Free Apex Predator by Glyn Gardner Page B

little dead girl was clawing at her stomach like a dog digging in the dirt.  The body of Mrs. Sparks was lying motionless on the ground, a pool of blood spreading steadily around her.
    “Anderson!  What the fuck are you doing?”  As soon as he shouted, he knew it was a mistake.  Both Anderson and the little dead girl turned.  Their faces covered in the blood of the newly dead.  SSgt. Brown took a step back, realizing he hadn’t grabbed his rifle.  Anderson advanced on his former squad leader.  SSgt. Brown continued to back away, pulling Jackson with him.
    Jackson pulled himself free.  He hadn’t forgotten his rifle.  He took quick aim at the head of his former teammate.  BANG!  The dead trooper’s head snapped backwards, pulling the rest of the lifeless body to the ground.  BANG!  The little girl’s head exploded from the impact of the 5.56 mm bullet.  She also fell, the blood soaked bandage on her arm, resting across her head in a macabre salute.
    “Fuck Sergeant Brown!  You fucking see that?  That was Anderson.  I just saw him a few hours ago.”  Tears began to streak down the young man’s cheeks.  He began to shake uncontrollably.  He knelt next to the lifeless body of his former friend.  He stroked the front of Anderson’s lifeless hair.  He continued to cry, his falling tears etched tiny lines in the blood that caked his best friend’s face.  SSgt Brown just stared at the two, unable to move.  After a few minutes he looked away.
    I know I know, he thought to himself.  Shit!  SSgt. Brown contemplated the situation.  Shit! Shit!  Ok, Dave, time to get moving.  You still got one troop to take care of.
    “Ok, time to get back in the game.  Get back up there and keep watch.  I’m gonna call the Squadron.”
    The young trooper stroked Anderson’s head one more time.  He wiped the tears off on the sleeves of his ACU’s  He stood, saluted the corpse of his best friend, did his best about-face, and trotted off towards his the stairwell; still mumbling to himself. 
    SSgt Brown ran and grabbed his rifle and LBV.  Then he turned towards the office.  He shook his head.  “Please God, get us the hell outa here,” he silently prayed.
    He walked to the office.  The auto body shop seemed somehow bigger and darker than it had earlier.  He picked up the phone, dialing the number to Squadron HQ.  He let the phone ring several times before hanging up.  He tried the phone several more times to no avail.  He stared at the phone for several seconds.  Oh this just keeps getting better.  He headed up the stairs.  “Ok Jackson, what’s going on outside?”
    “They definitely know we’re here,” replied the young trooper.  SSgt Brown looked out the window.  The street light was still on.  He could see a large group of the monsters closing on the building from different directions.  Soon the banging started.  Then they heard the moaning.  They continued to watch as more of the creatures shambled towards the metal building.
    “Sarge, we can’t stay here.”
    “I know.  Go see what’s going on out back.”
    The young black trooper trotted to the fire escape.  He pushed the door open just a crack.  BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ!  Shit!  The door was connected to the fire alarm.
    “Go!” he yelled.  SSgt Brown ran to the now open fire escape door.  The yard was clear of zombies.
    “Go!  Over the fence!” he yelled.  He grabbed the tarp on the way out.  Both troopers ran across the back lot, the blue tarp following close behind.  They reached the back fence.  SSgt Brown threw the tarp over the barbed wire that topped the fence.  The troopers leaped the fence.  SSgt Brown hit the ground off balance and rolled to the right.  He looked around for Jackson.  The young trooper was kneeling a few feet away, rifle to his right shoulder, scanning left and right.
    SSgt Brown took a look towards the building.  The mass of zombies continued to pound on the front and sides, not