Strolling from one ring of lights to another, she rounds the corner of one building and starts up a central avenue lit at intervals by the pole-mounted lights. Not taking three steps along the sandy avenue, a shriek shatters the stillness, coming from far away only to be followed a second later by a second one from the same area. Coming to a stop, Lynn listens and unconsciously moves closer to the side of the avenue by a building. The chatter of rifle fire erupts from the general area of where the shrieks occurred. What the fuck is going on? Lynn thinks suddenly aware she is unarmed and wishing for her M-16. Are we under attack? Where’s the alarm?
Another shriek sounds out from across the camp followed by a much louder one close by. Damn, that sounded like it came from just up ahead, she thinks starting cautiously up the avenue again. What the hell is that? Up ahead, two figures emerge out onto the avenue a few buildings ahead and begin running in her direction, passing in and out of the circles of light. With the reminder that gunshots were fired and people may be rather trigger happy, she shrinks back out of the circle of light she was standing in. With an ear-piercing shriek, the two up ahead alter their course and race directly at her. Crap, they saw me, she thinks looking off to the sides and around her for some place to head just in case.
A building away, with the fatigue-clad figures racing toward her, another figure emerges into the area, skidding to a halt.
“Hey, you two! Where are you going?” The new figure calls out at the two running ones just ahead of him. The two figures adjust their course in mid-stride, angling now toward the newcomer. Standing in the shadows, Lynn watches the scene unfold.
The two running figures show no signs of slowing up as they quickly close their distance. “Hey, what are yo….?” He calls out but doesn’t finish as, with a combined shriek, the two plow into him, one launching into the air.
The soldier standing there only has time enough to raise his hands before he is catapulted backwards, his feet leave the ground, and he slams onto his back with the two on top. Dust billows out behind him from the impact with the ground. A struggle ensues, with more dust rising into the air around them, but it is short-lived. With a scream, a human one this time, the lone figure under the two attackers becomes still. On their knees, leaning over the stricken soldier, the two begin tearing into him with their teeth, gnashing like dogs and tearing chunks of flesh off. One raises his head shrieking into the night sky, blood painting its lower face.
Lynn’s initial reaction is to run to the soldier’s aid but it is over so quick that she never makes two steps in his direction. Another shriek sounds out of the darkness amongst the barracks close behind her. Okay, that’s enough for me, Lynn thinks and heads off across the road, using the shadows for concealment.
Settling between buildings and feeling somewhat protected in the dark, Lynn hunches down against one of the buildings. What the fuck was that and what the hell is going on here? She thinks remembering the rumors floating through her office and from her friend. That could have been me and I would have been oblivious until it was too late. More thoughts come at lightning speed, filling her mind as time progresses slowly in the physical world; who to trust and how to figure who to trust. Is this an isolated event? In seeming answer, the sounds of more shrieks and gunfire off in the distance reach her in the darkness, along with the closer sounds from the avenue in front of growling and the wet sounds of flesh being rendered and eaten.
Well, I can’t stay here, that’s for sure. She thinks rising slowly to her feet. Calling security from the phone still sounds like a good idea although for different reasons now. Stay quiet and in the dark and trust no one. Finding a weapon might not be a bad idea.
Lynn turns toward the back of the building and silently creeps along it, the sounds out front grow dimmer as she nears the back corner. Another smaller avenue appears in front of her running between this row of buildings and another one across the way. With only smaller circles of light appearing by entrance doors, the light here is not as prevalent as out front so the center of this smaller avenue is almost completely dark. Kneeling by the corner, Lynn sees the back of the operations center a short distance down the row of buildings she is currently on. She heads out into the middle of the avenue; giving her the darkest route to the operations center but knowing she won’t be able to see whatever those things were that attacked the soldier out front; her ears vigilant for any sounds close by. What am I thinking? Those were soldiers and I am thinking of them as things, she thinks stepping lightly along the sand path. No, those weren’t soldiers. At least not rational ones. No one rational attacks another and eats them.
Keeping to the dark with only the sounds of distant shots, shrieks, and the occasional generator running to keep her company, she arrives at the operations center building. Pausing at a darkened corner of the building, she listens for anything close by. Lights illuminate several of the windows along the side. Well, someone was here after I left, she thinks pondering her best approach at the door lit by a light above. I could break the light I suppose, her suddenly becoming very reluctant to enter into any light.
Looking at the windows along the side of the building, she realizes they are too high to look in, or to climb in for that matter. I’ll just try the door quickly, Lynn thinks rising from her crouched position. Sliding along the back of the building, she approaches the demarcation of light and shadow, listening once again for sounds. Taking a deep breath, she steps into the light and walks briskly to the door. Grasping the handle, she pulls it towards her; the steel door gives a little before stopping with a metallic clunk, indicating it is locked from within. She is just about to turn and head back into the shadows when a voice calls from within, “Who’s there?”
“Sergeant Connell,” Lynn whispers loudly, not wanting her voice to carry.
“Who?” The voice within asks again.
“Just open the fucking door!” She says firmly and louder this time.
There is a short pause the door swings outward. She darts through as soon as there is enough of an opening. “With a response like that, there’s only one person it could be,” a Specialist says once she is in and the door closes behind her with a metallic click.
The door opens into the large room where her desk is located, lit by only a half section of light overhead. Four other soldiers are in the room clustered together around the middle, their eyes wide and heads pivoting in every direction. She knows the Specialist behind her from her previous position in the operations center but doesn’t recognize anyone else.
“Specialist Taylor, is there anyone else here?” She asks of the Specialist who opened the door for her as she steps up to the group in the middle.
“No, Sergeant,” he answers.
“Anyone have any idea of what’s going on?” She asks looking at each one.
“I think they’re killing people out there,” one Private says looking back over her shoulder towards the front of the building.
“Easy soldier. We don’t know that,” Lynn says feeling a little more relaxed in the familiar environment of her office and being in command.
Picking up the handset from a phone from the metal desk in front of her, Lynn dials the number for the security shop. She lets it ring for a few times before returning the handset to its cradle. She then tries the gate but no one answers. Several more calls to other locations reveals the same. Turning to Taylor, she asks, “Has anyone tried calling in?”