Chapter 15

Shopping Spree
the road again. They had gone where the professor had told them to go, the precise location. But they hadnt found the antidote. Unless it was some sort of puzzle or something. They hadnt found anything there, but they had eaten a fair meal and that was good. Jason was driving, Albert was reading some book, and Veronica and Delilah were lying down in the back, trying to get some sleep. It was more comfortable now. The church people had given them some blankets and a few small pillows, it wasnt much - but it made a world of difference. Veronica found it easy to sleep, and was snoring away like an asshole. Delilah watched her jealously. She was tired, but all she could think about was Derek. Had he been killed by the killer robots, or had he managed to survive somehow? Had they chopped him up into small pieces? Or had he MacGyvered his way out of another tight spot? Her thoughts continued to race but the traveling had taken a toll on her. She was indeed very tired. And soon she closed her eyes and dozed off. * * 104

On

It was spring now and the robots were all gone. But they had certainly been there. Delilah knew that. But they had been defeated, and now the human race was safe and free. Delilah was in a small meadow that she had never seen before. But she wasnt scared, not that she was generally scared of meadows or pastures or fields or anything, but sometimes it can be creepy to not know where you are. There was a rustling in the woods, someone was coming her way. She turned to look. But the sun hit her right in the eye and she was blinded for a moment, and she became dizzy and lost and confused and then Delilah. She knew that voice. But she couldnt place it. And then slowly her vision returned and she could make out that manly figure. It was Derek. He was alright and everything was alright and they were together in the meadow. In the sun. I missed you, said Delilah, gazing longingly at him. I missed you too, Derek said romantically. Delilah smiled, graciously accepting his words. He sat by her, and for a long time neither of them spoke. They just spanned time, like two awesome stone mountains, gently settled in the spring breeze. Then he touched her shoulder and he kissed her They were in their cabin now and sprawled out naked on the furs of a dozen ferocious animals. He was cradling her from behind. She reached back and placed her hand on his hip and pulled him closer. She could feel his warm rough butt cheek and she rubbed her finger tips up and down it and then slid them into his pocket. 105

But why did he have a pocket on his bare ass cheek? She didnt remember that. It was nice. Her hand fit in there and it made for a good handle of sorts, so whatever. But he really shouldnt have a pocket there. Delilah opened her eyes and came back to reality. Oh, she thought in her head, right. Im in the van. She carefully pulled her hand out of Veronicas pocket, who was luckily still asleep, and edged away from her slowly. She looked up at the front of the van and didnt see any sign that the boys had seen the situation. She breathed a sigh of relief and wondered how long she had been grinding on Veronica.

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Jason wanted to go to Wal-Mart or some other big stupid store for some reason. He wanted to loot more stuff, but he explained it in a way that almost made sense, and he didnt mention anything about looting, so they agreed. They didnt even try to find a parking space. Jason just parked the van right by the door! They all got out and went inside. Luckily it was open and Albert hustled to the bathroom. Jason pointed at him awkwardly jogging away and laughed. Veronica hit Jason on the arm for being a jerk but also laughed a lot. Delilah smiled too, it was pretty stupid looking. It was a shopping spree. The girls were by no means as excited as Jason, because they didnt really want anything there. They would have been far more excited to be having a shopping spree at another location, Anthropologie, or at least J. Crew. 107

Veronica went to look at the shampoo or something. Delilah tried to get what she could from the stupid gross grocery department. She thought some of it must be decent. The girls were trying to be useful or whatever, but Jason was in heaven. First he went to the electronics department and played all the new video games and then he went and had some snacks in the junk food department. He rode a bicycle around for a while in the bicycle department and then he found the guns in the gun department. Jason wasnt particularly excited about guns; in fact, hed never given them much thought. He had gone hunting with his grandfather when he was little, but he didnt think hed even seen a gun since then. But now. Now that there was in fact a need for a gun. A weapon for protection, not only his own, but of his woman, and the other damsel who had found her way into his care. He had never needed anything more. He felt a desire. It was like a hunger, deep within his chest. It was bizarre, and yet it felt so good. He smashed the rifle case and took one out and felt its awesome strength in his fingers. He needed this gun. And he needed the other stuff too. He needed the video games and the bicycle hed been riding all over the place. He needed these things. He needed a shopping cart Out of habit, the gang made their way too the checkout lanes. There was nobody there to serve them of course (because of the alien robot attack). But they had been bringing there selections to checkout counters for decades. It was what they had been trained to do.

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Veronica saw Jason coming down the isle with his over-loaded cart and took an enormous disappointed sigh. Jason was absolutely gleaming. He was super happy with all his new gear and was totally excited to frigging use it all. What they hells all that junk? Veronica asked him. Just some stuff I though we could use. Video games? Veronica didnt understand. Yeah. For playing. What do you mean? she was mad at him. With my fingers, Jason didnt understand what she didnt understand. He mimed videogame playing with his thumbs. But when? In the van, Jason explained. And a gun?! A frigging gun isnt going to hurt those robots. And where are you going to ride that bike? Its got all titanizoid components. Its like a really good bike. It was true, the word Titanizonid was written in big yellow letters all over it. Veronica was shaking her head. What did you get? Jason asked looking at her basket. 109

Necessities. Jason starred at her blankly. Things we need, she explained. Yeah, like what? Jason said grabbing the basket from her and pawing through it: soap, underwear, some sweatpants, fashion magazines, a dress, a pair of high heals Jason looked up from his investigation holding a shoe. When are you going to wear these? I Its just that Ive been looking for a simple plain black heels forever Delilah looked down into her own basket. There among her food and first-aid supplies and other sundries was a pair of earrings. Diamond earrings. Diamond golden earrings. She picked them up and studied them. Oh, she thought. Right. Exactly.

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