For A Few Corpses More - Pt. 15

            “What the hell?

            She steadied herself, hands resting on the top of the door now.

            “Get in, now.”

            “Huh,” Nyx asked.

She turned and followed Bronson’s line of sight. Dine was running back towards them at full speed. Nyx ran back to the rear of the vehicle and jumped in. She reached up to pull down the hatch but was thrown back as Bronson accelerated forward getting closer to Dine.

“Oof!”

Dine jumped in as the SUV rolled by, holding onto the door. “Let’s go, around to the left. Floor it!”

Nyx tried to reach up again, grabbing at the handle to pull the hatch down but the car hit another bump. At the speed Bronson had shot up to she had to grab the side not to be thrown out.

“Shit,” she cried out. “What are we running from?”

“She asks a good question,” Bronson agreed.

The SUV kicked up dirt as Bronson spun them to the left and steadied back on the path. The road was rough and broken up in spots that Bronson had to swerve around. Dead trees and broken telephone poles were scattered across and more houses were destroyed and stripped off to the sides.

Dine was slow to respond as usual, not feeling he had to.

“See that,” he said tapping the passenger side window with his knuckle. “That’s a problem.”

To their right, between several suburban homes was a mound that stood almost two houses tall. It was a monolith sized pile of car parts and scraps that were looming over the rooftops.

“What is that,” Nyx asked as she clung to the back of the middle seat.

“Scraps,” Dine said flatly. “Leftovers.”

“Care to explain,” Bronson said letting up off the gas slightly as they came around the second turn.

“Don’t,” Dine warned. “Gun it until we get out of here. If they smell the metal on this vehicle we’ll be added to that pile.”

Bronson pressed the pedal down further and the car swerved again, avoiding debris in the road.

“What’s going on,” Pierce asked finally sitting up.

Nyx pulled herself over the middle seat sliding in next to Pierce. She didn’t want to risk getting thown out again.

“What did you mean by ‘they’ exactly,” she asked, adjusting in her new seat.

“Nanites.”

“What,” Pierce asked.

“What-ites?”

“Are you shitting me,” Bronson cursed. “I thought that was a rumor.”

“No, the plan was just activated after the exodus.” Dine was talking to them as he still kept an eye out the window, looking for something.

“So a bunch of small—almost invisible—robots are running around stripping metal from things? For what purpose exactly,” Bronson asked, almost sarcastically.

“You don’t see any ghouls around do you?”

“Seriously,” Nyx asked. Pierce was going to say something as well but she had about summed it up.

“I know what they were intended to do, Dine. I thought they weren’t used because no one could find a way to control them? It was billed as a huge failure.”

“It was,” Dine agreed. “They became hugely territorial and the automatic shut off switches designed into them were too rudimentary. The Nanites found a way to overwrite those codes, seeing them as a potential threat.”

“This is almost laughable,” Bronson muttered under his breath just before having to make a wide turn. Dine didn’t respond to that, he didn’t feel that he needed to.

“Well, I think we can outrun a bunch of little robots in our car here,” Pierce said.

Nyx nodded, “Yeah, right?”

The ground shook underneath them again, it was more violent this time. They all felt it.

“What was that?” Pierce asked but no one responded.

The ground shook again—a touch more violence this time. There was a rumble that followed from behind as if something was moving.

            “You need to speed up,” Dine insisted as he placed his hands on the dashboard, preparing.

            Bronson’s boot was already pressed down on the pedal, but now he was trying to push it further. He was trying to be careful at their current speeds. A bad bump could cause a huge problem for them. Bronson wasn’t even sure they were running from though. If half of what he knew about Nanites were true, it could be anything.

            Nyx was looking behind them out the still open hatch door as the wheels of the SUV kicked up dust and bits of trash from the desolated roads of the small town. Pierce was looking out to the side, still trying to figure out what was going on in his own mumbling way. She heard him mention that they were down two heavy guns and how this might be a problem which caused her to realize that her own MP5 was now hanging out the back being carried by the wind. The gun’s strap was the only thing keeping it from being lost in the wasteland behind them.

            “Shit!”

            Nyx dove back over the seat into the vehicle.

            “What are you doing,” Pierce called out which caused Dine to turn and look and Bronson to briefly check the mirror.

            “Hold onto her legs,” Dine ordered Pierce, who was slow to react but obeyed.

            Nyx was stretched out across the back of the bouncing SUV bed. She felt Pierce grab hold of her legs, keeping her in position. She wasn’t tall enough though. Nyx had to fight his hold on her a little, yelling back at him. She didn’t want to risk losing their last automatic weapon.

            “Sharp left!”

            She heard Bronson’s warning but there wasn’t much she could do. Now or never, that strap could come lose on this turn. She clawed and stretched out one last time, pushing herself up to the strap that was around the small plastic piece on the back of the car. Pierce was barely able to keep a hold of her feet now as Bronson took to the hard turn and it bounced against the rough spot in the road. Nyx’ body bounced up as did the strap, set free into the air. Her hand was quick and hooked into the brown leather strap in one quick motion before she fell back down flat.

            “Got it!”

            It was in her celebration, momentary as it was that an explosion of dust and rock shot up from underneath the back of the SUV. A veritable geyser of earth shook the car as it erupted, lifting the automobile off of its hind wheels. Pierce pulled frantically on Nyx’ clothes, trying to pull her back to the middle seat but she couldn’t get a hold to help him push. She would yank the weapon in and get up to her elbows, then get to safety. That was the plan.

            It was happening so fast, but she knew she had to move fast. The dust had begun to clear in that second though, she saw something. A cloud? No; many little things. She was still holding onto the strap. Yanking it with all of her strength, she tried to pull it in. Something was on it though now, small silver things with red and orange lights, covering her MP5 quickly.

            “What the hell,” She exclaimed.

            “What’s going on back there,” Dine asked, more as an order.

            Nyx was horrified. She grabbed the butt of the gun and beat the barrel against the back of the SUV.

            “There’s something on my gun!”

            Bronson’s eyes widened, “toss it out, now!”

            She was about to argue. That was, until she saw what the tiny little silver bits with the flashing red and orange specs of light were doing. They were eating her gun, breaking it down piece by infinitesimally small piece at an alarmingly quick rate. She raised her hand to knock them off of it before the gun was completely useless. Her physical reaction was out of instinct though, what could these things do to flesh? She decided not to argue with Bronson and let go of the butt of the weapon and the strap. Their speed carried it out on the wind as it hit the ground and bounced; the gun already half broken down.

            “This is not cool!”

            “Come on,” Pierce grunted as he pulled on her. “Get up here!”

            “Just drive,” Dine ordered. “We should beat out their range soon.”

            Bronson was about to point out exactly how hard it was becoming to drive as the ground began to shake even more. A shrill noise stopped him though, a notification on Dine’s computer. The Captain’s eyes narrowed as he flipped up the computer screen on his arm. The black and green screen had a new color, a line of blue text that Bronson couldn’t read as he was trying to drive: ‘Urgent Message – Change of Order #3348’.

            While Bronson struggled to stay on the road other small geysers shot up around him, dust obfuscating the road in front of him from his view. There was a build up in the air. More static electricity charged around them causing their small hairs to stand up on end and a high pitched squeal in the back of each of their ears. It was there just enough to be constant and annoying.

            Nyx was still looking out the back. The cloud had fallen back behind them. She felt her heart thumping rapidly and it took her a moment to realize that Pierce still had a hold on her hand. He let go when she realized. She didn’t have time to let it process though, her eyes catching a tiny glimpse of small flecks of orange light across the back bumper of the SUV.

            “Oh shit,” she muttered. “Guys, we have a problem.”

            Dine had read the message twice to make sure. He closed the computer and looked over his shoulder. “What is it?”

            “Some of them got in!”

            Pierce looked back and had to squint slight. Three, no, now five or was that seven small orange and red tiny lights in the back? They were growing in number, spreading out around the back.

            “They can’t hurt living tissue,” Dine told them. “Just metal and dead flesh, get rid of them!”

            Pierce was the first one to jump back in the back this time. “I’m on it.”

            After he dove he began trying to smash the little bugs with his hands. They were extremely fast though and seemingly resilient. Nyx was trying to find a good spot to leap back there as well and help him when she looked behind them. In the distance, back through the open hatch, a much larger dust cloud had been formed. She had to blink and take a second look. Sure now, she tapped Pierce on the shoulder, motioning him to look up at it. The cloud was following them.

            “What the-“

            What came next could best be described as a roar. A battle cry bellowed into the sky by a raging beast. Something huge came from the cloud as it leapt forward, covered in dust, debris, metal, and millions of those small little flecks of light. It leapt high into the air off of its belly, springing forward like an oversized worm, screaming to the heavens.

            When it landed the crash it made sent it directly back into the earth. The shockwave that followed shook the black dust covered SUV violently as Nyx screamed and the others grunted, trying to hold on.

            There was a string of cursing and everyone began to yell. Dine was saying to go left, Pierce vouched for the right. The road was splitting and both sides looked dangerous as they approached the bridges. It was hard to hear. There was so much noise and a piercing sound from all of the static build up.

            Just as Bronson yanked the wheel to the left the rumbling reached a fever pitch. The behemoth launched up in a sputter of rock and asphalt, exploding out of the ground underneath their front right tire. The worm-like creature looked more like a thick slug with it’s intertwining mounds of dead flesh and rotten spews that it left behind mixed with the multitudes of different metals and flashing lights that composed the living destruction that was hunting them for food.

            As the vehicle flipped backwards high up in the air there was a moment where the piercing whine of the static electricity was all that could be heard, but later they would discuss the grinding sound like thousands of gears and servos that the beast made as what stood out in this moment. It was the sound of the machine’s hunger. In a nearly majestic pose the Nanite-slug had launched into the sky upright, stopping its prey dead in their tracks and leaving them vulnerable. It arched it’s back in nearly perfect form, spinning around to face the awaiting ground that it sank back into, falling much quicker than it’s meal.

            A momentary feeling of motion almost like freefall hit as they made their final rotation. That was when Nyx screamed. She saw Pierce slung out from the vehicle with nothing to hold onto when they had been launched into the air. She reached for him in a fruitless attempt, his body already too far away, by the killer known as gravity.

            Seconds felt longer as the car spun. Glass shattered in Bronson’s and Dine’s face. Both brought up their hands to shield their eyes, not seeing when the metal deathtrap they were in now nose diving for the ground. Gravity pulled Nyx down to the back of the front two seats. She wouldn’t remember the rest of this. The trauma of watching Pierce being thrown out was a frozen imagine in time. Her mind would not allow her to remember the rest though as things went black.

            Dine felt his blood pumping. His heart raged as his strength kicked in, hoping his durability was up to the test. The airbags were delayed, popping just before impact, accompanied by protective foam from the dashboard that had never been tested in a crash quite like this. Metal crumpled. There was a scraping sound as the last bits of momentum carried the vehicle in a skid forward before it flopped unceremoniously over onto its back. Dust settled in a brief moment of quiet.

            Dine kicked the door. It flew from the vehicle as the force of his attack ripped it from the rest of the SUV.

            “We need to move,” he said in a hoarse voice in between coughs. “Everyone up,” he ordered. “Sound off.”

            Opening the back passenger door, Dine popped his neck and wiped blood from his forehead onto his glove. Was it his? Bronson was still hunched into the air bag but Nyx was sliding out into a shaky stumble as she tried to regain her bearings. The tires were still spinning on the overturned SUV when Dine looked in and realized that Pierce wasn’t there.

            “Where is he?”

            “He,” Nyx tried to say but realized she was almost at the point of vomiting. “He got thrown out when we were up in the air. I don’t…I don’t know if he made it.”

            The driver’s side door was pushed open and Bronson coughed loudly. Nyx wasn’t sure but it sounded like he was hacking up blood. Dine was looking around for Pierce though. He spotted the cloud. Thousands of the little pesky things with their tiny finely pointed legs, making their way towards them. The sun was much lower in the sky now and it had almost blocked hidden their tiny flashing lights from him. The silver-gray cloud was moving quickly over the rocks, stopping only a moment to consume the door that Dine had kicked away.

            “Get Bronson, we need to move now.”

            Nyx didn’t hesitate. She saw Dine pulling his pistol from his side as she swung around the wrecked vehicle. Bronson was standing, rifle in hand. He wasn’t going to let them have his baby. His head had been cut open though and Nyx felt a small pang when she saw the many small pieces of windshield now sticking out of his arm.

            “Let’s go,” Bronson encouraged her, having to push himself to move as well.

            Dine fired two shots, one right after the other at the cloud as they got closer. He thought he was far enough back until he saw them buzzing around in front of him. The same small Nanites but these models came with wings. They looked like small jet fighters with pointy limbs that grabbed onto Dine’s handgun and began to devour it. He shook his arm violently trying to shake them off, but there were too many. They were beginning to swarm his hand. He dropped the gun, realizing the computer on his arm would be an even more tempting target; one he couldn’t let them have.

            He turned and ran towards the other two, who were already in their own brisk stride. They were all running away from the fallen chariot that had taken them this far, their ticket to being done on time. When they had put a bit of distance between them and it Dine and Bronson turned back.

            The small cloud was buzzing around the old black SUV, taking in the sweet aroma, first tastes. The ground erupted underneath it and enveloped the swarm in dust as the oversized whale-like Nanite-slug shot up. It was hard to tell if it opened a form of mouth to swallow it or if there were just so many nanites that it was able to absorb it. The collective around the dead flesh was composed of several different sizes of nanites and different modeled ones as well. This close, the group got a better view of it.

            “Oh my god,” Nyx said with her mouth slightly gaped open.

            The beast roared again, enjoying its meal. It was more of a grind or a turbine powering up. Whatever it was, it sounded like a roaring animal that had just established its dominance. The multitude of lights across the long plump slug turned from their ornery orange and angry reds to purples and silvers, sated. It fell back into the earth, sand falling with small rocks to fill the hole of its escape. The swarm followed it, vanishing; left in the midst, a shell of fiberglass, plastic, and bits of rubber from the tires.

            The trio was quiet for a moment. There was still a scent of the predator in the air that had them all staring in reverence. Dine turned away to check his computer.

            “No- God-ARGHH!”

            Nyx turned, realizing the screen was cracked. There were several other dents small breaks on the tiny keyboard. The small blue and green light that showed that it was still getting power could not be seen.

            “Damn, it must have happened during the crash,” she commented.

            Dine was angry. He stared at the broken computer for a long moment.

            “At least you weren’t hurt, could have been your whole arm.” Nyx comment was meant to be helpful, she knew it wasn’t though.

            Dine kicked at the dirt hard, furious at himself really. “I don’t think you understand how important that computer was to our operation. It’s going to be a lot harder to secure the Vita Nova and contact Tower for the LZ now.” He stared off back from where they had come from, not wanting to look at her.

            “Can we still finish the mission without it,” Bronson asked in a low tone. Nyx and Dine both turned to look at him. He had sat down on a medium sized rock, leaning against his riftle that was standing next to him. His hand held to it tightly. Bronson had many small cuts and scrapes from the crash and his forehead had been bleeding. Not a good sign. His arm had bits of glass in it and his left side was bloodied. His hair had fallen mostly out of his ponytail, strands of black covering his scratched up face.

            “Bron,” Nyx said involuntarily. “Hold on.”

            She turned and looked back at the husk of the wrecked car. Pausing, she looked around and listened. She pulled her machete and pistol from off of her belt and left them next to her two partners. Nyx ran back towards the wreckage, or at least what was left. She looked inside the twisted pieces and as she had expected there were still two of their packs that had been thrown around, but not lost. There wasn’t much left in them, the important thing though was the emergency medical kit and the few drops of water left in the bottle. She didn’t press her luck, grabbing what she could and hurrying back.

            As she was crossing back to them she saw that Dine and Bronson were talking. She was trying to hear what was being said as she approached but something else stole her attention; a cry, a whine—something shrill and in the distance.

            “DINE, over here!” 

For A Few Corpses More - Pt. 14

“Pierce,” Nyx called out.

“Leave him,” Dine replied. “He’s not moving.”

It was a shock to Pierce, but perhaps more so to Dine that the two ghouls that looked so hungry for his partner’s flesh had paused and were now lunging at him. Dine shot the first one and spun the gun around, striking the second across the forehead with the long barrels of the gun. The heat from the weapon that had been consistently firing seared the dead flesh of the stocky ghoul, it hissed.

“Come on,” Nyx said as she pulled on Pierce’s shoulder.

Pierce was just amazed he was alive, not sure what had just happened. He was almost in shock but he felt his legs move even though eh wasn’t telling them what to do. He barely had time to grab the gas can, but it was a part of the plan to safety, there was still a chance, he could still have time to plan a way back home, to his money.

Bronson used the last round in his .45. The body of the female ghoul fell limply in front of him with a choking sound still coming from her throat. He yelled at them to come, pushing through. He thought Nyx was right behind him until he turned and saw that she had gone back for Pierce. Dine was still firing; he’d be out at any moment though. Bronson didn’t think. He just reacted. With no bullets in his gun he leapt back into the fray, sheathing his gun and reaching for his machete.

“Hurry,” he yelled, getting between his people and the walkers.

He swung wildly with his blade, teeth clenched. He was giving them time to get away now that the path was clear. He wasn’t sure what this distraction would cost him though, but he had a job to do. Bronson had promised that he’d keep them safe. That’s why he had risked getting this close. Nyx was helping Pierce get clear. Dine was out of bullets now. There was no help for him. He would have be the one to help them.

The machete caught one on the neck. He pulled it out quickly as the ghoul fell backwards knowing the blade being stuck for a second too long would cost him his life. Bronson kicked one away with his boot, square to the chest of a dead man with a red beard and yellow teeth. He took the chance, glancing over his shoulder at the others. They were almost clear, but he needed to make sure.

He turned back with a strong swing. The machete whiffed though, missing the ghoul as he stepped back. They were all stepping back. Bronson swung again in a wide sweeping arch, another step back and a hiss or three. This made no sense. Ghouls weren’t afraid of a blade, they weren’t afraid of anything. Their retreat picked up pace and Bronson let the blade fall to his side, his hand still wrapped tightly around the handle.

“Bronson,” Nyx called out. “Move! Let’s go!”

Dine had stopped too though. He saw what Bronson was seeing and paused. Looking around, the captain thought there had to be something else going on.

Bronson sheathed the machete and pulled his rifle from his shoulder. He wrapped the leather strap around his hand and pulled the weapon up to his shoulder, looking through the scope.

“What are you waiting on,” Nyx yelled back to him.

Bronson knew what he was looking for and there were only a few spots it could be. His target would want a good view of what was happening. He scanned the rooftops until he saw him atop on older brick building with shattered windows.

The ghoul on the other end of his scope was tall and lanky, dressed in a grey business suit with black and white tennis shoes on. One hand held a match and a singular cigarette, the other was in his pocket. His round sunk-in eyes were almost bright yellow bulbs, looking down at Bronson with a peculiar rictus.

Bronson wasted no time. His hand tightened with the strap wrapped around it, pushing strength into his arm to make sure his sights were level, right between the eyes. He squeezed the trigger exactly how he had been taught. A perfect shot had the ghoul not stood up in front of his target. The bullet flew without falter, puncturing the bald zombie that had stood up in front of Marcus, his target, right between the eyes.

With eyes rolled further back, trying to see where it had been shot, the bald undead started to fall. As it did, Marcus reached forward and struck his match off of back bald surface of the ghoul minion’s head. The match burst into life as Marcus turned away. He took several steps to make sure Bronson wouldn’t have another shot before lighting his cigarette and exhaling a ring of smoke.

“This will work, this will work nicely.”

Dine kicked the tire of one of the eighteen wheelers hard. The entire truck gave a small shake in response. His gun was next. The M18 variant was out of bullets, all three clips depleted. With their extra ammunition at the bottom of the ocean—drug off who knew how far by the tide now—the gun might as well have been a paperweight. His homerun swing against the back of the old wooden telephone pole bent the barrel. Bronson wondered if Dine had been using his full strength would it still be standing.

“What the ever-living-fuck!” He stuttered something inaudible out and slung the now even more useless assault rifle towards the gas station building. “What was that!?”

“That was messed up,” Nyx said under her breath, leaning against the SUV and sliding down into the shade it had created. It was the only thing that she was sure Dine wouldn’t hit in his rage.

“I almost died…I,” Pierce was mumbling next to her.

Nyx shook her head and decided it was a good opportunity to check her own ammunition situation—half a clip.

“You saved my life back there. They were going to leave me.”

“Dine was going to leave you,” Nyx corrected him in a soft voice. She exhaled; the excitement and scary nature of what all just happened creeping in. Bronson had always told her: feel and worry after it’s over, until then react.

“No I mean it,” Pierce nodded. “I owe you. I’ve got a lot of credits coming in off of this job, I’ll take you out, buy you something nice.” He nodded with a half smile.

Nyx just shook her head and looked at Bronson who had been waiting for Dine to finish his emotional tantrum. She could tell he was worried too, he wouldn’t show it though, it wouldn’t be truly over for him until they were all back in Elysium City. He was stoic right now though with the brim of his large black hat pulled down slightly and his arms folded across his chest. Most important though, she knew he was thinking, so whatever that was back there he would be ready for next time.

“Don’t you have any answers,” Dine asked finally turning to Bronson. “Aren’t you supposed to be my expert!?”

“Sure, they’re smart ghouls.”

“That makes no sense,” Dine was quick to shoot back, as if he had known Bronson’s answer before he even said it. “They’re dead! Our scientists have proven that they don’t think on almost any level past instinctual motor skills anymore.”

“Fine,” Bronson said unfolding his arms with an open gesture. “Let’s hear your answer then.”

Dine opened his mouth to say something but he paused. He thought about what he was going to say and rational thinking kicked in. Instead he kicked the dirt out of frustration and turned his back to the group.

“Those things back there hid from us; let us walk into the center of their home and ambushed us, and did a pretty damn good job I’d have to say. They took Pierce’s gun and tried to take yours, seeing you two and your automatic weapons as the biggest threat. All that, and last night when that one attacked Pierce it could have attacked us all while most of us were asleep but I’m guessing it saw we had a sentry at all points of the night. So, it did something I have never seen or heard of in my life; a ghoul quietly snuck into our vehicle and hid until someone opened the hatch on the back of the SUV, laying in wait,” Bronson gave a moment to let that sink in before continuing. “And frankly Captain, that shouldn’t even be the least of your worries.”

“And why is that,” Dine asked without turning to face them.

“I’d be more concerned with the fact that a mob of hungry walkers that could have overtaken us in seconds let us walk out of there alive and backed away. Sure, one of us could have probably made it out while the ghouls dealt with the other three but we all got out. They stepped right over Pierce and backed down from me when all I had was a machete and a prayer.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying something told them to let us go, something, someone, or some collective thought made them realize that there was more at stake then tonight’s meal on the table.”

Dine did finally swing back around at this point. He looked over his shoulder at Bronson with an eyebrow raised.

“You’re telling me that those things are aware enough that they might know we’re after the Vita Nova?”

“No,” Bronson said clearly. “I think they were aware enough to know that we didn’t belong there and something might be up. Maybe we piqued their interest or something. This is all new territory for me, for all of us.”

“This isn’t possible, Bronson.”

“You’re the one with access to all of the government files, Captain. Maybe there was more going on at this Air Force Base you have us going to then we were told, either way we have to deal with it.”

Dine shook his head, looking down.

“Yeah, I figured by your surprise you didn’t know anything about that, you certainly weren’t expecting it.” Bronson was trying not to rub it in, he knew how Dine was feeling right now. “Did you happen to see the one up on the roof, the ghoul in the suit with the cigarette in his hand?”

“No,” the realization hit Dine. “That was who you were shooting at. Did you hit your target?”

“No, another damned ghoul jumped up in the way right as I pulled the trigger.”

“Bad luck.”

“If you want to call it that sure, Dine.”

“I need a moment to think,” Dine said holding a hand up for Bronson to give him a moment. He turned back away from the others and took several paces away before opening up the small computer on his arm and studying it. “Get the SUV ready to go. I need to make a report.”

Dine walked further away from them. Nyx watched him, wondering exactly what he was reporting.

“Odd time to make a report,” she said up to Bronson.

“Military protocol, I’d have done the same.”

She nodded. Looking over at Pierce his head was leaning against the off-colored metal panel of the SUV. He looked sweaty and pale, licking his lips from thirst. He had almost died, she reminded herself. Reaching into her pack she got her bottle with what little water she had left in it.

“Here,” she offered it to Pierce.

He took it with a smile and drank slowly, savoring it. Nyx looked back up at Bronson.

“Shit got a little to real back there didn’t it?”

Bronson answered her question with a simple nod as he opened up the SUV, checking for any surprises and making sure nothing had been taken.

“It’s weird,” Nyx began. “How many times did you and I lie up on that old bridge and talk theory on what the ghouls might be thinking if anything. How many times did you talk about them adapting then brush it off like it could never happen?”

“Yeah.”

“You called it, it happened,” she stood and hadn’t intended to say the next part out loud. “And it’s pretty damn scary too.”

Bronson paused, looking at her before giving a brief sigh. He picked up the gas canister that he had carried and Pierce’s that was beside him. He went to the back and loaded them in before coming back around.

“Let’s get Pierce in and be ready to go when Dine gets back. He’s going to want to go and we still have to find water.”

Pierce had said he wasn’t up for driving. He just wanted to close his eyes for a moment. Bronson wasn’t too worried about him because he was able to get up and put himself in the SUV under his own power.

            “Pierce, are you sure you’re alright,” Nyx asked as she looked in on him from outside of the vehicle.

            “I’m good,” Jonah Pierce responded and followed up with a cough. “I think I just over did it back there, you know?”

            Nyx nodded and looked to Bronson who had made sure that everything was ready. He looked down at his belt at the small black box with the multiple flashing lights. The blue light was faded, no signal.

            “You still have your communicator on you, right?”

            Nyx looked up at her partner’s question. She whispered her response.

            “Yeah, why, you don’t think he’s planning on leaving us do you?”

            “You know me, just covering my bases.”

            Nyx didn’t like the ideas that this conversation had caused to run rampant in her mind. Dine was walking back towards them now. She couldn’t help but try and guess what he had reported, if the report had even made it yet. What was he thinking in that chemically messed up head of his.

            “Make your phone call,” Nyx asked him.

            “Had to send a delayed signal, I think there is a solar storm coming in that is interfering.”

            “They’ll have the shields up and the thrusters going full burn if there are asteroids coming too.”

            Dine nodded to Bronson.

            “I want to be done by the time that storm is over, we can be on our way back up.” Dine paused, seeing the driver’s seat was empty. Looking further back he saw Pierce lying down on the middle seat. “What’s his deal?”

            “I think it’s a lack of hydration,” Nyx was quick to respond. “Perhaps a small bit of shock from what happened?”

            “Inconvenient.”

            Bronson broke in, “I’ll drive if you want to navigate. Give him some time to recoup before we hit the Air Force Base.”

            Dine sighed loudly. He didn’t seem pleased with the idea but was willing to allow it. “Let’s go.”

            Bronson went around and sat in the driver’s seat, putting his rifle between the two chairs. Dine was in the passenger’s seat of the vehicle, bringing his computer on his arm up with the map. Nyx opted to climb into the back of the SUV, letting Pierce have the middle seat. She could already hear Bronson’s voice in the back of her head, “You’re getting soft on him. Don’t.” Whether he would have said it given the chance or not she was sure he was right.

            The black utility vehicle pulled out from the old gas station and paused at the road.

            “Take a right, we’ll go around Ephrata.”

            “Good choice,” Bronson commented to his navigator. “Don’t you think it’s about time you tell us where exactly where we’re going.”

            Dine paused in thought for a moment, either about Bronson’s question or something more pressing on his mind.

            “Vita Nova is connected to the service mainframe in a lab on the third sub-basement level of Fairchild AFB, ten miles outside of Spokane.”

            Bronson nodded and took the right turn.

            “Without our equipment,” Bronson asked. “How tough will transport of the Vita Nova be to the landing zone? I’m asking for any details. I know the Vita Nova is your area. My job was just to get you there and back safely, but I don’t think we should be dealing with any unnecessary surprises if you can warn us about them.”

            Dine was quiet again for several more long moments. He finally responded, not with an answer, but a direction.

            “Take this next left and head down that back road until we can get back on the highway.”

            “Dine,” Bronson wanted his question answered.

            “Mr. Bronson, anything that you need to know you already know. Now please take this next left.”

            The SUV made its way through another series of back roads. Nyx hadn’t heard all of the conversation up front as she sat in the back with her knees pulled up to her chest and the MP5 with its half clip of ammunition to her side. It was quiet after that. She was looking out the car’s window at the passing trees as they thinned out and revealed what was probably at one point a landscape of beautiful scenery.

            The view was mesmerizing in a way, so different from what she was used to in space. It was peaceful. She thought that she might have fallen asleep as they bounced lightly down the old road but Pierce began to snore, which broke the hypnotic drum that had threatened to pull her in. Nyx had almost resigned to closing her eyes, not sure how much longer before they would stop again when she saw something in the distance that caught her eye.

            Past the few dying trees at the front of the road was an old house that looked gutted with only the foundation and several wooden beams and a collapsed roof. There were no appliances, pipes, or insulation. It seemed stripped. The really odd thing was the car off to the side of the house, half-hidden by the old lean-to. It was a car, or at least pieces of one. Leaning forward now, face almost pressed to the window, she could see it a bit clearer now just before it got out of view.

            The skeletal outlines of what was once a small car was nothing more than tires and a plastic fiberglass shell with the seats still sitting in their proper position. It looked as if it was picked clean of the steel, cleaned off the bone like a piece of chicken. There were several patches of ground next to the car and near the road that had been pulled up, disturbed. Much of it was empty other than some broken small white PVC pipes. The aluminum pipes and other pieces were gone. Nyx’ eyes narrowed suspiciously.

            She turned to point out her findings, opening her mouth to speak until she realized that the SUV was slowing down to a crawl. She didn’t need to say anything. In front of her, further down the road on either side were other stripped houses and torn up ground. Power lines were down on each side and an old water tower off in the distance was missing its siding, now just a wooden frame.

            “What the hell is all of this,” Dine muttered, his eyes now scanning the computer on his arm, looking for answers. Fingers moving across the small keyboard, the scanners sought out variables in air samples and cross-referencing topographical readings.

            “What’s going on guys,” Nyx asked, but only silence followed.

            Bronson came to a complete stop but left the engine at an idle purr. Opening the passenger side door, Dine stepped out from the vehicle with his eyes still glued to the mobile computer’s green and black display. Prickling on the back of her neck, the small hairs came to attention causing Nyx to shiver. She pulled up on the handle slowly, not wanting much noise. The hatch on the back came up slowly as her hand guided it and she poked her head out looking around.

            “This doesn’t feel right,” Nyx said climbing out and stretching her legs. She was cautious, not wanting to step away from the SUV.

            Dine was looking around. He read the new line of information that scrolled across the screen.

            “We have a huge static build up in the air here,” he said eyeing a hill to their right. “Wait here.”

            Not giving opportunity for argument Dine jogged up to the hill and over it to scout ahead. He reached the tip of the hill, pausing to look around. His hand came up to shield his eyes and block the light from the sun. Bronson couldn’t make out the expression on Dine’s face. He had seen something though.

            Nyx was coming around the vehicle slowly. She reached the door that Dine had left open and looked in at Bronson with a worried expression. Dine was walking further away, vanishing behind the hill.

            “I don’t like this,” Nyx said squinting. “Maybe one of us should go with him.”

            “He’s in charge,” Bronson reminded her.

            “And if something kills him over there?”

            “We finish the mission,” he said flatly.

            “No,” Nyx wrinkled her nose. “That is not what I meant. Don’t blindly take orders.”

            “I don’t do anything blindly.”

            Nyx was getting slightly frustrated. It was hard to argue with Bronson, even when he participated in the argument. It didn’t help that Pierce had begun snoring again while she was trying to think up her response. Looking at Pierce, sound asleep, there was a moment of serenity. Maybe this would all work out—a pain struck her though. Something pinched at her inside her inner ear. Wincing, her knees felt weak. The surge of pain almost felt like the ground was moving beneath her. 

Poems

Love Song for a Hollow Wasteland

”And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?” 
-William Shakespeare, Hamlet

I

I have found in you, Love, no decency.

Destined for greatness, yes, we were trying,

but you chose to leave, instead of dying.

You began to question, why, and—to be?

You called me the greatest lover once; truth.

When my love was spread out against the sky,

like a patient etherized upon a table; it dies.

No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor must I be; He,

loved Ophelia, more than forty thousand brothers,

but, she knew how to die, leave him sweetly. 

I did what God and strength allowed me,

holding on to our destiny with the past.

This wasn’t enough for your purposeless heart,

indignation coursing through your veins.

II

You left me under the stars,

desecrating my home.

This is where I lie at night.

This is the dead land.

This is cactus land.

You are not here,

it is dreadfully hollow.

This should be a spot,

Where women come

and go, to see me.

None will touch it,

not after you.

III

For weeks, I didn’t know what I would do,

without you.

The shame you caused me was too personal;

an insult really.

I’m unsure. Will I recover from what you have done?

And for what?

I will touch myself, pulling up what is left,

In your decay.

I want you to see what the lack of you can do,

It undoes.

I grow no longer, after what you have done here,

like the tree outside, withering.

I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

Ruin.

IV

The sound of your leaving—

was the bang of the door,

it has left me, in whimper.

Louise Harvey Wilds

Ghazal

Louise woke up every morning, hands to heaven that had blessed

her, proclaiming to all that would listen that she was blessed.

She is my mother, my comfort, the one who gave me my life—

one that has been by her, and those like her, so incredibly blessed.

Louise lost her husband to the three packs he smoked a day,

but this was a part of God’s plan when he died, still blessed.

She saw him fall to cancer in 1983, when I had aged one year,

never doubting, raising the three of us alone,  we were blessed.

Louise and Calvin had already lost a daughter before me;

Kelly’s death made the church stronger, Mom says they were blessed.

She felt for her daughter when her husband Ronnie died unexpectedly,

but she knew that if Tracy looked to God, she too could be blessed.

Louise’s youngest was in the hospital with an illness no one knew

and she held my hand, telling me not to worry that I was blessed.

She’s in the hospital now, not long after she passed out at Michael’s,

calling me to say, “Stephen, don’t you worry, because I am blessed.” 

For A Few Corpses More - Pt. 13

  Dine had taken over driving, better at dodging stalled vehicles and debris in the road. Pierce had switched to the back, laying down for a quick nap while they finished the seventy-six mile trek. It took him a moment to get comfortable back there, wondering how long the now beheaded ghoul had lain back there in waiting. He kept thinking he could smell it. It bothered him. He wasn’t feeling well though and sleep overpowered his uncomfortable situation.

               Nyx and Bronson were sitting in the middle. They had already checked their weapons, twice. There had been a small discussion between the conscious three about the best way to get into the city undetected by human or walker, get what they needed to and go. Now Nyx found herself wishing someone had brought a deck of cards or that she still kept a diary, like she used to when they would go planet side. Washington state had beautiful scenery, but something took away the scenic nature with the dead bodies along the road every few miles and destruction in some areas.

               She would usually bother Bronson, pester him with some conversation that was on her mind or make him share a story. If she didn’t do this he would just sit over there quietly contemplating what was to come, possibilities, and the past. She didn’t feel comfortable doing this with Dine and Pierce there though. There was nothing to do now but wait and realize the situation they were likely about to walk into. City’s were dangerous and as the sights along the side of the road changed it was evident they were getting closer. 

               “Wake Pierce up, we’re getting close,” Dine ordered. “I’m going to look for a safe place to stash our transport.”

               Bronson reached back and shook his leg, “let’s go, Pierce.”

               There was a strip of shops next to an old firehouse where the fire engine hung half out the door, a burned out husk now. Just past that was a gas station. The large faded yellow and green BP sign had fallen over and the glass on the front of the store had been broken out. There were two large eighteen wheelers in the parking lot that had crashed into each other. The sight looked like an accordion, a large amount of dried blood on the front and side of the crushed white truck cab.

               Dine pulled up facing the two trucks, hoping to make the SUV look like it had been a part of the wreckage for a while. Pierce rubbed his eyes and popped the back hatch open, the others piled out after him, weapons ready. Hand signals from the captain sent the squad into different directions, a quick search of the grounds. Each person spread out then came back, reporting nothing.

               “Alright, let’s get inside and start looking. Bronson, Pierce, get us gas for the two cans in the back. Nyx and I are on supplies.”

               Bronson nodded and grabbed the two large red plastic containers from the back. They had used the majority of the gas that was stolen with Griffin’s ride.

               “I’ll go check if the pumps are on, see what we can get,” Pierce told Bronson before heading inside after Dine and Nyx.

               Bronson took the two canisters over towards the pumps as the wind picked up. He pulled his rifle off of his shoulder and used the scope to look around. He could see Ephrata from where they were, there were some taller buildings and the tips of a few others, nothing too spectacular.

               Dine pushed open the metal frame of the shattered glass door that lead into the gas station. The smell inside was not as stale thanks to the broken glass, but it was still noticeable. There were two dead bodies near the front, one a twice dead corpse with dried blood and torn flesh on its teeth. The top of the bald skull had been bashed in by something blunt, blood splatter across the white linoleum floor showed how violent a second death it had been. The second individual was an older African American who hadn’t died as a ghoul, a gunshot to the side of his head left him dead with a shocked expression streaked across his face.

               The cash register was ajar, the tray hanging out of the drawer, tilted up. Change was scattered across the floor with broken glass and a bag of Pringles that had burst open. Dine watched the line of small black insects march past his size twelve boot, at least the ants were getting to eat.

               Pierce came in behind them and paused, looking at the sight before going behind the counter.

               “Looks like a robbery,” he said, flipping the switches for the gas pumps. “I guess it isn’t enough to just have to worry about the dead, huh?”

               Neither Dine nor Nyx responded, they were already looking through the few items that were left on the bare shelves, looking for anything that was salvageable. Most of the food and drinks had been taken or opened there on the spot. There was no beer or soda to speak of and all of the bottled water had been taken. Nyx found one bag of peanuts and an eighteen year old Dr. Pepper that had rolled underneath one of the sets of metal shelves. Dine had less luck, finding only a small box of matches and two unopened condoms that promised ultra pleasure. Dine pocketed the matches and Nyx offered him the peanuts in jest, they ended up back on the floor. 

               “No water at all,” Nyx said. “I’ll check the faucet outside but I’m pretty sure that will be a no, the plumbing hasn’t had upkeep in close to twenty years.”

               Dine nodded, “you go do that.”

               “As for food, I know we didn’t expect to find anything here really. There’s almost nothing that would survive this long, but still, was worth the look.”

               “Bronson was right,” Dine admitted begrudgingly, “we will either have to hunt, forage, or steal someone else’s food. We may end up having to take our chances with some of the local flora though.”

               Nyx nodded and headed out to check the water faucets, with no luck. Bronson was there to give her and Pierce the bad news about the empty tanks as well.

               “Dry,” was his only comment on them.

               Dine stepped out of the gas station, his forearm wiping sweat from his brow. Hot, even though it was barely mid-morning. This was one of those days where the sun as harsh as the scientists had warned them. It wasn’t looking good.

               “Pierce, Bronson, each of you grab a can. Nyx, you get some of those empty plastic bottles out of here to put water in, in case we find any. Let’s be walking in two minutes people.”

               No one argued with the commands, they simply acted upon them. The group was ready to go, walking down the hot paved road towards Ephrata, Washington.

               As the city got closer things became quieter, a deadly quiet. The further in they went the more abandoned cars and corpses they came across. Twenty years of age and wear thrusts upon them. There were no sounds from animals and the tall buildings blocked out the wind from where they were coming in. Bronson had trouble not imagining the sounds of a busy city, even though he hadn’t heard that in decades. Broken glass crunched underneath their boots. Nyx coughed. She covered her mouth as the smell of the dead city hit them.

               “I see two gas stations up ahead. If those don’t give you anything check these cars around here, they’ll be gas somewhere.” Dine pointed at Bronson and Pierce with two fingers and motioned them to go. “Nyx and I will look around for anything else and make sure there won’t be any surprises.”

               Bronson nodded and drew his .45; red metal gas can in his other hand. Looking to Pierce he motioned that he would lead the way. Pierce pulled his gray baseball cap down tight on his head. He was shielding his eyes, even though the sun was currently hidden behind the tall buildings and slow moving clouds. Pierce held the other gas canister in his right hand, his left resting lazily on the gun that rested at his side, hanging off his shoulder with the brown strap. He followed behind Bronson, happy to let him take the lead into the unknown.

               “So what do we do,” Nyx asked as she checked her MP5.

               “Keep an eye on them and out for threats.”

               “Sounds fun,” she said sarcastically with a smirk.

               “I can give you a hose and let you suck gas out of cars if you’d rather do that.”

               “I think I’ll go check these buildings up ahead, sir.”

               From the view up above it looked as if the group was playing pong. Bronson and Pierce moved through the center in a straight line as they zig-zagged back and forth between gas stations and cars that weren’t too damaged. Nyx had taken to the left flank and Dine to the right, watching their sides. The four made sure that they were constantly in eye line of each other.

               Unknown to the group, someone was enjoying their show, greatly amused. Sitting on the roof of the old bank building, Marcus hung his legs over the side letting them sway back and forth freely in the strong gusts of wind. He had no worry of falling. His irritation had been in trying to get the cigarette lit earlier that he was now sucking the last bit of life out of. His hand moved slowly with a pain in it, old bones and disfigured fingers that had dried blood under the fingernails. The smoke that he exhaled was rushed off briskly. He flicked the butt off the top of the building with a a thumb and forefinger thrust.

               His show was leaving him, getting too far away into the city. Marcus stood with a groan and closed his eyes, listening. His hands outstretched as the wind beat against him in his Christ-like pose. He was listening to something no one else could hear. There were two figures standing behind him but he didn’t turn to look at them when he gave his commands.

               “Go on, take care of them.”

               The two figures slowly made their way through the metal door on the roof and down the fourteen flights of steps, leaving Marcus alone on the roof. His eyes hindered him. Mouth open, he tasted, smelled, and heard the city around him. He knew who was in his city and was interested to see what they were doing here.

              

               “Okay,” Bronson announced. “I think we’re full up.”

               Pierce nodded in agreement, holding his gas can that was full from the various cars they were able to siphon from and the last bit at the Chevron gas station on the corner of the intersection where they now stood. Bronson had filled his up almost to the top, convinced that Dine would think it was enough. They had spent over an hour in the city now, which to Bronson was too long for comfort. It was still so quiet there, it felt unnatural.

               “Think they’ve found anything?”

               “No,” Bronson said flatly, “they’ve been too busy keeping an eye on us and each other.”

               “Why? I don’t think we’re in any trouble.”

               Bronson shot Pierce a look that said enough, it questioned his intelligence.

               “Don’t you do this for a living,” Bronson didn’t wait for an answer to his question. “We should have run into at least one ghoul now, some. Hell, a city this size should be crawling with walkers.”

               Pierce stopped and looked around.

               “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

               Bronson narrowed his gaze at his companion slightly.

               “Are you alright? You look sick, you’re sweating and the sun hasn’t been out that much.”

               “Yeah, I’m fine,” Pierce shot back, “Just stressing a bit, ready to get out of here. I feel like, you know, this has been a lot rougher than it should have been. We just need to hurry, you know?”

               Bronson didn’t respond, he just stared at him for a moment as his mind took in what Pierce had said, analyzing everything. He was pondering a question, something to settle his mind, depending on Pierce’s answer. Nyx and Dine were approaching though and he thought it better to hold off. The grouped met next to a bus stop bench on one of the corners.

               “We full up,” Dine questioned, but he could smell the gasoline already.

               “Good to go, depending on the LZ location we shouldn’t need anymore for the rest of the trip.”

               Pierce nodded quickly, agreeing with Bronson. Dine was looking around the intersection, hand squeezing the grip on his rifle.

               “I suggest we start making our way out.”

               “Right,” Dine agreed with Bronson.

               “Did you want to check out any of these other buildings,” Nyx asked. “I doubt we’ll find any water or anything but maybe some first aid kits or something.”

               Dine wasn’t trying to dismiss her question but something had been nagging at him. He looked at Bronson.

               “How odd is it that we haven’t seen anyone here? I thought the files said most of these bigger cities were overrun with walkers. Did we just luck out?”

               “I doubt it.”

               “What are the chances of the pipes here still working?” Dine pointed to the near-by fire hydrant as he asked his question.

               “How clean would it be,” Nyx wondered.

               “We need to boil whatever we find.”

               Appropriately, Pierce had pulled out his water bottle and had taken the last drink from the container. Dine was focused on the hydrant, his fist clenching and shaking slightly. Bronson back up from him as Dine reared back. The captain’s boot flew at a downward angle and struck the side of the hydrant near the hanging small metal chain. There were two clanking sounds as the hub was dislodged and fell before bouncing off of the street corner. Water, precious water leaked out the sides with nothing else following. There was a moment of disappointment for all four individuals that watched. Before it could fully set in though the open hole of the hydrant began to surge and sputter as brown dirtied water exploded out in a low arch into the street. Hope restored, it looked like the water was starting to clear into a cleaner fresher liquid, but the slow stopped abruptly with only a series of gurgles in the pipes, like a burp after a big dinner.

               “Well, guess that’s our answer,” Pierce said.

               Dine nodded, “was worth a shot.” His hand was still shaking slightly. He waved it a bit loosely in the air and stretched out the muscles. “We should get going, look for a natural source.”

               Nyx turned to ask Bronson something but stopped abruptly when she saw that he had sat down the gas canister and his rifle was raised. He had it pointed up and was staring down the scope intently.

               “What’s going on,” She asked in a low tone.

               “Someone’s watching us.”                                                                    

               Dine, having overheard Bronson’s warning, brought his assault rifle up to his shoulder with the barrel still pointed at a downward angle. Nyx was reaching for her MP5 to bring the strap from around her neck when she saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. Over there, by the three abandoned cars, next to the red Honda with the shattered back window. She was sure she had seen a head bobbing between them.

               “Hey, guys….”

               “Shhh,” Dine ordered, trying to check the rooftops with Bronson but without the use of a scope.

               “No, really,” she insisted. “I think we’re surrounded.”

               Pierce had been slow to draw his weapon, the red container of gas still in one hand and his weapon in his other, still balanced on his shoulder. He was the first though to agree with Nyx. Off on the other side of the intersection, in the shadow of one of the taller buildings, he saw two figures standing still near the wall that he hadn’t noticed before—a third, or was there a fourth—they had been surrounded. Pierce let a word out that was mumbled and incoherent but it served its purpose as he pointed in front of him. Dine and Nyx saw them all now.

               “Fuck,” Dine grunted, “we have a lot of company, form up.”

               Bronson was still checking the rooftops. He knew what he saw and was convinced he would see it again any second now.

               “Bronson, I need you on point. Get us out of here and headed back to our transport, double time.”

               “We’ve got bigger problems. These things were everywhere, and they were hiding.”

               Dine checked his magazine and quickly readied the weapon again, taking aim at the ghoul closest on his side. More were popping up now from behind the cars and out of the different buildings. They were coming from everywhere. It was to the point that it almost looked, organized.

               “Let’s theorize about what happened later, live first.”

Dine popped off the first shot, it ripped through the air and burst through the back of what used to be an old woman’s skull. Blood and brain bits splattered against the windshield of a broken down yellow Gremlin. He knew it was a mistake as soon as the trigger was pulled, there were too many of them. The living dead were still pouring out of the buildings, a few even coming up from the sewers, and that bullet had been like the starting gun fired at the beginning of a very short race. The mob of undead ghouls was charging towards them now.

“I really need your head in the right place,” Dine yelled at Bronson.

Reluctantly, Bronson slung his rifle back over his shoulder. He was frustrated. Like lightning, his .45 was drawn as his free hand came across the hammer flat, pulling it back. Like Dine though, Bronson realized the futility of their situation. He picked up the gas can in his free hand, checking each side with a glance as he did.

“We can use the gas,” Pierce shouted out his suggestion.

“So we can deal with walkers that are on fire?”

Bronson’s comment was sharp. He didn’t really have anything better though.

“We run,” Bronson raised his .45 and shot to his right at the blonde with blood covering her face. “Dine, you and Pierce have the heavy weapons. Make us a path up this street.”

Dine hesitated. Pierce didn’t want to turn around, too afraid that one of the ghouls behind him would jump at him when his back was turned.

“Now!”

Dine’s thumb pushed the small metal switch on his rifle. The pointed flipped from it’s upward position near the word ‘semi’ down to ‘auto’. The sound of the bullets firing rapidly from the extended barrel of the rifle that was based off of the old M18 design rang out into the air over the groaning chants of the dead. Pierce finally spun around and using one hand fired from the hip, a spray of bullets across the wall of corpses in front of them. Nyx pulled the MP5 in tighter. It didn’t have the stopping power their weapons did. She released several bullets, headshots, doing her best to make every shot count. She and Bronson guarded the sides—it wasn’t going to be enough though.

“Just keep going,” Bronson yelled, Dine chimed in to hurry them. “Go! Go!”

It was almost a close quarter fight now, stuck in between the cars, debris, and now countless corpses. Dine and Pierce had to watch their fire. Nyx had pulled out her pistol, still aiming just for their heads.

Bronson leveled his .45 at the head of one of the ghouls. The bullet ripped through taking a chunk of bone with it as it plunged into the other walker behind him.

“Reloading,” Bronson warned his team.

His hand jerked to the side after the release was hit, letting the cylinder fall. Spent shells fell from the chambers as the figure of a young man with dark skin lunged at him. Striking the ghoul with the butt of his gun he rolled away across the hood of the near-by card. Landing, he dropped the red gas container on the pavement and pulled the speed loader from his belt and inserted the new ammo, quickly having to expend two of his six shots right afterwards. He retrieved the gas can without looking down at it.

“This isn’t working,” Dine yelled as he reached the bottom of his clip. “Reloading!”

“Not the best time to argue strategies,” Nyx said as she popped one of the walkers in the cheekbone with her 9mm, kicking it away from her afterwards.

Bronson jumped up on the car in front of them, he could see an end to the horde of undead. He looked back waving them forward. Pierce caught his eye though as he fired into the crowd of corpses. Hands reached out and grabbed at him, towards him at least. He only had one hand on his weapon, the other still holding the gas canister. The hands the wrapped their decrepid fingers around his gun pulled, their strip ripping it from his grasp. His hand flailed in front of him, trying to grab hold of the strap that had been yanked from his shoulders.

“MOVE!”

Bronson wasn’t sure if he had ever yelled that loud in his life. He was worried, he saw what was happening and it made no sense at all. He fired his revolver into the crowd twice again, two corpses fell in front of him..

Nyx swung the MP5 up in her left hand and pulled the trigger down hard, the spray was much more uncontrolled this time as she fired with the 9mm from her right hand. She was trying to follow Bronson, who had left off of the car and struck one of the ghouls, who was a small child when they were alive, over the head with the metal gas can hard. She could see the end of the crowd but wasn’t sure if they would make it. Nyx knew her clip was low, they were so much closer now and it was hard to see with all of the blood that had splattered onto her face.

Pierce was scared when they took his rifle. He backed up, bumping into Dine. He drew his 9mm quickly and fired three frantic shots, wanting to keep them away. Dine was pushing on his shoulder, yelling for him to go. Everything was moving around him and Pierce already didn’t feel well. He was becoming overwhelmed. He tried to step back and stumbled, falling back on the gas can. He felt a sharp pain in his back.

Looking up, there were two ghouls staring down at him hungrily licking their decayed lips. He could see Dine behind him when he turned his head quickly, dealing with his own problems, shells falling around him as he tried to keep them back. Pierce thought this was the end. He had already been bitten, he would not have been able to get through the scanners and chemical showers anyway in decontamination. He had thought there would have been more time to think of a way through. There were rumors of a few infected people that hadn’t been bit too badly that were cleaned up. The disease took a while to kill you, and you didn’t start trying to eat your friends until post mortem.

He had his pistol but he didn’t know how many shots were left. He’d take at least one more of them with him though, if that really meant anything. There was something that stuck in his mind though; how bad was it that his last thought was going to be about the money he wouldn’t get paid for this, all of that money they promised him.