Before the strobe-like flashes of Lynn’s first shots vanish, more flash throughout the immediate area as the rest of her team opens fire on the rapidly swelling group running toward them. Bodies are flung in all directions as the corridor is filled with steel and the tinkling of shells hitting the floor as rounds are expended from the chambers of four weapons firing into the mass of bodies. Time slows.
Lynn calls out, “Reloading,” as she ejects the now empty magazine from her M-16. The magazine hits the ground beside her with a ringing metallic sound as she grabs for another from her cargo pocket. Two clicks sound as she inserts a fresh magazine firmly into the lower receiver and triggers the bolt release. She quickly adds additional rounds into the air in front of them.
Although they are dropping bodies left and right, the figures are getting closer by the second due to their number and closeness in which they started pouring into the corridor. A cacophony of noise fills the barracks from a mixture of shrieks, growls, and gunfire. The additional sounds of cartridges hitting the floor and solid smacks of rounds finding their targets fills the air as the surrounding area is lit by a constant flashing of weapons being fired. Although thinned substantially from the accurate fire, the creatures close the distance to within a few feet of the kneeling team.
Time suddenly accelerates as one creature leaps into the air with a shriek and slams into Private Turnbull, launching him backward toward Lynn. He lands beside her on his back with the creature on top. Lynn rams the butt of her M-16 into the side of the creature’s head knocking it off Turnbull onto the ground on the other side. She quickly reverses her weapon and fires into its chest point blank. Blood flowers from its chest from three neat holes close together in the middle of its chest as Private Turnbull quickly rises back to his knees.
Another creature simultaneously slams into Private Manning launching him in a similar fashion next to Corporal Horace. Warm liquid sprays outward and bathes the left side of Horace’s face as the creature bites into Manning, ripping a large chunk of meat from the side of his neck. His piercing scream fills the air. Horace puts the muzzle of her M-16 against the creatures head and fires. The head disintegrates and the thing falls heavily to the floor. She turns back to face the hall only to find it empty.
The sudden lack of sound is almost deafening compared to the amount of noise that permeated the interior only moments before. The only exception is the quick, shallow, panting breath from the three still on their knees and the moaning from Manning immediately beside Horace. The smell of gunpowder hangs in the air. Lynn scans the surrounding area but sees only a multitude of bodies covering the entirety of her immediate front to the limit of the shifting light from their flashlights.
Lynn looks over at Private Manning and is immediately at his side. Blood spurts from the gouge in his neck covering the floor around him and splashes on her fatigue pants. His entire neck, side of his face, and fatigues covering his shoulder are bathed in bright red blood. She drops her light and covers his wound with her hand in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Blood leaks out beneath her hand and through her fingers. Private Manning looks up widely at her and their eyes lock; his eyes are full of pain and a fear that his last moments are drawing near.
“It’s okay, Private. We stopped ‘em thanks to you,” she says keeping eye contact with him.
A slight smile crosses his ruined face as his body stiffens with a tremor and the life leaves his eyes; dimming them and glazing over. The blood that flowed beneath her hand stops and she reaches up to close his eyes.
Lynn looks up from her kneeling position towards Horace and Turnbull noticing Turnbull holding his left forearm. “Are you injured?” She asks.
“It bit me but it’s only superficial. I’ll be fine thanks to you, Sergeant,” he says looking at her with a smile of gratitude.
He lifts his hand from the wound and shows her. A bite mark that has penetrated the skin shows but the wound is not gouged out. Lynn gives a nod, turns her attention to Horace and says, “Get the med kit from the wall and dress that up.”
“Yes, Sergeant Connell,” Horace responds walking over to retrieve the med kit.
Taking bandages and tape from the inside, Horace wraps Turnbull’s arm. Private Turnbull then pulls his sleeve back down over the bandage. All three check their ammo, insert their last fresh magazine into their receivers, and gather up their empty mags, putting them into their pockets.
“What about Private Manning?” Horace asks as she pulls the flap over her pocket.
“We’ll clear the rest of the barracks, pick up my gear, and pick him up on the way out. I’ll lead in the middle. Corporal Horace, you are behind me on the right, Private Turnbull, behind me on the left. Same plan as before. Clear each cubicle on the way to the back,” Lynn says answering. “If we’re attacked, fall back side by side to the door. We don’t have enough ammo for a sustained assault like the last one.”
“Yes, Sergeant,” they respond and quickly take their stations moving toward the rear of the building.
Bodies litter the corridor with barely any of the concrete floor showing underneath. They step over and between the bodies as they make their way back. The beating of her own heart sounds loudly in Lynn’s ears. The only other sounds are the breathing of the others and the soft step of their boots on the floor. Cubicles are cleared one by one but nothing rushes out to greet them as they head toward Lynn’s cubicle in the rear of the building.
Just before rounding the corner leading to her cubicle, Lynn picks up a faint rustling sound coming from within. Both Horace and Turnbull pick it up as well. Three lights and barrels move in unison, focusing on the opening. The bunk where Lynn’s sick roommate was the night before is empty. The bunk is unmade and blankets are rumpled on top of it. There is another shuffling sound from deeper within the small enclosure. She motions for the other two to remain in place and cover her while she side steps across the corridor opposite the opening keeping her light and weapon trained on the cubicle entrance. Crouched low, Lynn leans to her left bringing the entire cubicle into view.
She immediately picks up the cause of the sounds as her light catches on a figure against the back of the cubicle. In a flash, Lynn recognizes it as that of her roommate, who is turned away from her against the far metal wall. As soon as her light hits upon her roommate, the figure turns around quickly and, with a snarl and shriek, the gray blotchy figure launches toward Lynn. The building interior is once again lit with triple strobes and the sound of gunfire as Lynn depresses the trigger of her M-16, sending three projectiles out into the space between them. The three rounds converge upon the figure’s chest launching her backward and slamming her against the wall with a ringing thud. Her now ex-roommate topples to the side and, after knocking against the wall locker, slips slowly to the floor.