June 24, 2075
0900 CDT
Outskirts of Winner, South Dakota
Luke Miller's Point of View
“What?! This is bullshit! The C should stand for cowardly,” Ruby protests after receiving the news from Duy.
This open, grassy field brings back memories, but the number of troops on standby and the weather is a lot different. Warm weather and dark clouds, a storm’s approaching.
“You can say that again, Ruby,” Teresa agrees as we exit our cargo truck.
“If we all die, then someone has to be alive to tell the story, I guess,” Drew says in a snarky tone.
“Oooooh. If we all die, then someone needs to be alive to tell the story, I guess,” Ruby mocks in frustration. “Yeah, I’m sure they’ll have a great view of our gruesome deaths in hi-definition. Who knows? Maybe they’ll even write a book about us,” she continues in a sarcastic tone as she crosses her arms.
“Enough bickering! Both of you! We don’t have a say in our superior’s decisions, so there’s no point in arguing. Charlie Battalion’s role is to set up and place down a Trident, a mobile radio station, far away from danger,” Duy explains.
“I know what a trident is!” Ruby wildly flails her arms in frustration and disbelief.
“Communication is essential,” Duy continues. “Medics will stay behind until the battle is almost over, due to the scarcity of doctors and medical supplies. And in case you guys forgot, this is the protocol for a bite wound; Keep fighting and continue the mission. Bites are fatal, but as long as you can walk and shoot, you’re expected to continue your duties. Taking the coward’s way out while you can still be useful is extremely dishonorable and selfish to your allies and the loved ones you’re fighting for. You can choose how your life ends only when you are rendered a total liability,” Duy quotes.
A cruel but understandable rule, but not everyone will follow through with it.
“That was pretty fucking depressing, Captain Muscles. How about some words of inspiration before we go into battle?” Ruby requests.
Why are you looking at Teresa? You rely on her too much, fearless leader.
“Sigh. We are the mighty Squad Zeus, and nothing can defeat us. The zombies will be the ones fearing us after this battle. We will not die in this battle because our story is just beginning. Let’s give them hell, boys and girls,” Teresa says in a discouraged tone.
*
30 Minutes Later
0930 CDT
Near South Winner, South Dakota
*
Winner, a metropolitan city just like Olympia, albeit a bit smaller. The only thing between us and the crowded town is this small ditch that surrounds the city. Battalion B has divided into three companies, one in the south, one in the north, and one in the east, all awaiting the signal.
We’re ready.
“So, those are the zombies, huh?” Ruby quietly whispers among us.
“Yeah, they smell as gross as they look,” Rachel comments.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“I still can’t believe that they used to be people,” Drew joins in.
“I’d have more sympathy for them if they didn’t want to eat us,” Sonya comments.
“Remember, they’re beatable when alone, but unstoppable when together,” Duy says in support. “Stay calm, remember your training, and trust one another. People will die, and it’ll be gruesome. But we will preserve through this shit no matter what happens!”
Explosions near Battalion A’s location, the signals! The herd in our twelve is noticing! Any moment now.
“I love you guys!” Rachel exclaims with fear in her eyes as she chews on her pink bubblegum.
“CHARGE!” A superior orders.
There it is again, the adrenaline! Stay focused and clear a path. That’s all we have to do for now.
“OPEN FIRE!” Another superior orders.
Keep moving! Keep shooting! We have to kill as many as possible with near-perfect accuracy before we can even get close!
“Sonya, Billy, switch to your weapons!” Duy commands. “Everyone else excluding Rachel, use the bayonets on your rifles!”
Perfect timing, the zombies are practically breathing on us now!
It’s been a while since I’ve seen you ugly bastards. Formation time! Sonya and Billy are leading the charge, Rachel is behind them, Drew and Ruby are protecting her three and nine, and Teresa, Duy, and I are in charge of the group’s six! All we have to do is create a gap big enough to safely slip into the city!
“Stay together! Keep fighting!” Duy shouts over the noise of the automatic gunfire and zombies.
“Aye, Aye, Captain!” Sonya responds in a stressful tone as she slices through the undead with her Halos.
Assault and Battery, I mean Alpha and Omega. She’s making this look easy with her blue retractable razor-sharp twin swords. It’s no wonder she’s leading this assault! Billy is trying his best to keep up with his silver machete, but he’s only able to catch the few strays she misses.
“HELP!!!” A man screams out in distress.
What the? To our three is Roberto from Squad Hades?! Shit! He’s been bitten in the throat.
“Luke, you fool! Stay focused!” Duy reminds me sharply.
“Roberto, calm down! We need you! Please keep fighting!” Squad Hades’s leader, Michelle Fox, pleads in anguish.
I need to stay focused on my fight, but it sounds like Roberto is breaking formation. He’s gonna get his squad killed!
“Shut up! How can you fucking tell me to fucking calm down when there’s blood gushing out of my fucking neck?! I’m fucking fucked!” Roberto screams in fury at Michelle.
“You still have time! We need you! Please!” Michelle hopelessly begs.
“No way. I am not turning into one of those fucking things, Michelle! I refuse to be eaten alive by those monsters! I’m sorry, but I’m just a dead man walking, and I’ve suffered enough in this fucking rotten world of zombies! I-I’m, I’m tired. No more pain. There’s only one way to prevent our impending fucking fate, and we all know it!” Rico continues to shout.
“What the hell are you? You better not be saying what I think you’re saying! We can’t do this without you! We need you, Roberto! Plea-” Michelle pleads.
Holy shit. He shot himself in the head.
“That idiot! Our formation is broken! Make a break for the city! GO! GO! GO!” Michelle screams in a calm horror.
Rest in Peace, Roberto.
“Luke, your six!” Duy alerts.
Shit! I’m not getting bitten again, no matter what! Fucking die!
Got you right in the brain, bastard! This feeling again. It’s strangely satisfying.
“We’re almost there, k?!” Rachel notifies.
“Woah, what the?” Teresa startles in confusion.
What?! A woman enveloped in blood and dirt is scrambling towards us! What’s her problem?! She’ll ruin our formation if she continues to run over here.
She tackled Teresa!
“Get off of me!” Teresa shrieks in pain as she drops one of the bags of extra ammo! “J-Julie?! I-is that, is that you?!” She ponders in horror.
We’re so close to the city, but Teresa’s in trouble.
“Y-you, guys. Please!!! Help! My squad, They’re all… they’re all fucking dead!!! Those monsters broke through and, and killed them, and I-I ran away before they got,” Julie struggles to explain.
Sonya finally opened a gap into the city, but-
“Let her go! NOW!” Duy orders as the two of us rush to Teresa’s aid.
“Julie, let me go! We need to leave before they get us!” Teresa begs for her life.
Damn! The gunfire is causing the zombies to scatter in every direction, but there’s still a few converging on our position, completely undeterred. If Duy shoots now, then he’ll attract countless more to our location! Sonya and the others can’t risk retreating, so we’ll need to save Teresa, without getting killed in the process.
I don’t think Duy has it in him to shoot Julie, at least I’m hoping so!
“Luke, help me out!” Duy realizes what he has to do and orders as he holsters his pistol.
I’m so sorry about this, Julie.
“WAIT! I’M SORRY! PLEASE HELP ME!” Julie implores in despair as we pull Teresa off of her.
God no. They’re pulling Julie apart from her lower half.
“TERESA!!! HELP ME!!!” Julie hopelessly whimpers in agony.
Don’t look. I just have to follow Duy.
“Luke!” Duy shouts as he picks up and carries Teresa. “Let’s get the fuck out of here!”
Julie’s screaming created a gap in the horde. Damn it! Nobody deserves to die like this! I feel so powerless! Rest in Peace, Julie.