Free Anno Zombus Year 1 (Book 2): February by Dave Rowlands Page B

Living that the helicopter would be unable to carry them all.
     
     
     
    We checked our weapons once more, we each had at least one pistol with several reloads each and a melee weapon.  I also took the shotgun from the commune along for the trip.  We boarded the helicopter, Pilot lifting us up into the sky like a professional.
     
     
     
    evening
     
    We flew over hordes of Dead, shambling intitially in the direction of The Think Tank, but they chose to follow the chopper as it flew overhead.  Pilot assured us that this was normal, and they'd follow him back the other way as soon as he dropped us off.  We flew over wrecked vehicles in the road, covered with grey snow.  We flew over a small group of Dead hunched over a screaming form in the middle of the road, the grey snow staining red as the poor sod churned the snow to slurry.  One Dead held aloft the unfortunates intestines, stuffing an end into its mouth while gazing at the helicopter as we flew over its head.
     
     
     
    We came, as the day was ending, to a rooftop helipad where Pilot requested that we cover him while he refueled.  There were not many Dead on top of the building, but the door leading down was wedged open with a spare arm, and more Dead shuffled about inside.  Junior explained that they hadn't been game to land at this place because of all the Dead, but with us here it would be much safer.
     
     
     
    I  drew my katana, electing to save our ammo for later when we really need it, the others pulling out their melee weapons, and we strode into battle.  My blade sliced through skull and brain alike with ease, Redbeard crushing skulls with his cricket bat.  Junior, armed now with a machete, hacked apart flesh and bone with brutality.  The three of us made a small wall that covered Apocalypse Girl as she grabbed the offending arm and shoved the door as shut as it had ever been, cutting off any Dead reinforcements.  With all the rooftop Dead dead, and the door barred from outside, Pilot was able to at last land and refuel here at will.
     
     
     
    Apocalypse Girl checked in with The Think Tank, while Redbeard and Junior helped me throw the rotting dead off the roof.  This seemed appropriate, since Pilot had told us we would need to sleep here tonight.  He was not going to fly at night, not in snow, not with this level of visibility.  I looked around, and he was right, it was very nearly impossible to see your own hand a foot in front of your face.  If not for the lights of the chopper and Apocalypse Girl's phone we would have been totally blind by now.
     
     
     
    We piled up in the back of the chopper for warmth, and Apocalypse Girl's phone jangled with the reply from The Smart Couple.  All fine here.  New ones settling in, some issues, nothing that can't be worked out.  Apocalypse Girl winced slightly when I rubbed against her injured arm trying to get comfortable, then the light went out.
     
     
     
    An explosion nearby rocked the building, lighting up the night sky briefly.  We heard gunfire and shouting, both diminishing into the distance before too long.  Another explosion, then another, both leading away from our position.
     
     
     
    Before long I head the distinct ting of hail striking the helicopter.  This was followed by many more such tings as the clouds overhead processed all the shit that had floated up into them over the last six weeks.  Pilot mentioned that he was glad indeed that he had insisted on staying here overnight.
     
     
     
    Lightning flashed above, shooting from one cloud formation to another, illuminating our faces briefly.  The storm raged for over an hour, then just as abruptly as it had begun, it stopped.
     

February 15th Year 1 A.Z.
     
    morning
     
    I awoke to a blast of cold air as Pilot opened the cockpit up in order to scrape off the muck that had accumulated on the windscreens overnight, and climbed out of the chopper myself, to stretch the old legs.  Junior and Apocalypse Girl,