Chapter 15

The cave's flickering firelight painted jagged shadows on the walls, barely holding back the cold creeping in from outside. Alex knelt near the entrance, scanning the snow-covered landscape with narrowed eyes. The soldiers were out there, closing in. The low hum of the wind outside almost masked the faint crunch of footsteps in the distance.

"We don't have much time," Alex whispered, his breath visible in the freezing air. "We need a plan. Now."

Daz leaned against the cave wall, arms crossed, his eyes as sharp as ever. "We run, we die. They'll be expecting that."

A low metallic click cut through the air. Alex turned to see Daz checking a pistol, the barrel catching the faint light. Beside him, Frank calmly loaded another handgun, his movements precise, mechanical.

Alex blinked in surprise. "Guns? Since when do you have those?"

Daz didn't look up, his lips curling into a half-smirk. "Picked 'em up a while back. Figured we'd need 'em eventually."

Frank finished loading his gun, giving Alex a sidelong glance. "Didn't seem important to mention before," he said flatly, as though keeping the existence of firearms hidden from the group was just another casual decision.

Alex clenched his jaw, frustration welling up. "Those things are loud. One shot and every zombie within miles will be on us."

"We'll be careful," Daz said, sliding the gun into his jacket. "But we're out of options."

Alex ran a hand through his hair, weighing their choices. The trust he had built with them felt shaky, like an old bridge under too much weight. But right now, they needed each other if they were going to survive.

Sarah, who had been standing silently by the fire, stepped forward. Her eyes, fierce yet tired, met Alex's. "There's a narrow pass just below us," she said, voice low but steady. "If we can lure them in, we'll have the high ground."

Alex nodded, considering it. "It's risky. But it could give us a shot."

"We've got nothing but risk at this point," Sarah said, her gaze steady. "Better to make our move now than wait for them to trap us."

Daz and Frank exchanged a glance, then nodded. The decision was made.

***

The group moved silently through the snow, their breath coming out in clouds of mist. The cold stung Alex's face, but he welcomed it. It kept him alert, focused. His muscles tensed as they neared the pass Sarah had mentioned—two cliffs on either side, creating a narrow, treacherous path.

Alex crouched behind a jagged boulder, gesturing for the others to take cover. The soldiers would come through here soon. They had no other choice but to pass this way. Frank and Daz settled into positions on the cliffs above, their weapons ready, eyes scanning the distance. Sarah crouched beside Alex, knife in hand, her breath shallow.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. The snowfall had thickened, the air growing heavier as the wind howled through the cliffs. Every sound, every shift of snow seemed magnified in the stillness.

Then, movement. Shadows emerged from the swirling snow. Dark figures, moving in formation. Alex's heart thudded in his chest. The soldiers were here.

"They're coming," Alex murmured, gripping his knife tighter. The blade felt cold and reassuring in his hand.

The first soldier appeared at the edge of the pass, his rifle raised, scanning the cliffs. His movements were precise, calculated. A second soldier followed, then a third, their footsteps barely audible over the soft crunch of snow.

"They're trained," Alex thought. "Disciplined. This won't be easy."

The soldiers moved cautiously, their weapons ready. But they were walking into a trap. Alex glanced up at Daz and Frank, who were positioned above, waiting for the signal.

When the last soldier entered the pass, Alex gave a subtle nod. Daz fired first. The gunshot cracked through the air like thunder, echoing off the cliffs. The first soldier dropped, a bullet through his chest. Frank followed up with a shot of his own, taking down another.

Chaos erupted. The soldiers scrambled for cover, their disciplined formation dissolving in an instant. Shouts rang out as they fired back, bullets pinging off the rocks around Alex and Sarah.

"Hold your position!" a voice barked from the rear. Alex saw the commander—a tall, imposing figure—shouting orders. His face was set in a cold, determined scowl. This was the man Sarah had warned them about. The one who wouldn't stop until they were all dead.

Alex ducked as a bullet ricocheted off the boulder near his head. He glanced at Sarah, who was crouched beside him, her face pale but focused.

"They're moving up!" she yelled over the gunfire. "We need to stop them!"

Two soldiers were scaling the cliffs, trying to flank them. Alex and Sarah sprang into action, their bodies moving with instinct and desperation. Alex met the first soldier halfway, their collision sending a spray of snow into the air. His knife found its mark, driving into the man's ribs. The soldier gasped, eyes wide with shock as he collapsed.

Beside him, Sarah fought with deadly efficiency. Her knife flashed in the dim light, slashing across the throat of the second soldier. Blood sprayed across the snow, dark and steaming in the cold air.

The remaining soldiers hesitated, their advance faltering. But the commander was relentless. "Move! Flank them!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the gunfire.

The soldiers regrouped, firing with renewed precision. Daz and Frank returned fire from above, but the enemy was adapting, moving with more caution.

"We're pinned!" Frank called out, his voice strained as a bullet whizzed past him.

Alex's mind raced. They were outnumbered, and the soldiers were closing in. The fight was dragging out longer than they'd planned. Every second counted. If they didn't do something soon, they'd be overrun.

Then, an idea hit him. "The cliff," he whispered to Sarah. "If we can trigger a landslide…"

She understood immediately. "Go. I'll cover you."

Alex moved quickly, his body low to the ground as he scrambled toward the edge of the cliff. The snow beneath his feet was loose, unstable. He reached the point where the rocks were piled high, their edges jagged and precarious.

With a sharp kick, Alex dislodged the largest rock he could find. It tumbled down the slope, gathering speed and debris as it went. The soldiers below didn't have time to react. The avalanche of snow and rock came crashing down on them, burying two of the remaining soldiers under a cascade of icy death.

The commander barely dodged the landslide, his face twisted in fury as he barked another order. But it was too late. The tide had turned.

Daz and Frank, taking advantage of the distraction, opened fire again. Their shots rang true, cutting down the last of the soldiers in quick succession. The commander was the last to fall, his body crumpling into the snow, his cold eyes staring lifelessly up at the darkening sky.

Silence fell over the pass once more, broken only by the soft whistle of the wind through the cliffs. Alex stood, his chest heaving, the taste of adrenaline still sharp in his mouth. Around him, the bodies of the soldiers lay strewn in the snow, their blood slowly freezing in the cold.

Frank and Daz emerged from their positions, exhaustion etched into their faces. Daz gave a tired grin. "We got 'em."

Alex nodded, though his mind was already racing ahead. The fight had been brutal, and they had barely survived. If more soldiers were out there, they wouldn't get this lucky next time.

"We need to keep moving," Alex said, his voice rough. "There could be more on the way."

The group gathered their gear, taking whatever supplies and weapons they could salvage from the fallen soldiers. As they prepared to leave, Alex cast one last glance at the pass. The snow had already begun to fall again, covering the bodies in a thick, silent shroud.

This fight was over.