UNSCDF Chapter 32- Obstacle Course

Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado, USA

Signal Mountain

March 26, 2001

0815 Local Time

            “Wake up gentlemen.” Zyrok nudged Casey and Taylor sleeping under a makeshift shelter.

            Casey slowly opened his eyes while Taylor groaned as the sunlight lit his face. Pruett was adding more sticks to the campfire when Zyrok approached him.

            “No need Pruett. We’ll be continuing our trek.” Zyrok patted Pruett on the shoulder.

          “Captain, I think we should look for water.” Nevarez dripped the last few drops from his water bottle into his mouth.

            “I’m low as well.” Schmidt peeked at a half empty water bottle.

            “Alright, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for water.” Zyrok replied.

            “Thanks Captain.” Nevarez replied.

            “All right marines, we’ll move out in five. Pack your gear.” Zyrok ordered.

            Zyrok took down a camouflage tarp and folded it into his backpack. Nevarez took a large stick and extinguished the campfire by covering sand and ash over it. Casey helped Taylor readdress his injury with another bandage. Taylor winced in pain as Casey wrapped a new bandage around his arm. Schmidt inserted bullets into his magazine and slit it into his pistol.

            “All set?” Zyrok looked around.

            “Yeah.” Nevarez and Taylor replied in unison.

            “Let’s go people.” Zyrok waved and looked at his watch.

            “This reminds me of training.” Schmidt reflected as he looked around.

            “What do you mean?” Taylor walked behind Zyrok.

            “Well, I remembered that we had some wilderness survival training.” Schmidt laughed.

            “Be glad you got trained because I didn’t. I got trained to fly.” Pruett eavesdropped.

            “Yeah man, never knew I would have to use it.” Schmidt laughed.

            “Shh.” Zyrok spoke out loud.

            The marines shut their mouths and stopped in their tracks. Zyrok froze and turned his head slowly. In the bushes which were a couple meters in front of them, it was shuffling and shaking gently. Zyrok waved at Casey and Nevarez to flank left while Pruett and Taylor flanked right. Zyrok pulled out his USP and slowly walked forward while Schmidt held his M16 firmly behind him. Nevarez slowly advanced from the left keeping his eye on the bush when suddenly he stepped on a twig and made a loud snap. The rush rattled for a second and a rabbit ran out. Zyrok and Schmidt were shocked for a brief second as the rabbit ran towards them. Zyrok pulled out his bowie knife as the rabbit ran past him. He took a quick aim and threw the knife striking the rabbit’s back.

            “Why’d you kill the rabbit?” Nevarez looked at the dead rabbit.

            “We still need to eat food.” Zyrok replied.

            “Yeah Nevarez, I don’t know about you, but I would like to have dinner.” Casey looked at Nevarez.

            Zyrok crouched over to the dead rabbit and pulled out the knife. He picked up the rabbit by its ears and wrapped it in a bag before placing into his backpack.

            “Dinner’s on me.” Zyrok shouldered his backpack.

            “Great.” Taylor licked his lips.

            “I’m assuming Nevarez don’t want a piece.” Zyrok grinned.

            “No, no. I would like rabbit too.” Nevarez shook his head.

            “Ok…” Zyrok continued to lead his men.

            The marines walked down a hill until they came across a small creek. Zyrok took out his water bottle and waved at his men.           

            “Water!” Nevarez exclaimed as he wiped sweat off his neck.

        “I’ve never been so happy to see water before.” Schmidt splashed his face with cool refreshing water.

            Zyrok turned his head upstream and saw a Bone walking towards them. He pulled out his USP and fired as the zombie ran towards him. Nevarez and Taylor quickly turned towards the sound of gunfire and fired their guns at the Bone. Pruett watched as three more Bones ran out from behind the trees to the left side of the creek.

            “Bones on the left!” Pruett shouted.

          “Run people, run!” Zyrok shouted as he killed the Bone with a well placed shot into the zombie’s eye.

            A mob of zombies suddenly ran out of nowhere and was running upstream towards the marines. Schmidt fired his M16 into the mob as the marines retreated into the forest.

“Run!” Casey fired a round of shotgun as he saw a zombie run up beside Pruett reloading his gun.

            The group of marines ran past thorn bushes and uneven terrain as the mob of zombies chased after them. Schmidt ran and fired hoping to slow down the zombies when suddenly he tripped on a tree root and slammed his shoulder into a tree trunk.

            “Ow!” Schmidt cursed as he clutched his right shoulder with his left arm.

            “Come on. Forget the pain.” Casey helped Schmidt to his feet and picked up his dropped M16.

            “I think I dislocated my shoulder.” Schmidt moaned as he began to run.

            “We’ll fix it later when our lives are not on the line.” Casey fired his shotgun and unleashed a hail of bullets.

            Nevarez and Pruett covered fire while Taylor and Schmidt got to safety above a small hill.

            “We can’t do this forever. We’re going to run out of ammo and get cornered.” Casey concluded.

            “We have to get to high grounds.” Zyrok pointed at a steep rocky valley.

            “Let’s go marines. Double time!” Casey commanded.

            Zyrok looked at the injured Taylor and Schmidt and waved them to move first.

            “Pruett and Nevarez, go assist Taylor and Schmidt up that valley. Casey and I will buy you the time.” Zyrok ordered and looked at Casey.

            “Here you go.” Casey handed Schmidt’s M16 to Zyrok.

            “Thanks.” Zyrok slid his USP into his holster and fired the M16.

          Zyrok fired bursts of two and took down multiple zombies. Casey fired his shotgun twice and quickly inserted more shells into the gun. Zyrok glanced as the marines slowly made their way up the valley struggling to makes their way to the top. Zyrok walked back and continued to shoot at the mob while Casey has switched over to his pistol for better accuracy.

            “We’re clear boss.” Pruett spoke on the RaidCall.

          “Copy, on our way. Cover us from above while we climb.” Zyrok replied back as he turned and began to run towards the valley.

          “You got it Captain.” Pruett answered as he steadied his pistol as Zyrok and Casey ran towards them with a mob of aggressive zombies chasing after them.

            Casey climbed the coarse rocks while Zyrok provided a light cover fire with Schmidt’s M16. Zyrok watched as Casey reached halfway up the steep valley and began to climb. Zyrok felt his foot throb with pain as he stubbed his foot while climbing. Zyrok hopped on to a jagged ledge and smashed his hand on a sharp rock. Zyrok ignored the pain and held his hand firmly as blood dripped from his right palm. He watched as the zombies below him fought each other hungrily for his blood. Zyrok climbed up a small ledge and then shimmied across a platform before making a jump to the top.

            “You’re almost there Captain!” Casey shouted as he waved from the top.

            Zyrok balanced himself on the platform and took a quick observation and jumped up to grab a rock. He winced in pain as the impact stunned his injured hand.  He wiggled himself sideways to grab another rock when the rock he was holding on came loose. Zyrok fell a few feet down and landed on a ledge. Schmidt’s M16 bounced off the ledge and disappeared into the mob of zombies. Zyrok looked at the lost gun in frustration and looked at his hand. There was a deep cut in the palm of his hand.

            “Forget the gun.” Schmidt yelled.

            “You can do it boss.” Pruett shouted.

            Zyrok got up and looked at the wall of rocks. He saw a handhold a few meters up and jumped. Zyrok managed to get a grip on it and pulled himself upwards. He placed his feet on a small protruding rock and took a deep breath. Zyrok looked at his knee and saw blood stains appearing on his left knee.

            “By the time I’m finished, I’ll probably be bleeding to death.” Zyrok thought.

            Zyrok continued to scale towards the top taking short breaks in between. Casey and Nevarez reached their hands over the top and successfully pulled Zyrok to safety. Zyrok panted and lay flat on the ground in exhaustion. The zombies below the valley attempted to climb up, but made no progress.

            “We got to keep moving. They can circle around.” Zyrok got up and wrapped bandages to his hand.

            “You need to rest Zyrok.” Taylor looked at a tired Zyrok.        

            “Rest later until we’re safe for sure.” Zyrok turned his head over the valley.

            “Alright marines, move it!” Casey ordered.

          The marines began to lightly job away form the edge of the valley and headed into a small grass clearing. Zyrok reduced his pace and stopped in his tracks as he felt his head spin.

            “You alright Zyrok?” Pruett approached a dizzy Zyrok.

            “My head…my head is spinning.” Zyrok sat on the ground.      

            “Sir, we need to get away from the open.” Schmidt looked at the open grass fields.

            “Here, have some water.” Nevarez gave Zyrok his water bottle.

            “Thanks.” Zyrok took a sip and closed his eyes.

            “I think you’ve lost a lot of blood.” Casey pointed at Zyrok’s bandages soaked with blood.

            “I think so too…” Zyrok’s voice trailed off as he looked at his hand and fainted.