78. The important decision.
Lesley is on watch at the window and she speaks urgently: “Sergeant, a group of cannibals just emerged from the woods and they are coming in our direction.”
In a wink, Tania joins Lesley. “How many are there? Goodness, at least twenty of them. We mustn’t shoot because we could attract a swarm of them when they hear the noise.”
Lesley is upset. “We are only nine, Sergeant, and they come in groups. It will be very difficult and dangerous to fight them with our hand weapons.”
Tania enlightens all of them. “People, the doors and windows are locked and the curtains will prevent them from looking inside. We must be very quiet. Maybe they will lose interest and move on. They are not very intelligent.”
Kadin hears Michael speaking: “I am not so sure of that …”
Tania frowns and walks to the room next door: “What are you saying?”
“This young girl, Martie, has been taught together with the Savior’s children, what to expect when they have to survive in the outside world. They have been taught that the monsters gradually undergo a metamorphosis until they, when circumstances are favorable, change into well-organized groups that collectively prey on everything in their vicinity. These groups are like armies that sniff out prey, surround them, and overwhelm them. That roadblock is a clear sign that such a collective intelligence developed here. I don’t think it is circumstantial that the current obstacle is even worse than the one you had encountered the first time. The Saviors warned that there would be a strong, very intelligent leader in control of such a network with recces who convey instructions over vast distances between troops, and in this way, they encircle and dispose of their prey easily.”
Michael is beginning to irritate Tania. “Fuck, just shut your trap!”
Nico supports Michael: “It makes sense. Rather use your guns and quickly and effectively dispatch of these visitors so that we can move from here while we can.”
Tania whispers threateningly: “Just shut your fucking traps or else I’ll close them for you with my fist. We mustn’t make a sound and they will fuck off. You will see …”
The voice of the soldier looking out of the window sounds worried: “Sergeant, they tested the Rangers’ doors and found it locked and now they are coming directly to us. It looks as if they know what they are looking for just as that guy said.”
Tania whispers for the last time in desperation: “No sound, people.”
Lesley looks back at Tania and gestures. She whispers when Tania joins her and Kadin can just make out what she says: “They are looking about and are picking up rather large stones. I think they are planning to throw out our windows. Look, that one in the middle seems to give instructions and he points to the giants around him at the front door. I think this guy has talked sense, Sergeant. They are looking quite in control of themselves. Not like the insane monsters we had encountered thus far. They are rational. Look, the one who gives instructions has something around his neck which he now puts in his bloody mouth.”
Kadin sees how Tania clamps her fists. “Fuck it! Where are Joss and his men? We need them now urgently. We are in for big shit! Watch out!”
A rugby whistle shrills in a strange rhythm as if he is blowing a code. It breaks the silence and Kadin freezes. The two at the window duck and the next moment she jerks in fright when the window burst into pieces and a big stone hops on the floor and hits the opposite wall. They hear how stones slam into the wall outside. Another one hits the other window which shatters into pieces. Then a deafening bang comes from the front door. One slam after the other follows as the monsters try to break down the door.
Tania yells orders: “The monsters pounce on the front door! They are going to break it down and the rest are coming for the broken windows. We will have to shoot! I think that guy has already called their buddies with the whistle.”
She looks around and calls the rest of the soldiers. “You three at this window! Shoot them down! You three at the other window and the rest in a position away from the front door and shoot the monsters that are bashing through the door.”
The soldiers open ear-deafening fire so that those sitting at the inside wall have to desperately cover their ears. In moments the front door was demolished and one of the soldiers yells: “Stop fire!” Die moment they stop firing the soldiers rush out kicking the door out of their way and finish off the last of the living attackers.
Tania walks and stands in the door opening and one of the soldiers confirms: “They are all dead, Sergeant. We shot the last life out of them and the woods look silent. We don’t see any more coming.”
Kadin hears Nico’s voice: “It is now the opportunity to get away before it’s too late. I have a feeling all this noise is going to attract hundreds of them and they are going to pin us down here. We’d better be gone before it is too late.”
Tania turns around and looks at Nico, “I don’t leave my colleagues behind.”
“By the time they reach here, we will be hopelessly surrounded by hundreds of monsters and we will not be able to get to the Rangers, and that includes your colleagues.”
“How do you know? This could be a lost group and the rest may be far off.”
“Tania, you have got that radio with a five-kilometer radius. I suggest we get away in all the vehicles. I reckon from here with the bumpy bush path to the dirt road that connects with the tar road, is only or less than 200 meters. We thus have the advantage that we are mobile and quicker than the monsters with our wheels and we will still be in radio contact radius and you can arrange a pickup point with them. If we wait here, we are going to be cut off and overwhelmed together with your colleagues. Think logical, Tania! It is now our chance! We must evacuate now!”
Tania shakes her head. “I don’t know what to expect. Why do Joss and his men take so long, in any case?”
“Tania, the only reason I can think of, is that those guys in the helicopter survived and fled and your colleagues are hunting them but I think they have heard your gunfire and are hastily on their way back. Joss will make radio contact as soon as he is in range to hear what the situation is when they reach here. You can then arrange where the best place is to pick them up.”
Tania frowns worriedly and looks indecisive but only moments pass before one of the soldiers yells: “Sergeant, look!”
Tania turns abruptly and freezes. Right around them as far as she can see into the bushes hundreds of monsters crawls out and storm like one man down on the house. She realizes that they don’t have nearly enough ammunition and weapons to curtail this force majeure.