Death is only the Beginning (EDITING)

Chapter IV

Cambridge Side Galleria 10:32 am
Moments before rescue arrives

The soldiers and civilians didn't have much time to catch their breath as the glass door shattered in a thousand shards and dozens of undead storm in.

"Fuck! Boil you carry Joel. Jenkins, watch our flank!" Sergeant McMichael shouts. Joel cries out in pain as Boil picked him up in a fireman's carry. They ran down the large hall of advertisements and empty stores and turned into a large hall filled with tables and chairs, surrounded by food stores of all kinds. Escalators by the front of the food court led up to a big, egg shaped dome consisting of several floors with stores surrounding each floor. Hundreds of more undead moaned and groaned at the survivors as they turned to the food court. With undead behind them and in front of them, Tom began to panic. He looks at the other survivors and sees pure terror in their faces too.

"Everyone up the escalators now!" The Sergeant shouted as he pointed at the escalators. Jenkins and Boil, still carrying Joel, ran up first with the civilians right behind them with the Sergeant watching their flank. Josefina and Miranda covered their ears as Jenkins opened fire at a small group of torn up men and women only a few feet away. The escalators continued climbing up, each floor the group is running by in a different destroyed state.

Tom and the Cole's jumped as the Sergeant suddenly opened fire too, the few infected men falling to the ground with a loud thud. Tom's lungs began to burn and he began feeling nauseous as they reached the third floor. He felt a hand on his back and as he looks back he sees the Sergeant.

"Come on. Keep moving we are almost there. Don't quit on me now" he shouts. Tom nodded as he takes a few quick gasps of air.

"Jenkins!"

"Yes Sergeant?"

"Radio our evac team. I need to know their status!"

"Roger Sergeant!" Jenkins shouted back as he reached the fourth floor. "Fortress-2, Fortress-2 this is Echo-3. We are almost at the roof top. What is the status of our evac?"

"Echo-3," responded a female voice, "Reco-1 is enroute to your location. They will be there in a few minutes. What is your situation?"

"The mall is heavily crowded and we have one critically injured"

"Roger Echo-3. Rescue will be there soon. Hold tight"

"Roger Fortress-2" Jenkins said as he let out a gasping sigh.

"What did they say?"

"They will be here soon Sergeant!"

"Alright. I know you...are tired but...we are almost there" The Sergeant encouraged as they reached the final floor. 

"This...way" Jenkins said as he pointed at a hallway with a sign by its side saying 'Roof Access'. They stopped by a door with the same sign but Jenkins grunted as the door knob wouldn't budge.

"You know what do to" the Sergeant said. Jenkins let out a heavy sigh along his heavy breathing and began working on the lock.

"How are you feeling Joel?" Sergeant McMichael asks as he sees Boil lowering the groaning Joel.

"Peachy...Sergeant. Just...Peachy" Joel replies with a loud groan as he leans against the wall.

"How good are you on ammo Boil?"

"Barely two clips Sergeant. You?" Boil says as he checks his rifle then aims at the escalators at the end of the hall.

"Same so make every round count" the Sergeant said as he did the same. The civilians watched with horror as dozens of moaning infected reached the top of the escalators. They jumped as Sergeant McMichael and Private Joel opened fire one shot at a time, each shot echoing loudly across the hall.