[SPEAKER_00]: that America presents the soldier day zero a multi-part serialized event and now please enjoy part seven
[SPEAKER_00]: chapter one.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint raced toward the stairwell door, covering the final distance in desperate bounds.
[SPEAKER_00]: He grabbed the handle and yanked the door open, rushing inside the concrete stairwell and slamming the metal door shut behind him, just as the first wave of zombies reached his position.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sound of the door closing reverberated off the concrete walls, but it was immediately drowned out by something far worse.
[SPEAKER_00]: Before the sergeant could catch his breath or feel any relief at his escape, the entire stairwell erupted in excited moans.
[SPEAKER_00]: The vocalizations were coming from multiple levels above him, suggesting that numerous zombies had been trapped in the stairwell and were now responding to his presence.
[SPEAKER_00]: The excited moaning was quickly followed by the sound of footsteps racing toward the bottom of the stairwell from various floors above.
[SPEAKER_00]: Three creatures appeared on the stairs just above his position, having been lurking on the upper landing when he entered.
[SPEAKER_00]: The trio of ghouls led out synchronized mones of excitement as they spotted their fresh prey and began sprinting down the steps toward him.
[SPEAKER_00]: The surgeon fired from the hip squeezing off a single round as the first creature's feet hit the ground floor.
[SPEAKER_00]: The bullets struck it in the shoulder, spinning the zombie around from the impact, but the Google managed to keep its footing and continued running forward despite the injury.
[SPEAKER_00]: The four-flint could raise his rifle to shoulder level and aim properly, the other two zombies closed the distance and got within striking range.
[SPEAKER_00]: Knowing he was about to be overwhelmed, he made a desperate move to buy himself some time.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant threw his rifle toward the lead creature's feet, managing to trip it up and send it tumbling forward as he stepped to the side to avoid the falling body.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint dodged the falling creature as he readied his meat cleaver, gripping the handle tightly and swinging it hard toward the head of the next zombie charging down the stairs.
[SPEAKER_00]: The blade struck the creature horizontally across the face, cracking through the skull with a wet sound, and embedding itself deep in the brain tissue.
[SPEAKER_00]: The force of the blow was devastating, and the zombie dropped immediately.
[SPEAKER_00]: But as the creature fell to the ground, its dead weight ripped the cleaver from the sergeant's grasp, leaving him unarmed as the next creature got closer.
[SPEAKER_00]: Before he could reach down to retrieve the blade from the fallen zombie, the first ghoul with the bullet wound in its shoulder recovered from its stumble and lunged at him without stretched arms.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dark blood was streaming from the gunshot wound, but the injury didn't hinder it in any meaningful way.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lint managed to step back just far enough to avoid getting grabbed by the creature's grasping hands.
[SPEAKER_00]: He deflected the zombie's arms as it reached for him, smacking them to the side with enough force to throw the ghoul off balance and create an opening.
[SPEAKER_00]: Using the creature's momentum against it, Flint planted his feet firmly on the concrete floor and lunged forward, shoving the zombie toward the one on the ground that was struggling to get back up after being tripped by the rifle.
[SPEAKER_00]: The two bodies collided with a sickening thud, sending them both to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant quickly reached down and yanked the cleaver free from the skull of the dead zombie.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dark blood and brain matter clinging to the blade.
[SPEAKER_00]: He rushed over toward the two creatures that were still struggling to untangle themselves on the floor.
[SPEAKER_00]: He raised the weapon above his head and swung downward with as much force as he could generate, driving the blade through the back of the top zombie skull.
[SPEAKER_00]: The cleaver broke through bone and penetrated deep into the brain, ending the creature's movement instantly.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he yanked the blade free with a wet sucking sound, the sounds of moaning and footsteps continued to intensify from the floors above.
[SPEAKER_00]: Move, man, move, flint muttered to himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: He forced himself to retrieve his rifle from where it had fallen, checking it quickly for damage before bringing it to the ready position.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant rushed over to the stairs and began his assent, knowing that staying on the ground floor would mean certain death as more zombies poured down from above.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he climbed, a zombie came tumbling down the steps toward him, having lost its footing in its eagerness to reach him.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint fired a single shot, catching the falling creature in the head and sending it crashing hard onto the next landing.
[SPEAKER_00]: The gunshot echoed through the stairwell like thunder, but it was necessary to clear his path upward.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he set foot on the fifth floor landing, four zombies came around the corner on the next level up.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant opened fire with controlled bursts, hitting a couple of the zombies in the head and dropping them to the concrete floor.
[SPEAKER_00]: But the empty space was immediately filled by more zombies coming down from the upper floors, creating a seemingly endless stream of ghouls.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lint realized that he didn't have the firepower to fight his way all the way up to the eighth floor.
[SPEAKER_00]: His ammunition was running dangerously low, and the number of zombies in the stairwell seemed to be increasing, rather than decreasing, as he climbed.
[SPEAKER_00]: He had only seconds to make a decision before the approaching zombies overwhelmed his position.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dammit, Flint cursed under his breath.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant abandoned his position on the stairs, spinning around and throwing open the fifth-floor door.
[SPEAKER_00]: He darted through the opening into the hotel corridor beyond, immediately grabbing onto the emergency release bar to pull the door closed behind him.
[SPEAKER_00]: Much to his relief, the heavy door slammed into place with a solid thunk.
[SPEAKER_00]: The latch engaging securely with the frame and effectively trapping the zombies inside the stairwell.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint spun around immediately, raising his rifle and aiming down the hotel hallway, ready to engage in a zombie that dared to cross his path.
[SPEAKER_00]: The banging from inside the stairwell intensified as the trapped zombies vented their frustration on the door, but the noise did little to break his concentration.
[SPEAKER_00]: He stared for several tense moments down the brightly lit hallway, scanning for any signs of movement or moaning.
[SPEAKER_00]: After watching and listening carefully, he finally relaxed when he realized he was alone.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant looked at the signage on the wall beside the door, the giant number five standing out to him.
[SPEAKER_00]: He'll just over half way there, Flint said quietly to himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: could be worse.
[SPEAKER_00]: Before he could begin moving down the hall to search for another route upward, the door directly next to him suddenly opened.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint immediately raised his rifle and aimed at the opening, his finger moving to the trigger as he prepared for another zombie encounter.
[SPEAKER_00]: Instead of a creature, a middle-aged woman in a hotel bathrobe popped her head out of the room.
[SPEAKER_00]: She spotted the armed soldier in the hallway and let out a piercing screen before slamming the door shut with enough force to rattle the frame.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint stood there for a moment.
[SPEAKER_00]: His muscles tensed from the sudden encounter and the adrenaline spike that came with it.
[SPEAKER_00]: The woman's scream had been loud enough to wake the dead, if they hadn't already been awoken.
[SPEAKER_00]: After a few seconds he forced himself to relax and lower his weapon, a slight chuckle emerged, breaking the tension further.
[SPEAKER_00]: Now if I were a stairwell, where would I be hiding?
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint asked himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: He forced himself to keep moving, slinging the rifle over his shoulder and reddying his meat cleaver instead.
[SPEAKER_00]: By his rough count, he had a little more than a magazine's worth of ammunition remaining, and he hadn't even found Dr. Caldwell yet.
[SPEAKER_00]: Conserving ammo was becoming a critical priority.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint walked approximately fifty yards down the carpeted corridor, passing numerous hotel room doors before coming to an intersection.
[SPEAKER_00]: He looked down the hallway to the right and spotted a bright red exit sign, glowing at the far end, indicating the location of another emergency stairwell.
[SPEAKER_00]: He moved quickly toward the sign, his boots silent on the thick carpet, as he approached what he hoped would be his route to the upper floors.
[SPEAKER_00]: When he reached the door, he pressed his ear against the cold metal surface, trying to get an idea of what might be waiting on the other side.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sounds from within were muffled, but seemed relatively quiet compared to the other one he'd just escaped.
[SPEAKER_00]: Sounds about as good as it can be.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint whispered to himself, which means it's probably swarming with those people.
[SPEAKER_00]: He let out a horror laugh, knowing that with the way his knight had been going, he expected the worse to await him on the other side of the door.
[SPEAKER_00]: Despite his pessimistic expectations, he had no choice but to proceed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint gently pushed open the door, wencing when the hinges creaked loudly.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sound echoed throughout the emergency stairwell on the other side, causing him to mutter curses under his breath.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeants stepped through the door onto the concrete landing, immediately listening for any signs of trouble.
[SPEAKER_00]: He could hear some faint moaning coming from well below his current position, but the sounds seemed distant and non-threatening for the moment.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint began his assent toward the eighth floor, moving carefully but steadily up the concrete steps.
[SPEAKER_00]: The climb was exhausting after everything he'd been through, but he forced himself to maintain a steady pace, knowing that time wasn't on his side.
[SPEAKER_00]: He reached the eighth floor landing after what felt like an eternity of climbing.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint stopped beside the door, taking a moment to catch his breath and listen for sounds from the other side before making his entry.
[SPEAKER_00]: He could hear moaning and banging coming from somewhere down the hall beyond the door, but the sounds weren't close enough to suggest immediate danger.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint pulled the door open slowly, peering through the gap to assess the corridor beyond.
[SPEAKER_00]: He focused his attention on the closest door, the brass numbers showed eight thirty-seven, giving him a much needed reference point.
[SPEAKER_00]: Only twenty rooms away can't be that far.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint said quietly, get moving and get this done.
[SPEAKER_01]: Chapter two.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint marched down the hallway, gripping his cleaver tightly as the sound of moaning got progressively louder with each step.
[SPEAKER_00]: The noise was coming from somewhere ahead of his position, and he needed to deal with whatever was making it before he could safely approach room eight seventeen.
[SPEAKER_00]: He stopped, just shy of an adjacent hallway where the moaning seemed to be originating from.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant poked his head around the corner carefully, spotting one zombie standing in the perpendicular corridor.
[SPEAKER_00]: The creature was looking around aimlessly, turning its head from side to side, as if searching for something to chase, but unable to find anything.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint thought about his approach for a moment, before shrugging and tapping his cleaver blade lightly against the wall.
[SPEAKER_00]: The subtle metallic sound was loud enough to grab creature's attention, without being loud enough to alert zombies who may be nearby.
[SPEAKER_00]: In a flash, the creature broke into a sprint, racing toward the source of the noise in the other hallway.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint listened carefully to the approaching footsteps, timing his attack perfectly.
[SPEAKER_00]: He waited until the ghoul was about to reach the opening where he was positioned, then swung his cleaver hard at head level in a devastating arc.
[SPEAKER_00]: The blade caught the creature directly in the face as it rounded the corner.
[SPEAKER_00]: The force of the impact breaking through the bridge of its nose and cutting cleanly across the face just below the eyes.
[SPEAKER_00]: The top part of the zombie's body stopped on a dime from the impact, but its legs continued moving forward for another step due to momentum.
[SPEAKER_00]: This caused the creature to flopped down onto its back with a wet thud.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dark blood pooling around its shattered skull.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flynn yanked his weapon free from the corpse like it was part of his daily routine, wiping some of the blood off on the zombies clothing.
[SPEAKER_00]: He continued walking down the hallway, stepping over the fallen zombie and moving purposefully toward his objective.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint eventually stopped at room eight seventeen.
[SPEAKER_00]: The brass numbers clearly visible beside the door frame.
[SPEAKER_00]: Before knocking, Flint muttered to himself, trying to maintain his confidence despite the fact that nothing had gone according to plan.
[SPEAKER_00]: She's going to be in here.
[SPEAKER_00]: You're going to call it in and you'll be airborne in ten.
[SPEAKER_00]: He said quietly.
[SPEAKER_00]: He didn't really believe the words he was saying, but he was attempting to force himself to maintain optimism.
[SPEAKER_00]: with a semi-confident nod he raised his hand and knocked on the door.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dr. Caldwell are you there, Flint called out.
[SPEAKER_00]: Several tense moments passed in silence, and Flint began to fear that the room was empty, or that something terrible had happened to its occupant.
[SPEAKER_00]: But then he heard movement from inside, followed by the sound of someone approaching the door.
[SPEAKER_00]: A moment later, the dead bolt unlocked with a metallic click.
[SPEAKER_00]: The door pulled open several inches before getting caught on the security latch, creating a narrow gap through which he could see inside.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint could make out a middle-aged woman standing in the opening.
[SPEAKER_00]: She had dark hair that rested on her shoulders and her eyes were red and puffy from crying.
[SPEAKER_00]: But as he looked more closely at her appearance, his heart sank.
[SPEAKER_00]: He spotted her left arm which was holding onto the door and saw that it was wrapped up in a bloody towel.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh no, Dr. Coldwell, Flint said, immediately understanding the implications of what he was seeing.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not Anne, the woman replied firmly.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm her friend Lisa, and just who in the hell are you?
[SPEAKER_00]: Man, my name is Sergeant Flint and I've been sent to retrieve Dr. Coldwell.
[SPEAKER_00]: He explained.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa stared at the sergeant for several long moments, looking him up and down as if trying to determine whether he was trustworthy.
[SPEAKER_00]: Finally, she gave him a slow nod of acceptance.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, you better come in then, Lisa said.
[SPEAKER_00]: She shut the door so that she could pull back the safety latch, and opened it wide to allow him entry.
[SPEAKER_00]: Sergeant Flint walked past her into the hotel room while she secured the door behind them, engaging both the deadbolt and the security latch.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint walked into the main part of the room, scanning the space for any sign of Dr. Caldwell.
[SPEAKER_00]: The room appeared to be a standard hotel suite with a king-sized bed, desk area, and seating arrangement, but it was completely empty except for Lisa.
[SPEAKER_00]: Where is Dr. Caldwell?
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint asked directly.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa did an answer immediately.
[SPEAKER_00]: Instead, she walked over to the desk underneath the television, which she had converted into a makeshift bar.
[SPEAKER_00]: She grabbed two glasses from the collection, adding ice to both before reaching for a bottle of bourbon.
[SPEAKER_00]: The support generous amounts into each glass, the amber liquid catching the light from the room's lamps.
[SPEAKER_00]: She picked up one of the glasses and handed it over to Flint, who took it more out of instinct than any real desire to drink.
[SPEAKER_00]: I figured you going to need that for what I'm about to tell you, Lisa said, ominously, might as well have a seat there too.
[SPEAKER_00]: Blint's mind went blank as he processed her words, realizing that his mission might be a complete failure.
[SPEAKER_00]: If Dr. Caldwell wasn't here and something had happened to her, there would be no rescue helicopter coming for him.
[SPEAKER_00]: He sat down on the edge of the bed, taking a sip of the bourbon as Lisa prepared to explain the situation.
[SPEAKER_00]: The alcohol burns slightly as it went down, but it did help calm his nerve somewhat.
[SPEAKER_00]: We're out here celebrating our friend Betty's upcoming wedding.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa began settling onto the top of the desk with her own drink, which means hitting the tables early before finding the best bar in the place and closing it down, or at least drinking until we're asked to leave.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa downed most of her bourbon in one gulp before grabbing the bottle and topping herself off.
[SPEAKER_00]: The action prompted Flint to take another sip of his own drink as she continued her story,
[SPEAKER_00]: While we were at the bar, I caught the attention of a young suitor she continued.
[SPEAKER_00]: Normally I would have ignored it because I was there for my friend, but I'm six months out from a divorce so they encouraged me.
[SPEAKER_00]: Next thing I know, we're headed up to the room to have ourselves a good time, which is when it happened.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa looked down at her wounded arm, staring at the makeshift bandage that was still dripping blood onto the carpet.
[SPEAKER_00]: She let out a heavy sigh before taking another drink, clearly using the alcohol to cope with her situation.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm guessing your new friend didn't make it.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint asked gently.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa shook her head sadly as she downed the last of her drink.
[SPEAKER_00]: He didn't.
[SPEAKER_00]: She confirmed.
[SPEAKER_00]: One of those people ripped out his throat.
[SPEAKER_00]: We managed to get into the elevator and the doors shut.
[SPEAKER_00]: By the time we got to my floor, he woke up and gave me this.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa held up her wounded arm, showing off the blood-soaked towel wrapped around what was clearly a bite wound.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm not smart like Anne is, but even I know that getting bitten by one of those people isn't great for my health, Lisa said.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint knew she was absolutely right about the consequences of a zombie bite, even if he didn't have the heart to confirm her suspicions directly.
[SPEAKER_00]: However, she could see the expression on his face, which told her everything she needed to know about her prognosis.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
[SPEAKER_00]: That's what I thought.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa said matter of factly.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sorry, I really am.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint said sincerely.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa let out a casual shrug before grabbing the bottle and pouring herself another generous glass of bourbon.
[SPEAKER_00]: It is what it is she replied with forced cheerfulness.
[SPEAKER_00]: At least and sprung for the good stuff?
[SPEAKER_00]: She held the glass high, shaking it to get the ice to cling against the edges in a mock toast before having another drink.
[SPEAKER_00]: Despite her dire circumstances, she was maintaining her sense of humor.
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm happy knowing that my ex husband is out there somewhere shitting himself, Lisa added with a bitter laugh.
[SPEAKER_00]: The comment made her chuckle at the thought of her former spouse dealing with the zombie apocalypse.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flynn let her have the moment of levity before bringing the conversation back to his mission.
[SPEAKER_00]: So, about Dr. Caldwell, Flynn to begin, trailing off because he didn't want to bring up what might be a painful subject for Lisa.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa gave him a solemn nod, understanding what he needed to know.
[SPEAKER_00]: I honestly don't know if they're all right, she admitted.
[SPEAKER_00]: There weren't all that many people at the bar, and it had a set of double doors at the front so they may have gotten them shut in time.
[SPEAKER_00]: Where's the bar?
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint asked.
[SPEAKER_00]: It's on the fourth floor, called the Riverview patio bar, because, well, it's a bar on a patio that overlooks the river.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa explained with the careful pronunciation of someone who was clearly intoxicated.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint let out a small chuckle, noting that Lisa was definitely feeling the effects of her drinking session.
[SPEAKER_00]: Fourth floor patio bar, Flint repeated.
[SPEAKER_00]: I think I can find that.
[SPEAKER_00]: You don't want to stay here and have another drink with a dying woman, Lisa asked, batting her eyes at the younger sergeant in an exaggerated flirtatious manner.
[SPEAKER_00]: Despite the grim circumstances, her playful attitude caused him to crack a smile.
[SPEAKER_00]: In another life, Lisa, we could have had some fun.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint replied diplomatically.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa smiled and nodded before pointing her glass at the sergeant with mock seriousness.
[SPEAKER_00]: You damn well better believe that I'm going to hold you to that," she said.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint led out another chuckle as he got up from the bed, knowing he needed to keep moving.
[SPEAKER_00]: He reached out his glass, clinking it against Lisa's in a toast, giving her a long, comforting look before downing the remaining bourbon.
[SPEAKER_00]: I do have to be going, though, Flynn said.
[SPEAKER_00]: The whole fate of the world, depending on me.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa laughed and nodded knowingly, patting the younger man on the arm with affection.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, as long as it's for the fate of the world, she replied, and whoever told you that is right, just so you know.
[SPEAKER_00]: Dr. Caldwell is worth the risk then, Flint asked.
[SPEAKER_00]: She was my best friend for twenty years, Lisa said seriously, and she's an even better scientist, so get her someplace safe.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa gave the sergeant a drunken but heartfelt salute, prompting Flint to return the gesture just to make her feel better.
[SPEAKER_00]: He made his way over to the door, pausing to look back at Lisa one more time before preparing to leave.
[SPEAKER_00]: She was putting on a brave face, but he could see the fear behind her eyes.
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll have a few for you, Sergeant.
[SPEAKER_00]: Lisa said, holding up another drink and trying her best to stay in high spirits.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint nodded respectfully before gently shutting the door behind him.
[SPEAKER_00]: He didn't want to think about the nightmare that Lisa was going to have to endure in the next few hours.
[SPEAKER_01]: chapter three.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint walked down the hallway back toward the stairwell, mentally preparing himself for the descent to the fourth floor.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he walked, he checked the magazine on his rifle, pulling it out slightly to gauge how much ammunition remained.
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, you got maybe forty shots total before you're out.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint muttered to himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint shook his head, contemplating whether he should consolidate his ammunition by topping off the loaded magazine from the half empty one in his vest.
[SPEAKER_00]: Ultimately, he decided against it.
[SPEAKER_00]: You got to get moving, he told himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant slung the rifle over his shoulder and looked down at the bloody meat cleaver in his hand.
[SPEAKER_00]: He gave it a few half swings to test his grip and range of motion, then let out a horror laugh at the absurdity of his situation.
[SPEAKER_00]: Everybody in the building wants me dead and I'm fighting them off with a meat cleaver, Flint said to himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: I can't believe the military left this out of the recruitment pamphlet.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint forced himself to get moving, placing his hand on the stairwell door and pushing through it cautiously.
[SPEAKER_00]: He could hear some movement coming from the floors above him, but the sounds were distant.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant worked his way down the concrete steps, moving as silently as possible on his way to the fourth floor landing.
[SPEAKER_00]: When he reached the fourth floor, Flint pulled the door open slightly to assess the hallway beyond.
[SPEAKER_00]: Through the narrow gap, he spotted two creatures lingering in the corridor about five yards away from the stairwell entrance.
[SPEAKER_00]: The zombies were wandering aimlessly, but they were positioned close enough to the door that any attempt to enter the hallway would immediately attract their attention.
[SPEAKER_00]: Rather than rush in for a direct attack, Flint opted for a more strategic approach.
[SPEAKER_00]: He pulled the door open about halfway, positioning it at an angle that pointed toward the stairs.
[SPEAKER_00]: After planting his foot firmly behind the door for stability, he let out a slight whistle that was just loud enough to get the creature's attention.
[SPEAKER_00]: In a flash, both zombies let out excited moans and began racing toward the source of the sound.
[SPEAKER_00]: They had locked onto his partially visible position around the door, and were pumping their legs hard, picking up significant speed as they approached the stairwell opening.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint waited until the perfect moment, then put his full weight behind the door and shoved it forward, right as the ghouls reached the threshold.
[SPEAKER_00]: The first zombie hit the door at full speed and bounced off of it, but its momentum carried it over the edge of the landing.
[SPEAKER_00]: The creature went tumbling down the concrete stairs.
[SPEAKER_00]: Its body bouncing and crashing against the steps as it fell.
[SPEAKER_00]: The second creature also bounced off the door, but without the added force that Flint had applied to the first one.
[SPEAKER_00]: This school managed to plant its feet at the edge of the landing and spun around to face the sergeant still very much a threat.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint didn't hesitate, darting forward and delivering a forceful kick to the zombies chest.
[SPEAKER_00]: The impact sent it flailing backward onto the stairs, where it joined its companion in an uncontrolled tumble down the concrete steps.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant didn't wait for the second ghoul to finish falling before rushing into the fourth floor hallway.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sound of bones cracking and bodies hitting concrete filled the air behind him as he pulled the door shut, sealing the stairwell.
[SPEAKER_00]: The hallway stretched out in front of him, and he was relieved to see that it appeared to be empty.
[SPEAKER_00]: However, he could hear moaning and movement coming from around a corner further down the corridor, loud enough to make him wonder if he was about to encounter another overwhelming hoard.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint walked cautiously toward the first intersecting hallway, keeping his cleaver ready and staying alert.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he approached the corner, the moaning sounds grew louder and more numerous.
[SPEAKER_00]: He carefully looked around the corner and spotted a small army of zombies at the far end of the perpendicular hallway.
[SPEAKER_00]: From his current vantage point, it was difficult to see exactly what was holding their attention, but every single creature had its back turn toward him.
[SPEAKER_00]: A sergeant moved across the opening as quickly and quietly as possible, pausing briefly on the other side to make sure he hadn't been spotted.
[SPEAKER_00]: When he didn't hear any sounds of pursuit or excited moaning directed at him, he continued moving down the main corridor.
[SPEAKER_00]: It took a solid minute of careful walking before he could see the end of the hallway ahead of him.
[SPEAKER_00]: He could still hear some moaning from various directions, but nothing like the concentrated sound he'd encountered at the first intersection.
[SPEAKER_00]: Come on, where in the hell is the bar?
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint whispered to himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: He stopped just short of the end of the hallway, which intersected with another corridor that stretched in both directions.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint looked across to the other side of the intersection, spotting several restaurants and retail shops.
[SPEAKER_00]: Most of them appeared to be closed for the night.
[SPEAKER_00]: Their gates pulled down and lights turned off.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he continued scanning the area for any indication of the bar's location, he spotted a decorative directional sign mounted in the middle of the floor.
[SPEAKER_00]: It was styled like something that would be right at home in an old western town, with wooden arrows pointing toward different destinations.
[SPEAKER_00]: He studied the sign for a moment until he found what he was looking for.
[SPEAKER_00]: His heart sank as he read, river view patio bar, and saw the arrow pointing down the main hall in the direction he'd come from toward the horde of zombies he'd just passed.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that figures.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint said under his breath.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint stuck his head out from around the corner of the hallway, carefully looking in both directions.
[SPEAKER_00]: To the left, he could see a handful of zombies roaming around the storefronts.
[SPEAKER_00]: To the right, the hallway stretched on for about thirty yards before cutting back toward the right.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant turned his attention back to the undead thread to his left, counting four creatures.
[SPEAKER_00]: He thought about trying to sneak away from them, but knew if he had to open fire on the mob, he would be fighting a two-front battle.
[SPEAKER_00]: The ghouls were spread out fairly well, with none of them positioned within five yards of each other.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint shook his head as a battle plan began forming in his mind.
[SPEAKER_00]: You're a moron if you think this is going to work he muttered to himself.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint let out a sigh, knowing that a direct assault might be his only chance.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he looked back to the creatures he spotted a bench sitting in the middle of the hall.
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, some cover is better than nothing he muttered.
[SPEAKER_00]: Time wasn't on his side, and overthinking the situation would only make things worse.
[SPEAKER_00]: Without allowing himself a second thought, Flint casually walked across the open area toward the bench.
[SPEAKER_00]: Before he could reach his defensive position, one of the ghouls spotted him and immediately broke into a sprint.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint didn't break stride or show any signs of panic, continuing to walk casually toward the bench.
[SPEAKER_00]: As the creature got within striking distance, the sergeants swung his cleaver hard, catching the ghoul in the side of the head.
[SPEAKER_00]: The impact was devastating, knocking the zombie clean off its feet with a killing blow that sent it crashing to the floor in a lifeless heap.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sound of the impact and the body hitting the ground alerted the other zombies to his presence.
[SPEAKER_00]: A split second later, the remaining trio of creatures began rushing toward him with excited moans,
[SPEAKER_00]: Flynn positioned himself just behind the bench, taking a step back to give himself some breathing room.
[SPEAKER_00]: In case one of the zombies hit the obstacle with enough force to topple over it.
[SPEAKER_00]: One by one the ghouls arrived at his position.
[SPEAKER_00]: Their legs hit the edge of the bench, causing their torso's to bend forward over the bench.
[SPEAKER_00]: This positioning gave the sergeant easy access to the backs of their heads, allowing him to dispatch them with forceful cleaver strikes.
[SPEAKER_00]: As quickly as the assault had begun, it was over.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant stared at the pile of corpses draped over the back of the bench, allowing himself a moment of satisfaction at how well it had gone.
[SPEAKER_00]: If I didn't know better, I'd say I'm getting the hang of this whole apocalypse thing.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint said with a smirk.
[SPEAKER_00]: His moment of satisfaction was short-lived as the moaning from the far end of the hallway echoed throughout the empty space.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint unslung his rifle, getting it into position while keeping the cleaver ready in his offhand.
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, let's go see just how bad this is, he said grimly.
[SPEAKER_00]: He moved over to the wall where the closed stores were located, wanting to have some semblance of cover as he worked his way down the hallway toward the bar.
[SPEAKER_00]: With each step he took, the chorus of moans grew progressively louder, filling him with a growing sense of dread about what he was about to encounter.
[SPEAKER_00]: As he approached the edge of the hallway, another sound began to fill the air, something he couldn't quite place initially.
[SPEAKER_00]: He stopped at the corner of the last store on the wall, poking his head out to look towards the restaurant.
[SPEAKER_00]: Group of thirty zombies were pressed up against the front entrance of the Riverview patio bar, all of them desperate to get inside.
[SPEAKER_00]: He studied the scene for a moment, his mind racing as to how he was going to be able to get inside.
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe I could go up to the fifth floor and repel down to the patio.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint wondered aloud.
[SPEAKER_00]: Flint gave the absurd thought some serious contemplation as he kept an eye on the hoard, but his attention was broken as the loud, mysterious sound filled the air again.
[SPEAKER_00]: This time, the source of the noise became clear.
[SPEAKER_00]: The sergeant looked toward the front of the bar and watched in horror as the sound revealed itself to be the doors beginning to snap away from their frame under the sustained pressure from the zombie mob.
[SPEAKER_00]: His eyes widened as he witnessed one of the doors break completely free from its hinges crashing down onto the ground with a tremendous noise.
[SPEAKER_00]: The barrier that had been protecting whoever was inside the bar had just been breached, and the horrid of ghouls began pouring through.
[SPEAKER_00]: Mother of God
[SPEAKER_00]: Will Sergeant Flint be able to save Dr. Caldwell from the Horde of Zombies breaking through the bar doors?
[SPEAKER_00]: Be sure to tune into the next exciting episode of The Soldier, day zero, to find out.