“They’re gonna break through!” Johnson screams.
A scared German soldier stands up and dropping his weapon, runs from the onslaught.
Johnson watches him go, “Hey! You dirty yellow son-of-a…”
The scared German only makes it a few steps when a bullet hits him in the back. A German sergeant, Krugger, stands looking at the man he just killed. The other Germans and GIs look to the smoking gun barrel and the monster of a man.
“Fight!” Krugger yells and points toward the Romans.
The Romans are almost on them, snarling, screaming. A wall of lead sprays from the Americans’ position. A spear takes a German in the neck with a sickening crunch.
“Grenades!” Monte signals Oddball.
Oddball tosses them. The grenades explode. The air is filled with debris and bones. The second wave of Romans breaks through.
“Again!” Monte yells.
Oddball pulls two grenades and throws them. But it’s too late. The Romans are on them. One jumps over the bodies and lands on Oddball. He screams as the Roman thrusts a dagger at his head.
“Oh shit!” Oddball cries out trying to keep the dagger from his face.
As Oddball grapples with the Roman, another jumps over the bodies, meeting Yusif’s blade. Oddball struggles with both hands to keep the dagger away.
“Keep firing! Johnson, look out!” Monte screams.
Another Roman tackles Johnson. He rolls away from its knife and fires into its head and then uses his shield to bash the skull in of another Roman that’s crawling toward him. Krugger picks up the Roman trying to stab Oddball and throws it, flailing, into the incoming horde. Oddball pulls out his archeological shovel and starts hacking for his life. He doesn’t see a Roman charging him from behind. The Roman readies his spear to run Oddball through when Karl fires point-blank. The Roman drops to the floor. Oddball spins and gives Karl a nod of thanks, but Karl doesn’t notice because he’s lining up on his next target. Pilch fires and drops a Roman; then Karl fires dropping another. Shot by shot the two snipers fire, looking to each other and trying to out do the other.
One of the Germans is disemboweled by a Roman’s blade. Oddball slips on the bloody mess, “Join the Army they said; who wants to be on a ship? Yeah, good choice Oddball.”
“They’re flanking us!” Muller yells.
“Advance, on me! On me!” Monte screams.
Monte steps forward and leads the group through the horde, counter attacking to break out before they are surrounded.
“Kill ’em, kill all the sons a’ bitches!” Monte yells, and they fight for their lives.
With a hail of fire the soldiers advance, anger replacing fear. Krugger uses a dead Roman like a battering ram to clear a path. Another German goes down screaming, his entrails spilling onto the ground from the slash of a Roman’s short sword. Monte slams a new magazine in his Thompson and fires a long burst into three Romans coming at him. He guides the burst high and stitches all three through the head. He spins to see the floor is piled with bodies and the combined group of Americans and Germans are killing off the last of the Roman horde with single shots. He sighs and lowers his weapon, out of breath, blood dripping down his uniform, “Alright.”
Muller looks to him, “Thank you. I’m Captain Muller.”
Monte glares at him, “Don’t thank me. We came to kill you, not to save you.”
Muller nods and smiles, “If I am your prisoner, under the Geneva Convention, you are responsible for my protection.”
Krugger starts to gather the German troops behind Muller.
“That’s funny,” Monte says sarcastically.
The two stare each other down. Muller holds his pistol at his side. The Germans and American eye each other suspiciously, fingers on triggers, weapons at the ready.
“We gonna have a problem?” Monte finally asks.
The two men look over their opposing forces, evenly matched.
Muller shrugs, “Could go either way.”
Monte grips his weapon tight and nods, “Could.”
Muller turns to his men, “Stand down.”
Monte slings his Thompson and the Americans relax. Muller extends his hand.
“Let’s just get one thing straight. I’m in charge,” Monte says firmly.
“I understand… Sergeant.”
Monte extends his hand, and the two men shake.
Pilch steps forward and spits at Muller’s feet, “No fucking way. I ain’t joining forces with no murdering bast…”
Karl hits Pilch with a hook.
Pilch glares at him, “That the best you got, Jerry?”
Pilch draws his arm back to strike when Monte grabs him and tosses him back out of the way. Weapons are pointed on both sides.
Muller gently pushes Karl back. Monte nods an apology to him and turns to Pilch.
“If you haven’t noticed, we’re in the shit here.”
Pilch rubs his jaw, “Bastards killed my brother. U-boat sunk his transport; he drowned in the North Atlantic.”
Pilch moves for Muller, and Monte has to push him back.
“Seventeen and drowned ’cause these fucking bastards want to take over the world!”
“If you can’t control yourself, soldier, you can hand over that weapon.”
Pilch and Monte lock eyes.
“He’s a god-damn Kraut officer; they butchered us at Kasserine! Larry, Tom, Harrigan all of ’em.”
The mood is tense, soldier eyeing soldier.
“Give me your weapon.”
“Fuck you.”
“Now!”
Pilch tosses Monte his rifle, and the soldiers on both sides lower their weapons. Monte slings Pilchs’ rifle and turns to Muller, “Any way outta here?”
Muller points toward the tunnel, “It goes deeper.”
“It is the way,” Yusif informs them.
Monte spins on him and points an accusing finger at his face, “I want some straight fuckin’ answers out of you!”
Yusif looks to Camir and then over the dirty, bloody, sweat stained faces of the men before him.
He nods, “We have been given a much larger task than the petty war your countries are fighting.”
“Petty?” Monte asks.
Yusif nods, thinking.
Vanessa helps, “This place holds a gate.”
“Uh-huh,” Oddball says.
Vanessa looks to him, “It must be closed, or the undead will flood the earth.”
Yusif nods, “It is our duty to see that this does not happen.”
“The curse of Belial,” Vanessa tells them.
Monte looks to Vanessa, “This ‘gate.’ Where’s it lead to?”
She shrugs, “You would call it hell.”
“But that was just a story,” Johnson objects.
Vanessa turns to him, “So is the Bible.”
Johnson genuflects.
Monte looks to her and Yusif, “You’re saying the gate to hell is opening, and we’ve got to close it.”
“Yes,” Yusif says.
Muller nods, “So the French, the Romans, all of them, they came in to close the gate,” Muller guesses.
“My ancestors, they could not do it alone,” Yusif informs them.
“They needed soldiers, protectors.” Vanessa says.
Oddball indicates the dead Romans, “And got turned into them Zombie thingies for their trouble!”
Muller looks around, “And we will suffer this horror now.”
“A small taste of the evil the world will suffer if we do not succeed,” Yusif says.
Johnson nods. Pilch points a finger at Yusif, “So you picked the first bunch of dumb-asses that would follow you in.”
“No, the second,” Muller looks to Yusif, “You ambushed us and then drove us like cattle to this place. Didn’t you?”
Yusif shakes his head, “Not I. You were chosen.”
Monte scoffs, “By who?”
Yusif looks at him and points to the ceiling. All eyes look up.
&nb
sp; “You gotta be kiddin’ me,” Monte exclaims.
“If we don’t close the portal, the undead will crawl from the sand and fall upon the world.”
“Well then, I say we find a way out, come back with four fuckin’ divisions, and blow this whole place back to hell,” Oddball suggests.
Yusif shakes his head, “There is no time.”
Pilch grabs him by the collar, “Bullshit! You’re lying!”
Yusif throws him off, “There is no way out. Not until the portal is closed.”
“How long?” Monte asks.
“A few hours.”
Pilch looks to Monte, “You’re buying this load of shit?”
Monte looks to Muller and nods, “Yeah, I’m buying.”
Pilch watches as Muller nods in agreement, and he shakes his head, “Come on this is bullshit.”
“If you got a better explanation for the walking dead, then by all means… enlighten me Pilch,” Monte demands.
Pilch looks around the room to the dead Romans and then up to his dirt covered, blood stained comrades and then to Monte.
Monte nods, “Good, move out!”
The men start for the tunnel that leads them deeper inside.
Chapter 13
The group walks down a long, dimly lit, sagging tunnel. Creaking stanchions barely hold the earth in place. Yusif looks back to see Johnson and Oddball shove each other in a petty squabble.
Camir and Yusif talk in Arabic.
“These fools are who were picked for our protectors?” Camir complains.
Yusif shrugs apologetically.
“I expected more from the Americans, they are so…”
“Yes?” Yusif asks.
“Petty.”
Vanessa chimes in with perfect Arabic, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
Oddball looks over, “What’re you guys talking about?”
“It does not translate,” Yusif tells him.
Vanessa giggles while Monte looks irked at being left out of the conversation.
He turns to Yusif, “What did you know about this place before?”
“Much, my family has been closing the gate for a millenium.”
Camir says something in Arabic.
Yusif points ahead, “A door.”
“Johnson, check it…”
“Hey, wait up!” Smith calls from behind them.
Everyone turns to see him walking up, uniform torn, face bloody and dirt stained.
Pilch smiles, “Smith! You’re alive?”
Smith smiles back to him, “You know it.”
Pilch gives him a bear hug lifting him off the ground. Smith takes no notice, staring past everyone to Yusif and Camir.
“Is the exit open?” Oddball asks.
Pilch lets him go.
“Exit? Oh, no. It’s filled with water. Shit almost drowned.”
Muller eyes Smith suspiciously.
Smith notices Vanessa, “Hey! Who’s the dame?”
“Lewis make it out?” Johnson asks.
Smith ignores him, looking Vanessa up and down.
“Smith!” Monte barks.
Smith looks from Vanessa to Monte, “Yeah, what?”
“Did Lewis make it?”
Smith shakes his head, “Say, I lost my weapon. Any spares?”
Oddball steps up and hands him Matty’s Luger, “Sure.”
Smith smiles at Oddball, “See you on the other side,” Smith raises the pistol and fires past Oddball and into Camir’s face. Oddball falls back to the ground, and Yusif steps over him, and with a lightning fast slice severs Smith’s hand.
Smith isn’t fazed by the loss of his hand; he looks down to it on the ground, “Well fuck.”
“Filthy traitor,” Monte says and he and Johnson fire bursts from there Thompson’s into his chest. Smith looks down at the holes in his chest and then looks up to Monte and shrugs.
“Sorry,” Smith chides and grabs for Monte’s throat, but Monte throws him to the ground. Johnson steps up and pins him down with a boot to the chest.
“The same thing happened to my men,” Muller tells them.
“What?”
Muller points to Smith’s broken body. His torn pants reveals his whole leg is bone, “They turned on us.”
Monte looks down at Smith.
Pilch is dumbstruck, “Buddy, no.”
“Why?” Monte asks Smith.
“Had to, death, I need death.”
“But you’re already dead,” Oddball whines.
Smith looks at his severed hand, “Do I look dead?”
“Uh…”
“I mean, Jesus Christ, Oddball, look at me.”
“I…”
Yusif kneels next to Camir and begins a prayer in Arabic. Smith looks over.
“Why?” Monte barks.
“Belial said he would let me pass if I helped kill the A-rab.”
“I thought you were a better man than…”
“Fuck you!” he interrupts and struggles to get free, “Come on guys, just kill him for me, please.”
Pilch is in shock, “Smith, no.”
“You hate ’em, I know you do, Pilch. Just shoot him.”
Yusif looks up to Pilch.
“Kill him, Pilch! Kill him!”
Pilch turns his back on Smith.
“No!”
Monte kicks Smith in the head, “Hey!”
Smith looks from Pilch to Monte.
“I heard enough outta’ you,” Monte says.
“I can feel it, on the edge of perception,” Smith whines.
“Heaven?” Johnson asks, hopeful.
“I don’t know, but I need to get there and I can’t. Please.”
“I can help you,” Monte says.
Smith looks to him, “Yeah, kill ’em, Sarge, kill ’em.”
Monte takes aim at Smith.
He gives Monte a demonic smile, “You’ll never make it out of here alive.”
“You don’t have to worry about that now,” Monte says as he fires.
The men watch the ball of light float into the ceiling and then look at the corpse of their friend, stunned.
Monte looks to Johnson, “Johnson.”
Johnson stares at Smith.
“Johnson!”
He looks to Monte.
“Check the door.”
Johnson nods and moves down the hallway. Yusif prays over Camir’s lifeless corpse. Vanessa follows after Johnson.
Johnson opens the door. He looks inside, followed by Vanessa. The room has four cots and a table. Ancient weapons hang on the wall, and a journal and hairbrush lay on a table. Vanessa looks at the swords on the wall and an intricate painting of a city on the sea.
“Carthaginian,” she states.
Pilch lights a cigarette, “Who?”
“Rome’s ancient enemy. A great city… never mind.”
Yusif raises his scimitar.
“What are you doing?” Monte asks.
“Saving him,” Yusif gives his old friend a last look, then beheads him. Monte looks on, understanding.
Johnson opens the next door. Vanessa looks in.
A statue stands in the center of the room with a water pool at its base. Pilch notices the statue is holding a beautifully gilded gold jewelry box. Vanessa assesses the artifacts.
“Babylonians. This is an incredibly rare find!”
Pilch steps in and picks up a gold jewelry box. Vanessa starts to go in, Monte grabs her.
“Let’s go.”
“But these are once-in-a-lifetime discoveries!”
Monte pushes her down the tunnel. Vanessa looks back, disappointed. Monte looks to Pilch, “Leave it and move.”
Pilch sighs, “Bet Matty’s little girl would like this.”
Monte takes in a breath to shout and then notices Pilchs’ face; he’s still shaken from the incident with Smith, “Leave it, buddy.”
Pilch sets it back down and walks out. Ahead, Vanessa sees another door. She opens it.
A series of bunks line the w
alls. Resting on each bunk are remains of chain mail armor and piles of bone dust.
“What are they?” Oddball asks.
“Assyrian, I think, could be older”
She starts to step in, but Monte jerks her out and slams the door shut.
“I must document these rooms.”
“This ain’t a field trip lady,” Monte snaps and pushes her away from the door.
“Doctor,” she informs him.
He shoves her down the hallway roughly, “Doctor,” he chides.
“Come on, Sarge. Let her, uh… document. It sounds important,” Oddball whines.
“Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, this is why I’m here.”
“Lady, take a look around you. These boys are my responsibility and I ain’t losin’ none ’cause you want to ‘document’ a bunch of crap!”
Monte swings the last door open. His eyes go wide as he sees 4 armored skeletons laying in the cots. Vanessa looks in, “Greek, look at the shields, from Alexander’s personal guard,” she starts to step in, and Monte stops her.
“No!”
“They’re long dead…”
One of the skeletons turns toward her. Vanessa eyes go wide. The four start to rise, but before they can stand the old bones burst into powder and their armor falls to the floor. The balls of energy escape into the ceiling with shrieks of agony. Monte slams the door closed.
“Geez, Sarge, you ain’t gotta be so rude,” Oddball tell him.
Vanessa and Monte share a look.
“It’s OK,” she tells Oddball.
Yusif pushes past them, “We must continue.”
Chapter 14
Yusif leads them on. The tunnel is gradually becoming more loose rock than stone.
“Slow down,” Monte calls ahead to him.
Upset at the loss of his friend Yusif ignores him and pushes on.
Dark holes lead into the depths on both sides, some big enough for a man. Unknown creatures scurry into the shadows. The men move cautiously.
“You’re sure this is the right way?” Monte asks Vanessa.
“If the map is correct.”
Oddball looks into one of the caves leading off the main tunnel back into darkness and then turns to Johnson, “So we’re almost out of here, right? All them Zumbi, Zombie thingies are behind us, right? No reason they should know where we are, right?”
Johnson looks up to see caves leading off above them, “Just keep tellin’ yourself that, buddy.”
Rise of the Undead 1943 Page 6