perimeter. More of the locals might come in. I don’t want any more fucking surprises!”
We went through decontamination again and moved out to the village. The sun was high in the afternoon sky; it beat down on us like a huge bronze hammer on a flat iron skillet. I realized that I was becoming extremely dehydrated.
We linked up with our sister squad at the chapel. They had spread out in a rough skirmish line across the village. Their squad leader, Specialist Sadler, came over to meet us.
“Man. I am glad you guys are here,” he swore. “We were spread way too thin to stop anything from coming through.”
“Yeah, we’re thrilled to help you queers out,” Hard-on replied.
Sadler ignored him. “Have you guys heard anything?” he asked. “Nobody’s telling us nothing.”
“No,” I replied.
“But you guys shot one of them, the nurse right?” he exclaimed.
“There’s something very wrong with the people who were here,” I added. “We had a hell of a time killin’ her. We had to shoot her to pieces.”
“Damnation,” Sadler cursed.
“Yeah,” I replied sadly.
“Well, you guys can take the right side; we’ll take the chapel and the left. At least now we can keep each other in sight. I feel way better with you guys here.”
We spread out across the village. I sat in the doorway of an empty hut and sipped warm water from my canteen. At least I was in the shade. I was starting to feel sick and dizzy. Part of me panicked, I was sure I had the virus. Reality kicked in and, I realized I was just getting sunstroke; it had happened to me before. I tried to stay still and calm. Slowly, I began to feel slightly better. It had been a long day.
I tried to stay alert. I peered out between the huts before me. The superheated air shimmered before my eyes. I could swear I was seeing movement in the distance.
I blinked to clear my sight. Slowly the hazy figures coalesced before my watering eyes into men.
The villagers were returning. They limped and hobbled forward; a lot of them.
I stumbled back to the chapel. Gunner and Hard-on were right behind me.
“They’re coming back,” I croaked.
“We have to hold the line,” Sadler demanded. “Get back out there.”
“No way, man,” Hard-on responded.
The sound of gunfire came clearly to us, just from our left at the edge of the village.
“Shit,” Sadler cursed. “No one is supposed to be firing! You guys need to get back out there.”
The rest of Sadler’s squad burst through the huts and joined us.
“What are you guys doing?” Sadler demanded. “Who was shooting out there?”
One of his men stepped up. “Some of the villagers came at us on the east side,” he panted. “Something was wrong with them. I figured they had the virus, so we pulled back to avoid contact. We fired a few warning shots, but they just kept coming. What the hell are we supposed to do if we’re not shooting, throw rocks at them?”
“Fuck!” Sadler growled in frustration.
“I see one!” Hard-on shouted, pointing between the huts.
“Somebody better get the Sarge or the LT on the radio and sort this shit out!” I remarked.
“Great idea,” Sadler responded. “Somebody bring me the MSRT.”
“Hey you guys! They’re comin’ in!” somebody shouted from the left.
We moved into position at the rear of the chapel, taking cover as best we could. The main road ran directly by the chapel, and several small paths converged from the far side of the village here. Sadler’s squad and us made eight. We had two SAWs between us, and around two-hundred rounds of ammo each for the M-4s. Of course, we were under orders not to fire.
I could see several villagers slowly converging on our position. They staggered stiffly up the track. Their moans filled the air as they advanced. Every man in the platoon wanted to break and run. Only our training kept us where we were.
Sadler finally got the LT on the mobile satellite radio transmitter. They argued for a
We went through decontamination again and moved out to the village. The sun was high in the afternoon sky; it beat down on us like a huge bronze hammer on a flat iron skillet. I realized that I was becoming extremely dehydrated.
We linked up with our sister squad at the chapel. They had spread out in a rough skirmish line across the village. Their squad leader, Specialist Sadler, came over to meet us.
“Man. I am glad you guys are here,” he swore. “We were spread way too thin to stop anything from coming through.”
“Yeah, we’re thrilled to help you queers out,” Hard-on replied.
Sadler ignored him. “Have you guys heard anything?” he asked. “Nobody’s telling us nothing.”
“No,” I replied.
“But you guys shot one of them, the nurse right?” he exclaimed.
“There’s something very wrong with the people who were here,” I added. “We had a hell of a time killin’ her. We had to shoot her to pieces.”
“Damnation,” Sadler cursed.
“Yeah,” I replied sadly.
“Well, you guys can take the right side; we’ll take the chapel and the left. At least now we can keep each other in sight. I feel way better with you guys here.”
We spread out across the village. I sat in the doorway of an empty hut and sipped warm water from my canteen. At least I was in the shade. I was starting to feel sick and dizzy. Part of me panicked, I was sure I had the virus. Reality kicked in and, I realized I was just getting sunstroke; it had happened to me before. I tried to stay still and calm. Slowly, I began to feel slightly better. It had been a long day.
I tried to stay alert. I peered out between the huts before me. The superheated air shimmered before my eyes. I could swear I was seeing movement in the distance.
I blinked to clear my sight. Slowly the hazy figures coalesced before my watering eyes into men.
The villagers were returning. They limped and hobbled forward; a lot of them.
I stumbled back to the chapel. Gunner and Hard-on were right behind me.
“They’re coming back,” I croaked.
“We have to hold the line,” Sadler demanded. “Get back out there.”
“No way, man,” Hard-on responded.
The sound of gunfire came clearly to us, just from our left at the edge of the village.
“Shit,” Sadler cursed. “No one is supposed to be firing! You guys need to get back out there.”
The rest of Sadler’s squad burst through the huts and joined us.
“What are you guys doing?” Sadler demanded. “Who was shooting out there?”
One of his men stepped up. “Some of the villagers came at us on the east side,” he panted. “Something was wrong with them. I figured they had the virus, so we pulled back to avoid contact. We fired a few warning shots, but they just kept coming. What the hell are we supposed to do if we’re not shooting, throw rocks at them?”
“Fuck!” Sadler growled in frustration.
“I see one!” Hard-on shouted, pointing between the huts.
“Somebody better get the Sarge or the LT on the radio and sort this shit out!” I remarked.
“Great idea,” Sadler responded. “Somebody bring me the MSRT.”
“Hey you guys! They’re comin’ in!” somebody shouted from the left.
We moved into position at the rear of the chapel, taking cover as best we could. The main road ran directly by the chapel, and several small paths converged from the far side of the village here. Sadler’s squad and us made eight. We had two SAWs between us, and around two-hundred rounds of ammo each for the M-4s. Of course, we were under orders not to fire.
I could see several villagers slowly converging on our position. They staggered stiffly up the track. Their moans filled the air as they advanced. Every man in the platoon wanted to break and run. Only our training kept us where we were.
Sadler finally got the LT on the mobile satellite radio transmitter. They argued for a
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