Arriving at the edge of the town I could see the odd zombi staggering towards the inn which was not yet in sight. Shotguns roared in the direction of Peter Steiler’s place, the sound was clearly drawing in any nearby creatures. In the rush to get back here I had not truly given any serious consideration to tactics, how was I to get to the survivors?
Shouldering my rifle I quickly took aim at the nearest creature that was blocking my path, and fired to the side of the head. The round struck the beast’s right ear, chipping the top of it off before cleanly bursting into theskull, the power of the round throwing the beast sideways to the ground, lifeless. One creature now blocked my path and the gunshot alerted it to my presence. The beast turned towards me as I pulled the straight pull of my rifle. Its jaw widened as it hissed in spite and hatred at me. The beautiful over-engineered racking of the rifle bolt clicked forward, ready to deal out death once more. The creature stumbled towards me now ten yards away, but the rifle was firmly aimed at its head. For a moment I looked at it, a woman. She likely had been in her twenties and wearing the ruined remains of a beautiful frock, blood now dripping onto it from her foul mouth. This was once an upstanding and beautiful lady, just one moment of doubt ran through my mind before sense prevailed, I squeezed the trigger and the round ripped through the creature’s skull. Still standing, blood drained from the gaping head wound down the dress, the eyes went lifeless, and finally she toppled to the ground.
Conscience could be a dangerous emotion in this new time of supernatural war. Whatever these beasts used to be they are now all the same, equally as dangerous and disgusting, there was no time for hesitation, for that could quickly lead to death. I had at least made a small culling of the soon to be besiegers.
Rushing around to see the inn it was a frightful sight, At least fifty creatures were flocked around the entrance with heaven knows how many still inside. I could not fight these odds on open ground, nor could I conceivably get into the hotel by normal means. Whilst I stood calculating the best course of action, a number of them began to take notice of my presence and head in my direction.
This was now a time for sharp thinking. Running was no option, for I needed to help the besieged, and in doing so, needed their assistance alongside me. I had to get into a building next to the inn and someway make my way across, it was the only way in. There was nothing else for it, I ran to the door of the building next door and kicked in through the door, barely stopping to look inside. It was of a similar layout and size to the inn which was fortunate, as I had no time to waste, the creatures would not be far behind. Heading for the adjoining wall to the inn I ran up the stairs, I could already hear the crashing of glass as zombis walked over the door I had just moments before flattened.
I looked across the hallway and through an open door could see a window that overlooked the inn, when horror struck. A boy of perhaps ten years stood in my way, already a zombi, with the wicked evil eyes staring at me. This was yet another test, but logic had already taught me to not hesitate again, no matter how sick it made me feel. Looking back down the stairs the first creature was already stumbling slowly up the stairway. Aiming at its brain with my rifle I loosed off shot into the beast’s skull, sending it tumbling onto its comrades below, it would at least slow them down temporarily. I ran towards the zombi boy blocking my way and smashed my rifle down on its skull, saving ammunition and valuable time. The brain shattered and skull caved in as my stock drove down through the underdeveloped skull, it was too easy. The force drove the body of the boy to the floor, twitching, but firmly finished.
Running to the door of a bedroom I shut it quickly behind me. It was a small room, fully made up, a large wooden wardrobe stood against the wall, it was a valuable asset in this instance. Taking hold of the wardrobe I could barely pull it due to its sturdy construction, so I shifted to the other side and put all my strength into it, sliding it in front of the door. It would at least afford me time to think and act rather than react.
Looking around, the room had no other doors to con joining rooms, and only the one window facing onto the inn. I unlatched the window and swung it open. The groaning horde of zombis lay between the two buildings. The nearest inn window was maybe eight to ten feet away, it would be a risky jump, especially with this much equipment weighing me down. In all honesty, in my prime I could have made the jump with ease, but in the back of my mind I knew that this was a tough proposition, but it may be a choice between jumping or death.
The door behind me rung out with what I knew to me a creature hammering on it. The noise became louder and more frequent as multiple zombis were beating on the door, who knows how long it would last. I could not go down, for that was awash with zombis, the door was barricaded, the only way was forwards.
Stepping back to the window, I knew I could not make the jump with all of my weapons, but neither could I afford to leave them behind. Taking hold of the chest next to the bed I threw it at the window, smashing much of the glass and frame, sending debris shattering down upon the horde. I threw my rifle across into the inn, quickly followed by my sword. Peter appeared in front of me in, rifle at the ready to shoot, until he saw the situation for what it was.
“Are the stairs still secure?” I shouted.
“Yes, but I do not know for how long,” he replied. “Are any of you wounded in any way?” I asked. “No.”
That was something, with so few defenders left we
could not afford to lose anybody, nor put up with the trou blesome situation again of executions. The door cracked behind me and the wardrobe tumbled over towards me. The first two zombis fell into the room over the wardrobe. Not sparing another moment, I stepped onto the window frame and leapt towards the window of the inn, just in time to miss the grasp of my attackers.
The jump was an ambitious one, as I had expected, but it was still the best choice available. My chest struck the sill of the window and sent a shock of pain through my body as my arms went through the frame, but they found nothing to grasp, leaving me sliding downwards. I desperately flailed to stop my decent until my hands finally found hold on the frame, but shards of glass were driven into my palms, sending agonising pains through my arms, but nothing would make me lose hold.
Peter ran to my aid whilst I could hear the familiar and terrifying noise of the horde below and the beasts behind me crashing around in the bedroom. It was only fortunate that these creatures were not capable of jumping this sort of distance. The landlord hauled me in through the window.
“Thank you, truly,” he said.
I nodded and looked down at my hands, glass pro truded from them and they were scraped and bleeding. Most of my body now ached, my chest felt like it had been crushed, my skin itched with glass scrapes, and my joints were shaking, but I was there, and alive.
“Have you got any thin cloth?” I asked.
Peter ran off out of the room. The odd gun shot rang out below me, Peter was clearly confident that they could hold for now, and that was enough for me. It was rather practical of him to barricade the stairs rather than attempt to defend the ground floor, which would have undoubtedly fallen before I could have arrived. Slowly, I drew the glass pieces from my palms, a rather unpleasant experience. Fortunately, none of the fragments were particularly large or had penetrated far. Drawing items from bloody wounds was all too familiar for me, through the pain associated with it was rarely mine. Peter ran back into the room with white tablecloths and a pair of scissors. He quickly cut them into rough lengths and handed them to me.