I quickly move over to her. She is shaking from the pain. It turns out it is her shield arm that is injured from the way she is favouring it. She still has hold of her weapon.

“One… of…. them hit my shield hard… then I heard a crack.” She was white from the pain.

“Stand aside coming in.” Karlsson said.

He began to inspect her injured arm as I went back to watching for threats. Karlsson was a fully trained paramedic and had a large medi-kit with him. The fog around us was silent as always with no signs of danger. He begins to bandage the arm and secure it against her body as a brace.

“Keller’s arm has been fractured.” He told me after treating her. She was sitting to the side on the pavement swallowing some pills he had given her. With her arm now secured.

“So, she needs to be medevacked.” The injury made it a no-brainer. She had to go back.

“Yes. We need to get her out. The painkillers I have given her will only dull the pain as we need her aware to move.” This was the issue.

“Take her back. I will go on alone it’s not far.” I had been thinking about what to do as she was being treated.

“You know that is too dangerous the odds will be against you!” Karlsson was not surprised. We both knew one had to go on. That did not mean he was happy about it.

“One of us has to do this or we will be sent in again or someone else will. You know this.” I was tired and on edge. Most of all emotionally drained. I had never been in a zone as long as I was at the moment.

Karlsson looked like he was going to argue but we both knew I was right. A level 1 event was something we could not walk away from.

“You need to tell command about the second breach in the church that will explain a lot of what has happened here. Mannford should be heading back into the zone now. If he is able, he can move up and support me.”

We pause taking stock of what we will be forced to do shortly. Things were just going wrong.

“Best get going we are running out of light.” The sunlight that was getting through was weakening making the shadows and black spots of darkness greater.

He nodded and went over to Keller. He helped her up and they began to head back along the road we came.

“Waited. Why are you not coming?” Keller realised I was not moving with them.

“Got to finish the mission best you head along times against us.” She seemed to want to say more but Karlsson quiet spoke urging her on.

I waited until they were clearly out of sight lost in the fog before setting off.

I walked down Bridge Street looking for threats. Right down the centre of the road. I could have quickly made it to the bridge if I was willing to through caution to the wind. I was not.

I passed homes and businesses many showing damage and splatters of blood. I looked around for any signs of danger or life but all was still. I was forced to move around several abandoned vehicles that were strewed about on the road.

Then the whisper came again.

I span around looking for the source. The fog was still. My heart was thundering. My body was in full fight mode.

Nothing.

I stood looking around. I could not understand what was said. But I was sure I had heard it.

Then I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.

Again, I moved to prevent an attack but again. Nothing.

I forced my breathing back into line as I found no danger. I looked around thinking about the sound. Did I truly hear it? Doubt came quickly to my mind.

I began wondering was I losing it? Anger began building within my chest.

I remember my dreams since the first ghoul I fought. The whispers through my dreams are similar to what I have heard. As to the movement, I did not know.

Is there a link? This was bad. I need to get moving.

I start to carry on down the road when I spot movement ahead of me. I brace for a fight.

The fog reveals a zombie. I quickly moved forward and engaged. My axe slammed into the creature’s head as it was not aware I was there. The blow caused the skull to collapse. Black ichor and brain matter flew as I pulled the blade back to strike again. The fight was quickly over as the body collapsed after a few additional blows.

I stood breathing heavily. I was taking in the area I could see for anything else. I need to get my head back into the game or I was going to die here. Putting the zombie down proved to be a good way to focus. I finally had a threat in front of me.

I spent a few minutes getting my breathing under control again. My anger does not leave but burns on quietly. I do not hear anything else.

I move on. The road was littered as it had been. Abandoned vehicles and personal debris. I reached the junction with New Road. The road I was following continued to slope down.

I encountered two more zombies along the road. They both quickly fell to my axe. I was well covered in blood and ichor now. I was getting really tired now as the violence and stress of the day were wearing me down. My axe and shield are getting heavy. My reactions are slowing.

Pulling out my water bottle I lift my faceplate and drink deeply. Digging around my belt I pulled out an energy bar. I quickly consumed it and drank more water. I was leaning against a low wall.

The whole time I was looking around as normal. That was when I spotted movement in an upper window of a building. Déjà vu.

I put away the water bottle. Looking towards the window. The building was a home I think with a disabled entrance ramp. Walking closer around the wall I realised it was a business.

Walking up the ramp I checked the windows on the ground floor for movement. The net curtains and moister on the window prevented seeing far into the rooms. The building appeared intact. The front door was locked when I checked it.

Decision time. Knock or not to knock. That is the question. God that was a bad pun! My humour is not improving at all.

I knock.

I waited. No response. I need to move on from here. If there is someone here, I will have to leave them. Times a burning.

I should remain here to try to find out if there is someone there. I feel shitty about it but I get going.

The light was failing in the zone. I will have to try to move faster.

I move down the road and reach another junction. From my memory, I know that this is where the road bridge is to cross the river. I am nearly at the location of the base camp.

Was the fog thickening?

I stopped when I realised the distance could see was reduced. I had lost a good third of my sight range. This is getting ridiculous. This op was throwing a massive amount of shit at me today.

I was feeling the zone weighing me down mentally. I just wanted to leave and go home. This was a no-win situation. I knew that I was not going to find one alive. The chances that I would be attacked and overwhelmed were looking to be a real possibility. I stand there in the fog.

Why? Why am I doing this anymore? I am exhausted. I hate this. Going into the zones risking my life all the time. I should just leave and report the mission a failure. Who can say I did not try? This place is a fucking nightmare.

The heavyweight of the zone effect pushes down on my mind. Aggravating the negative feelings and thoughts I was already experiencing.

I turn around and begin to walk back. Then I stop. What the hell was I doing?

Anger began rising in my chest. The despondency I was feeling suddenly became clear as I realised what was happening. The zone was fucking with me. I began to pull myself together and turned back walking towards the bridge. The fog seemed to recede to normal as I advanced.

Another thing to note for my report. The eggheads were going to go nuts over this revelation.

I cross the bridge dodging around a few vehicles. I noticed that one was a military vehicle. I went over and checked on it. The driver’s door was open and was facing like it was leaving the area towards the town. There was blood on the ground next to the door. A lot of blood. The driver was likely dead. This and another car made an effective barricade that I was forced to move through a narrow gap between them.

I continued to the turnoff to the base camp’s location. Walking at a measured pace I am moving slowly but in as safe a manner as I can. This has me not blunder into several zombies laying siege to a retail park, I think. I can just make out the building outline but the figures moving in the car park trying to break in. I can hear the impacts against a metal shutter or barrier. Muffled by the fog but evident.

I quickly duck behind a car and peak out to evaluate the situation. I can see a lot of zombies and outlines of others. They are aware of survivors in the building and are trying to get in. It is the only reason to explain why they are so active.

This could be where the base camp personnel fell back when the zone expanded. The base camp was positioned only a short distance up the road. Logic dictates that this was the best defensive location with supplies. I pull out my map. It indicates that there is a Cost Cutters supermarket there and a pharmacy.

I look back out again. I am close to an electric charging station that was an old filling station. The movement is focused away from me. There is a low wall nearby. I move to it as stealthily as possible crouching behind it and glancing over.

I make out at least ten zombies in the area that I can see. All are facing away from me. So far, they are not aware of my presence. I need to keep this advantage as long as possible if I am to survive. It is only a short distance from the building entrance. The doorway is blocked by a barricade comprising anything to hand. The sound I hear was the zombies hitting shopping trolleys.

I could just make out people defending the barricade. So, I have to help.

The station shop door is open. I check the room before heading in. The room is in disarray. It clearly shows signs of rapid looting. I will not be able to take that many by myself. I will need to try to lure some away.

The plan is simple and damn stupid. I will throw things out of the doorway to attract the zombies at the back and if they investigate take them out. Ok, not a brilliant plan but it was the best I could think of for the moment. The shop had nothing I could use to make a Molotov that I could see.

Hold on! I found several bottles of flammable oil and lubricate but they were all in plastic containers. I could spread them on the ground. Looking out I saw the way this could be a bad idea with a cage of gas canisters. Could I use them?