Surviving The Dead: Heartland Zombie Apocalypse Vol. 1 by Marty Brockschmidt Page B

nothing.  We'll figure it out.  Mac, Matt we are going in as one unit.  We'll post guards all around those loading.”,  Sgt. Andrews directed. 
     
    Three times they fought off attacks from the dead as they creeped in from the dark into the dim pools of light cast by their spot lights.  Finally Joe Gant said they were good and they hustled to get the final bits loaded and make their way to camp.  Ed's body was placed carefully on a truck for burial later this evening. 
     
    As the final supplies were being pulled out and loaded, a large heavy set man who went by Big Lou was finishing strapping his load.  A cart loaded with fence posts overturned as it was being brought to the neighboring truck.  Lou told his guard to go give them a hand as he just needed a second before he would be climbing in his truck.  In the distraction of picking up the posts no one saw the dead one advancing on Lou until it took a bite of his arm.  Lou shook it off and smashed its head against the side of the truck. 
     
    Blade was the first one to get to Lou,  “Your choice friend a bullet to the brain or I take the arm and we roll the dice.” 
     
    Lou responded, “You'll be killin my sex life, but I've always been a gamblin man.  Take the arm son.”
     
    Blade wrapped his belt around Lou's arm for a tourniquet.  He called out for a couple of men to hold Lou down, as he slipped a board under Lou's arm.  Using a propane torch Blade heated his machete.
     
    “OK on three then. One,”, Blade brought the machete down swiftly severing Lou's arm just above the elbow. 
     
    Heating the machete again with the propane torch until it glowed red he used the hot blade to cauterize the stump.  The men holding Lou grimaced at the smell of burning flesh.  Blade applied a field dressing as a jeep was brought up.  Lou passed out from the pain and loss of blood required several men to load him into the jeep.  The three men from Sgt. Andrews squad and Blade got into the jeep to take Lou back.
     
    “Haul ass outta here corporal, I don't need to tell what happens if he dies and nobody is there to take care of it.  See that does not happen.”, the sergeant warned.
     
    “Message received.”, Blade replied.
     
    Back at their base camp the mood was very somber.  It wasn't just that they were preparing to bury Ed.  It was the realization that whenever they go out in the world, the dead would be there.  However, prepared they thought they were, how many precautions they've think they have taken, all it takes is a single mistake, a single moment of distraction and the dead will claim another of them. 
     
    They laid Ed's body into the shallow grave they had dug for him.  Before covering him with earth Slinger asked for a moment. 
     
    “I've lost friends and comrades, recently a lot of friends.  Everybody has something about them that makes them special.   I turn that into a unit name and inscribe it on a shell casing.  I have one for each of you that I'll give to you after we finish here.  For Ed who's eye was keen and hand steady, I've chosen Shooter.”, said Slinger as he placed the shell casing onto Ed's chest.
     
    The following day their target was an outdoors lumberyard on the homeward side of the outskirts of Lexington.  With Blade back at the resort watching over Lou, Slinger took his place in the jeep used to lead off the dead. 
     
    “Things don't look as thick over here.”, Tobin commented.
     
    “It only takes one   Stay alert.”, Sgt. Andrews cautioned.
     
    “I was planning on it.”, Tobin answered.
     
    They drove past the lumberyard then circled back and slowly headed off, shooting any of the dead that got within 10 or 15 feet of the jeep.  Tobin found this easier said than done even with the jeep barely crawling along.  After missing more than he connected with his first magazine Tobin found his rhythm and was hitting his targets more than he missed.  With the shots drawing in more dead Slinger