Status: This writing is a bit dated. It'll progressively improve through the series.
Pandemic
Final Struggle
02:46 Hrs, September 13th
Northern Desert, outskirts of Scarfield
The Guillotine Squad stood in front of Olivia. "For those who don't already know we're in a desperate position on the brink of annihilation. We are now attempting a last ditch effort to infiltrate Dual Strain Industries. There is supposedly a secret entrance in the desert somewhere. If we find it we may have a chance."
Dean turned to whisper in her ear. "Are you gonna say anything that actually boosts morale?"
She turned and looked him in the eyes. "Morale is useless at this point." Then Olivia faced the Guillotine Squad once more. "I want all civilians in the center. C squad with me in front. B squad with Steve on our right flank. Michael, take your E squad and guard our left flank. Dean, you can stay with me. Keep the civilians protected at all costs. Let's go."
They marched through the desert night at a swift pace as the sky lightened up with the sunrise. But the sun never actually rose. Dark, eerie clouds congested the horizon, blocking it out.
"I'm guessing that's the sandstorm." A scientist told Olivia.
"Looks like it." She replied. "We need to pick it up!"
They sped up to a light jog, squads B, C, and E carrying any of the children who couldn't hold the pace.
A low groaning noise echoed from all directions, a slight wind picking up. The clouds of sand were steadily creeping up on them on their right side.
"Does anyone see an overturned tank?" Steve asked quickly.
"Look at that hill over there." Brian pointed out. "I bet we could see for miles on top of that thing."
"Good idea." Olivia marched the Guillotine Squad to the top of the hill and they peered down on exactly what they didn't want to see. The army of zombies was closing in from all directions. There was only roughly a mile separating the two groups. "Oh no. It's too late. Everyone, make a break for the city!"
"Wait!" Steve called out. "The tank! I see it!" He pointed at the overturned vehicle. It was roughly halfway between them and the zombies. "Let's-"
A deep roar cut him off. The sandstorm was close. The wall of undulating sand and rock raced toward the Guillotine Squad.
"Hurry!" Olivia yelled and the group dashed down the hill, breaking their order. They reached the bottom and sprinted forward, the roaring of the sandstorm steadily growing stronger. The wind blew heavily from the side and the moving fortress of sand loomed over them.
"We're not gonna make it!" Brian yelled over the screaming wind.
"Have faith!" Olivia yelled back, unsure of the outcome.
The zombies were only 300 yards away now, charging straight for them. More appeared over a hill to their right, then were consumed by the storm.
"Hurry!" Olivia screamed. The zombies were only 100 yards away now. "Open fire!" Squads B, C, and E let loose a barrage of gunfire. The zombies began to fall to the ground, but the sheer density of their numbers was unalterable. They heard the increasing screeches coming from the zombies and Adults as they approached for the final kill. Then a low roar pulsed through the landscape. Before Olivia could understand what had made the noise a deep haze of sand whipped about their faces. They were in the sandstorm. They had only minutes to spare, if that.
Steve found the entrance though the thickening cloud of sand. "It's here! Everyone in!"
"No! We can't be caught crowding the entrance." Olivia cut off. "Mike, take E Squad into the entrance and make sure it's clear. Everyone else, hold them off!"
Squad E ran down into the entrance while everyone else stood in silence, guns pointed the unnatural fog. The only sight and sound was of the sandstorm, swirling about and engulfing them in its form.
Suddenly an Adult burst into the line of sight and jumped to filet the B squad. It was cut down by a wall of gunfire. As it fell lifelessly the entire horde crashed through the sandstorm towards them.
"It's clear!" Michael yelled over the life preserving gunfire.
"Civilians in first!" Olivia ordered. "Squad E, give us support!"
The horde relentlessly charged, an endless wave of bodies. They surrounded the Guillotine Squad and began tightening the noose.
"Reloading!"
"Reloading!"
"Olivia! We can't hold them! There's too many! We're running out of ammo!" Brian called out.
"Fall back!" Olivia screamed, backing towards the Hydra entrance while firing her automatic rifle.
Before Brian could respond he was carved to pieces and pulled into the writhing mob.
The Guillotine squad encircled the entrance tightly, their ammo depleting, the zombies closing in.
"Everybody in!" Olivia ordered.
"They'll just follow us." Steve protested.
"I'll head them off." She answered. "Now in!"
As the men filed into the entrance still firing, Olivia whipped around a giant metal object that she had strapped to her back. The flamethrower. "I always knew it would pay off to keep some extra napalm safe."
As Michael turned back to see his wife there was nothing but flames and heat. Everyone stood in the entrance watching the flame, the flickering flame of their life. It continuously fired for several seconds then suddenly went out. As quickly as it died it came back to life, lighting the entrance with a strange orange light that reflected off the descending sand eerily. The light of the flame began to fade, then dissipated completely. It didn't ignite again.
"Ready your weapons." Dean whispered softly. The remaining soldiers responded, raising their weapons towards the entrance. Nothing came through the dark entrance, human or otherwise. Only a steady flow of sand.
Northern Desert, outskirts of Scarfield
The Guillotine Squad stood in front of Olivia. "For those who don't already know we're in a desperate position on the brink of annihilation. We are now attempting a last ditch effort to infiltrate Dual Strain Industries. There is supposedly a secret entrance in the desert somewhere. If we find it we may have a chance."
Dean turned to whisper in her ear. "Are you gonna say anything that actually boosts morale?"
She turned and looked him in the eyes. "Morale is useless at this point." Then Olivia faced the Guillotine Squad once more. "I want all civilians in the center. C squad with me in front. B squad with Steve on our right flank. Michael, take your E squad and guard our left flank. Dean, you can stay with me. Keep the civilians protected at all costs. Let's go."
They marched through the desert night at a swift pace as the sky lightened up with the sunrise. But the sun never actually rose. Dark, eerie clouds congested the horizon, blocking it out.
"I'm guessing that's the sandstorm." A scientist told Olivia.
"Looks like it." She replied. "We need to pick it up!"
They sped up to a light jog, squads B, C, and E carrying any of the children who couldn't hold the pace.
A low groaning noise echoed from all directions, a slight wind picking up. The clouds of sand were steadily creeping up on them on their right side.
"Does anyone see an overturned tank?" Steve asked quickly.
"Look at that hill over there." Brian pointed out. "I bet we could see for miles on top of that thing."
"Good idea." Olivia marched the Guillotine Squad to the top of the hill and they peered down on exactly what they didn't want to see. The army of zombies was closing in from all directions. There was only roughly a mile separating the two groups. "Oh no. It's too late. Everyone, make a break for the city!"
"Wait!" Steve called out. "The tank! I see it!" He pointed at the overturned vehicle. It was roughly halfway between them and the zombies. "Let's-"
A deep roar cut him off. The sandstorm was close. The wall of undulating sand and rock raced toward the Guillotine Squad.
"Hurry!" Olivia yelled and the group dashed down the hill, breaking their order. They reached the bottom and sprinted forward, the roaring of the sandstorm steadily growing stronger. The wind blew heavily from the side and the moving fortress of sand loomed over them.
"We're not gonna make it!" Brian yelled over the screaming wind.
"Have faith!" Olivia yelled back, unsure of the outcome.
The zombies were only 300 yards away now, charging straight for them. More appeared over a hill to their right, then were consumed by the storm.
"Hurry!" Olivia screamed. The zombies were only 100 yards away now. "Open fire!" Squads B, C, and E let loose a barrage of gunfire. The zombies began to fall to the ground, but the sheer density of their numbers was unalterable. They heard the increasing screeches coming from the zombies and Adults as they approached for the final kill. Then a low roar pulsed through the landscape. Before Olivia could understand what had made the noise a deep haze of sand whipped about their faces. They were in the sandstorm. They had only minutes to spare, if that.
Steve found the entrance though the thickening cloud of sand. "It's here! Everyone in!"
"No! We can't be caught crowding the entrance." Olivia cut off. "Mike, take E Squad into the entrance and make sure it's clear. Everyone else, hold them off!"
Squad E ran down into the entrance while everyone else stood in silence, guns pointed the unnatural fog. The only sight and sound was of the sandstorm, swirling about and engulfing them in its form.
Suddenly an Adult burst into the line of sight and jumped to filet the B squad. It was cut down by a wall of gunfire. As it fell lifelessly the entire horde crashed through the sandstorm towards them.
"It's clear!" Michael yelled over the life preserving gunfire.
"Civilians in first!" Olivia ordered. "Squad E, give us support!"
The horde relentlessly charged, an endless wave of bodies. They surrounded the Guillotine Squad and began tightening the noose.
"Reloading!"
"Reloading!"
"Olivia! We can't hold them! There's too many! We're running out of ammo!" Brian called out.
"Fall back!" Olivia screamed, backing towards the Hydra entrance while firing her automatic rifle.
Before Brian could respond he was carved to pieces and pulled into the writhing mob.
The Guillotine squad encircled the entrance tightly, their ammo depleting, the zombies closing in.
"Everybody in!" Olivia ordered.
"They'll just follow us." Steve protested.
"I'll head them off." She answered. "Now in!"
As the men filed into the entrance still firing, Olivia whipped around a giant metal object that she had strapped to her back. The flamethrower. "I always knew it would pay off to keep some extra napalm safe."
As Michael turned back to see his wife there was nothing but flames and heat. Everyone stood in the entrance watching the flame, the flickering flame of their life. It continuously fired for several seconds then suddenly went out. As quickly as it died it came back to life, lighting the entrance with a strange orange light that reflected off the descending sand eerily. The light of the flame began to fade, then dissipated completely. It didn't ignite again.
"Ready your weapons." Dean whispered softly. The remaining soldiers responded, raising their weapons towards the entrance. Nothing came through the dark entrance, human or otherwise. Only a steady flow of sand.