Chapter 38: 38
*bzzt*
“Sky, do you copy? This is Ken man.”
*bzzt*
I picked it up and I answered.
*bzzt*
“Copy, yeah?”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“This radio is loud with this buzzing noise, oh right, I was just flying the drone overhead and never tried to fly it low. But I did earlier, see the drone near the second court? Careful around there, there is about three dozen inside it. The gate inside seems to open a bit and that is where they slowly come from.”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“That’s good looking out, thanks.”
*bzzt*
“What’s the plan kid? Want to check the court first?” Oscar said.
I nodded then I said, “Yeah, let’s go there first. It’s a few more houses down the road but the gates around are secure so we head to the one where it isn’t.”
The only places that we’ll pass before the court is the three gated houses and an apartment building. We headed to the court first and the difference with this court from the first one is that it is roofed and there is a 5-feet wall around it where a screen is welded on top of it. It’s two gates are at the front and back and the front part is where the loose chains are located.
We were walking towards it now and a huge gust of wind blew past us, with it, a smell of rot and decay assaulted our nostrils. I commanded everyone to draw arms and I walked forward to peek through the gap in the wall. It’s as Ken said, about three dozen zombies but they are just wandering around. A few are near the gate though you could only fit there if you go sideways.
“It’s as Ken said. About three dozen of them. Kill everything that’s already dead, Let’s try to draw them out of these gaps in the wall first. Let’s try to pick some of them with melee weapons so we could save on ammo. Though they move slower after they have turned for a few days, going melee with a group of them can get dicey. Those with weapons that could reach through the wall come with me and to those who only have firearms, go with Oscar and ready yourselves if some get through that gap.” I said to them.
We drew our bladed weapons and we started on clanging the screen on top to make some noise. We were three feet apart from each other so the zombies that would come will spread for a bit. The rest without melee weapons stood guard near the gate.
*clang* *clang* *clang* *clang*
They seem to have noticed the sound, a few heads turned towards us and we held our position. We started on thinning them out one-by-one and a few of their hands are starting to stick out of the gap.
“Don’t try to reach their head if their hands are out! One scratch and I’ll chop your arm personally, I’m not even sure if it works in this case.” I said.
“This case?” Kaley asked.
“Oh, in The Pacing Unliving and other shows, they would chop the body part off to offset the spread. It’s the show though, this is real life. We’re not sure on how fast it spreads. But if any of you want to learn if it works, go ahead and get scratched, I’ll make a clean cut.” I said jokingly.
The rest gave wary gazes but it made them more careful in dealing with them.
“Too dark kid.” Oscar said.
“It’s for the best though, what we need to remember is that these things are still dangerous. Though they walk really slow, just one mishap and you’re off the list. If you still see this as a game, don’t.” I said sternly.
Some of the figures are now piling up in the walls and some are getting footholds and there are now starting to climb the screen upwards by using the others as a stepping stone.
“Fall back! Wait for them to drop on the ground first, give some distance and wait for my signal. Those with guns, ready them. Oscar, how’s it looking at the side!” I commanded.
“Clear here kid! Most of them responded to the clanging! Jonathan is here with me!” he replied.
I then held my blade with my right hand and my pistol with my left. The first one fell and Mark quickly swung down his hammer on its head as he rushed past me.
*splatter*
“Finally! I can’t reach them with this thing.” he said.
He made a triumphant pose but he ignored the eight that are now climbing at the same time. I looked at the screen wobble and I see the side starting to bend.
*twist* *bend* *SNAP*
The screen snapped on one side and it began to fall down, the eight holding on to it added to the speed in which it fell. I immediately pulled Mark by his clothes and he dropped his sledgehammer on the ground. The screen would have fallen on him If I didn’t react in time.
“F.u.c.k! That was close!” he shouted.
I frowned and I shouted, “I told you to wait, didn’t I?! Go to the back!”
The eight are now slowly getting up and a few are slowly climbing their way past the wall. Among the team, only I, Dong, Chris, and Jo are carrying melee weapons with proper reach because the sledgehammer is under the screen. There are still less than two dozen zombies to go so we opened fire.
Bodies started to fall down and the noise from the gunshots rang out. When less than five remained, I then made them stop firing and switch to use the melee weapons. After quickly dispatching the remaining zombies, I turned to Mark and said, “You good? Don’t do that again yeah? I won’t pull you next time you disregard orders.”
He looked at me and he said, “My bad, sorry. I just can’t stand doing nothing.”
“Pick up that hammer first and switch to a machete or something when we get back. I know you mean well, but don’t get the excitement on your head yeah?” I said.
He just looks at the ground and he said, “I understand, I’ll stay all night for watch duty later to make up for it.”
“Giving yourself punishment now, are we? You a masochist or something?” Oscar said.
“What’s that?” he asks.
“Someone who gets off being punished or something similar.” I said flatly.
Everyone’s eyes go wide and my workers all nodded.
“What? I’m not one! Why are you all agreeing?!” he shouted embarrassingly.
“Well, you know. I see you with Alice a lot and it seems to be the case.” Dong said.
“What?! It’s! AHHH!!!” he shouted.
The two went back and forth and we all laughed hysterically. I just tapped him in the back and we headed next to the apartment building. The apartment building is a two-story building shaped liked the letter ‘U’. It has a gate made with thin metal bars and there is a total of seven rooms each story. Everyone seems to have left this place in a hurry when the broadcast aired but we still checked each room thoroughly. My group searched the 2nd floor while Oscar’s group is in the other.
*BOOM*
A shotgun round rang out and we immediately tensed when we heard the shot from below.
*bzzt*
“Old man, you doing okay there?”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“Yeah, just shot an old lady who hung herself.”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“You’re really noisy you know that?”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“Useless to put a suppressor on a shotgun don’t it?”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“Shotgun addict.”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“Pistol addict.”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“Ooh! Look at me! I can’t aim well so I always use birdshot!”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“I’M USING MAGNUM ROUNDS YOU LITTLE SHIT!!!”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“Oh? You ran out of birdshot then?”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“AHHHHHHH!!!”
*bzzt*
*bzzt*
“Umm guys, this is Ken. What happened to keeping the line open for emergencies?”
*bzzt*
Me and Oscar fell silent while our group struggled to keep their laughter in. We eventually finished checking everything and then we marked the houses appropriately. We locked the gate and we went to the last three houses.
“Kid, how about we let them handle these houses. Nothing beats experience and we let Jonathan here for a test run too?”