Chapter 23

The lifeless bodies of fallen soldiers lay beneath makeshift coverings, their dog tags carefully arranged before them. Standing tall, soldiers formed a solemn line, offering salutes as a heartfelt tribute to their comrades.

"We'll be back to ensure you get a proper farewell," Soldier 1 assured, gently collecting the dog tags from each fallen warrior.

"As the highest-ranking officer, I'll take command. No sign of Corporal, so I'm leading this mission," Soldier 1 declared, his words echoing with a sense of duty.

Turning to his comrades, he addressed them with a commanding tone, "Attention, soldiers! We're on the move. Gather supplies, round up the remaining ammo, and let the civilians know we're hitting the road now. Move swiftly!"

Daniel stood with the old man by his side, eyes fixed on the soldiers in the distance.

"Is it safe to go outside right now?" Daniel inquired, addressing the old man.

"Just for now, but every minute we linger here, things get worse," the old man cautioned.

As Daniel glanced around, he caught sight of a soldier sprinting urgently toward soldier 1, creating a sense of urgency in the air.

"Hey, sir, we got a problem," Soldier 2 reported.

"What's up?" replied Soldier 1.

"Sir, the kids won't budge; they're scared," Soldier 2 explained.

"What?!" Soldier 1 exclaimed.

"Show me where they are," Soldier 1 demanded.

"Can I tag along, sir? I want to check on the kids," Daniel asked.

Soldier 1 turned, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded, "Sure, but don't slow me down."

"Thanks a lot, sir," Daniel expressed his gratitude.

As they moved towards the troubled area, soldier 2 leading the way, Soldier 1 trailed closely behind, flanked by Daniel, Helen and the old man. The air hung heavy with tension as they approached the uneasy scene.

—--

"Mommy, where are you? I'm scared," one of the kids whimpered, the hallway echoing with the chorus of children's sobs.

"Where are mommy and daddy? They said to stay here, but I can't find them," another child wailed, uncertainty tainting their voice.

"I don't wanna go outside, mommy. The bad people who hurt daddy are out there," a young voice quivered with fear.

"Waaaaa," added another child, their cry blending into the disarray.

In the midst of the chaos, an elderly woman strained to soothe the distressed children. Despite her best efforts, the noise persisted, each child lost in their own apprehension.

"Kids, we gotta leave. The scary monster might come for us," the old woman urged, gently rubbing a child's head in an attempt to comfort. However, the tears persisted, and her calming touch couldn't fully quell their fears.

"No, you're lying, ma!" objected the boy, his cry cutting through the tense atmosphere.

The children continued crying, their distress echoing .

Soldier 1 stood at the corner, his eyes wide with shock as if his entire plan to mobilize everyone had crumbled before him. His heart urged him to abandon the children for their escape, understanding that leaving them in this hellhole would seal their fate.

"They're paralyzed with fear, sir," Soldier 2 remarked, speaking to Soldier 1.

Soldier 2 wore a confused expression as he questioned, "What should we do, sir?"

Behind them, Helen joined the conversation, her voice expressing disbelief, "So many children... How did they manage to survive?"

"We don't have an answer to that, ma'am. We just rescued anyone we saw in our way," Soldier 1 replied, a heavy weight of uncertainty in his words.

Two soldiers sprinted towards soldiers 1 and 2, drawn by the conversation. Abruptly halting, they exchanged glances, their breaths visible in the cold air.

"I think I've got an idea," Soldier 3 chimed in.

Soldier 1 swiveled towards the source of the voice, his eyes widening at the unexpected presence of the newcomers, who were initially posted at exit 2.

"What? Hold up, aren't you guys supposed to be guarding exit 2?" soldier 1 questioned, a puzzled expression etched on his face.

"Yeah, but Corporal Peter told us to come here and help the remaining soldier, saying he'll guard exit 2," soldier 3 responded.

"What? So that's where that jerk had been. What the heck!" shouted soldier 1 as he sprinted toward exit 2.

"Corporal Peter!" soldier 1 yelled continuously while dashing towards exit 2.

"Where the heck are you? Did you make a run for it? You jerk! Did you leave everyone here to die just for you to escape?" shouted soldier 1.

Reaching the exit, he stared forward, standing there frozen, as if he'd witnessed the unimaginable.

Daniel, the old man, soldier 3, and Helen caught up to soldier 1, finding him frozen and staring towards exit 2, the tension thick in the air.

"Why did you stop running? Why are you frozen?, did you see a ghost" questioned Daniel.

The old man, Daniel, soldier 3, and Helen stepped forward, curiosity etched on their faces. To their surprise, Corporal Peter stood ahead.

"Hey, isn't that Corporal Peter? I knew he wouldn't ditch us," soldier 3 exclaimed, a grin lighting up his face.

"Quiet," soldier 1 hushed, then added, "Isn't it weird he's just standing there, a hundred meters away, not saying a word? And look, he's moving sluggishly."

"The undead are lurking down there. This feels like a trap, trying to lure us towards him," soldier 1 warned.

"Sir, I find it hard to believe," Soldier 3 voiced his disbelief.

Soldier 1 shifted his gaze from Soldier 3 to the corporal, his eyes reflecting concern.

"I think we're knee-deep in trouble here. I've got a gut feeling, a real bad one," the old man chimed in.

Suddenly, a deafening scream pierced the air, emanating from the corporal. Daniel, the Oldman, Helen, and the two soldiers were thrown into confusion by the unexpected sound. In the blink of an eye, a horde of zombies surged forward, emerging from behind the corporal and advancing menacingly towards them.

"Shit, this is bad," Soldier 1 muttered, realizing the imminent danger.

"Gimme a break, it's like trouble just keeps piling up," Daniel complained, his frustration evident.