A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 146

They turned, but before they could get far, arrows appeared in their backs as they fell into the grass. I took a shaky breath. I had never seen someone die in front of me before. I was glad that I wasn't closer, or it would have been worse. It seemed less real through the binoculars.

A volley of alarm horns sounded from the bandit camp. Someone must have just realized that around two hundred of their men had just fallen into an obvious trap and were trying to call them back before they all met the fate as the couple near the treeline.

I gasped as I saw every man in the camp charge towards the trees. It had been a trap! There was no way our fighters could fend off almost 800 enemies at once. Those on the wall also realized that something was wrong and started ringing the bell sequence to let those inside know to be on the alert. We had no bell code to convey that an enemy was trying to ambush our fighters. Those inside wouldn't know what the vague alarm was for, just that they had to be ready to flee if the 'evacuate' code was sounded.

Most of the fighters were now in the trees, but that last group was mostly hanging back and forming a solid line as they advanced through the trees slowly. Their bows were out and loaded as they did a careful sweep to ensure they didn't let our fighters get behind them.

Their plan was well thought out, but those who were fired climbed trees readily and could hide high above the ground while the attackers passed below. The trees were pretty thick along that section and it was hard to catch glimpses of the people through the branches.

I saw one man just inside the trees go down on one knee and point a crossbow high into a tree. I covered my mouth to stop a small shriek as Diane jumped out of hiding and ran further into the forest. The man didn't get a chance to fire at her, her speed was something only another fired person could match.

I scanned the trees with the binoculars as I tried to catch a glimpse of her or any other of our fighters. The bandits were in two distinct groups. The first bunch was still chasing those women deeper into the forest. The rest of the camp was trying to clear the forest of our fighters.

I looked back as I tried locate Diane. I didn't see her, but the man who had tried to fire at her was dead with a crossbolt in his chest. The forest was full of movement due to all the bandits. Some of it was our people too. Most were just trying to flee the bandits while taking a few shots at them.

Why were they running instead of hiding and waiting for them to pass? It made much more sense to let them go by and trail behind them instead of getting pushed back in front of an approaching enemy. I saw another man fire a bow and one of our fighters narrowly escaped it.

How had the bandit seen him? He had been well hidden halfway up a tree, it shouldn't have been possible to see him. I watched as a few other bandits shot their bows, but missed their targets. I inhaled in surprise. Those who were firing or shooting all wore those odd helmets with the green lens. It must allow them to see our fighters somehow. This was not good at all.

Most of the people were in the northern forest and closer to the cliff I was on. I heard occasional shouts of men as they were injured, thankfully most of those seemed to come from the bandits and not our fighters.

Our people were mostly running and occasionally firing. For almost every arrow they fired, a bandit fell down. Each fighter only carried so many arrows though, and we had not expected a full on attack. My heart pounded. People I knew were down there in a fight for their lives. I knew there was no way I could go down there. I had no weapons for starters and I would be a fairly easy target. I had promised Diane to stay here as well. All I could do was watch.

I inhaled as I heard a woman's high-pitched painful scream pierce the forest. The only women out there were ours. Who had been injured? I was so worried and tried to locate the injured person. The scream had come from the small group deeper in the forest. Distant screams and yells started coming from that same area.