Read Awake for Free Online Page B

chain. There was a small neon sign on the window
that read, “Open 24 hours, 365 days a year.” But it was definitely
closed now. The lights were off and they couldn’t see anyone
inside.
    “What’s the plan?” asked Kevin.
    Tom moved closer to the sliding doors. To
everyone’s surprise, the doors opened automatically. “That’s the
plan. I guess they were right about the doors being open at
least.”
    Kevin approached the opened doors. “I don’t
believe it.”
    “Must be our lucky day.”
    Andrew said, “I’ll wait outside for
Genesis.”
    Helios added, “I’ll stay outside too.”
    Kevin nodded. “What do you want me to get
you?”
    Andrew replied, “I definitely need a drink.
Some cola, with caffeine…and, I don’t know, maybe some canned
spaghetti or something. Anything will do.”
    “Okay,” said Kevin, “we’ll be right
back.”
    Kevin and Tom entered the dark store. Their
eyes slowly got used to the soft light that came from the windows.
There were also few emergency lights on, coloring the aisles with a
faint red. Kevin made a quick study of the area. The cash registers
were near the front with the produce section. In total, there were
only about fifteen aisles in the whole building. The refrigerated
items were along the sides and the back. It was indeed a small
store, and Kevin was confident it wouldn’t take long to get what
they needed and get out.
    Kevin noticed the music coming from the
speakers around the building. It wasn’t the typical music he was
used to hearing in a supermarket. Kevin was used to hearing pop,
rock or sometimes oldies. But this CABS had classical music
on—really soft and gentle classical music, the type of music that
would lull anyone to sleep.
    Kevin covered his ears on the way to the
soda aisle. “Do they usually put this music on?”
    “Not usually, no,” replied Tom, snickering,
“Maybe it’s like a security system. They put on this classical
stuff to make intruders fall asleep.”
    Kevin stifled a yawn. “It’s working, I’ll
give them that. We should get the stuff quick.”
    “Sure. Then we’ll meet up at the back. They
should have a kitchen or something where we can heat up the
food.”
    They picked up shopping carts and raced
through the supermarket. Kevin went for the drinks, grabbing as
much soda as he could. He left his cart near the front of the
store. Tom went straight for the canned pasta. After they finished
their tasks, they gathered at the back and found a door for
employees only.
    Tom opened the door and, after passing the
threshold, froze.
    Kevin asked, “What’s wrong?”
    Tom looked down, squinting into the
darkness. “I don’t know. There’s something on the floor here. Can
you find a light switch?”
    Kevin groped along the wall and flicked on
the lights. He gasped. A man was facedown on the ground,
motionless. “Is he asleep?” Kevin wondered out loud.
    With his foot, Tom flipped the body over.
The person was a middle-aged man dressed in an employee’s uniform.
“Probably,” replied Tom. “But I wonder why he ended up here.”
    “A sleepwalker,” said Kevin. “That’s my
guess.”
    They continued along, pushing the shopping
cart full of canned pasta around the body, and found a small
kitchen area. There was a round table in the center, surrounded by
several wooden chairs. Kevin placed a few cans down on the table.
Tom tested the microwave above the stove to make sure it was still
working.
    “Now if we could just find containers to
heat up the stuff,” said Kevin as he examined the cupboards. “I
don’t see anything. Maybe there are some outside.”
    “I’ll look,” said Tom, as he left the
room.
    While waiting, Kevin decided to recline on
the couch. The cushion, though battered, ripped and discolored with
odd stains, was comfortable. He sunk deeper into the seat,
seemingly merging with it. Though Kevin was hungry, he was also
exhausted. Maybe a few seconds of shuteye wouldn’t hurt, he
decided. Just a brief