstore a few blocks the other way, but it’s a bit farther and I like to keep as close to Gramps as possible. I’ll go there next time, though.”
    “And maybe stick to homes and stuff for food, just to make sure you don’t cross paths with those guys.”
    “Yeah,” Carmine said as he continued to lead Ryan down another street.
    “You see any monsters around here? Or any other people?” Ryan asked.
    “You all are the first I’ve seen since November. But yeah, I see the monsters every now and then. I hide. They haven’t seen me yet. I don’t see them near as much as I used to, I don’t think.”
    “What about your grandpa?”
    “He don’t leave the house, so as long as none of those things hear us or see us, we’re okay. What’s your deal?” Carmine asked. “You from here?”
    “No, I’m looking for my wife and daughter. Well, my ex-wife.”
    “Ah,” Carmine said as if he’d been there, done that. “You heard from them at all?”
    “No.”
    “How you know they’re alive?”
    “I don’t,” Ryan said. “Just a feeling.”
    “Do you know what happened? Where all the people went?” Carmine asked.
    “Nope, no idea. What do you think happened?”
    “I dunno. I ran into this dude a while back who said everyone was taken by the government. Some big secret experiment going on.”
    “And they grabbed up everyone all at once?” Ryan said incredulously.
    “I didn’t say I believed him, just sharing what I heard,” Carmine said, smiling. “Gramps thinks God took everyone. Said God got good ‘n pissed off and rinsed the planet, but left some of us behind on accident.”
    “Some accident,” Ryan said. “How does Gramps explain the monsters?”
    “He ain’t seen ‘em yet. I told him a little bit, but I didn’t want to scare him too much or he’d never let me out.”
    “So, what are you two gonna do? You gonna go somewhere? You got anyone else?”
    “Not that I know of. My mom died when I was born. Don’t know my Dad; he cut out shortly after. Gramps said he’s an asshole and if God got rid of all the bad people, he surely got rid of my dad.”
    They turned another street, and Carmine pointed out a faded peach-colored apartment building a block away, six stories and rundown before October, in all likelihood. A depressing looking place, from the outside anyway.
    As they reached the parking lot, a gunshot cracked and echoed off the buildings.
    Ryan spun around and saw Red Jacket and Blue Jacket, both armed this time, aiming and firing.
    “Duck!” Ryan screamed as he dropped behind a black pickup truck.
    Carmine scrambled inside the apartment building. Ryan wished he’d not done that. Now the fuckers knew where he lived.
    “Hey Marine! You hiding? That ain’t very brave!” Red Jacket shouted, suddenly ballsy and brave.
    A spray of bullets slapped the surrounding metal. Ryan kept his head low. Blue Jacket made a beeline across the street, heading for the apartment, probably after Carmine.  
    Ryan swung into the clearing, hoping to tag Blue Jacket, but didn’t have time to aim. In his periphery, he registered blood colored movement as Red Jacket flew into view, about five car lengths ahead, then settled behind a blue Buick, taking aim at him. Ryan twisted and fired at Red Jacket, missing by a mile, then rolled out of the way as Red Jacket fired, his shot spitting up asphalt where it struck the road five yards behind Ryan.  
    Ryan rolled to a spot between a sedan and a truck, and paused.
    Blue Jacket laughed, turning away from the apartment’s entrance where Carmine had gone, his attention now on Ryan as he eyed the street in search of him. Ryan was across the street, insulated by a row of cars on Blue Jacket’s side, and his own.
    “You see that, Jessie?” Blue Jacket called. “You ever see a Marine who shot like a drunk retard before?”
    Red Jacket returned the laugh, then said, “Maybe he meant he’s a cook for the Marines.”
    Ryan crawled behind a truck, staying low, pretty sure neither man knew exactly where he was. They were fishing with their insults hoping he’d bite, but it wouldn’t be long before they found him. He had to put some distance between himself and Red Jacket before Blue Jacket flanked him from behind and had him trapped.  
    The going was slow, but Ryan stayed low. Both men were