Knight of the Dead (Book 3): Fortress

by Ron Smorynski

  His wife was with her. “Get the water. We need the water!” Beth, his wife, and Amanda grabbed up cases of water, as much as they could carry. They couldn’t take a lot since the water was heavy. Amy ran alongside them, sobbing in hysterics but staying close.

  Dad blinked out of his blindness. “Jesus... where are you?”

  29. Know No Fear

  He fixated on his wife's voice.

  “Ronan! Ronan!” his wife yelled.

  “Hurry!” Dad yelled back.

  They hurried out and back to the main corridor. The glass was breaking and cracking and finally gave. It folded like some fantastical spider web, crinkling and folding under as zombies spewed forth.

  They were like flailing sludge. The first few flesh blobs were crushed against the glass and oozed, but then the rows of zombies fell forward, getting crushed by the next wave. The bigger one fell forward as zombies squeezed in and over. The next wave clambered over that, to fall forward again and get crushed by the next that leapt and climbed. Then the next leapt over. It was wave after wave as blood and guts spewed across the cafeteria, as the zombies banged and tripped over the rows of tables and the stack of doors.

  Dad had a moment. He back stepped and closed the steel doors that separated the cafeteria from the main building.

  The school was designed like a submarine with steel doors locking each section. It was the perfect interlocking fortress. It gave Dad and the rest a chance against The Horde that was all around them.

  As powerful as The Horde was to swarm over a building and destroy it, it could not do so against the school, especially against the interlocking steel doors that separated the buildings and wings.

  He closed them just as the fast ones leapt. The steel doors banged furiously. In the main entrance, there was an intersection of corridors. There were the front doors and these doors that led to the cafeteria, the corridor that led back to the main offices and up the stairs, and the corridor that led to closed steel doors and out around the cafeteria. He was staring at all of them, all besieged and banged on. The zombies visible at the front doors were so squeezed, their upper parts were oozing through the windows.

  Randall came up, to support Dad. He had his sword held out, but it shook and faltered.

  Dad went up to the front doors. The zombies had broken the glass and pushed the wire meshing to some degree. It was still strong material and their flesh was oozing and squirting. They did not feel pain as they were pressed and pressed to get at Dad, desiring his flesh. He stabbed at them.

  Randall came up to help, stabbing through the windows, weakly, shuttering as the sounds surrounded them.

  “Just to cushion the doors!” Dad growled, stabbing through, killing the front row of zombies.

  “Let's go! To the roof!”

  They headed back. “Close all the doors!” They closed all the classroom doors, the offices. It would limit the zombies movement within the school.

  The zombies were banging on all the exterior doors. They were all steel and solid. Soon they'd be building mounds of their dead, to rise up to the roof.

  They hurried up the stairs, then to the classroom. The women were loading the supplies through the windows, onto the auditorium roof, then precariously up the ladder to the top roof.

  “Hurry!” Nick yelled. He could see the mass of zombies already piling atop one another, all around the auditorium. Dad walked through and went out another window. He stood guard. He motioned for Steve and Randall.

  The burning parking lot gave them some room. It's smoke forced the zombies around. It was burning but not spreading fast. The flames just sat there burning the abomination, piles of dead zombies, and a couple of the cars.

  The roar of the vast spread of zombies was incredible. It was deafening. Dad felt like he was on a ship that was bobbing up and down, and the zombies were an ocean flowing around him. It was an ocean of spindly beastly limbs and demonic eyes with gnashing teeth.

  “I shall know no fear, for the Lord God is my shepherd...” he hissed. He sounded demonic, empty. He could not hear himself say, not out loud, but he felt it's whisper upon his lips and in his darkened heart. “Do not turn away God, not now!”

  Ginger stood beside him. She walked off. Dad barely saw her through his helm. He heard his wife and the other women scream, not above the roar of the zombies, but in that different tone, adding to the hellish chorus of terror and suffering. She disappeared into the mass of demonic claws.

  Stu reached for her. He banged his helmet repeatedly. Dad put his sword out, to keep him from getting too close to the edge. Randall pulled him back. Marcus stared with bleary eyes, unable to help. Lena punched him in the shoulder. He turned and scowled at her, seeming to hate her and life more than the death all around them.

  More and more spilled into the playground. They followed each other up the ramp like a vast army of ants. They came up against the building, like a flow of lava going against gravity. It was a massive spindly form, an oozing sewage of arms, legs, and gnashing teeth.

  “Nick! Fire!!!” Dad yelled, bending close to Nick.

  Nick gave a thumbs up.

  Dad stood near the edge. They were like buzzing bees, demonic ones staring up at him. It was as if all the sins, every evil thought, every lust, every ounce of anger and hatred he had, had now formed into demons, and they all stared up at him. See! We told you. You are a sinner! Damned to Hell!

  They piled atop one another, layer after layer. It was a good twenty feet up to the first roof, the auditorium roof. Dad turned to see Charlotte directing Jake, who was carrying Rondo up the ladder to the upper roof of the main building. Rondo was squirming and Dad could see her trying to comfort him. It was ridiculous. Charlotte looked up to see her Dad looking. She gave an odd peaceful smile.

  Dad was in his helm. She could not see his spittle, his angry tears. Dad turned to see the first few zombies clambering atop the roof. Steve was there, yelling something. Dad easily beheaded the first. It's head rolled. Nick took it up. He lit it on fire as it gaped like a fish. Did Nick laugh maniacally, possessed? Was the head an innocent crying victim? Steve pulled the body in further to give Nick and Tom more fuel.

  Dad swung great swings, cutting zombie after zombie. Headless and arm-less zombies rolled back into their own. The mound was widening, growing, and rising. Steve had to join in. They shared in the havoc, swinging to and fro. Zombie parts twirled and flew, bodies rolled down upon climbing ones. Stacks of zombies would falter and fall back down, limbs and growling faces flopping atop one another. It was the most fantastical siege.

  Lisa and Lena joined with the naginatas. Those were more effective as they swung wide and low. They twirled them in wide arcs. Dad and Steve had to give them room. Dad watched and seeing his daughters swing so profoundly made him cry a deep sudden rush of emotions. This was his daughters’ life. It was devastating.

  They easily sliced several zombies at a time. They used their whole body and momentum to give their swings the most effective arcs. They used little energy yet severed all within the path.

  The supplies were up as was everyone, watching from atop the roof. Dad looked up in his tears, in his slobbering. It looked like a fortress, like some medieval castle and they were the defenders, the so very few against a horde of evil. Rondo barked but Dad could not hear it. He just saw the top half of that damn dog running to and fro barking. Now he has courage? He saw the hyena like fur on its back as it barked angrily. He thought Rondo would cower in a corner but no, the dog had found its courage, at the end.

  He did not notice Eva. She fled before. She must be hiding in a classroom. She'll get attacked and eaten alone in some dark classroom, cowering away. Benjamin and Ruth as well, where were they? Were they in their room? It was in the corner. In the panic, he forgot all about them. He had no time for that now. It was too late for them.

  And where was Amador? Was he up on the top roof with his family? He should have been with them on the auditorium roof, helping.

  Charlott
e was firing down. He looked to see her drop a big zombie that was crowded amongst the ocean of packed sardines. There were several of them and Charlotte was dropping them easily. Dad couldn't help but chuckle in his slobber.

  They could also see several of the vast ones, the many-limbed abominations. They came through the crowded zombies like spidery giants. Jake fired the AK-47, ripping them to shreds. As they got up the mounds, clambering atop the roof, Jake gave them hell.

  The 7.62 round of the AK-47 was massive. It wasn't accurate but hitting a big-limbed beast was easy enough. The round ripped through several limbs at a time, and a dozen rounds shredded a beast enough that it faltered amidst the climb.

  Dad wondered if the things just added more zombies to their fold. He wasn't sure. He couldn't stare at them for long. The mounds of piling zombies still did not support the centered weight of such beasts, not yet.

  Nick and Tom tossed zombie limbs into The Horde. They got a decent mound of fires going on the roof of the auditorium. They got them burning like torches, then flung them. Arms, legs, heads were tossed over into the crowded masses.

  It was time. Dad knew. “Up to the roof!” He slapped their backs with his sword, to get them to move. They hurried to the lone ladder. One at a time they went up. Nick took a nice crisping limb with him, to keep a flame going.

  Dad saw a few flames down below, amidst the sea of zombies, but it seemed the flames were getting choked out. He wasn't sure. There was still a lot of smoke from the parking lot. But then, he saw zombies rushing through. Had fire stopped working now? Had they adapted to it? Was God really looking away? Was this the end... for his family, for his wife, his Charlotte, his Lena and Lisa? Was this it? He felt it. He felt the darkness numb his limbs. He moved slower, stiffer.

  Dad was the last up. Zombies rushed him. They slammed him against the ladder. He couldn't move. He heard his wife scream. He just held on as he felt teeth scrap against his steel. Then he heard Charlotte's M-4, and the pressure of zombies on him gave. He started to lift himself up. He felt so heavy.

  “Get up here! Ronan! Now!” he heard his wife command him. He lifted himself again, and again, and again. His weight lessened. “Up! Up!” he heard her order him. He saw Jake help, firing at zombies below him with an extra handgun.

  Dad saw the kids using their 22s. It was Carl and Maggy firing as Sofia kept the magazines loaded. Charlotte pointed to the big ones. They were working in teams. Trish saw some on the other side. She got Carl to go over there.

  Rondo paced around barking and barking, anxious to get in the fight. Wow, finally... Rondo seemed to give the kids courage, even as they cried. He barked and barked next to them. Okay Rondo, okay!

  Dad swirled unsure. His wife grabbed him, getting under him and supporting him. He felt drunk or in a delirium. Steve stared odd at him. The rest, they were all frazzled, their nerves were shot, emotionally distraught, but they were acting more like him than he was. They were more robotic, doing what needed to be done, fighting and preparing. They watched as the zombie mound suddenly piled up and over the auditorium, dousing the small piles of fires and rushing to the main building, crashing against the upper class room windows and clambering to get up.

  Dad stumbled to the other side, away from it all. There was no escape there either. There were zombies running past, to get to the frenzy on the west side. He saw something big, something staring at him. Was it a demon? A demon in bright light!? For Satan came as an angel of light! It must have been time. Dad was ready to surrender.

  It stood atop something that was a gateway, but backwards, somehow, an inferno awaiting, pushing outward, darkness and fury. He couldn't focus but then saw Trish take Carl, to peer over. They looked like they were on duty, ready to shoot. They didn't see what he saw. He focused on them as his wife held him up.

  “Ronan, in the name of Jesus Christ, come back to me! Please Ronan, fight with me... Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...” she spoke. And he heard it, and whispered along with her as his big helm and his head drooped. She placed her head against his. He could see her eyes and lips, through the holes of his helm, like he was in a dark prison, a hell, and she was just outside. “...thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth, as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil...”

  He raised his helm, straightening up, and said louder, “For the kingdom and power and the glory are yours for ever and ever. Amen.”

  30. Saved

  The zombies weren't forming a mound on that side. He saw the gateway. It wasn't an inferno. It was the big school bus, sitting there. The path to it, though arduous, wasn't blocked. Zombies were rushing by, but not surrounding it or climbing over it. He waved Trish back. She got Carl. They stayed low and crawled back.

  “Trish, stay away. Don't attract them! Get back!”

  She nodded nervously, taking Carl back.

  They arrayed themselves on the west side of the school building. The zombies were already atop the auditorium roof and piling up against the main building which was another ten feet.

  Steve, Lisa, Lena, Randall, and the others spread out, ready to start hacking off heads and limbs as they piled atop one another. There were plenty of zombies. The school yard and streets were packed with them, like some vast stadium rock concert.

  The amount of crushed and dead zombies just to make the mounds that formed was incredible. Yet there were plenty more swarming from all sides. The auditorium had several mounds now that zombies crawled up and onto that roof, to charge at the ten feet or more of wall to the top of the main building. They crashed into the windows. The survivors had come out from the second floor classroom to get to the auditorium roof, then up to the main roof. Now, with the mound of zombies piling up, they were trapped on the top roof.

  Eddie whooped and hollered, giving the others a little bravado. He had not begun fighting, but watched the others and was ready as backup or to take a new position when the zombie mound spread across the auditorium's roof just below them. For the mound of tens of thousands was massive.

  Dad looked at the line of young men. They were shaking. The women cowered together, clutching Amy. Robert stood near them with his meek weapon. They were unable to bear it. It was too much. The children stopped shooting, running to the women. Jake tried to get them back. But he couldn't waste time as he kept up a firing barrage on the abominations.

  Charlotte continued to fire on the larger ones. She had no fear. They were crowded amidst the smaller and had difficulty ascending the mounds. Charlotte looked amused. She sat perched and fired calmly. Dad was impressed when she casually reloaded a magazine, not a hand was shaking. She definitely had Jesus in her.

  Rondo stayed near her. He flinched whenever she shot, but boy did he seem proud of her, the dog that is... and perhaps Dad too.

  Dad looked at his army. Nick and Tom were starting a new pile of the dead. They lit limbs and tossed them over. Cory was close to the fighting and ready to go. Eddie looked good too. Marcus stood emotionless. Dad wasn't sure if it was a stance to fight or to die. Stu was broken. Trek, though weak, got courage from mild-mannered stoner kid Eddie and stood near him.

  Rick Gomez was shaking and broken. The roar all around them was destroying their nerves. Dad went to the young men, to Rick, Stu, Marcus, Trek, Eddie, and Cory. Dad removed his helm and raised his hand.

  “Do any of you wish to ask God to forgive your sins, and for the Holy Spirit to come into your heart, and for Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior!?”

  They stared at him, unsure, scared, quivering.

  “Do any of you wish to be saved by Jesus Christ!?”

  Stu stood up scared as ever. Through his shoddy helm, Dad could see the tears and snot. Dad put his hand on Stu's shoulder. “Lord bless this man, this warrior. Give him strength. Save his soul. Let him know You. Let him know the Holy Spirit...”

  Marcus came up. Trek
came up. Darryl came up. Cory came up. Eddie came up. Amanda got up and came over, raising her hands. Katrina, hugging Amy came over. Robert and Ellie, cowering, crawled over to be close. Rick helped them but stood above them shaking uncontrollably. His wife came to his side. Tom stood nearby to hear, but kept lighting limbs in some casual busy way.

  “God save these souls! Bring Jesus Christ into their hearts and let them know of your grace, your love for them! In this moment of hell, with all this demonic fear, please give them the courage and strength! Save them. Save their souls! Accept this as their way! In fear and trepidation, give them courage! For the kingdom and power and the glory are all yours! In the name of Jesus Christ! Amen!”

  “Amen!” they cried. They shuddered. They breathed.

  Dad looked to Rick Gomez suddenly. He saw the vision of an angel on that inferno gateway or rather school bus. “You can drive the school bus!?” Dad yelled.

  Rick looked up from the prayer group. “Whah?”

  “The school bus!” Dad motioned across the roof. “The school bus in front! You can drive it?”

  Rick looked that way. Some of the others looked. “I don't know...”

  “I thought you said you could drive!?” Dad yelled.

  Rick looked at the prayer group. They looked anxious.

  “We getting outta here!?” Stu asked.

  “No, Rick and I are driving that, like crazy! Take the damn Horde with us!” Dad yelled.

  “Help here!” Steve yelled.

  They turned to see a pile of zombies coming over. They were spread across the school roofing. The mound was nearly taking over a third of the wall, all along the auditorium side.

  Steve, Randall, Lisa and Lena were constantly swinging.

  “You guys go!” Dad said, smacking their shoulders. Stu, Marcus, Cory, Eddie, and Trek went to help.

  Dad turned to his wife. “Watch for any tired. Help them!” She hugged him. She was in her tight leather armor. Hers looked well made. She had her small sword. It was still effective and could cut off any limb. His wife had a swing and jab down. He gave her a long lasting kiss.