Valknar

Chapter 67

Okay, change of plans.

Holding this bridge for any length of time is a no go now.

The creature is now moving slowly across the bridge aiming directly toward me. There was no way in hell I was fighting that thing. The weapons I had were nowhere near sufficient.

“John! We got to get behind the barrier.” He called over to me as I pulled my axe head out of the zombie that had attacked me. “Covering Fire!”

I did not need to be told twice.

We quickly began to s...

Chapter 66

It was a testament to the day I stood at the road junction in front of the barricaded bridge and no longer thought it was strange. I was looking back across the city the way we came as the zone edge continued to move forward. My body was informing me of its many complaints and issues.

The barricade was open slightly to allow remaining soldiers, police and what few civilians remained to evacuate across the Tiber. Gregson was talking to the bridge senior officer. Greco was with them but w...

Chapter 65

It didn’t take long for the soldiers around me to react. Like me, they were stunned for several seconds as this swarm of zombies charged out of the fog. The rifles were soon discharging at the oncoming wave.

Like earlier, the soldiers didn’t waste time firing at the torsos of the oncoming zombies. They took their time marker targets and aimed for the head. It was harder to hit a moving target, but the soldiers were doing quite a good job. The fact that the zombies were charging righ...

Chapter 64

Two military trucks show up and we don’t hesitate, all get in them. Thankfully we’re not attacked during this. So we could get out of the area quickly once the civilians had been loaded in.

We drove deeper into the city, following the Via Salaria past the park. The buildings around us became denser and taller. All civilian vehicles had been pushed off the roads to allow military vehicles free access.

I sat across from Gregson as we drove. The grave chill was sitting heavy on h...

Chapter 63

As we moved along the road, we passed the building with a sign that said, Catacombe di Priscilla. With the grave chill sitting on my mind, I morbidly wondered if that was a sign of how today would end.

The trees to our left, which denoted the park’s edge, grew thicker. We now had buildings once more to our right. The zone was still pushing forward and was only a few metres away.

We continue to leapfrog down the road in our two groups along the Via Salaria. Tension and stress wer...

Chapter 62 (New editing method)

The soldiers manning the barricades opened fire on targets they identified. We were facing away from them and quickly span around and joined them on the barricade. Down the road came a group of six zombies moving quickly. The soldiers didn’t hesitate and after marking targets, opened fire. The zombies never even got close to the barricade.

I went out to check the corpses. Inspecting the bodies, I realised that the fresh kills amongst the civilians had risen like earlier. This was anot...

Chapter 61

Gregson was looking at his map. I joined him my body still aching. It was clear we were in the city proper now. With a large park to the west and a dense number of buildings to the east and south. Greco’s troops were facing north. The rest of the soldiers and police were pulling out on foot.

“We are holding here for a few minutes until the rest evacuate then we are following this road south. We are going to try to keep the road open.” She told us and indicated the road. We were cl...

Chapter 60

To say that the drive back to the airport was bad was an understatement. Morale in the back of this lorry was in the toilet. Across the railway tracks see more residential areas and they were starting to burn. It seemed that someone had gotten their act together and managed to evacuate most of the civilians.

The civilian population had also taken the hint and those who could be were already gone. But this still left a lot of people trapped. The sounds of weapons fire from ground troops ...

October Q&A

Hi All

Here we are again with the next Q&A. Please ask any questions that you are thinking about.

Valknar

Chapter 54

We continued the sweep of the zone. We never encountered any other skeletons or any other undead. We were thankful for that. Once we had finished this felt the breach to be inspected.

We stop well before then and eat some energy bars and drink. Hills stomach had announced its unhappiness so loudly that we could not ignore it. She was very embarrassed and was trying to apologise. I waved it off.

The route we were given ended at the breach. So, we found ourselves standing there look...

Chapter 53

It was nearly 12:00hrs. Alana was putting on her armour and checking her kit in her container. She was shaking now. This was happening. She felt like she is going to throw up or cry maybe both.

The briefing had passed in a blur. A Major named Hawk had given it. They were flying out to clear a zone that was due to be swept. A grave type. As this was her first live training mission it was a low-threat zone. Harrington was to do the work I was to watch and learn.

Her hands are shakin...

Chapter 52

The thunderous crash of two shields was audible over the roar of the group watching. I was straining against my opponent as he strained against me. Henry’s face was clear through his visor grinning like a madman. Sweat poured down his face like mine as we had been clashing hard for the last ten minutes. We were both breathing hard.

We were locked in a pushing match that was going nowhere. Both straining we were trying to push each other out of the ring that was on the floor. We are bo...

Chapter 50

I reload swearing all the way. I point it to the sky and pull the trigger again.

CLICK.

This leads to a greater bout of swearing as I load the third carriage into the gun. I have two green flares left. This one fire’s off with a whoosh and the area is quickly bathed in a sickly green.

I put the flare gun away and get my axe ready just in case. I also position myself to watch the road and breach. I lean against a large gravestone. The church is in front of me. With the now ...

Chapter 49

I have seen some crazy things as a zone operative.

Zombies, walking plants and dog-like things that spit fire.

You know not normal things. But what I was seeing was the damn craziest.

There was a zombie outside wandering about like normal. Staggering around being hampered by the snow. Nothing new.

What was new was when it turned its back to me there was another face and set of arms coming out of its back!

The zombie was a man with no shirt. Trousers I hoped! The ...

Chapter 48

I was moved a few days later to a normal ward. A week later I was home. During that week I had several visitors mainly Lou and Henry when he was on base. Henry had a great time mocking me. He found it hilarious that I was always in the hospital after nearly every mission, I had a few choice words for him.

Dr Holland and Dr Misra were also regular visitors. Dr Holland was always around running his ever ongoing tests. Always taking samples and recording vitals. He had become damn annoying...

Chapter 47

I am in an isolated ward the next day, this ward specialises in biohazard cases. Both I and the other operative are here, she is in another room. I was told her name was Suzan, I remembered after that.

We were placed into isolation straight away when we arrived on base. We were both showered again and run through a massive number of tests. I feel like I had several pints of blood removed. They even took samples of hair to be tested.

I thought the initial reaction when I emerged fr...

Chapter 46

I get down from the tree, eventually. True I was clinging to it most of the way and this slowed me down. There was a fall involved and a lot of swearing.

I am now standing over the limp form of the operative I have been sent to find. Before I can check her vitals, I need to remove as much of the pollen as possible. It’s affecting me again. Things are getting wavy again according to my eyes.

I used clumps of the damp grass around us, I get some of but she is caked in the stuff. C...

Chapter 45 (Edited)

I return to full awareness sometime later. That was one hell of a strange time. I am laying on my front head down in the grass. My faceplate was still down protecting my face from everything. I get up very slowly, feeling the effects of the worst hangover ever. I look around.

“Fuck me that was bad!” I gripe.

My axe and shield are close by. The plant corpse is also close. That was no animal-type zone threat!

“God damn rushed missions!” I was not in a good mood.

...

Chapter 44

Grey fog. Check.

A sudden drop in temperature. Check.

Damp moisture covering everything. Check.

The onset of mild depression drains what little colour there is from the world. Check.

That confirms it I am in the zone. What joy is my life? The humour I had felt with Gregson has quickly drained away. I get serious and advance shield and axe at the ready. This zone has been relisted as an unknown threat until I discover what happened to the earlier Operative. Being sloppy...

Chapter 43

Turns out that day was the next.

I was rudely awoken at 5 am to be told to get my backside to a briefing room on base at 7 am. I was planning on going home today. So, two hours later showered, fed and grumpy I await my betters to tell me what hell hole they will be sending me to now.

Just before 7 am I am led to the room. I had run into Gregson in the cafeteria. Like me, he was getting breakfast. I had found out that he had only just got into the base. He had been called a lot ear...

Chapter 42

Two days later. Dr Helena got up and left the familiar briefing room in the Administration building. She had been part of the meeting but her part was over. She had briefed the occupants on John’s injuries and his current condition.

She closed the door and walked down the hallway. Knowing the real decisions were about to be made. Fear was present for her patient because she had hints of the problems on the horizon for them all. She was however powerless to influence these decisions un...

Chapter 41

The debrief team arrive the next morning. A man and woman come in and set up recording equipment for the debrief. They told me their names but to be honest I forgot them quickly. Me and names are not good. The woman was in a suit and the man was in a military uniform showing a major’s rank. Dr Helena was with them to oversee my medical condition. She had warned them that she felt that if it was too stressful, she would intervene. They had acknowledged this before starting.

I was far m...

Chapter 40

Blackness.

I am alone.

No.

No something is here.

No, not yet.

I have been here before.

I know this.

Something is out there.

Coming.

Yes, something is coming.

I am afraid.

I am angry.

Blackness.

## ## ## ## ##

Blackness.

Pain.

I am groggy.

My head feels like it is full of cotton wool.

I begin to become more aware. I have been through this before. I think.

Yes, I ha...

Chapter 39

It was fast.

Faster than any zombie.

Faster than the ghouls I had faced.

If I was not already in a position ready to fight it would have killed me. I got my shield up to meet it. Just.

The blow was like nothing I had experienced before. My shield was rammed back with my arm into my body and I was thrown back. I came off my feet and landed hard on the ground winding me.

I was stunned by the speed and sheer force just unleashed. My body signalled its unhappiness wi...

Chapter 38

My mind returns to the conversation I had with my mother when she finally came to understand the nature of my work. I remember her in my doorway when I spoke the words out loud.

We are losing.

Saying it was both liberating and damning. I had voiced what I had figured out by reading between the lines. My fate in many ways was set due to that utterance. Unless something drastic happens or is discovered the zones would expand and consume all.

So, I am here now in this place in ...

Chapter 37

Five more zombies came charging out of the fog. They crashed into us but we held. Violent blows were exchanged with them. Limbs were flying in all directions. Over the next few minutes of intense action, we prevailed. The corpses lying at our feet were testament to another victory. To which Henry collapsed to his knees in sheer exhaustion. I almost followed.

“We can’t keep this up.” I got out through panting for air. Sweat poured out across my body. All my joints are aching in pai...

Chapter 36

It took longer than I hoped to get everyone moving. It was getting dark outside with the zone fog reducing the light dramatically. We knew this was going to be dangerous but we had to go. The column was split into three groups. The civilians and base personnel who were not able to fight were in the centre. The support team, security personnel and few civilians who could fight were around them. Finally, the operatives. Sarah led the others at the front while Henry and I acted as rear guard. 2022-07-16 08:57:15 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 35

Gas canisters + fire = Explosion!

Simple math.

How to use this to my advantage and not get killed? Now that’s a good question. I had plenty of ideas but nothing that I could say for certain would not kill me in the execution. My first plan was still looking to be my best option. I was going to have to do this the hard way. I could not risk any collateral here.

I chose the nearest zombie and hurled the chosen bottle at it. I ducked back into the doorway before it struck. Th...

Chapter 34

I quickly move over to her. She is shaking from the pain. It turns out it is her shield arm that is injured from the way she is favouring it. She still has hold of her weapon.

“One… of…. them hit my shield hard… then I heard a crack.” She was white from the pain.

“Stand aside coming in.” Karlsson said.

He began to inspect her injured arm as I went back to watching for threats. Karlsson was a fully trained paramedic and had a large medi-kit with him. The fog aro...

Chapter 33

Karlsson returns to the service station.

“The stores are empty.” He told us.

“Thanks for checking. Ok, huddle up.” I pull my map out.

“Alright. We are going to be passing a graveyard. I don’t know what we are going to face here. We have buildings here on one side and the graveyard on the other.” I show them the map.

“This is going to make or break if we can use the road to get any civilians out. If the graveyard has a lot of undead, we are going to have...