Free Last Stand of the Dead - 06 by Joseph Talluto Page B

and the rest had gone to other communities, bolstering their defenses and contributing what they could.  Eventually the city would return to its former size, but they just didn’t have the resources yet.
    We crested a small hill and saw a line of soldiers facing us.  They were standing by their vehicles, which had been parked sideways across the road.  Right away, I knew we were going to have trouble.  I told Sarah to speed it up so we could get better defenses prepared.
    We pulled up to the trucks and I got out, waving a soldier over.
    “Where’s Colonel Freeman?”  I asked .
    “Back at the command post, sir, ” The soldier, a kid , little older than twenty, answered nervously.
    “Better go get him, son.  You’re about to be attacked, ” I said.  The boy ran off, and I went over to the milling men.
    “Listen up! These trucks need to be off the road, I need three on the east side, three on the west side.  Angle them all so they’re facing southwest-northeast, and put them about ten feet apart.  Move now!”  I yelled.
    Thankfully, the men were ready to listen.  They must have heard the shots from the south, but their vision was obscured by the small hills.  Those small hills probably saved their lives, because the little zombies would have taken their rampage right into the heart of Kirkwood, and we’d have lost the rest of the damn army.
    As the last truck was being put in place, Tommy and Duncan were organizing the men into firing squads, three groups of five.  One group would fire until they were empty, then the next group would advance up to the firing line, while the first went back to reload.  The trucks were angled to prevent the men from shooting each other, and a large opening down the middle would allow for firing from the front.  It was the best we could do for troops not used to zombies and with a short amount of time.
    “Talon!” Colonel Freeman’s voice cut across the road.  “Thank God, you’re alive!”
    “ Colonel, ” I said, waiting for the man to reach me.
    “What’s going on, why are these men being deployed, have you heard from my troops to the south?  We heard firing, but felt it was better to maintain our position and protect the people of Kirkwood.”
    “Your men are being deployed to handle the threat of zombies; yes, I have heard from your troops to the south, and by the way, here they come now.”
     

Chapter 17
     
     
    The first group of zombies came into view as they shuffled their way over the hill.  No one could mistake them for living, the slow gait and low moan marked them as undead even to people unfamiliar with them.  Some of their helmets were skewed and covering an eye, while others were dark with blood.  One had no face left, and another was drooling a dark liquid on the ground. 
    I walked away from Colonel Freeman, who was frozen in horror, and stood in the middle of the trucks.  “Hey!  Right here!  Hi guys!”  I was more worried about some nervous nitwit shooting me in the back , than the hundred or so zombies on the way.
    The zombies responded warmly and shuffled quickly in my direction.  Actually, I think they were just moving downhill as opposed to wanting to make a new friend.  I waited until the number of zombies reached about fifty, and then I went back to Freeman.
    “The rest of your men are dead, killed by the little zombies and finished off by us and some friends from Smithshire .  You need to figure out what you are going to do with the rest of your men, because unless you do something right, you’re going to get them all killed, and leave everyone in those zombie’s path defenseless.”  I was harsh but honest.  Freeman wasn’t a fool, and he did what he could with what he had, but he was outgunned with this one.
    Freeman watched the zombies come forward.  Sarah and Rebecca were keeping the men in the main road from firing, and Tommy, Duncan and Charlie were waiting with their groups to open fire.  If it all worked