Chapter 3

How? How did thye get past our watchtowers? The citizens are supposed to be safe!

I run through thehallway as fast as my legs can carry me, barely paying attention to my surroundings.

I have to hurry!

I push my way through a crowd of townspeople running away from what I assume is the site of the battle.

I don't blame them for panicking, but this is not helping!

The Mayor's voice enhanced by a megaphone, reaches me from the crowd.

Mayor: Everyone, calm down! Listen to me! Head towards my home! The walls around it are tall enough to protect everyone, and there's plenty of space!

The Mayor is here.. And it seems people are listening to him. He's gaining control over the crowd.

Grateful for the Mayor's selessness, I push forward.

Once I get through the crowd of people trying to run away from the gates, I see them for the first time.

They're attacking the stragglers.

So many if them already... I can't see Raven anywhere! I need to find him!

Who knows how many of them are there. I need to save bullets.

I relax my shoulders and sharpen my senses, looking for a path that wouldn't put me in the direct path of the swarm.

Unfortunately, sneaking around doesn't get me far. I can't find Raven anywhere, and I become desperate.

Cola: Raven! Where are you?

I regret calling out to him, as two groups of zombies turn towards me, surrounding me.

Looks like my plan won't work as well as I imagined..

Raven: I'm here!

Raven shows up behind me, breathing heavily.

Raven: Got a spare magazine? I'm almost out.

I throw one of the two magazines I carry in my pockets to him.

Cola: One for you, one for me.

There's no way that will be enough...

Raven: Where is Jacob?

Cola: On his way. What happened?

Raven: I have no clue. I was nearby when the first wave appeared out of nowhere. A few others and I tried to contain them, but they spread the infection too quickly.

Cola: It shouldn't be possible. There's no eay they could have breached the barricades!

Raven; It doesn't matter. Whatever started it, I'll end it, if it's the last thing I do.

Cola: Yeah. I assumed so. That's why I ran here as fast as I could, to make sure it's not the last thing you do.

Raven turns towards me, his eyes wide with shock.

Raven: You put yourself in danger for... me?

Before I can reply, I see a grey, rotting hand wrap around Raven's ankle.

With incresible strength, the zombie pulls him to the ground, where he drops his gun.

Cola: Raven! No!

I hesitate, unwilling to get to close enough to pull the zombie away from Raven.

Raven: I... got... this..

With his heavy boot sole, Raven kicks the zombie away and then reaches for his gun.

Black blood spills all over him as he destroys the zombie's head.

Raven: Three hundred and seventy one.

Cola: Still keeping count?

Raven: Always.

He adds about a dozen to that over the next few minutes.

It's getting darker and darker evry moment. We have to end this quickly!

Cola: Are we even making a dent in their numbers?

Raven: I don't know. Cola... Are those...?

I look to my right, my heart dropping to my stomach as I see the milky white eyes of the group of advancing to our positions.

It's... our friends...

Among the zombies we notice three of our former tem members. My hand shakes.

Cola: No... I don't want to do this...

Raven: Cola? What are you doing?! Snap out if it!

Raven pushes me out of the path of a zombie.

Cola: Th-thank you..

Raven: They are no longer you friends, Cola. A moment of hesitation means death.

Cola: Raven, I know, I just-

Raven: You shouldn't have come here. I don't want to have to kill you!

His words pull me back to reality. My friends are dead. And these monsters are wearing their faces.

Cola: You're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let my feelings affect my focus.

I look around just in time to see a zombie climbing over a pile of bodies and jumping towarss us.

I shoot it mid-jump. Raven shoots a half-eaten woman crawling towards him her black hair covering her face.

And still they come, pushing us until we're almost out of bullets and exhausted. But then...

Raven: Cola, look out!

A knife whistles past my face, landing into the eye socket of a zombie behind me.

Zero picks it up and leaps toward the next zombie without saying a word.

How does he manage to be so graceful.. while covered in blood?

Zero creates a perimeter of corpses on the ground around us, slashing through a dozen zombies without effort.

Raven and I use our remaining bullets to help... even though he barely needs any.

Cola: Zero...

Suddenly, beams of powerful, blinding light fill the scene, reflecting in the pale eyes of the zombies.

Jacob: EVERYONE WHO'S STILL ALIVE, GET ON THE GROUND AND COVER YOUR HEADS! NOW!

The three of us instantly do as he says and drop to the ground.

A moment later, bullets rain above us and all of the zombies drop to the ground twitching.

Jacob: Cease fire! Stand up one by one, announcing your name first, or you will be shot!

We wait for a few moments and obey his command, slowly walking away from the pile of corpses, blinking.

A few meters away, a few more people stand up.

Raven: Well, that's one way to steal my kills.

Jacob glares at Raven.

Jacob: You! You ignored protocol. You were supposed to fall backand wait for reinforcements. You endangered yourself! And everyone around you!

Raven: If I hadn't stayed behind, the zombies would have spread through the community. I kept a good chunk of them behind.

Cola: Jacob, he's right. There were so many-

Jacob: And you! You ignored my direct orders! Of all people in the wolrd, you were the last person I would expect to do something like that.

Especially considering what he told me... I didn't even consider how much I would disappoint him.

I did exactly the same as the man who got Jacob's entire unit killed.

Cola: I take full responsibility for my actions. I made an emotional mistake in judgement.

Raven glances at me but says nothing.

I hope he doesn't thinkni regret it...

Cola: I should have controlled myself better.

Jacob: You're right. You both should have.

Zero: Interesting... this woman should be punished for this, shouldn't she?

He says nothing this whole time, and now he chimes in?

Cola: It's your call, Jacob. If you believe I should be punished, then I'll accept it.

Jacob: Let's not be too rash. I don't believe in punishment, and we certainly don't punish bravery.

The iron hand around my heart relaxes its grip at hus words.

Zero: Oh?

Jacob: I'm glad both of you are alive. Raven, report! How did the zombie enter the community?

Raven: That's the thing. I have no idea.

Survivor: There were three of them... They appeared out of nowhere and started biting everyone.

Jacob sends a messenger to one of the watchtowers near the gates.

Jacob: Once I get the report on the movement of zombies around the community in the last few hours, it won't be difficult to figure out where they came from.

Zero twirls a knife in the air looking incredibly bored.

Is he even bothered by being completely covered in all that zombie blood?

Zero: Let me save you the disappointment. You eon't find out anything.

Jacob's eyes grow dark as he studies Zero.

Jacob: And how do you know that?

Zero: I've seen something similar before. I thought real hard about it afterwards. I realized that there were only two possibilities.

Jacob: Go on. What do you believe happened here?

Zero: The first option is less likely to have happened, but it's probablythe one you'll want to believe. The guards weren't paying attention, and they let a few zombies slip inside.

That.. does sound like the most logical turn of events.

Zero: The other is that someone is keeping zombies inside the town, and they got released somehow... on purpose or not.

Raven: Shut your mouth.

Jacob: Calm down, Raven!

Raven: He speaks of treason. To keep zombies inside the community as if they were pets... The thought itself is appalling!

Zero: A flock of sheep, ready for slaughter...

Jacob: That's enough from both of you. I appreciate you help today, Zero, but you're just adding fuel to the fire.

Zero shrugs, looking bored again.

Jacob: I'll make sure to find out which of the guards allowed this to happen, and they will be held responsible.

Zero: Hahaha. So, you only believe in punishment when it doesn't involve women? Now I get it.

He points the tip of his knives towards Jacob, and then towards me.

Zero: You two are lovers.

What?!

I glance at Jacob who looks shocked for a moment, but then darkness returns to his eyes.

Jacob: Apologize to Cola. Now.

I have to do something before this gets out of the hand.

Cola: I don't care about that. What do I care about is untangling this mess... and figuring out how many people we've lost.

My words turn everyone's attention to the unmoving cirpses illuminated by the cold white light.

Raven: They were all here celebrating because we brought the food back... they didn't deserve to die. I'll never forgive these monsters...

The rage and despair twist his face into a determined frown.

If Zero is right... if someone let the zombies into the crowd... Raven will never forgive them, either. And the hatred could destroy him.

The soldier jacob sent to watchtower returns.

Soldier: There was no movement in sectors 1-4. two groups roamed in the seventh sector today, nd more of them were seen in sectors 10-14. None of the grouos are close enough to cause this.

Zero: Well, well.

Jacob: I want everyone to assemble in the conference room first thing in the morning. We'll get to the bottom of this.

Jacob assigns a team to collect and burn the corpses, and he sends home to shower and rest.

A day after the fight, the whole unit spends the morning at the headquarters.

Jacob tells us that the Mayor has decided we needed to be battle-ready at any moment.

The training excercises starts tomorrow. I'll do my best... for everyone's sake.

Dismissed for the day, I wander around the communjty, and eventually end uo taking a walk through a meadow.

There, I notice someonei don't recognize sitting under a tree.

Who could that be.. ? He looks familiar, but I can't say I've met him before...

???: Hello.

I must have been staring. Well, no turning back now!

Cola: Uh, hi. I don't think we've met...?

Half of the young man's face is covered eith black, silky hair, revealing one ocean blue eye. His expression is calm, almost... angelic.

Weber: I'm Weber. Are you sure we haven't met? You seem familiar.

Cola: Likewise. But I just.. can't remember. Have you been here long?

Weber: No... I don't think so. What's your name?

Cola: Oh... I'm so rude. It's Cola. I've lived here for a while.

Weber gives me a soft smile.

Weber: Pleased to meet you, Cola!

I wonder if Jacob picked him up somewhere... He seems oleasant enough. Maybe I could find out more.

Cola: How did you get here, Weber?

Weber: I... don't know. But if I'm here, means that it's safe.

What is he talking about? Just yesterday, we had a breach... Something's not right.

Vice-mayor: Good day, Miss Cola.

The... Mayor's brother? Where did he come from?

Cola: Good day, sir.

Weber: Hello!

Vice-mayor: Cola, I couldn't help noticing you friend here, and I was overcome by curiousity... Has he had his check-up yet?

Cola: Sir, he... he says he's been here for a while.

Vice-mayor: That's impossible! I know every member of this community, and I've never seen this boy before.

I was right... Something is seriously wrong here!

Acting on pure instinct, I pull my gun out and point it at Weber.

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