BARE NECESSITIES [2]

"What the hell is—" Sam began, then they all heard a sound that answered the question he was about to ask: canned laughter.

"It's a TV show," Xian Mei said.

Sam frowned. "But who'd be watching TV at a time like this?"

"Maybe someone who has no idea what's happening," Purna suggested.

"Then I guess we ought to tell them," said Sam, "before they find out the hard way."

The blaring of the TV grew louder as they ascended the last dozen steps.

Though the infected had probably had hours to check out the noise, it still made all three of them nervous to be so close to something that could potentially attract attention.

The top of the steps opened out into a backyard, behind what Sam guessed was one of the buildings lining the long main street.

From what he had seen of them, the bars, restaurants, and retail outlets were not only crammed together in a jumble of shapes and sizes and styles, but they were also in various states of repair, as if the street had grown up organically, rather than being planned as a tourist-serving fait accompli from the outset.

This particular building was a shabby clapboard affair sandwiched between two taller and more austere edifices constructed of steel, glass, and polished wood.

Ominously, there was an overturned dustbin in the yard, spewing rubbish, and the screen door at the back was half open.

A narrow alley to the left of the building provided access to and from the main street.

"This doesn't look good," said Xian Mei.

Sam glanced at her. "Think we should check it out?"

"It would probably be foolish," said Purna.

"But?" said Sam.

She sighed. "But if someone is in there, oblivious to what's happening..."

Sam nodded. "They might as well be banging a dinner gong."

He took the lead, crossing the yard quickly. At the screen door, he paused and knocked.

"Hey," he called softly. "Anyone in here?"

There was no reply.

"I'm going in," he said. "And before you say it, yeah, I'll be careful."

"I'm coming too," said Purna.

Sam frowned. "Someone should stay out here in case of visitors."

Xian Mei pulled an 'oh well' face and shrugged, as if she had drawn the short straw.

"Yell if you need us," Purna said, placing a hand briefly on Xian Mei's arm, then she slipped into the building behind Sam.

If this was a store of some kind, then it didn't seem like it from the back. Clearly, the rear of the building was given over to living quarters, indicating that this was a home as much as a place of work.

The first room they entered was a kitchen, modest and shabby, but also clean and neat. There was nothing out of place here, nothing to indicate that anything untoward had been happening.

The blaring TV was located somewhere deeper in the house. Sam and Purna crossed the room swiftly to the inner door, Sam placing his ear against it to see if he could make out any other sounds. Unable to do so, he glanced at Purna, and she nodded.

He opened the door, gritting his teeth against the creak it made, and stepped through quickly, looking every which way to assess the terrain.

The TV was now so loud that Sam was able to tell which show was playing – it was a rerun of Friends. He even recognized the episode; it was the one where Ross and Rachel get married in Vegas after drinking themselves insensible.

The noise of the TV was coming from a room beyond an open door to their right. In the center of the opposite wall was another door, closed and with a key in the lock.

Sam guessed that this one must lead into the retail/public area at the front of the building. The left-hand wall was dominated by a narrow wooden staircase stretching upwards into shadows.

Sam moved forward but stopped after a couple of seconds when Purna put a hand on his arm.

"What is it?" he hissed.

"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that if there were any infected in there, you'd hear them moving about."