He turned to check on Jacobs, who was working diligently on the door as Choi finished off his second zombie. Past him, a dozen creatures shambled around the side of the church building.
“Fuck,” he growled, and took off like a shot. “Choi!” he yelled.
The Private looked up, meeting Herrera’s wild eyes as he ran, and then turned around to see the threat growing by the second. The Corporal joined him when the zombies were about fifteen yards away.
“Jacobs, you almost there?!” Herrera barked.
“Need another minute!” came the strained reply.
The duo stared at the ambling horde, shaking their heads.
“Not sure we can pull this off with knives,” Choi said.
Herrera sucked his bottom lip between his teeth. “We’re gonna have to,” he replied. “If we start shooting, those things are going to be on us before Gilbert gets here.”
“Fucking hell,” Choi growled in frustration.
They readied their weapons, falling into loose fighting stances.
“Charge them, push them back,” the Corporal instructed, “and then start stabbing the ones still standing. Go!”
They both rushed forward, a few yards apart from each other. They hit the lead zombies on either side of the horde at the same time, shoving them back into the others. Seven zombies toppled to the ground like bowling pins, and then the soldiers immediately began stabbing creatures at the edges of the mass, trying to bottle up the rest so they had a fighting chance.
They dropped a few zombies each before looking back at the ones that were making it back up to their feet. Past that, a fresh dozen appeared around the corner, attracted by the noise.
“This ain’t working,” Choi warned.
Herrera shook his head. “We gotta wait on Gilbert!” he cried.
The Private let out a frustrated scream and prepared another attack. Just before he leapt forward, several shots exploded in the distance, ripping through the zombies in front of them.
They turned to see Gilbert, Eason, and one other soldier approaching, guns blazing.
“Go hot!” Herrera cried, and he and Choi pulled their assault rifles, opening fire on the horde.
In a matter of seconds, their friends joined them, and the monsters all fell.
“About time you made it,” Herrera said, clapping Gilbert on the shoulder as the last zombie crumpled to the ground.
The Private took a deep breath. “Dixon wasn’t lying about those woods,” he said.
“Yeah, no shit,” Choi agreed.
Herrera’s brow furrowed. “Down one?”
Gilbert nodded, his face pale. “Pack of runners.”
“We had one too,” Choi replied.
“Come on,” the Corporal cut in, “we gotta get inside before their reinforcements get here.”
The soldiers turned towards the door, just as there was a satisfying click.
“Got the door!” Jacobs announced proudly, and pushed on it.
Several rotted hands emerged, grabbing onto his shirt. He screamed and struggled as they pulled him inside, arms flailing.
“Jacobs!” Herrera screamed, and the five soldiers rushed to his aid, opening fire at the door, shooting wildly through it and hoping they scored a hit. The Corporal lowered his shoulder and smashed through it, the impact driving several zombies back onto the ground. He fired three precise shots, hitting the downed creatures in the head.
Gilbert entered next, taking out one remaining creature to the left.
“Gilbert, Choi, clear the building!” Herrera barked, and the soldiers in question pulled out their flashlights and took off into the main area.
Eason and Private Greer joined Herrera, who was standing over poor Jacobs, struggling to breathe through the bite wounds on his neck. He held the wounds uselessly, blood pouring out of him in droves.
“Help me pull him clear,” Herrera said, and the two men dragged Jacobs clear of the door, securing it behind them. “Go make sure the rest of the building is secure,” the Corporal demanded.
“Sir, I…” Eason said hoarsely.
“Go,” Herrera snapped. “Now.”
The soldiers hesitated, but finally nodded and ran off, pulling out their flashlights. Herrera took a knee and swallowed hard, pulling out his handgun.
“I’m sorry, Private,” he murmured. “I really am.” He stared down into the young man’s fear-filled eyes, and immediately fired a round through his forehead in an attempt not to drag out the kid’s suffering. The blast echoed throughout the cavernous structure, and he stared down at the dead soldier for a beat before taking a deep breath and refocusing on their task.
He walked into the main chapel of the church, a modest-sized area, big enough to house a few hundred people on a Sunday. As he entered, the four other soldiers stood by the pulpit, solemn after what they knew their Corporal had had to do.
“Report,” Herrera said.
Gilbert stepped forward. “Building is clear,” he said, “we’re alone in here.”
“We’re secure, too,” Eason added. “Nothing’s getting in.”
Herrera took a deep breath. “Good.” He pulled out his map and spread it on the pulpit, motioning for the soldiers to gather around. He pointed to a school two blocks to the east. “This is our target, a school building. According to the intel, they have a propane cooking system for the cafeteria. We have to get there, rig it to blow, and then get back here before it does. Once it goes off, it should be loud enough to draw everything in the immediate vicinity to it.”
“Thereby clearing the path to the shopping center,” Gilbert added.
Herrera nodded and pointed to the shopping center to the northwest. “We’re about six blocks away from it, as the crow flies,” he said. “Hopefully this diversion is enough to make it possible for us to get through.”
“How are we taking it out?” Greer asked nervously. “I don’t know about anybody else, but I didn’t bring anything that can be remotely detonated.”
Herrera pointed to the back of the church altar, which housed several candles.
“Smart,” Greer replied, as the soldiers nodded, getting the gist of the plan.
“We get to the school,” the Corporal explained, “take out the pilot lights, light these puppies up, and haul ass back here.”
Eason nodded thoughtfully.
