UNSCDF3 Chapter 5- Girl in the Dark

Downtown Kandahar, Kandahar, Afghanistan

Zyrok’s Hideout

May 10, 2001

1000 Local Time

            Zyrok woke up with blurry vision obscuring his surroundings. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. He looked at the Desert Fox pistol beside him and turned around.

            “Am I dead?” Zyrok stood up and looked around.

            He remembered the previous night where he held the gun to his head and that was it. Darkness and vague memories followed after. Maybe he had passed out from the lack of water. Zyrok walked to a counter and picked up a water bottle. He placed the bottle to his dry lips and only tasted a few drops.

            “I’m not dead…not yet.” Zyrok told himself as he licked his lips.

            Zyrok decided to go on one last loot run to try his luck.

            “If I don’t find anything, I’m done. I quit.” Zyrok pulled out the photo of Sarah and said with a straight face.

            There had been various times where he would talk to the photo as if she was with him and days where he’d break down to tears. The photo of Sarah had kept him going, but it wasn’t going to last forever. With a sigh, Zyrok slung an empty backpack and holstered his sidearm. He exited his hideout and headed to the apartments he was in the day before. He didn’t search the whole building so he decided to finish the remaining floors. After a few minutes of walking in the shade of various buildings, Zyrok reached the building marked “521 Apartments”. He headed for the stairwell and quickly got to the fifth floor. As he reached the door exiting the stairwell, he pulled out his kukri and clicked on his flashlight. With a gentle push, he opened the door and readied himself.

            “Shit.” Zyrok muttered as his flashlight suddenly dimmed as he scanned the halls.

            Zyrok hit the flashlight against his side hoping to keep the light working. The impact only made it worse and the batteries died. The darkness quickly took over and engulfed him. Zyrok placed the flashlight to his belt and pulled out his Desert Fox sidearm. A knife in one hand and a pistol in the other, Zyrok slowly walked forward letting his eyes adjust to the colorless environment. He noticed a body lying on the ground in front of him and slowly made his way past it by sliding next to the walls. Once he saw the first room, he pushed it open and walked inside. Zyrok noticed the blinds covering the sunlight and quickly ran and opened them. A stream of light illuminated the room and temporary blinded Zyrok. As Zyrok shielded his eyes from the glaring sun, he noticed a figure standing at the door. It was a little girl dress in worn out clothes. Zyrok raised his pistol towards the girl, but the girl ran away into the dark halls.

            “Wait!” Zyrok shouted as he realized the girl was human and not a zombie.

            “God damn it.” Zyrok cursed as he chased after the girl.

            As much as the complete darkness in the halls scared Zyrok, he had to find her. She was probably the only living thing he had seen in a while.

            “Hello? Hello?” Zyrok called out holding both weapons closely to his body in case anything jumped out at him.

            A series of footsteps was heard in front of him followed by the closing of a door. Zyrok quickened his pace and came across a damaged door. He turned the handle, but it was locked.

            “Hey, I know you are in here. I’m not going to hurt you.” Zyrok knocked on the door.

            Zyrok attempted to wedge the door open, but it appeared to be barricaded.

            “Please open the door. I’m not a zombie and I’m not bitten.” Zyrok pushed the door with his body.

            Zyrok turned his head behind him and noticed a couple of figures limping towards him.

            “Aw hell…” Zyrok heard the moaning of zombies as the figures got closer.

            “There are zombies coming now. I’m going to break the door down.” Zyrok placed his pistol into his holster.

            Zyrok kicked the door with all his might and the frame cracked. A zombie leapt behind him, but Zyrok took a step to the side and impaled the kukri into its eye. Zyrok quickly turned to the door and did another kick, only this time, the door caved in. A small cry was heard in the room as Zyrok crawled in. Once he was in, he quickly pushed a few tables and cabinets to block the entrance.

            “Hey, where are you?” Zyrok looked in the dark room.

            A faint growl was heard outside and Zyrok assessed his barricade. It was going to hold for a while. Just as Zyrok turned to look at the room, a blur of darkness came and hit him right in the head. Zyrok cried out briefly and was knocked out cold unconscious of what hit him.

Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan

UNSC Cobra Squad’s Camp

May 10, 2001

1500 Local Time

            “Comms are functional Lieutenant.” Parker looked at a computer screen.

            “Good. What are those crates?” Frederick pointed at some metal crates marked “UNSC”.

            “Food supply. I’d say we can last two weeks with that.” Parker replied.

            “Hey Johnson, do you have a tactical map?” Sears searched some boxes.

            “There are more crates on the roof. Try up there.” Daniels pointed up as he placed a box on a desk.

            “LT, what can I do?” Hariprasad asked.

            “Go help your Sarge move the crates down here.” Frederick answered as she looked at her datapad.

            “Ok.” Hariprasad ran off.

            “Parker! Where are Blake and the others?” Frederick called out.

            “Blake is in charge of UNSC Perth. The rest of the squad should be inbound once we unload all our gear. After all, we only got one Falcon.” Parker responded.

            “Ok.” Frederick thanked.

            After a few minutes, Sears and Hariprasad walked into the room with a few crates.

            “Any more?” Frederick asked.

            “Just a couple.” Sears placed a crate onto the ground.

            “Ok. When you get the tactical map out, can you mark Kilo’s hidden assets?” Frederick requested.

            “Will do LT.” Sears saluted.

            “Hariprasad, patrol the ground floor. Make sure no zombies get too close.” Frederick ordered.

            “On it ma’am.” Hariprasad dropped his crate and picked up a M16 on a table.

            “Guys, I’m going to the roof and see what we have left.” Frederick walked out of the room.

            Frederick exited the roof stairwell and glanced at the Falcon. Beside the Falcon were two more crates. Just as she was about to pick up a crate, the cockpit of the Falcon beeped. Frederick walked to the cockpit and stuck her head in. She saw a message on the screen and frowned.

            “Weather conditions are going to be windy…unable to land Falcon back to UNSC Perth.” Frederick stared at the message.

            Frederick noticed a photograph on one of the screens and picked it up. There was a woman standing beside a small boy in front of a cozy house.

            “Ah…I see you met my wife and kid.” Daniels spoke from behind.

            “Oh, I’m sorry.” Frederick put the photo back to where she found it.

            “Where are they at?” Frederick asked.

            “There.” Daniels pointed at the sky.

            “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Frederick apologized.

            “I’m still alive so I can kill each and every zombie.” Daniels spoke seriously.

            “You are a courageous man.” Frederick stated.

            “They take my family…I’ll take out their race.” Daniels spoke angrily.

            Suddenly, a few shots echoed from the streets below them and Frederick rushed to the ledge.

            “Hariprasad…” Frederick muttered as she saw a group of zombies tackle the marine to the ground.