The Silhouette Soldiers

By Hao Nguyen

Prologue

Journal Entry 36:

“There are angels out there. Not the ones from the bible: creatures that don't have any

wings, white cloaks who won't and can’t sin; but those that live among us to protect from the

demons that exist around us; there are few among us. I can assure that there are angels who fight,

who protect, who live, and who die. I have seen them. Eight in fact, possibly more, who arrived

in silhouettes to save me from Death. Strange, I was never religious. I’m still not, and how can

you in a world like this? Remember those movies about zombies, apocalypses, and death? Easier

to laugh at and discredit when it’s behind a screen and not in your face, breathing, staring with so

much hunger…the dead have no pity these days, only fear.

“Laugh all you want from your sanctuary, from your safe walls, you don’t understand

until blood is shed and until it is spilled onto your face. It’s warm and salty, not so much a

memory, but a scarred reality. If angels exist, so do demons: the dead, or more so the

rabies-infected animals and people growing in numbers, killing all around the world; it’s hard to

survive. That’s an understatement; it’s nearly impossible to survive unless you know what you

are doing, and sadly, I do not.

“From what the little that we know, it began as a simple virus, mutated from a strain of

cancer cells that instead of killing cells by mass reproduction, it instead began replacing them,

changing not only the body, but the minds of many as well. Rational thought became instinct,

reason to direct action, and compassion to killing. So much blood poured in the street, staining

roads to a permanent brown; the smell of bodies in the wind, and iron in the air. Darkness

loomed over, and even after all those movies, we still weren’t ready.

“First, there was the madness of few. Infection began in China due to its population and

soon a large percentage of their people were infected, not presenting symptoms, but acting as

carriers. Too bad they couldn’t find a cure? With propaganda control as well as a need to stop

leaking information out to hostile nations, they contained the situation, which resulted in no

research, no treatments, no cure, just illness, viral transmissions, private executions, and soon

outbreak.

“Second, hysteria became contagious. The infected began attacking and news spread by

word of mouth as the disease spread the same. ‘The dead are rising! Children are cannibals!’

Wives killing husbands, and vice-versa. Grandmothers killing sons, and fathers following suit. It

is primitive human instinct to kill, and there were no bounds, no restraints, and no mental

capacity to stop them. People in the streets screamed out for mercy at love ones, ‘don’t you

recognize me?!’ before dying with disbelief. So they ran: by car, by plane, by boat, filling the

routes before nations all around the world were flooded with them, infected bodies full of fear,

continually spreading the disease.

“Third, the militaries around the world fought back, using everything in their arsenal,

guns, tanks, and bombs, you name it, and they had it. Generals from all over the world had

always wanted to mass murder, and this time it was justified, lucky them. However, with the rate

of infection, there was a 90 percent chance to turn once bitten or exposed to infected bodily fluid,

and combined with the loss of sensory cells in infected bodies: the “zombies” did not feel pain;

bullets could only slow them, not stop them unless one of two organs had stopped: the heart or

the brain. Soldiers fought on, overconfident, but numbers rose in their enemy’s ranks, thousands

against millions…they never had a chance. Politicians only care about politics, ‘fuck the people,

let’s get out here’, was their response. The sting of abandonment arose, leaving the people who

looked to them for leadership to die in the battlefield.

“Lastly, once the armies retreated, the leaders into hiding, the world was theirs, an

infected nightmare. For some of the survivors who read this or to those who live in comfort and

sanctuary, the movies were right, almost accurate, but although conditioned to the sight, to

experience it…we weren’t ready, no one was and maybe never will, except I suppose the eight

angels who came to my rescue, more so survivors, hunters, a self-formed squad of the elite living

in a world of merciless, blood-stained demons.

“They have goals, dreams, and a mission, drive that pushes them forward, connections

that hold firm as thick chains, and the will to survive. The leader once told me: ‘The world is

harsh, cold, and murderous, but it always has been, so it shouldn’t be of surprise. Don’t let that

discourage you, but drive you to learn, to adapt, to fight, and to live. The Crusades, World War

II, the Taliban, there were always soldiers and enemies. This time we are the soldiers, so do us a

favor…don’t get yourself killed’.

“If you find this journal among dead bodies, we have failed, but do not be discouraged.

Learn, adapt, fight, and live. One soldier falls, another takes their place and continues the fight to

a better world.”

-Katie, No. IX, 2017

Chapter One

“We need to get outside! There are too many in the building!”

“The barriers won’t last any longer!”

“I’m scared!”

“Daddy, what’s going on?”

“Sweetie, I love you so much!”

“There’s a staircase! Come this way! Get off the ground, and let’s go!”

Six individuals: An officer, a college boy, a young girl, a daughter and her father, and a

soldier, shouted as splitting wood and infected screams filled through the hallow halls of the

abandoned stronghold, fortified to hold against few but not a swarm. All it takes is one sound to

lure one and the rest follow. Blood-stained hands wildly reached through the crevices, blood-shot

eyes peered through the cracks, and sheiks pierced through the survivor’s minds. Escape, but

where and how?

“Let’s go! There’s a staircase! John, you take the lead, I’ll cover the back if they break

through! We need to get out now!” said the soldier, directing to the door, readying his carbine at

the breaking barricade.

“Daddy, I’m scared!”

“Don’t be afraid, sweetie, I’m here. I won’t let them get you.” the father tearfully

whispered as John, the officer, hesitantly commanded out to the rest.

“Follow me, we have to move fast!”

Daughter in his arms, the father followed quickly, the officer cautiously scaling down the

staircase, as the young girl, kneeled before the door in fear and shock, tears running in lines,

body paralyzed. She couldn’t speak or think, just stare in fear at the fingers that would rip her to

pieces, the teeth that would gnaw at her limbs, and the souls, that were once there.

“Damn it, Katie! We need to go now!” shouted the soldier. She did not answer, but there

was no time to waste in the fight for survival. You act or you die, and by instinct, he rushed to

her on the floor, picked her up, and carried her to the stairs, “Get your fucking mind together!

We don’t’ have time for this! Can you hear me?!”

Katie came to reality; her mind released from fear for a moment, as the soldiers muffled

screams became crystal clear.

“Katie! Hurry and go down the stairs! They will break through at any second, and I can

only hold them off for so long! Do it now!”

“You aren’t coming with us?” she said, tears still flowing.

“Katie. I’ve served my time. If we all go down together, they will follow. But if you go

now, I can spare several minutes, enough time for you and the others to reach the bottom and

escape.”

“I can’t leave you here alone!”

“For fucking Christ sake, two dead bodies will not make things better, go now! I’ll take

down as many as I can and I will follow you! Please…there’s not much time.”

His words resonated in her ears as she could see the lies in his eyes. He wasn’t going to

follow, he knew it, she knew it, but she did as he commanded, and quickly descended the stairs.

The scratching at the doors, the splitting of wooden planks echoed through the walls above as

they descended, officer at point, daughter and father close behind, college boy stumbling, and

Katie picking up pace, careful to not trip and fall. There was nothing more horrific than to break

a leg, and sit and wait to die by the horde. After several floors of flight, a sudden loud crack

sounded up high, as well as gun fire, bullet by bullet, single to spread. The roar of a hero faded to

dozens of shrieks.

The gun fire stopped. Katie lost her breath in that heartbeat. One step, two steps, three

steps---an explosion shook the walls, a bright light from above illuminated the darkness, as

concrete pieces fell to the ground, an impact that tripped her down. She hit hard, close to the base

floor, but far enough to be unable to catch her feet, she landed down, unharmed, but wild, racing

feet quickly followed. Fear told her to freeze, but instinct and adrenaline lifted her knees, the will

to survive raised her to her feet, and she ran, ahead to the fire exit, a silhouette of a door, light

shining from its crevices. Heaven?

With all her weight, she broke the through the door, almost stumbling over the cement as

the sun almost blinded her. She looked around, lost in instinct to find safety, searching for the

others ahead.

“Katie! This way!” shouted John from the wall in the distance. The height of a border

line fence, on top stood both the officer and the father, waving her in. There was no other escape,

she ran toward them.

“Jump and we will pull you up, but hurry!”

Halfway, dodging mutilated bodies, unable to turn, Katie heard doors behind fly open,

banging against the walls as the shrieks echoed out into the air. The stumble, the rush---sounds of

the horde sprinted from behind, full of hunger and thirst for flesh and blood. Katie didn’t look

behind her. Too many times did she see the infected, too many times she saw the dead. It didn’t

hurt as much as it once did, but what of the explosion? What of the soldier? She could not bear to

take a glance and see his face amongst the crowd. His honor and image would not go in vain.

The officer aimed quickly, firing at those who got near her, but limited supplies claims

but limited enemies, more poured out from the door, from three to four to a dozen and more.

Katie ran with every muscle, each breath burning in her lungs, each sweat pouring, mixing with

tears, and her ears flooded with shouts from the father combined with the screams of the dead.

“Jump!” Katie leaped up as both men grasped at her arms, pulling her up with all their

strength as blood-stained hands missed her shoe laces, hitting the walls, clawing at the stone, as

some shrieked trying to climb, but unable. Katie sat at the top, the officer reloading few bullets

into his gun as the father reached for his daughter. The college boy stared away, afraid of death

as Katie looked down, catching her breath scanning the crowd for his face. He was not there, so

she was spared.

“The wall won’t hold them for long. They will soon figure out how to climb up using

each other as a hill. We have to get out of here and find an isolated place and lose their trail.

Let’s go!”

Following the words of the officer, the five ran in their group, afraid of dark corners,

hands reaching out at any moment, the smell of the dead, the sound of killers, and the sense of

the swarm behind. The officer ran ahead, the father and daughter close behind, Katie next, and

the college boy last.

“Daddy, I’m scared!” the daughter whimpered.

“Don’t worry sweetie, Daddy’s here. I won’t let them hurt you.”

On the wall, scaling small rooftops, they ran, sounds from all around, but no infected in

sight. The college boy glanced behind at hands pulling at the ledge, a few rising to the top.

“They are coming! Fuck! They got up!”

Katie didn’t look back, but instead quickened her pace.

The father stopped, looked behind at four infected that had climbed up to the wall,

quickly sprinting toward them.

“Ahead! We can walk across!” shouted the officer, pointing to a make-shift wooden

plank that connected two rooftops: their demise and their safety. Their footsteps tapped along the

ground, their breaths at their limits, but their drive continually flowing. The first across the

plank, the officer, upon reaching the other side aimed to shoot at the four in pursuit, fired a round

and one fell down. Next to cross, Katie, who stumbled and rolled as a second round splattered

into another infected. Then close behind, the college boy leaped, broke the plank, catching the

ledge and pulled him up. The officer fired his gun, but nothing, just clicks.

“I’m out of ammo! Damn it! I’m out of ammo! I won‘t be able to reload in time! Shit!”

“What do we do?!” shouted the college boy as he looked at the two infected getting

closer to the father and daughter who stood across the gap, too far to jump or throw, but close

enough to watch the horror.

Katie rose from the ground to see as all three watched tearfully.

“Daddy, I’m scared!” screamed the daughter, holding her father tight. Her eyes were

closed, her crying loud, as he sobbed with great sorrow.

“Don’t worry sweetie, Daddy’s here. I won’t let them hurt you.” he looked behind him,

eyes red from grief. He whispered, “I love you”, gave her a hug, sobbed, “Daddy’s here. I won’t

let them hurt you!” then broke her neck.

The three watched the daughter’s body go limp with a jolt, loud sobs rise from his throat

as he caressed his daughter’s body. The ultimate action, the greatest sympathy of a father. Katie

froze in shock, her eyes unable to be drawn away although so much she tried to, she could not.

He rose to his feet, and screamed to the infected behind him, “You can’t have her!” He

ran to the ledge, and tossed her body below, hoping her body free, and her soul at peace as hands

pulled him back to the ground, shrieks masking his painful screams as claws ripped at his skin,

and teeth to his face.

Katie closed her eyes with much effort, but the sounds painted a picture itself. The

screams, the sounds, the fear…all visible to the mind. All was black and all was red, with the

wind in the air carrying the wicked. She heard footsteps, a leap, and then a drop of two bodies to

the ground below the gap.

She opened her eyes, glanced across to find a mangled body, blood leaking from open

gashes, organs spread from the father’s body, and his face pointing to the sky. If there was a god,

who would allow this to happen, Katie hoped that he was looking into those eyes and see the

damage done.

“We have to move on now!” the officer urged to the Katie and the boy, but he paced back

and forth, wildness in his eyes with fear.

“No, no, no…Fuck! This isn’t happening!” he shouted, shaking, afraid.

“Get yourself together! If we don’t keep moving, we die!” the officer called out to him.

“Don’t you get it?!” he screamed as they turned to sobs, “We will just keep running! This

is a fucking city! They are everywhere!”

“We can manage!---”

“No!” the boy screamed. He sobbed once, then his voice grew lighter, “No…there’s no

escape. If we don’t keep moving, we’re dead…” He stepped backwards towards the ledge, “But,

we’re already dead.”

“Don’t do it!” The officer lunged forward, but he couldn’t reach out. The boy closed his

eyes, leaned back with arms out and fell to his Hell. The officer screamed shortly, cursing the

situation with curses, as panic ensued. Katie stared at the ledge, afraid to look down at the

daughter, the boy, or even the infected that feasted below. Death became too common in the last

few minutes. She was scared, frozen, shocked, and helpless. She couldn’t do anything to save

any of them, not the soldier whose sacrifice gave them time, the daughter who would never

experience life, the father who saved her, or the boy who could not handle this world any longer.

Heroes and cowards, life makes them all.

She pulled the weights in her muscles, looked for a way out, two doors stood at the end of

the roof in the distance, ways to get down to the bottom which eventually would lead to the

outside world of the cities, away from the infected, away from the death, and away from the fear,

the uncontrollable fear that froze her still.

“What do we do…what the fuck do we do?!” the officer began to pace back and forth,

unsure, confused, and afraid as most people would, “I didn’t sign up for this shit! Arrest a few

dealers, eat some fucking donuts, and get shot at and become a fucking hero…none of this

fucking zombie shit!” He fell to his knees, head resting in his kneecaps and under his hands,

slightly sobbing, “I didn’t want this…I don’t want to die…I don’t want to die!”

Katie watched, powerless and sympathetic but too shocked to comfort or speak. Her

fingers were shaking, and she couldn’t stop them. Her tears ran freely, she could not control

them. Was she at her limit? She didn’t know, she didn’t think about it. It was as if she couldn’t

do anything but watch the events unfold around her.

Doors broke open near the distance, through one of the only escape routes they could use.

The shrieks followed as Katie crawled back away in fear as the officer rose up in desperation.

First one, then three, then a total of seven infected bodies rushed through and ran toward them

from the distance. Five minutes and both Katie and the officer would perish under the sun and

those vultures would feast upon their live corpses. Short, but an eternity to wait, the officer

reached into his pockets for ammo, but with his shaky hands, he emptied his pockets, spilling

nine bullets over the ledge. He screamed reaching out for them, sobbing heavily as Katie

watched in fear. A bullet rested near his feet, a single bullet. In frenzy, he reached for it, quickly

loaded it, and then looked at Katie.

She looked back, unable to speak, glancing at the gun in his hand, the single bullet

loaded. Their eyes met and connected for an eternity, until he lifted the gun and whispered, “I’m

sorry.”

She closed her eyes violently as the gun shot rang out, but no pain came, no peaceful

bliss. She opened them and looked to find the officer on the ground, gun in mouth, with a

charred hole at the top of his head. She screamed from fear, feeling the mist of blood had hit her,

as she crawled away toward the ledge away from the infected that followed. No gun, no ammo,

all alone with the demons that came closer and closer, sprinting and hungry.

Chapter Two

Another door kicked open, single footsteps came to ear as the feet of infected drew closer

and closer. This is it! Time to die! She thought, waited, but then---gun shots.

First one, then two, and three shots rang as she heard bodies hit the ground near her. She

opened her eyes to find fallen infected on the ground, smoke lifting from entry points, trying to

stare in the distance as more shots fired. Three bodies hit the ground, and then four, each with

single bullets resting in each head. She looked up, away from the infected, away from the fear at

a silhouette coming near, holstering a gun, but darkened from a sun behind. From his shadow,

what she saw was a man or an angel, sent to save her. Or was it illusion? Was she already dead?

Had she jumped?

More infected rushed through the other door, racing toward her and her protector, but

amazed she watched him unmoved, unafraid, as if conditioned and trained for them. He did not

reload his gun, and neither did he run. He stood as the wall, lifting his hand toward something on

his back, a long case with a handle. Watching from behind, Katie stared at the quick movements

in slow motion, each second a minute long, each step as graceful as dance, as her angel drew

from his back, an old war saber, simple but strong, sleek and silver. It gleamed in the sunlight,

blinding her away as she thought him an angel, sent her way.

The infected swarmed one after the other, spread out and rushing toward this man, about

twelve in totals, but he did not flinch nor did he speak. He positioned himself ready, blade

stretched out, and as his enemies penetrating the circle of his reach, he began his angelic dance.

Swift movements, low and high, left and right, stepping in elaborate paths, he extended

and glided his weapon through the air, and through the heads of many. He spun on his feet,

dodging grasping grips with ease, stabbing and kicking down bodies that reached out for his

skin. And many did they come, but none could phase his solidity, his focus. She focused on his

eyes, cold and brown like boulders too heavy to lift, firm and strong, what people would carve

into bricks. Who was this man? Was he man?

Bodies fell as his blade progressed, but straying from the pack; few infected viewed

opportunity and rushed toward a helpless girl near the edge. Their shrieks and gurgled mouths

grew louder, as Katie leaned back, but stopped from the lack of roof. She looked down, then

forward, afraid. They leaped toward her. No angel could save her now---three more gunshots.

She looked and watched as three bodies of infected in mid-air, flew over her and into the gap,

falling below, dead. She looked up, no more infected, just the angel covered in sunlight among

bodies lying in the aftermath of his deadly dance. He walked toward her, smoke trailing from

what seemed to be an old western revolver in one hand, and the blood-dripping saber in the

other. Who was this hero? Was he her savior?

Chapter Three

“Get up.”

His voice was deep, conditioned from these horrific times; Katie could not hear any fear

or sympathy in his tone, but in his two words, after the events that just unfolded, she could not

seem to understand. Looking up at his stature, silhouetted by the blinding sun, she could only

make out a pair of cold, brown eyes through his black hair, long for a man, but short for a

woman. She looked up and down, marveled by his attire, mixed-between a soldier and a cowboy

minus the spurs, the chaps, and the hat. In times like those, it was better to be prepared for the

worse, and this mysterious man was ready for Armageddon. The light shone from the gleam of

the revolver that rested on his left side, another gleam from the one that rested in his right, as his

saber tip rested on the roof surface.

“Stop staring at me, and get up before those monsters come back. If you make this

difficult, I will leave you here to die.”

Such harshness resonated from his voice; she could do nothing, but quickly raise, tears

falling periodically from her eyes.

She asked, “Where do we go? They are everywhere.”

“In the city, yeah, there’s a shit load of them. But we aren’t staying in the city through the

night. There’s a safe guard just outside the city limits, but we have to move quick. Let’s hope

you can keep up.”

He tossed her one of his revolvers which she almost dropped with trembling hands as he

began to walk toward the exit, “Try your best to not die.”

He took the lead, pointing over the roof tops toward a church bell standing in the

distance, “You are aware that there will be many of them, and there are not many bullets in that

gun, so here’s the plan. See that bell? It’s going to ring, and when it does, we move in the other

direction. The infected will be attracted by the sounds and will swarm in that direction. You stay

close and if you are within my range, I can fend off as many that come. Understood?”

Katie shook her head, obedient and ready. She held the revolver down, calming her

senses as the man pulled out a walkie-talkie. She watched, confused of her savior who claimed to

be able to make a bell ring from a far without touching it. What was this safe guard that he talked

about? Who was he on the walkie-talkie with? Were there others and how many? Too many

questions rose from answers unanswered.

The man looked at his watch, and then looked back at Katie, “Now.”

Unprepared, Katie winced upon hearing the loud bells ring a consecutive three times as

she looked over to the church. There was a vibration in the ground, faint and distant, but

terrifying as footsteps from all around began to charge toward the church. Katie stood almost

frozen, afraid that one step would lead them all to her, but her savior was neither moved nor

afraid. He reloaded his gun, held his saber in hand, and said sternly, “Let’s move.”

He headed toward the East, away from the western church, staying on the roof tops as

Katie trailed behind. He was fast, agile, and thought quick as he moved across, jumping on

wooden bridges left behind by survivors from long ago. Katie stopped at the first bridge,

thinking of the first instance, hesitating.

“We don’t have time for this. Get over your fear or you’ll get cornered and die!” he said.

She closed her eyes with a breath, and then carefully made her way across the bridge.

They continued, pacing themselves as the church bell continued to ring and ring loud as can be.

The man in front and Katie close behind, she looked around at the chaos, fires in the distant,

smoke rising over the horizon, sounds of the infected rustling in the streets below, and the smell

of blood satiating in the air. Months ago, she could only see what stood outside her barricaded

windows, but now she could see it all. Tragic and devastating. What once were the sounds of

screaming from the attacked became the growls of the others. She was afraid, deeply afraid of

the teeth, the fingers, and the swarm, but the adrenaline took over, subduing it for a moment.

They crossed several wooden bridges, leaping onto smaller rooftops, heading toward a

clearing or a town square. As they came closer, she could see an ocean on the ground of heads,

arms, legs, eyes all searching like sharks hunting for food.

“Where are we going?” she nervously asked.

“To the Town Square.”

“But the infected are all there!”

“Roof tops don’t extend out to the outside of the city.”

He took out his walkie-talkie once again.

“Frantz, how many are at the church?…Good, hurry up and meet us at the extraction

point…Sarah, are we set?…Perfect, be ready for extraction…Samir, is the path clear?…We will

take them out as we go…Johnny, we are closing in soon…Rachel, I have a survivor. Prepare to

check her wounds…All out.”

Katie listened to the transmission. Who were these others? Were they soldiers sent to

save survivors?

Her savior suddenly stopped, looking down at the ground near the Square. Many infected

had left toward the bell, but a handful still remained. Katie had trouble grasping her breath, but

looked down at the crowds. How many were there…ten, twenty, and thirty? She counted, unsure

of the numbers, stricken with fear.

“There’s too many of them.” she gasped.

He looked at her and said, “Who do you think we are? Children?”

His eyes were unfazed, cold and instinctive, organized and prepared. His comment left

her speechless and unsure, but he did not continue, just holding his stare out into the crowd for a

position to move. Time was of the essence.

The heavenly bang stopping in the distance, he felt the silence with deep anticipation as

he looked back at the crows fluttering away.

“This isn’t good. They will come back now.” he quietly remarked as he grabbed the

walkie-talkie, “Time to go now!”

Katie heard an engine roar in the distance, looking in all directions for the sound, but she

didn’t find it. Her savior stood perched, waiting as they both noticed the infected beginning to

take notice.

“What’s going on?” Katie anxiously asked.

“Just wait and be ready.”

From behind the smoldering buildings, through the smoke, came the head lights of a

vehicle speeding toward the Square. The infected rose and began to rush to the location as Katie

felt her arm grabbed.

“Brace yourself!”

Her savior grabbed her close, holding her tightly as he ran and jumped off the edge

toward the deep fountain water. He breathed. She breathed. She almost felt his heartbeat, faintly

through his chest, but it felt so calm, so distant, as if it weren’t there. Who was this man? How

could he keep his composure so well? How could he be in ways she could not?

The water hit them from all sides, rough, but neither felt the break or sprain in any limbs

as the sounds of the chaos were drowned away. She opened her eyes to see the coins resting on

the bottom, envying their nature and how they could escape the world above. They rose to the

surface quickly, gasping for air. Katie could barely open her eyes, as the water clogged them as

she watched all the events slowly unfold before her.

She flashed back to her history class long ago, where she learned about the invasion of

Normandy beach, or D-Day as many call it, how soldiers rushed to fight the Germans from the

ocean landing. The horror, she thought, to stand beneath a surface awaiting death, or to swim to

the surface to meet it. She came to reality from a tug on the arm as her savior, unfazed, pulled

out his revolver and tried to fire at an infected woman charging toward the two in the water.

Click, nothing. Revolvers aren’t waterproof, but he didn’t stop, but instead took his saber and

tried to swing through the binding water. Katie braced herself.

The infected woman leaped and was blown away by a sudden spray, as both of them

looked at another man jumping over the ledge with a sub-machine gun in hand, running across,

and kicking the woman away. He called out to the savior, “Hao, stop playing around.”

Hao smirked, “The water felt refreshing.” He pulled himself out of the fountain and Katie

as well as he holstered his revolver as well as the one given to Katie. No point in using them

now. Sometimes the tools they had were useless when needed. Katie examined the other man, a

Haitian man in athletic-military wear, a dew rag on his head, and a back pack. How did he run so

quickly with that on?

Chapter Four

“Frantz, we need to head to the Square now.”

“Where’s Johnny?”

“On his way, everyone is in position.”

The sound of trash cans being knocked over in the distant rang out loudly from the

alleyways nearby. All three looked into the direction as Hao could feel the vibrations in the

ground.

“Here they come. We have to move now.”

Frantz took the lead, Katie following behind, as Hao covered the back, all three passing

by deserted cars, pools of blood on the road, as well as broken glass and bodies lying, decayed

from those who could not take this world any longer. Katie tried not to look at them, staring

away, only looking ahead at the masses that began to charge forward. Their screams always

haunted her ears since they first appeared long ago, but she would never become use to them.

Several screamers swarmed ahead.

Hao trailed behind as Frantz gained speed toward a small clearing where an intersection

sat, sounds of an engine roaring growing louder among the screams of infected. Too many

sounds, too much stimulation, her vision and hearing all became hazed. A heavy feeling rested in

the bottom of her lungs making breathing almost burn as she could feel the heart beat release

hard and pounding pulses: adrenaline. Sprinters charged out from dark areas as Frantz

instinctively fired, single rounds at a time, leaping over bodies and their pierced heads. Katie ran

with fear around them, afraid of the hands that could reach out at any moment.

“They are getting closer!” Hao looked behind at sprinters gaining distance.

“You scared?!” Frantz shouted through a quick spray at another three infected.

Hao ignored the comment. Frantz, since the beginning had always a weird sense of

humor that even in the darkest hour, something was always funny to make a joke on. If they

came across an infected child, he would make a joke, “Who let you out of school?” or “Does

your mommy know you’re here?” If they came across infected women, he would say, “Johnny,

which one do you think is more hot? This one?! Or this one?!” And his humor, always mindless

as the minds of the infected, somewhat lightened the lives they all lived. It was his way of coping

through these extreme times; Hao could respect that except last Halloween when Frantz kept

saying the same joke, “I guess everyone decided to go as zombies.”

Hao strayed behind farther, aggressively slashing at sprinters getting near. Black fluids

streamed through the air with each stride and swing as he carefully avoided the swings back.

Frantz reached the center of the intersection, holding behind a car as he began to fire at the many

getting near, conserving his bullets with each shot effectively and efficiently. Katie took refuge

at his side, taking cautious eye to the dangers around as Hao made his way near them. She tried

to catch her breath as she glanced down the street ahead of them, rushing forward like a rhino:

armored, large, frightening but an angel among demons. She instantly felt comfort seeing it, a

sudden relief, but all ceased as Frantz’s eyes became fixed towards Hao.

Chain effects, one infected senses prey and rushes in one direction and hungry, another

follows and so forth the swarm begins, often several to dozens in search for a single squirrel or

hundreds for two men and one woman. Katie watched in the distance down the road and

sidewalks at the earthquakes of stampeding feet coming near. Hao was taking down the several

many breeching his line, but even he, who she saw almost as an angel of death, could not

conquer an army. Frantz assisted by firing quickly in crowds approaching near Hao, bullet

casings flying out from the small gun, sending many infected down to their knees as Hao

decapitated them without hesitation. Dozens rushing towards them became three to four dozens

and soon a hundred charging towards the three.

“Hao, fall back! Do it now!” Frantz called out as the jeep was almost there.

Hao instinctively finishing those in his vicinity, turned and began his sprint towards

them, “Cover me!” With that command, Frantz fired instantly, spraying in planned precision and

conservation as the swarm, screaming throughout the air, gained speed. Katie drew out Hao’s

cold brown eyes among a sea of red, wild ones, staring in horror at trails of blackness leaking all

over the street within the army of infected.

Halfway there, the jeep arrived, swerving to the side as the doors opened with three

others: a police officer who jumped to the roof of the jeep, grabbing control of the mounted gun

and firing into the crowd coming near; a fiery woman with red hair, who ran by Frantz and fired

from a light machine gun; and a brunette, whose glasses shining in the light, almost burned

Katie’s pupils.

“Get up and quickly come with me into the jeep!” ordered the brunette as she tugged on

Katie’s arm, staggering with eyes fixed in the distance. Bullets rained as the three fired past Hao

who came closer looking behind at a wall of infected fall, but another taking its place.

“Get on the jeep! Johnny, ready the car!” Hao shouted. As ordered, the fiery red head

followed the brunette and Katie into the back of the jeep as Frantz took control of the mounted

guns as the police officer Johnny roared the engine. Once, twice, the team felt the vibrations as

Hao was within mere yards. Frantz roared loudly as unleashed a wave of death to the swarming

infected. Johnny set the gear, roared the engine again, firing out of the window with Frantz as the

brunette set Katie down on the seat and began to examine her wounds.

“Have you been bitten, scratched, or been in contact with any of the infected?” she said

as she placed a pistol on the table. The sound it made as she planted it sounded cold as if from

instinct. Katie stared at the gun and then back at the brunette, “No.”

“Remove your shirt, I have to inspect you.”

“Rachel, we have to do this quickly! There are too many of them for Johnny and Frantz

to handle!” called out the red head that was firing out of the window.

“It’ll be quick, Amira, don’t worry.” Rachel helped Katie out of her external clothes,

leaving her under garments on as she checked the skin for any wounds and signs of infection.

She adjusted the glasses, scanning the skin for the usual signs: black bruises, black veins, and

dark pus usually forming around a wound. Rachel counted several scars and scraps, hand near

the gun. She placed her hands on one scrape, took both thumbs in gloves and pressed down on it.

Katie winced in pain, clenching her teeth and eyes simultaneously as she heard Rachel release a

relieved breath at the sign of normal red blood, “She clean.”

“Well that’s just dandy! Can you give us a hand here?!” Johnny shouted from the driver’s

seat.

Rachel strapped Katie into the seat as grabbed two pistols and began firing them out of

one of the windows.

Hao came closer and closer, focusing ahead and refusing to look behind as he sheathed

his saber, braced, himself, and leaped toward the jeep, “Go!” His hands gripped hard onto the

frame as Johnny floored the pedal, bullets flying out the windows, and infected falling behind.

Chapter Five

“This is Hao! Samir, we need a way out! Sarah, be ready for extraction.” Hao transmitted

another message, holding on tightly as Frantz fired away at the sprinting masses slowly falling

behind. Rachel and Amira strapped into their seats and faced their windows with their weapons,

firing out at infected rushing to the sides of the armored car.

They sped past the on-foot pursuers without ease, but danger rested not only from fangs

and claws, but from the obstacles ahead. Cars littered the streets, bodies became speed bumps,

and the rocking of the jeep at such speeds threatened a roll over if the driver was not

experienced.

Frantz swayed back and forth, his fire uneven. His knees weak, he had plant both feet at

the sides of jeep, gripping strongly onto the gun as the recoil could’ve sent him flying off if his

hands let go.

“Cars ahead! Brace yourself!” Johnny roared the engine towards two parked cars

blocking the way. Amira grabbed onto her seat, Rachel did the same as Katie braced herself.

Frantz turned, knelt down and grabbed onto something sturdy as Hao wrapped his arm around a

bar and holding on firmly.

The jeep crashed through, metal flying past. The jeep jerked violently as the women hit

against the insides of the car as Hao flew up, but still holding on as Frantz was almost thrown

shouting, “Who taught you how to drive?!” Shrapnel flew out at the infected behind, falling upon

impact. Katie cried by reflex, holding her head down as she heard something ride nearby.

Outside, just beyond the window glass, a motorcycle sped past near Hao. Katie saw a white man,

a young biker. His eyes were equally cold, focused, and his demeanor calm.

“Samir! Did you find a route?!” Hao shouted from aside the speeding jeep.

“Yeah! Follow me!” Samir, revved his engine and raced ahead as Johnny followed.

Maneuvering past bodies and cars, Katie watched amazed at Samir’s driving ability as he

elusively made through narrow areas past cars, but braced herself again as Johnny rammed

through other parked cars blocking the path. Sparks flew from metal meeting metal, the

mechanic screeches digging into the armored sides pained Katie’s ears as Hao flew up again,

falling back against the side of the jeep, hitting hard. Yet he did not let go nor show his pain,

gathering himself and slowly moving his way to the back door. Amira unbuckled, racing to the

back of the vehicle to open the door. Removing the giant deadbolt with all her strength, the

released open and Hao trying to pull himself in. Behind, she saw the numbers more clearly, a

swarm sprinting, some crawling under rumble, and climbing over the wreckages like ants in a

junkyard. Infected stampeded over other infected, arms reached out and black waters flying from

their salivating mouths. Hao reached his hand in as Rachel came to his aid. Both Rachel and

Amira reached out and pulled him in.

Hao immediately gathering his breath, quickly grabbed for a nearby pistol.

“Rachel, is she clean?”

“Yes sir, she shows no sign of infection.”

His demeanor did not change but instead, turned to the crowds coming near, “So many

days we’ve been out here and only now we see something like this. Amira, Rachel, prepare any

weaponry and reload all that we can. If this jeep falls, we fight.”

Both women rushed to the spare weapons resting in dusty black boxes: a shotgun, a

carbine, a few pistols, and other old guns stolen from pawn shops. In a separate box they pulled

out the ammo, reloading each quickly and without hesitation. Katie watched, remembering the

coward policeman dropping his ammunition into the gap in desperation. These people were

ready, focused, mentally prepared.

Hao closed the door, locked the dead bolt from the sound of machine gun fire from the

roof merging with the muffled sounds of Frantz’s battle cry. Hao moved to the front near Johnny,

looking ahead through the blood-specked windshield. Johnny, with both hands on the wheel,

muscles tensed but a smile on his face, followed Samir with excitement, “Is it what you expected

for the last day, huh? Kind of makes it worth it. Almost fun after four days out here.”

“We’ll see how much fun you’ll be having when those things out there are chewing on

your liver.” Hao moved to the back commanded, take your posts. Rachel, cover the right, Amira

the left, and I’ll help Frantz with the swarm in the back. Johnny, if you ram the jeep again: be

kind and let us know.”

Johnny let out a brief laugh as Hao opened up the dead bold again. The road beyond the

door rushed away like treadmills as he could see the infected rushing near. The obstacles slowed

them down. Hao grabbed the carbine from Rachel as he took aim and began to fire into the

crowd. Rachel with her pistols fired from the windows as Amira shot from the other side at few

that lunged towards the wheels. Katie felt useless, sitting there, unable to move.

A transmission voiced over the radio in front, Johnny turning up the volume: “Samir

reporting. We are reaching the final destination. Be ready, out.” Johnny immediately tightened

his seatbelt. Katie sat confused. What did he mean by, “be ready”? Ahead, Samir glanced at

infected pursuing his speeding bike. Yet, calmly, he took out a silenced pistol, and fired ahead:

three shots and down they went. Bullets streamed the black fluids through the air as their bodies

hit the ground, his wheels hitting their heads, lifting him up shortly into the air and then back

down. His wheels touched ground and off the road.

Another transmission came through the radio:

“Sarah reporting!”

Katie listened to the oddly bubbly voice coming from the radio, thinking, “Another?”

The transmission continued: “Charges are ready for detonation. Ready when you are, but

hurry up! I can’t hold some of these bastards forever, out.”

Hao ceased his fire to call out to the group, “You heard the woman! We are minutes from

evacuation! Hold your grounds and when I command, restrain yourself in your seat and prepare

for the final objective!” He continued his fire out into the crowd as infected fell down into piles

of bodies.

Frantz above called down as the machine gun fired clicks rather than bullets, “Need

ammo!” The infected gained more speed, getting closer as Rachel reached into one of the ammo

boxes and tossed the chain of bullets towards Hao who caught them, climbed out the door and

swung them up towards the raging Haitian man who clenched his fist on them, slide them into

the machine gun, cocked it, and continued his burst as Hao returned to his position.

Johnny shouted, “There’s the bridge!”

Katie glanced ahead through the windshield at a single bridge connecting the outskirts

and the city limits running over what once was a flowing river, now dried out from years of

Armageddon. She scanned the area, looking at the edge where the drop began down into a dried

abyss. A person appeared among few infected, gun fire flashing in the distance: someone was on

the bridge fighting those creatures.

Samir transmitted, “The crowds are gaining too much speed. We need to do this quickly.”

Katie watched as the man revved his engine more and took out his silenced gun aiming at the

infected near the woman on the bridge, took aim, and fired and in the distance, with each shot, an

infected body fell.

Hao called out to the team, “This is it! Brace yourselves for impact!” Amira rushed to her

seat, fastening her restraints as Rachel checked on Katie’s, “Everything will be okay. Just

breathe.” Katie agreed, watching her own restraints become tighter as Rachel moved to her seat

to do the same. Hao remained still, kept the door open as he pulled out his walkie-talkie, “Sarah,

start running and prepare for extraction.”

A response through the transmission radio called out among gun fire, “Understood!”

Samir fired again at the few remaining near Sarah, watching them fall down as he sped

past towards the end of the bridge. Sarah gave a brief salute as she began to sprint in the same

direction with the jeep close behind. With each pulsing breath, every single sweat drop, and eyes

fierce, the jeep sped right beside her, Johnny making eye contact as he moved on ahead. Frantz

continued his machine gun fire at the immense swarm coming closer and closer, colliding and

congesting the entrance of the long bridge.

The jeep drove ahead, moving directly in front of Sarah who sprinted quickly towards the

open door towards Hao’s open hand. Sarah quickened her pace with all her energy, feeling the

pain burn in her legs as her rifle and pack became heavier each second. The wind almost took her

favorite beret, releasing her long blond hair out into the wind, but her reflexes caught it in

mid-air, continuing her pace.

“Slow the jeep down!” Hao called out to Johnny who released his foot off the

accelerating pedal. The jeep slowed a bit as Sarah came closer to the door, reaching her hand out

and Hao doing the same. She clenched her teeth, looked behind her at the swarm getting closer

only within several dozen yards, pushing and colliding, knocking each other off the edge into the

deep below. Her adrenaline pushed her farther, she screamed out with each stride, then leaped

forward with hands reaching out to meet the firm grasp of her leader.

Hao immediately pulled her in, her breaths pulsating out in long inhales and exhales as

she reached for a device in her pocket. Katie saw the glimmer of a silver tool escape Sarah’s

pockets and in her hands. Johnny shouted to the rest, “Reaching the end of the bridge in five

seconds!”

Five seconds: Samir sped across the bridge into the outskirt, spun around and fired at the

infected rushing across.

Four seconds: Frantz planted firmly to the roof for impact, sending bullet casings out into

the wind with his scream.

Three seconds: Rachel and Amira braced themselves as Johnny floored the gas for the

final stretch.

Two seconds: Hao pulled the door closed and locked the dead bold and shielded over

Sarah.

One second: Katie looked out the window at the swarm as Sarah’s finger hit the trigger.

A wave of impact hit the rushing jeep forward, knocking Rachel and Amira in their seats

and Katie violently in hers as Sarah and Hao flew up and hit the side of the jeep, Hao absorbing

the hit. Johnny held his ground as the jeep continued across the bridge into the outskirts.

Katie saw a sudden illumination, pressure, heat, and loud blasts exploding behind,

watching dust and fire clouds rise as the bridge went up with explosives. The stone cracked

apart, bodies meeting impact, exploding into black balls of blood, raining down as the bridge

crumbled beneath their feet. Burning bodies attempted to crawl over each other towards the edge

towards them, but could not cover the distance. The impacts deafened Katie’s ears momentarily

as she watched the swarm silently and slowly fall into the abyss below, falling away.

Hao painfully rose to his feet, calling out to the transmission, “Frantz! Are you ok?”

There was a silence as the team gathered themselves together. Samir rode far ahead as Johnny

followed off into the outskirts of town. Again, “Frantz! Are you ok?!” Again there was a silence.

Katie looked horrified as a dark look passed on the others in the jeep. Hao rushed to the door to

glance above to only be stopped by a few bangs on the roof and the transmission from the

Haitian hero, “That was a ‘blast’.”

Chapter Six

Journal Entry 15:

"I must've passed out in the jeep that day as we drove off into the barren city limits.

Away from the infected and among protectors, my eyes of which had felt nothing but fear and

sleep deprivation were finally relieved. It was safe and as that once distant thought touched the

tip of the mind, my body must've shut down. I had the same nightmare again.

Even before when I was with the soldier's team, the thought never left my mind. I was

home again, at the two-story blue house that Grandpa and Grandma built from the ground up and

all I could remember was walking out the front door with duffle bags in hand. Mom was always

so worried, asking a billion questions over and over as Dad inspected the car to make sure it

would run perfectly. Mom would go off with questions like,

'Do you have everything? What about your toothbrush? Or your comb? Did you bring

your...tampons, honey?'

'Yes Mom! This isn't summer camp, I'm going to college and it's only a few hours away

so it's not like I will be completely gone.' My voice seemed so naive, as I listened a far, as if

watching the scene all white and hazy before me.

I watched Dad close the hood of the car and walked over wiping the oil from his hands.

His voice was firm but gentle, another thing I never would have recognized back then but

couldn't forget now.

He said, 'Katie, the car should be fine all the way up to your dorms. Could still use an oil

change, but you should be fine. Your room should be set for you, but are you sure you don't want

us to come with you?'

'Yeah, I'll be fine dad. I'm a big girl now, you're going to have to let me experience things

on my own soon.' I listened to my own voice, realizing that Dad use to always saying the same

phrase.

Mom gave me a hug, a smile came over her mouth I almost could feel the tear hit my

own shoulder as I watched myself and my mother embrace in the vision. It was wet, but so

warm. I fought my best to fight puffy eyes, but I was on the verge of sadness.

Dad gave me a hug as well, although he was never the type to embrace anyone, he held

firmly and then released, 'If you need anything, just give us a call. We are so proud of you.'

I watched myself release and hide a smile as I waved and threw the duffle bags in the

back seat, 'I will be home for Christmas! Love you guys!'

Such few words for the last time...and standing invisible on the sidewalk of the

nightmare, I watched the car back up and drive away. Their images turned to mist, hazing away

into vapors as the house settled to dust, leaving me alone in complete nothingness. No sound, no

voices, except my own cries and memories. And in every single nightmare, I fell to the same

fetal position, placed eyes to knees and wept silently. If it weren't for the light touch of a cloth on

my cheek, I probably wouldn't have woken up to the cabin with Rachel."

-Katie