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under the weight of the bodies pressed against them. 
    “Those doors aren’t going to hold,” Nicole said.  She turned and headed off to look for something to reinforce them.  Sam followed.
    “They’re just bugs!  If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone!” he shouted after her.
    Nicole spun around and pointed at the doors.  “Does that look like they are leaving us alone!?  And why do you call them bugs?” she asked as she resumed her search for better fortifications. 
    Sam watched her go.  “Cause that’s what they are…”  Sam’s words trailed off.  He could tell she was not listening.
    Nicole raced down the main aisle.  She scanned down the side aisles as she passed, looking for anything that might be substantial enough to fortify the doors.  She got to aisle seventeen and skidded to a stop.  On the entire left side of the aisle were pallets of eighty-pound bags of cement mix, concrete reinforcer, and cement blocks.  Nicole saw a pallet jack sitting against the wall and ran over to it.  Grabbing it, she raced back down the aisle, the pallet jack rumbling behind her.  When she got to the first pallet of cement mix, Nicole rammed the pallet jack under it and pumped it up.  Heaving on the handle, she thought a vein in her head was going to bust.  Slowly the wheels of the jack overcame the resistance and the pallet began to roll.  She wheeled the pallet down the aisle towards the first set of glass doors.  As she got to the front, Nicole noticed Sam on the Curtain aisle.  He was front facing stock. 
    “A little help here would be nice,” she said. 
    Sam stayed focused on the boxes of the curtains in front of him and did not look at her.  “I am not going to help you create a fire hazard and destroy store property, ma’am.  As soon as the Loss Prevention manager gets here, you are in big trouble.  You’re just lucky he’s the only one authorized to take action, or I would detain you right now,” Sam said. 
    Nicole stared at him.  It began to dawn on her that he was perhaps not going to be much help.  Not having the resources or the time to deal with him, she shook her head and resumed working.  Through much effort, she dropped the pallet against the first set of glass doors.  Satisfied that she had bought herself some time, Nicole dragged the pallet jack behind her and headed back down aisle seventeen.  Sam continued to do his daily tasks, frustration and anger written all over his face as he watched Nicole mess up his store.  While she hauled another pallet of concrete mix down to the second set of doors, Sam angrily retrieved a broom and dustpan and swept up the concrete powder that had spilled from a torn bag by the first set of doors. 
     
    ☣
     
    After a half hour of intense labor, a pallet of cinder blocks was positioned in front of each of the last two sets of doors leading to the greenhouse area.  A sweaty Nicole slumped down on the floor, her back against the last pallet, and tried to catch her breath.  Sam approached and glared down at her. 
    “How am I supposed to get to my vegetables, now?” he asked.  Nicole looked up at him. 
    “Vegetables?” she asked. 
    Sam walked away.  “Yeah, I’ve got to eat, ya know,” he said then made his way to Receiving.
    Nicole sat reclined against the pallet with her eyes closed.  After several minutes, her strength returned and she heaved herself up and followed him.  When she got back to receiving, Sam was nowhere to be seen.  Against the wall was a small office formed by a metal cage.  A metal door stood open.  Inside she could hear Sam rustling.  Nicole walked over and entered the office.  Sam was turning on a hotplate.  Along one wall was a chaise lounge with some throw pillows and curtains for a blanket.  In a bowl on the desk were some tomatoes and carrots.  Nicole looked at Sam. 
    “Have you been living here?” she asked.  Sam did not turn around. 
    “No!  It’s just that I’ve