Chapter 15+16

CHAPTER 15: AT THE WRONG END OF THE STICK

"Leslie!" shouted Drew. Leslie is the one in the group with the flame thrower. Without a word, Leslie turned around and turned up the flame setting to maximum. Humongous flame filled the hallway behind them. The monster hissed loudly and withdrew. Drew felt her fuzzy peach curled up in the heat.

The big and scary monster eyed them warily from a distance. Several little monsters started to crawl up around it. Drew was satisfied that Leslie would be able to hold them up when the automatic sprinklers began spraying water into the hallway. The monsters re-attacked. Again, Leslie filled the hallway with flame, but with less efficiency. The monsters were held at bay for now, but they're not retreating. Drew knew that the situation won't last.

"Adam!" shouted Drew. Adam turned around, looked at the situation, and started to shoot at the little monsters.

"We need the rocket launcher!" said Adam. He knew from earlier experience that grenades were ineffective.

Then the unthinkable happened. Danny, who was weaponless, grabbed the rocket launcher, armed it, and shot the big and scary monsters right at the gaping maw. The back blast threw several guys who were fighting the oncoming monsters from the other side. Even Bob was staggered.

As the head of the big and scary monsters exploded, several things happened all at once. Adam kicked the rocket launcher from Danny's grip, Drew grabbed the grenade launcher and started blasting monsters from the main attack, as the crew scrambled up to their feet. Bob regained his footing and mowed down any monsters that Drew missed.

"Goddamit, Danny!" yelled Adam. "Don't shoot the rocket launcher when there are people behind you!" Danny was about to protest when Adam kicked him in the gut. Danny went down.

"We need to withdraw!" Drew felt the whole situation was falling apart.

"Where?" asked Adam. He was eyeing the thrashing big and scary monster warily. There could be more than one.

"Kevin! Find an escape route!" said Drew.

"I'm on it!" Kevin quickly scanned his sensors.

"Everybody reload!" said Adam.

The situation was tense. Sounds coming out from end of the hallway, indicating that a group of monsters was approaching. At the other end of the hallway, meanwhile, the big and scary monsters stopped flopping, and died. All was quiet on that end.

"Found it!" said Kevin. "The way to get out of here is that-a-way!" Kevin pointed to the direction where the scraping noise is coming from.

"Are you sure you're not pointing to the wrong way?" asked Adam.

"Of course, I'm sure!" Kevin looked dejected. "Have I ever been wrong before?"

Before Adam can answer, the group of monsters rounded clear the corner and started to attack them. "Chaaarge!" said Drew. "Kill them all and get out of here!" She decided to trust in Kevin. Everybody was hesitant, but when Drew started moving, everybody followed.

Wading through the carnage was terrible, but Drew put it out of her mind. There is only one way: forward. Kevin constantly looked at his sensors, and updated the situation. Leslie and Adam pulled up to the rear, covering their withdraw, and kill any monster that managed to flank them.

Time:22 minutes
Word: 640

CHAPTER 16: END OF COLONY AS WE KNOW IT

They maneuvered through the hallways, buildings, and finally to the open space outside. There, as was predicted, the numerous monsters are attacking from every direction. The group instinctively formed protective circle, but the situation was getting more dangerous with each moment. Drew knew the situation won't last. Kevin was at loss to what to do. Adam seized the situation.

"Over there!" Adam pointed to the big glass building. Bob cleared the way with a long burst from his Gatling gun. The group jogs to the building, running wildly once inside. The building was some kind of cafeteria, strewned with overturned tables and chairs. The guys put out makeshift defense shield with the overturned tables. Adam hastily arranged a line of defense. The numerous monsters that are outside are killed in what is known as the "Killing Field".

A tremendous and deadly firepower poured over from inside the building to the outside. Once the shooting stops, not one of the hundreds of monsters moved. Each was riddled with numerous holes on the body. All was quiet. It took a few more silent moments before everybody is convinced that the attack has been thwarted. Everybody slumped in exhaustion.

"Clean up your guns! Prepare for the next wave!" yelled Adam. Immediately, everybody started to field strip their weapons, pulling out cleaning supplies. Drew looked around. Not having the expertise of weaponry, and not knowing why she needs to be so meticulous, she merely wiped the handle and barrel of the gun with rag. Adam looked curiously at her, and realized that up until that point, she had never fired a gun before. He became soft toward her.

"Drew, that's not how you clean a gun." Adam said. Drew looked at him questioningly.  "You need to clean the action inside the gun so the gunpowder doesn't gum up, and jam the action." explained Adam.

"Oh, that would be bad," said Drew. Adam took her gun and started to field strip it. He showed Drew how to properly clean a gun. As she looked on attentively, Adam began to admire her. Drew didn't realize it, but she had demonstrated bravery in the combat zone. Drew didn't realize it because she was too busy thinking a thousand thoughts a minute, trying her best to survive.

Bob came over. "Once we're done cleaning our guns, I suggest that we check out the rest of the building." said Bob. Drew agreed. Adam noticed that Kevin was pale, looking at his sensor.

"Sure, Bob. We can do that." said Adam.

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The clearing of the building was done relatively quickly. There are only a few monsters inside. Most, no doubt were killed outside. Kevin finally led them to a big door. "Get ready," he glumly said. Everybody checked their weapon, indexing a fresh magazine and flicking off safety.

Kevin pulled open the door, and moved to the side. He didn't want to go in. Bob led them in, followed by Adam. Drew trailed behind them.

What was inside the room was remarkable. Here the colonists were stashed together. The room was full of mummified corpses. The temperature and humidity was such that the corpses were turned into jerky. They were piled together in nasty bunch. Some were evidently chewed over as snacks. The whole place was a snack dispenser to the alien creatures!

Drew pushed forward past Bob and Adam. The sight shocked and horrified her to the core. Her knees went weak. She started sinking.

"Hey, are you okay?" asked Adam. He caught her arms, propping her.

"Search for survivors." said Drew.

"Search for survivors?!" Adam was incredulous. The pile was rotting for WEEKS.

"We'll search it." Bob said.

Drew couldn't take it anymore and fainted.


Time: 45 minutes
Words: 1263