"We will be going outside the fence, which means there is a possibility of infection and attack. It will need constant vigilance on your part as well as ours. We will only have ten soldiers so only one per team. If you see anything shout and run back towards the gates, we won't be going to far. Do not, whatever you do, try to attack the Infected unless it is unavoidable. Right, time we made our way down to the gates 3A!" Shouted officer Davies.
It only took us about 5 minutes to speed walk to the gate. In which time Sophie took to grilling me about my relationship stasis with Seth, and it felt like eternity. I must have gone redder then my ginger hair and all I could reply was 'I don't know' or 'it's too soon to tell' to most of what she was saying. Then that would set her off again on one of her rants. I kept phasing out and would eventually find myself staring at the back of Seth's head. He would turn round now and then, glance at Sophie, who would be deep in debate with herself about use. Then role his eyes with one of his heart melting smiles or a quick wink before turning back to continue his conversation with David. And then I would have to explain to Sophie why I was giggling. Gladly she fell silenced when we reached the tall Iron Gate. It towered over us topped with razor wire and looked as if it would take a small army to shift. We weren't the only group there ether. It looked as if all of field 3 where gathered in the cramped car park! Not including the soldiers marching too and throw, it all felt rather busy.
"Are you guys' one tent?" An officer asked, turning on our group.
"Yes, where from field 3," James answered.
"What group?"
"3A..."
The officer looked down at his at his clip board, running his pen along a long list of names and numbers. "Names?"
James listed all 10 of them with a little help from Elliot.
"Right your team 8, so if anyone asks your 3A8," and before we could reply he had rushed off into the crowed.
"What was that about?" I asked Sophie.
"Probably setting us into teams for logging, don't know why they didn't do it when they gave use are tent team."
"3A TO THE GATE!" Somebody shouted over a megaphone. "3A TO THE GATE!"
Making are way forwards at a snail's pass, we slowly moved towards the front.
"3A1 TO THE LEFT, 3A10 TO THE RIGHT!" Came the voice again over the crowed.
Eventually we push through into the coned off area, loosing most of our team as we went.
Leaving just Sophie and I glued together at the hand.
"Eve over there! Think I can see your boyfriend!"
Turning sharply, more to hide my blushing then anything, I saw some of our group lined up with a solider at the head. And off course Seth was there waving my way, much to Sophie's amusement.
"If you ever find a guy here I am going to tease the hell out of you!" I shot at Sophie through a smile as I waved back at Seth.
"I would expect nothing less!"
"What took you girls so long?" Seth jested with a toothy grin as we joined him.
"Some of use aren't as big and muscle as you are," Sophie responded playfully.
I sent her a death glare before taking my place next to Seth in the line, mine. We got told to stand in silence while we waited for the rest of the team to show up. But Sophie still manage to learn the name of the soldier, Jack. Eventually we were all gathered and he addressed use.
"I'll be your escort for the afternoon; you see anything you tell me so keep close. Could I have two of the lads carry the crate of tools?"
James and Elliott quickly volunteered, looking to impress it would seem.
"OPEN THE GATE!"
We all stood and watched in ore as a good two dozen soldiers swarmed the gate pulling free its many bars and chains before pricing it slowly open with great effort. As soon as a gap was clear another squad ran through, weapons armed and raised spreading out beyond the border, taking point.
"CLEAR!" Shouted a soldier, beyond the gate. The gate continued to open until it stopped with a clang and the teams began to move out.
"Follow me! Jack announced over the orders of the other soldiers, commanding their own teams to move forwards. "Quickly now."
Lurching forwards we rapidly made are way down the wide road. Shortly before turning out of the main group and into the wild fields surrounding the camp, followed by a few others.
"So Jack, how are things in the world? I can call you Jack right?" Sophie asked promiscuously. I could see Seth stiffening a laugh out of the corner of my eye.
"I don't see why not," he replied straightening up. "And where not supposed to talk to civilians about it."
"Oh, but why? What's little old me going to say to anyone."
"We don't want you worrying," he faltered.
"When I got men like you with your big... guns protecting innocent me?"
"Innocent!?" Whispered Seth. "Is he actually falling for this?"
"Looks like it."
"Well I guess it would hurt anyone...but I could get in trouble."
"Are little secret, nobody's going to know about it."
"Her puppy eyes are almost as bad as yours!" Seth continued.
"What puppy eyes?" I said innocently. Looking up at him, widening my big blue eyes and popping out the bottom lip.
"Okay I take that back! You're actually melting me inside out!"
Satisfied, I let it drop to a smug smile feeling Seth's hand brush mine lightly.
"Well okay then, all I know is that just about everyone had been evacuated into camps similar to this one and they're going to clear through the city's with soldiers and tanks."
"And how's that going?"
"Honestly not well at all, they say it's going to plan but talking to a friend who's on the front line said it was getting worse by the day."
"But you guys have guns and tanks?"
"You would think! But there faster and stronger and surprisingly durable. There nothing like the first wave, almost intelligent you could say."
"Intelligent?!"
"Intelligent, instinct...they have a way of working together. You wouldn't want to meet a large group of them, bad enough one!" And no surprise noise draws them, well vibrations."
"So anything to do with sound draws them?"
"Basically, anyway I've said too much!"
"Well thank you Jack, defiantly satisfied me." And with a wink she dropped back to join use. "You hear all that?"
"We did indeed, you wrapt him right round your finger!" Seth answered.
"What can I say, I have a thing with boys."
"So those things are getting worse?" Eve added. Changing the subject.
"Sounds like it, doesn't look good for use."
"I've met the infected more times than I'd like to admit but they never seemed intelligent, more mad and crazy." Seth continued.
"You remember Tom?" I asked him.
"How could I not, probably the first one we saw."
"Who was Tom?" Sophie asked sensitively.
"One of my friends from six form, he got infected, we watched him get worse and worse till he flipped out."
"Your lucky not to be infected!" I said, giving him a warm smile.
"I know but I think Sam did...he got blood in his mouth, Toms blood." He finished grimly.
"That's horrible! It was quite sudden with my boyfriend... It seems so very long ago."
"I feel so sorry for your loose, and someone so close!" Eve said.
"We hadn't been going out that long and I could have sworn he was cheating on me!"
"What, really?!"
"He was that type of guy, my type. But he was so cute and..."
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. We all know how it feels to lose someone close," sighing I continued. "I lost my mother six years ago in a car accident." I heard Seth gasp, his hand reaching out for mine. I quietly accepted it giving it a squeeze. "It's okay, it happened a long time ago."
"Well you have use now, I'm sure Seth look after your needs just fine," she said winking.
"Could you two drop the box just over there...thanks." Jack ordered. We had arrived at the edge of woodland bordering the camps high wire fence. "Any one done this sought of think before?"
"I used to chop wood back at home," piped up Seth.
"Only one? Okay, we shall start with the small trees then. You'll mostly be using bow saws, this is basically what you got to do..." Opening up the crate he removed a saw from it, flicking off the guard before approaching a tree as thin as his thigh. "You've got to get it as low as possible; we got a lot of people to provide for." He continued as he began sawing through it as if it was cardboard. "Now when you've finished cut it into sensibly sized pieces not forgetting the little bites," he finished. Letting the tree fall to the floor. "Then pile it near the front. Simple, let's get cracking! Can someone finish this off, I got to go keep watch."
Reluctantly I let go of Seth's hand and grabbed the nearest saw from the pile, following Seth towards a fresh tree. It was going to be a long afternoon!
To say the work was hard would be an understatement, it was exhausting! Couple hours in and I was already drenched in sweat and I could almost guarantee my neck would be sunburned, don't even get me started on my hair! The sooner this was over the sooner I could clean myself up! The only person who seemed to be enjoying themselves was Seth who was still going strong, thoughts arms thought, to die for...
"Eve!"
"What?" I replied inverting my eyes from Seth to look at Sophie.
"Over there," she pointed.
Following her finger I noticed a large military carrier leaping through the fields next to use.
Jack was already running toward it, along with Davies and several other soldiers, their radios buzzing with action.
"Should we be worried?" Seth asked. Joining Sophie and I at the edge of the glade.
"I don't see any infected but they are running." I whispered back. The forest had suddenly grown silent as everyone had stopped and watched the vehicle approach until it skidded to a stop at the soldier's feet. A man in a tattered uniform jumped out and spoke quickly to Officer Davies before departing just as rapidly. I could hear people starting to turn restless, the volume increasing tenfold. "So what was that about?! They don't look happy at all."
"Did you see his cloths! Where they attacked?" Sophie continued.
They where running back up now, the soldiers returning to their teams. The groups closer to the front, who's escorts had already returned, where starting to leave!
"Alright guys! Gather the tools where leaving, quickly now!"I could hear the panic in Jacks voice, something wasn't right. "Come on we've got to go now NOW!" And with that he was off leaving us scrambling for the tools.
"What's happened?" Seth shouted after him.
"I'm not a liberty to say," he growled through gritted teeth. "But you'll find out soon enough if you don't HURRY UP!"
I reached for Seth's hand as we picked up the pace my heart racing. It was an agonizingly slow walk back to the main road, or so it felt, with Jack constantly looking into the distance where the truck had come from. But we soon molded with the other groups as we joined the road back to camp.
There was an air of confusion and excitement as people gossiped about the sudden turn of events, hypothesizing about what it could be with the gates in sight. But the soldiers faces told it all, it wasn't something to get existed about and it wasn't until a chorus of screams and shouts split through the air did anyone take it seriously. It was coming from the back, and that was when we saw them.
A horde of what only could be described as mad men, propelling their way forward towards the crowed bursting through the forest. My mind suddenly clicked, fear swearing up inside as all chaos broke loose. I clung onto Seth with both arms as he carved a path wordlessly through riot who in turn began running towards the open gates pushing anyone in their path out of their way, it was madness. Suddenly Seth went tumbling into me as somebody shoved him out the way sending us both to the floor, pain shooting through my leg. This in turn caused cascades of people to trip and fall, screams of pure fear filling my ears, including my own. Gunfire began ringing out over the deafening cries adding to the bedlam. I couldn't take it, I could see people being claimed by those things ever getting closer and closer. I gripping Seth's arms tighter watching other fall around us, my knees giving up under me.
I felt myself being lifted off the floor as he brought me into his arms, rising up with a snarl. I open my eyes just enough to see the gate a head, it was closing! And there was still hundreds of people behind us, we weren't going to make it! I felt Seth stumble underneath me as he tried sprinting forwards but with a roar he recovered practically flying the last hundred yards, the gates barely a meter open. Crashing into the post we ricocheted through the gates as it shut behind us.
Soldiers pulled us out the way as they barricaded it further. The cries of real living people outside begging for the gate to be opened, but to no avail. The gunfire got louder as they brought out heavier weapons, not caring if they killed their own. I could see the creatures clearly now, blooded and inhuman, tearing at anything that moved with their teeth, hands and any other limbs it could do damage with.
I made eye contact with a solider outside the fence, his empty cries drowned out by the artillery. One of those thinks jumped him lading on his back and sunk its teeth deep into his neck before leaving him. The man went down thrashing, frothing at the mouth, going into a full-blown seizure.
I closed my eyes, knowing what would happen next. I felt a hand gently grab hold of my arm and guide me to my feet, slowly leading me away, it was Seth of cause. We didn't look back as hurried away, passing units after units of soldiers rushing towards the gate. We even saw tank roll past and we where soon reward with a deafening boom as it reaped havoc at the gates.
It was all rather surreal seeing the calm fields laid out in front of use. Full to the brim with tents pecked here and there. But we could still hear the sounds of battle beating against are ear drums as if they were at are heels, the cries of the people who only this morning walked this path to the gates. How many had been left, how many had been left to die! I silently wept: from fear, anger and confusion, I could not get the image of that soldier out of my mind.
When we had finally arrived at the tent, with puffy eyes and ringing ears, we where instantly engulfed in the arms of our new friends. I was as relieved as much as they where that they had made it, but I couldn't hear anything they were saying. Just the constant ringing and the sound of fighting in the distance. But they were all here, I was even glad to see the twins!
After finally being released I checked the time. It was only 2:43, we're meant to be out there till 5! First time out and already cut short because of those things. Going over to the box I grabbed a towel before going back out into world head towards the shower blocks. Before I got far I felt a tap on the back making me jump, it was Seth. He point to me then gave the thumbs up. Looking confusingly back at him, he repeated the sign again with more effaces mouthing something... Oh he was just asking me how I was. I shrugged not knowing myself before turning around and making my way through the maze of tents.