“Die zombie scum,” Dylan muttered, staring at the corpse.
Suddenly, she became aware of several pairs of eyes trained on her. Soldiers. They stared at her with shock, their lips twisted with repugnance. The hair on the back of her neck rose as she looked around, sensing a growing wave of hostility directed straight at her. She couldn’t fathom the reason. Surely, they didn’t feel sorry for the infected? Deciding it was a matter best left for later, she hurried onward. “Um, Tara?”
“Yeah?”
“Wait for me.”
Scrambling to catch up, Dylan jogged after the doctor’s petite form. As they walked past a parked truck, she caught sight of her reflection in the window. A spotlight shone above her head, illuminating every detail with horrifying clarity.
Dylan froze, staring at her face. Her skin was a mask of black blood from which her eyes shone like emerald stones, cold and hard. It was the image of a monster. A freak. Then, it hit her. When the soldiers looked at her, they didn’t see a fighter. They didn’t see a woman. Or even a human being. They saw a crazed killer. A zombie.
Chapter 3 - Saul
After Tara and Dylan left, Saul turned his attention toward the aftermath of the battle. The spotlights above their heads illuminated the grizzly scene with a stark glow, and the deep shadows beyond their reach throbbed with menace. I wonder how many more are out there. Hungry. Searching.
He picked his way through the debris, a loaded pistol in his right hand. Bodies littered the ground, and the earth was soaked with blood. A couple of the zombies were still alive, wriggling around with broken limbs and shattered spines. Even worse were the screams and moans of the injured.
A pair of army boots stuck out from underneath a mound of infected bodies, and Saul hurried over to clear them away. As the corpses rolled to the side, they revealed a man, and he quickly leaned down to look for a pulse. But the soldiers’ eyes were wide and staring, his throat torn to shreds.
“Damn,” Saul muttered. He reached for his knife and pressed the point to the soft spot behind the ear. A quick thrust ensured that the soldier wouldn’t rise again — a necessary evil.
He continued onward in this manner, checking for wounded and destroying the brains of the dead before they could reanimate. Any living zombies met with a quick end. It was a grim job and a smelly one. The scent of blood, guts, and decay mingled into a thick haze that clung to the roof of his mouth. At least, he wasn’t alone.
A tall officer called Lieutenant King shouted out instructions while a soldier relayed his orders over the radio. Within seconds, the clean-up began in earnest. Others joined Saul on the field, and the work progressed fast.
Not long after that, Ethan arrived with a team of medics carrying stretchers and first-aid kits. He spotted Saul and hurried over. “What are you doing here? Are you fighting with the soldiers?”
“It’s a long story,” Saul replied as weariness settled into his bones.
“Are you injured?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“What about Dylan and Tara?” Ethan asked with an anxious frown.
“They’re okay,” Saul said.
“Thank God,” Ethan exclaimed, running one hand through his hair as he surveyed the battlefield. “I’ve been worried sick all this time.”
“No need. They’re alive and kicking.” Saul looked around. “Which is more than I can say for a lot of these soldiers.”
“Yes, I’d better see what I can do for them. Hopefully, we can save a few,” Ethan said, turning away. He took a few steps then paused. “But we need to talk. Soon.”
“We’ll arrange something, Doctor. I promise.”
After Ethan left, Saul noticed Sergeant Dean cradling his hand to his chest and walked over. “Are you okay?”
“Not really,” Sergeant Dean said, revealing the bite mark on his wrist.
“Shit,” Saul cursed as he eyes the crescent-shaped wound. It wasn’t deep, but the skin was broken in places, and the flesh badly bruised.
“Yeah, it’ll be the death of me,” Sergeant Dean said, his face pale and drawn. “Unless all that talk about a cure was true?”
“It’s true. Tara brought three vials with her, but it was confiscated upon our arrival,” Saul said. “We’re having a hard time convincing the major that we’re legit.”
“I can vouch for your fighting skills. If nothing else, you know how to kill zombies,” Sergeant Dean replied. “Plus, Dylan saved my life.”
“She did?”
“Oh, yeah. I’d be zombie chow if it weren’t for her. I’ll make sure the major knows that.”
“Thanks. Any help at this stage is more than welcome,” Saul said.
“I’ll see what I can do, but first we need to clean up this mess,” the Sergeant said. “We have to be ready in case more hostiles show up.”
“Shouldn’t you get that looked at first?” Saul asked, indicating Sergeant Dean’s injured hand.
“What for? It’s not like they can stop the virus. My only hope lies with that cure you keep talking about, and for that, I need to see the major,” Sergeant Dean replied. “And he won’t be happy if I abandon my post and leave things like this.”
“Yeah, but at least get it disinfected and wrapped up. There’s a lot of other things that can kill you. Septicemia, gangrene, the list goes on.”
“Fine. I’ll ask one of the medics to do it quickly.”
As the Sergeant walked away, Saul checked his watch. It was after twelve already. The fight had lasted longer than he thought. He just hoped more zombies didn’t show up. The last thing they needed now was a swarm. The base was not equipped for that, and he was surprised they’d lasted this long. I’ll have to speak to the major about that.
The cold breeze ruffled his collar, and
