In our last entry we left our heroes on the ragged edge of an ever-closing zone 4, now we return to the action, with each passing moment the odds stack higher, and not in Shannon or Kevin’s favour.
After composing our-selves and proceeding into zone five, I am left with this sinking feeling that we are nearing the end of our long journey. Consulting the map brings little joy, even collecting supplies, a once joyous event, now feels hollow. But we must press on, and as we venture out into the town I get this nagging sense that we are not alone. It feels as if the buildings have eyes, eyes that are watching our every move.
Silence is golden in most circles, but Kevin and I have come to know better through our many battles and close encounters. We have learnt that just because we can hear no evil or see no evil doesn’t mean it isn’t waiting around the corner with lube and a garden hose. We search a few more houses and a local diner and find a small cache of ammo and two flash grenades, hardly worthy of John Rambo, but anything will do at this stage.
It’s at this point I see the all too familiar warning that the zone has started to close, and we must journey south if we hope to survive. We consult the map once more, concluding that we must venture across the wheat fields if we are to secure cover in zone 5.
The wheat fields are a baron, desolate place and provide little in the way of cover and being armed only with a sniper rifle and an ammo-less shotgun does little to ease my nerves. About half way across I spot the outline of a hunter in my scope, no doubt they have the same thought as us. I line up the shot, but before I can even pull the trigger a shot rings out from behind us.
I drop to the prone position and steady my scope, Kevin scouts for any sign of the hunter as it becomes very apparent we are not alone in amongst the wheat. We can hear the ever-growing sound of rustling, footsteps growing louder, a quick glance to my left and I see the hunter up close and almost very personal. My breath holds, and I take the shot, one moment and an unscheduled bowel movement later, the hunter lies dead in the grass and I get all his stuff.
We move forward ever more cautious of approaching enemies, ahead we see a collection of derelict houses. We approach with care, I switch to my shotgun, a quick glance at the remaining hunters shows only 3 left including me. Into house number one we go, empty but filled with an air of dread, suddenly the door of the adjacent house bursts open, we hug the wall and slide along under the window.
Peering out I see the hunter charging towards me with malicious intent in his eyes, as the front door swings open I unleash the full might of the fully automatic s12k’ upon this un-suspecting fool, sending him into the next life. No rest for the wicked as I hear a grenade drop, blowing out the window, I retreat to the top of the stairs as grenades rain down upon Kevin and me.
I head down the hallway to take cover in the spare room when I suddenly realise that Kevin is nowhere to be seen. “Not like this” I think as I reload my s12k, consume my final energy drink and slowly leave the bedroom. The sight I am greeted with will haunt me forever, Kevin lying on the landing with a hunter standing over him, glee strewn across his face. All our adventures, the many trails we’ve walked, the good times and the bad, I can’t let my buddy go out like this. I burst out of the bedroom, charge the landing, spraying bullets in every direction, raining hell down upon this soon to be corpse. With no shotgun shells left I fire off my remaining pistol ammo until I hear the empty click, but I’m not done. I beat the hunter with nothing but my bare hands, each punch feels like a hammer on an anvil, until all is silent. I turn to Kevin, my friend, my brother, and with his last breath he utters those immortal words…WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER.
