I checked my watch. It's already past one in the afternoon. I don't expect Richie would still be there. I doubt it. Even if I were in his shoes, what assurance do I have that I would survive? Would he be trusting someone he never met before? At least they gave me, wait, it's us now. He gave us a chance. I don't believe in absolutes that's why I am already thinking that they left or they didn't make it. If I was them I'd escape this shithole the first chance I got, others be damned.

My head is a bit fuzzy now. My body was battered and bruised. A dislocated shoulder, a wounded leg, a nasty bloody wound on the left eyebrow, and a swollen eye. Not to mention that I'm covered in scratches from all the running and jumping to flee away from the horde of unclean. But a grip on my left hand affirms me that I should never stop. I look at Amy, she just looks ahead wearing that goofy helmet on her. Her bravery despite these odds really is a sight for sore eyes. I only cared about getting her to safety. To save one soul was all that matters now.

I looked behind us not caring if the unclean were falling from windows or attics or crawling from the woodwork. They are amassing now, I guess all those zig-zagging finally caught up to us. I led Amy through the back alleys but our zigzag route cost us much-needed time to widen the distance between us and the unclean. All those zig-zagging were only going to buy us much little time before they overwhelmed us. With the unclean ahead of us starting to crowd in the back alleys who were drawn to something, I made the only decision I could make before we got cornered in the alleyways.

I led Amy to the main road towards checkpoint three. I can feel the blood dripping from my side. I didn't bother checking it. We can't sprint because of the unclean horde clearly in front of us, walking towards somewhere. My ears were still a bit deaf because of my fiasco with Miss Teenage Girl. I lost my gun somewhere, I don't know where. I probably lost my pistol earlier too. I tried to reach for the radio with my right hand but only stifled a grunt of pain. I can't even lift my right arm. Stopping now and teaching Amy how to use it will only cause the horde behind to catch up on us. I only pray that the horde in front of us won't suddenly turn around. We move in a fast walking manner keeping pace with the horde in front and also keeping our distance with the horde at the back,

It started raining. Raindrops slowly paint the roads in a reddish-brown color. Another reason for us to keep our pace and make sure we don't tire out. "Just stay calm Amy, we are almost there. Just ignore those bad guys okay?" I whispered low. I gripped Amy's hand reassuring her that everything would be okay. She nods back at me without looking. I was afraid, scared that I might not be able to save Amy but I had to hope.

6 feet apart, that's how short the break in the two hordes was, The one behind was clearly aware of us, trying to get to us. The front was being drawn by something else. Something other than us.

That's when I heard it. A car alarm! My hope surged. If the unclean will be drawn to that maybe I could at least lead Amy to the open road. Some unclean were falling from buildings, others were walking over their fallen just to get to an alarm that was resounding a bit distance from us. I limped a little bit faster just to get to the checkpoint just a little bit ahead.

As I saw the antenna poking out of the heads of the unclean in front of me, I urge Amy to the trail of cars that were trying to get out of the city. "Get down and crawl under now!" I whispered a bit louder. Amy for her part did as she was told. This was only viable because cars were stuck in a line at checkpoint 3, which was the last check for people to get out of the border town. Our orders were to not let anybody in nor let anybody out that main road. Whether they used another route to escape it didn't matter. Orders are orders. We must hold that checkpoint.

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"Keep crawling towards that green place Amy," I ordered her. I can see her elbows and knees getting scraped but at least her head was protected. A hand grabbed my ankle as I followed Amy. I looked back and saw a few unclean fell and started to follow. I kicked it in the face and with a resounding crack of his nose, he let go of my ankle.

"We're nearly there. Keep going do not stop." I urged Amy. With a panic grunt, she kept moving. Atta girl. I can see the feet of the horde in the surrounding area. Passing through the traffic of cars. "Faster Amy! Get to the barricade!" We need to take advantage of the break in the horde or even the undercar won't keep us safe. Amy was through. I sighed with relief but it was cut short. I can see the unclean trying to pass through the space between the cars, trying to get in the checkpoint barricade. I crawled, exerting more effort than I could possibly bear. As I was passing the last car when an unclean tripped on my foot causing it to fall. Causing another to fall as well, making a small mound of wiggling corpses.

As I stood up now inside the barricaded checkpoint, I looked for Amy. Seeing her huddled in the corner of a container we used as a temporary HQ I sighed with relief. "Amy, come on." I bellowed. She ran towards me and gripped my hand. I can already see the main road exit from here. As I looked to the right, I could also see the most massive horde I have seen yet.

I can't even see the car that was making the alarm sound anymore. It was so packed. With their hands raised trying to get to that. It was so surreal.

I looked at them at the other side of the exit. Once we are through Amy would have a better chance of surviving.

As I urged both of us along the checkpoint zone, I saw a body lying still on the sandbag. Shot to the head. His tag reads "Winters." We didn't know each other long but we respected each other's space. As I walked a bit further into the checkpoint. Another body lay sprawled with its lower torso missing and also a part of its head. "Apollo." I whimpered. She was the first one to care for me when I arrived. I can still remember her smiling about how we were the only female in the unit. Her dark hair was burnt in places but I can still see her simple piercing and her now lifeless eyes. We weren't the army. We were classified as mercs. Guns for hire. We were allowed a bit of accessory but it must not hinder operations. Even before I contemplated her death I saw another soldier sitting down at the exit, with a pistol in his hand, along with a spent M2 Browning beside him. Seemingly at least a hundred unclean bodies and body parts lay about. There was a hole in his head and a massive bite wound on his thigh. "Captain Summers." I felt my tears falling down my cheeks.

I was supposed to fight with my unit. Yet here I was still alive. I was sent to another checkpoint to relay to command that we were gonna be overrun by the unclean, but we didn't know what they were at that time. They were warriors in their own right. Fought to the last. Even if they knew death was waiting for them. We weren't meshed for long but seeing the unit I was going to be with in such a state just breaks my heart.

I looked around as I walked, seeing the chaos and the signs of what ensued when I went out. A spent grenade launcher, A scorched humvee, probably caused by a Molotov. Some body parts are strewn around. They were overwhelmed. They could've just escaped. Maybe because of the car wreckages littered across the exit? I don't even know. They could've just saved themselves. There were 12 of us but I can only see 3. They may have turned or even some ran away. I can't help but be broken. They died fighting and I wasn't there to be with them.

I led Amy through the exit, I looked back on them last time, let go of Amy, and offered the most formal salute I could offer.

"Peace to the fallen."