It was a testament to the day I stood at the road junction in front of the barricaded bridge and no longer thought it was strange. I was looking back across the city the way we came as the zone edge continued to move forward. My body was informing me of its many complaints and issues.

The barricade was open slightly to allow remaining soldiers, police and what few civilians remained to evacuate across the Tiber. Gregson was talking to the bridge senior officer. Greco was with them but was soon to be evacuated. I stood some distance away, not listening to the conversation, just looking at the city around me.

We were now in old Rome. I could see a church a short distance away. From what I can see, the signs just down the side roads was the tomb of Emperor Augustus.

My inner history nerd was demanding that I go and see it. It looked like we had a good 20 to 30 minutes before the zone edge arrived. But I knew danger could appear at any moment. But still, I can quickly pop over and see it.

The number of drones in the sky was still numerous, but the attack helicopters were mostly gone now. To the west, I can see many more transport helicopters moving in to evacuate people from the city. The zone was expanded far to the south now.

I took stock of my condition. I was sweating like mad and hot in this armour. My armour was damaged and I was covered in the aftermath of a day of fighting. And lastly, I probably stunk to high heaven.

Mentally I had the great joy of dealing with grave chill. This was only adding to the exhaustion I was now feeling. The stresses of the day had just worn me down, but I knew it wasn’t over yet.

“What’s on your mind?” Gregson asked as he came up behind me.

“Augustus’s tombs over there. I was thinking about just popping over and seeing it.” I point in this direction with my axe head.

“Yes, it’s quite a sight and over there is the Basilica dei Santi Ambrogio e Carlo. The artwork inside is truly spectacular.” He points to the church just over some buildings. After a moment of quiet, he says. “We are losing the city.”

“I know.” I am calm and my tone communicates this. “We’re going to lose all of this.”

We were both quiet for a minute, taking that in. With all the history and culture, this city was being lost to a zone. What damage would happen to it before it can be recovered if it can be recovered?

This weighs me down more because of the grave chill. I fought to save people because my conscious would not let me do anything else. Here, now looking at what we are going to lose, my mind echoed with a question.

What else are we to lose?

I am tired and not just physically but emotionally. I wake up some days and think should I go on? What good is it doing? That voice inside, however, pushes me onwards regardless.

“It’s just been reported that the zone is now moving from the north again. Euro Corp has begun to pull its forces back.” He doesn’t hide the bitterness. Defeat is hard to swallow at the best of times.

“I bet the Italians are happy about that.”

“As much as you expect. The RCT is in the north right now and is pulling back.”

“How they’ve been doing?” I am curious about this.

“They’ve taken casualties and have seen as much fighting as we have. Don’t worry. Henry is still with them.” He adds in the end.

“Good to know. Are we pulling back as well?”

“Not yet. They want to try and hold the bridges as long as they can.”

“That’s not gonna make much difference.”

“I agree, but that the orders we been given.”

Before I can answer, to the North, there is a flash. I spin my head around and see a helicopter careening into the city. The explosion is just visible from where we are.

“Shit! Another one!” I exclaim.

“I know something is taken them down.” Gregson agreed. I know he is worried because the attack helicopters have been the one thing holding back the hordes coming from the zone.

Greco comes over and joins us. Her arm is far better bandaged now with an added sling. I noticed that she was shaking slightly. I could not tell at the moment whether it could be the chill or what was happening to the city.

“Okay is time for me to go. I would like to thank you both for all you have done today.” She is doing her best, but you can hear the emotional distress in her voice. “I am joining the wounded in the rear triage area.”

“Thank you, Capt. It’s been an honour serving with you.” Gregson tells her. I know he is telling the truth when he says that.

“You too, Sargent.” She replies, smiling sadly and they both salute each other.

“Operative Harrington. John. Today has taught me a little of what you have to face and I am sorry for what we have to ask you to do.” I was surprised by her words to me. “It’s one thing to read the reports and see the footage. It is a different thing experiencing it.”

“Unfortunately, Capt. Greco, I completely understand, so don’t worry about it.” I tell her.

She is still smiling with the sadness now etched into her face. She says nothing more but nods to me and turns and leaves. I wonder if she had stayed longer than she might have broken down. The terrible truth is that with every engagement, the odds of surviving today for us decrease. It was one of the things not told to us during training. But I’d worked out from the unspoken hints given to me.

“You could go with her, you know.” I say to Gregson as we both watch her leave.

“You know I can’t.” He replies.

“Yes, you can. The exposure to grave chill is more than enough to have you removed from frontline activities. Plus, you’re a married man.” I turn and look at him as I say this.

“Sorry, John, you do not get rid of me that easily.” He says firmly, looking at me.

“Okay then.”

Again, there is another flash, this time to the south. Quickly looking in that direction, we see another helicopter smoking heavily go crashing into the city.

“What the fuck is doing that!” I ask, growing more frustrated.

“No clue. It’s becoming more of a threat by the minute.”

Gregson sat phone quickly started ringing. He pulls it out and walks off as he answers it. He walks out of earshot, giving me a few more moments of peace to reflect.

I look back towards the zone front expanding from the East. It is a lot closer now. I know trouble will soon be with us. I walked the short distance from the junction back the way we came. I’m standing next to a church and down the road, I can see shops on either side.

I got that weird feeling going down my spine again. Like I had earlier when the tiger creatures attacked. It’s like I’m being watched or stalked, hell, maybe both. I’m not sure where it’s coming from or what’s causing it. I just know it’s there.

I’m scanning the buildings, roadway and rooftops, figuring out where or what is causing it. I become focused on this, ignoring everything around me for a few moments.

“John was wrong?” Gregson asks from next to me. Startlingly me. I had not heard his approach.

“Sorry!” I take a moment to gather myself. “I had this feeling I was being watched.”

“Any idea where from?” Gregson became alert looking down the roadway I had just been. He did ask if I was making up, believe me straightaway.

“Not sure I just got this weird feeling.” I told him honestly. What concerned me was that it was now stronger than before. “I think we better fall back to the barricade.”

“Good idea.”

We quickly fell back to the bridge. We were looking over our shoulders as we did this. As we reached the barricade, the senior officer was just about to come out and call us in any way. As soon as we passed through, they sealed the barriers. The barricade was made up of zone boundary wall sections. A tractor on the other side was being used to push the sections closed. Other sections have been laid down on the site behind the standing ones to act as a rampart to stand on.

We walked past the defenders towards a pile of supplies off to the side. There was another barricade set up at the other end of the bridge. About 10 men and women were defending this side.

Gregson quickly rearmed and made sure that my ammunition was topped up. I was looking out to the bank that we had just left. The feeling had not left me. Somehow, I knew I was being watched.

“So, got it?” Gregson asked.

I nod, trying to identify the source.

The tractor is being driven back across the bridge towards the other barricade. It is open just enough for it to get through. I know they will be closing that one off soon. Over the next few minutes, the tractor navigates through the opening and then closes it off just enough for a soldier to get through one at a time.

By now, the zone has reached the Basilica that Gregson pointed out to me. The soldiers on the barricade started taking shots at zombies that were randomly showing up now.

“What’s the plan here for us?” I asked Gregson.

“If the barricade is breached, we try to get as many people back across the bridge.” He tells me.

“You mean when?”

“They are optimistic we can hold here.”

“Not with the zone edge so close.” I point to the zone that is relentlessly approaching us.

“I know.” That was all that he could say. Orders were ordered, after all.

We saw someone waving for us on the other side of the bridge. Gregson motioned to follow him and we walked over to the man waving.

“Sgt, we expect contact soon.” It turns out this was the position of the commanding officer. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, sir. You can count on us.”

“Excellent. We are hoping we can hold ……….” Behind us, the soldiers on the barricade started yelling and firing. We turned to look back to try to see what was going on.

The explosion was a shock as much of a surprise. We were far enough away not to be knocked over but felt the blast wave. Concrete shrapnel and bodies flew everywhere.

Smoke and dust blocked the centre of the blast but were quickly clearing. From the hole now in the centre of the barricade came zombies.

I quickly recovered and charged forward. Gregson was at my side.

“Get the survivors out! I’ll do what I can!” I yelled to him.

The problem is that I was on the other side of the bridge and by the time we got even halfway, I was engaging the first zombie. I use my body as a battering ram behind the shield and quickly put it to the ground.

I use my boots to smash its skull by stamping down hard and fast with all my body weight until it cracks. Looking up, I saw Gregson gunned down another. Most of the defenders on the other side of the bridge were now dead or had fallen backfiring as they went. The other barricade’s defenders soon joined this.

More zombies were piling through the opening and we could see something there as well. It was big and moving slowly at first but was getting faster.

Through the opening came something never seen before. It was tall and humanoid. Its legs were short and its arms much longer than normal it was also hunched over. And its skin was a deep grey. It also stood about 10 feet tall.

“Aw, hell no!” I exclaimed. There was no way I could fight that!

“John, we gotta get out here!” Gregson yelled.

“Right behind you.”

Together we fought our way back to the second barricade. We were able to help two other soldiers make it there. The rest did make it. The soldiers on the barricades behind us quickly took down any zombies that got too close. But they will not be holding them off much longer.

The other thing had now come fully through the gap I was moving across the bridge. It had a squat, ugly face with an oversized nose and ears. Where its hair should be, there were short spikes. Even at the distance, we were. I could make out its red eyes.

I know it’s looking at me. Then it smiled.

Fuck me! Fuck this day!

I am never going abroad again!