Decay (Book 2): Humanity by Linus Locke Page B

The light from the campfires burned bright, radiating off of the white snow.
    The roar of the helicopters thundered overhead as the two behemoths soared across the treetops. Jonathan could only catch a glimpse as they moved by, but the wind generated by the blades dusted them with loose snow. Both of the helicopters were carrying the large cages he had seen in the tin building. He felt his stomach drop as he realized what was going on, and he knew he no longer wanted to be a part of it.
    “This is exciting isn’t it?” Chris asked, but the excitement in his voice was a lie. He was far more scared than he wanted his new companions to know, yet he couldn’t hide the fear as the color drained from his face and he turned away and vomited.
     
    Laikynn found herself thinking about Jonathan as the helicopter she was in buzzed through the sky. She wondered at what point would they pass over him, but she quickly pushed the thoughts of him aside. She knew she had sent him on a mission he shouldn’t be on, especially if she wants him to come back to her. It was too late now, and like always, she would stick to the plan, adapting it as needed.
    The powerful aircrafts carried cages filled with undead bodies looking to abolish any sign of life they could find. Each cage’s floor was designed to drop out, spilling its wicked contents to the cold ground. The camp approach quickly, and as they came into the clearing, Laikynn looked down at all of the tents and half-built cabins. A few people started to stumble out into the early morning, unsure of what was about to happen.
    As the pilot lowered the helicopter, Laikynn pressed the button that was mounted on the dash in front of her. Hydraulic arms retracted, sliding the bolts that held the floor of the cages in place. As the men, woman, and children of the camp looked on in terror, the dead bodies rained from the sky. Without any understanding of what they just went through, the dead bodies picked themselves up, some with freshly broken bones, and began their gruesome assault.
     
    “They have weaponized the fiends!” Jonathan stated. He found himself unsure of whether to be horrified or impressed. After all, it was only a matter of time before someone created weapons out of these killing machines. “Nothing we can do now but our jobs,” he said a little unsure of himself as the three of them spread out in the forest and listened to the screams reverberate through the mountains. A few gunshots rang out, but the little warning the camp had left them vulnerable.
    The undead horde tore through the people of the cannibal camp in minutes. Even though the thunderous sounds of the helicopters had woken most of the residents, none of them were prepared for the onslaught that would follow. Still half-asleep, their deaths were painful. The lucky ones died quick. The children never had a chance, as many of the adults threw them behind to slow down the oncoming horror.
    For several minutes after the screams ceased, Jonathan listened as the quiet pops of rifle fire burst from the men who had been sent to form a perimeter around the camp. He found himself praying that no survivors came his way. Straining to hear, he listened for any sound of footsteps. Guillermo was just out of sight through the trees, but he knew his friend was feeling the same way.
    Two shots came from Guillermo’s direction and Jonathan felt sick. He had hoped his friend didn’t have to use his rifle, but most importantly he hoped no body used theirs on Guillermo. Then Chris’ voice burst through the trees. “I got one!” he cheered.
    Jonathan exhaled deeply, glad it wasn’t Guillermo, and then the crunch of snow disrupted what little sense of calm he had. Raising his rifle, Jonathan prepared to fire, but hoped he wouldn’t have to. A relieved smile crossed his lips as the fiend came into view. It was a horrible sight, but he felt better about not having to kill a living person who was only trying to survive. The woman