UNSCDF Chapter 36- The Last Stand

Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado, USA

Old Radar Station

March 26, 2001

1850 Local Time

            Zyrok and Pruett ran up beside Casey and the others. The zombies were violently shaking the fence as the marines shot at them.

            “The fence isn’t going to last long.” Casey observed as the fence began to swing back and forth.

            “We got to hold the line. Help isn’t on the way till another twenty five minutes.” Zyrok fired his pistol.

            “We’re low on ammunition Captain.” Schmidt reloaded his pistol.

            “Use whatever you can to fend off the zombies.” Zyrok pointed at a rusty iron pipe on the ground.

            Nevarez shouldered his empty M16 and took out his Lock 17. Taylor fired his M21 slowly and made sure that every round took out a zombie. Pruett watched nervously as the zombies growled viciously.

            “This is why I’m a pilot!” Pruett sprayed his pistol at the zombies.

            Zyrok watched as three Bones squeezed past the horde and stood in front of the fence.

            “Fall back!” Zyrok shouted as the Bones began to swing.

          With three hits from the Bones, the fence toppled over and flung dirt in the air. The marines ran backwards firing whatever they had to slow down the brutal horde. Zyrok put away his empty USP and took out his bowie knife. A zombie ran at him with its arms out and lunged at him. Zyrok was agile and he took a step to the left and grabbed one of its arms. He stuck his leg out and tripped the zombie and knifed the zombie to the back of its head. Casey swung his Washington 870 like a baseball bat. Every zombie that ran at him was returned with a well placed hit to the skull. Pruett, on the other hand, was not doing so well as the others. A zombie charged at him and pinned him to the ground. Pruett was pushing the zombie’s head away from his face with both hands and was having a hard time breaking free. Schmidt jumped up behind the zombie pinning Pruett and impaled its head with an iron pipe. Schmidt reached to his belt and gave Pruett his combat knife.

            “Thanks man.” Pruett dusted himself and took the knife.

            Zyrok watched as a Bone whacked Nevarez to the ground and growled loudly. Nevarez fired his Lock 17, but did little damage. Zyrok sprinted towards the Bone and jumped onto its back just before the Bone was going to pummel Nevarez. The Bone roared and spun around in circles trying to shake Zyrok off. Zyrok held onto the Bone tightly with his left hand and jabbed the bowie knife with his right hand into the Bone’s neck. The Bone hissed and cried out loud as Zyrok yanked the knife sideways severing its head. The Bone collapsed to the ground and Zyrok rolled on the dirt. He looked at his right hand and saw blood beginning to seep through the bandage. He ignored the pain and stood up to face two zombies running at him.

            “This is useless. We need to find safety,” Nevarez shouted in exhaustion.

            “Let’s see if we can get on top of the building.” Casey pointed at the radar station.

            “Go guys.” Zyrok ordered as he snapped a zombie’s neck and decapitated another zombie beside him.

         Pruett and Nevarez ran towards the building while the rest were fending off the horde. Zyrok watched as Casey, Taylor, and Schmidt stood beside him fighting.

            “Taylor and Schmidt, go!” Zyrok ordered as he saw Nevarez boost Pruett to the roof.

            “Sir.” Schmidt handed Zyrok his iron pipe.

            “Thanks.” Zyrok took the iron pipe and sheathed his knife.

            A Bone ran up to Casey and swung at him. Casey attempted to block the swing with his shotgun, but miscalculated. The Bone sent Casey flying a few meters and knocked his shotgun away from him. Casey was injured, but he stood up to face the Bone. Casey shouted a war cry and lunged at the Bone with his combat knife. The Bone swung wide and missed Casey by a couple of inches. Casey slid under the Bone and slashed at its legs. The Bone growled in pain and fell to its knees. Seeing the opportunity, Casey hopped onto the Bone and viciously stabbed its head repeatedly until the Bone was no longer moving.

            “Go Casey!” Zyrok smashed a zombie to the side of the head with his pipe and heard a sickening crack.

            Casey nodded and ran towards an eager Nevarez standing beside the building. Nevarez boosted Casey to the roof and watched as Zyrok fought the horde by himself.

            “Come on Captain!” Nevarez shouted.

            Casey, Pruett, Schmidt, and Taylor watched from the roof as Zyrok held an iron pipe with his left hand and a bowie knife with his right. The horde began to circle around him as he swung wildly at the zombies. Zyrok turned to head towards the building when a Bone stepped in front of his path. Zyrok felt that he was a goner, but he was going to give it his best shot and die heroically. Zyrok gritted his teeth and ran towards the Bone. The Bone, however, was walking slowly towards him as if it was not afraid of him. Zyrok watched as the Bone grunted and slammed his fist forward at him. Zyrok rolled sideways and dodged the hit. The Bone jumped at him and pummeled the ground with its feet where Zyrok originally stood. Zyrok bashed the pipe to its arm when suddenly he felt a sense of agonizing pain to his back. He turned around and saw a tentacle zombie swinging at him. Zyrok winced in pain as he felt blood dripping out from his broken Reactive SLX. The armor had absorbed some of the damage and had served its purpose. With that, Zyrok threw his knife at the tentacle zombie’s head and dropped his armor to the ground and watched as more zombies crowded around him. He held the pipe with both hands and watched as the Bone advanced towards him. Zyrok was in a lot of pain and he was exhausted. He moaned in pain and charged at the Bone. The Bone did an uppercut, but was parried by Zyrok’s pipe. Zyrok saw blood drip from his hand down the pipe as he countered the hit.

            “My turn.” Zyrok smiled as he spat blood on the ground.

            Zyrok crouched and put a well placed stomp to one of its knee. The knee snapped and the Bone fell to one side. Zyrok quickly turned and dispatched an incoming zombie as it was just about to claw at him. The Bone roared and swung at Zyrok, but Zyrok easily stepped back and dodged the shot.

            “You can do it boss.” Casey and Taylor encouraged as they watched from the rooftop.

            “I can do it.” Zyrok muttered under his breath to realize that all he needed to do was to kill the Bone so he could get to the roof.

            “Kill the Bone and get out. There are more zombies coming.” Taylor shouted as he scanned the area behind Zyrok with his M21 scope.

            Zyrok turned his head quickly and saw three more Bones and two more tentacle zombies. He shifted his weight forward and brought the iron pipe down on the Bone’s head, but was blocked by its muscular arms. Zyrok danced left and right until he stood in front of the Bone and jabbed the pipe upwards into his jaw and penetrating through its skull. The Bone collapsed and lay in a pool of blood. Zyrok climbed on top of the Bone and ran towards Nevarez. Zyrok could hear the thundering footsteps and the vicious growls as the horde chased after him.

            “You go up first.” Zyrok commanded as he stood beside Nevarez.

            “You go first boss.” Nevarez offered.

            “No, you go first. That’s an order.” Zyrok ordered.

            “Alright, let’s make it quick.” Nevarez watched as the horde was a couple meters away from them.

            Zyrok crouched and boosted Nevarez to the roof. He cursed at the pain in his back and hand after he boosted Nevarez.

            “Come on boss. Jump!” Nevarez stuck his hand out over the roof.

            “We got you.” Casey stuck his hands out.

            Zyrok watched as his marines stuck their hands out to catch him. He hadn’t seen this camaraderie before in his team. He smiled and jumped upwards. The first jump was off and he was nowhere near the hands.

            “You can do it Captain. We’ll catch you.” Taylor reassured.

            Zyrok looked at the horde behind him and swallowed his fear. He took a few steps back and ran towards the wall. He jumped and managed to slip his right fingers to Nevarez’s hand.

            “Got you.” Nevarez held Zyrok’s hand tightly.

            Zyrok swung his left hand upwards as he began to feel himself slip from Nevarez’s hand as blood oozed out of the bandage. Pruett managed to get a hold of Zyrok’s left hand just in time as his right hand slipped from Nevarez’s grasp.

            “Pull!” Pruett shouted at the marines beside him.

            The marines pulled Pruett back slowly and Zyrok began to ascend. Suddenly, Zyrok felt his legs get pulled downwards as the horde below him clawed at his dangling legs. Zyrok felt intense strain to his left arm and saw himself beginning to descend downwards as more zombies grabbed his legs.

            “Nooo…” Casey shouted.

            “Pull harder people.” Pruett held Zyrok’s hand tightly refusing to let go.

            “It’s not working.” Nevarez pulled Pruett with all his might.

            “I’m not going to lose you Zyrok.” Casey shouted and pulled Pruett.

            Zyrok knew the inevitable was going to happen. He was going down and he was losing his strength in his arm.

            “First casualty of this mission and it’s going to be me…” Zyrok thought.