A Treacherous Tactic (Part 3 - Zombie Apocalypse)

A Treacherous Tactic by PJ Tenten Lee

Stupidity is like a virus that spreads, that is,

Another deadly plague that threads.

Victory is not the most achieved goal,

Ending this pandemic is the best poll.

Lavish, conspicuous, and evil,

Even those with power victimized people.

Against their belief of survival,

Varying with their principle of collateral.

Ego and pride, those are the masked guys.

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Today marks the 22nd day of the outbreak and we are still plotting our escape plan. There are also missions to be done at the heights and depths of the danger we know our number one foe. The three of us took turns in taking a shower, changing clothes, and guarding the area. We learned to be both independent and cooperative in order to survive and fulfill the agenda we transcribed.

John has been quiet for a while and it caught my attention. “Hey, are you alright? What’s bothering you?”

“I am thinking of going out there to check my classmates’ houses to find out if they are still alive, but I know that you won’t let me,” he said.

“You’re probably right. I won’t let you… go alone,” I responded. “You’ve grown to be courageous and there’s no reason for me to be afraid at a time like this. I know how it feels being alone before I found you. So, if you wish to do a little side mission, I will go with you, before we hit the open road.”

As John smiled pleasantly, Kuya Isko heard us and joined the conversation. “You’re not going anywhere without me, I guess. Come on, let me join you.”

“Are you sure?” asked John.

“It’s more than a yes. We can search for a lot of houses if we all go and to ensure our safety. We should be together,” insisted Kuya Isko.

Bringing some of our saved bullets is enough to protect our asses. I don’t know how to fire a gun yet, so I am more confident in a melee weapon. With us are double pistols, a shotgun, three knives, and a baseball bat. When we left our safe house, we did not totally lock it so that we could be able to enter smoothly. I had a feeling that someone needs a rescue. Maybe John was right, hope is still amongst us. He led the way, I was in the middle, Kuya Isko was right behind us, scrutinizing the surroundings for possible attacks. The town was very silent like a ghost-built cavern. The era of the doom’s days mounted a looming aura that troubled my heart remembering what I told them, my comrades, that there could be some biters who could move fast. We need to be alert.

Our footsteps were not bragging feet in demise. We cautiously entered every house John knows. The sun triggered the hot rays and we embraced the heat, tickling our skins to induce salty sweat. I swallowed the saliva stuck in my mouth as we continued to walk further. Forty minutes passed and we succeeded in meeting someone – not a human – but two biters in the down street near the wet market and the church. “Don’t shoot,” I said, “let me handle this.” I approached the biters as I gripped the baseball bat heavily. It was obvious that the zombies were too slothful to move. When their eyes met mine, their expression turned famished to taste me and my flesh, their thick bile covered their lips and their rusty teeth. They scowled and growled and gritted, but I grabbed my knives and cut their knees. They knelt and I smashed their sturdy heads.

“That’s the kill of the day,” Isko joked around. And so, we searched for three more hours, killing biters after biters. I wondered why there weren’t so many zombies around. I wondered why there were no other survivors staying in any house.

“I am asking myself the same questions. Do you think maybe they have gone away safely? Because I haven’t seen any of my classmates at this moment who turned,” explained John.

Well, he had a point. It was either an early rescue operation or they just flew off with their families. We were able to check everything in the town, but we failed to find an alive soul. Kuya Isko told us to get supplies before we go back to the safe house. Pharmacies, grocery stores, convenience stores, we even tried something fun in the pizza and coffee house. We felt safer for the moment, and when we headed back, I instantly turned on the radio to listen if there were news updates. I checked my fully charged phone as I struggled to connect with a stable internet connection. The telecommunications companies may have been downed and crashed, but there are other ways to get online.

“I am getting flustered on this,” I smirked right to my phone.

“Don’t pressure yourself. What if you change sim cards? I got some when we were in the store earlier,” said Kuya Isko.

“Really? Let me try it.”

New sim cards may help me access even an inch of the data connection. Once I get online, I will surely jot down all the codes and information from PESTRON. I hope I.F. Conner uploaded more data that we can utilize. I must admit, the CIA became more helpful and even if the agency restricted access, there were agents who couldn’t help but divulge such Intel in different codes. The codes are difficult to read and analyze, but it’s better than nothing. After five minutes of buffering, the site popped up. I entered my username and password: @hawthorns&roses1994/ to••••••aze. Then, I scrolled down for more, but there were only a few articles. A notification glazed my eyes. What was this? I clicked on it and it led me to top-secret information which states:

Warning: Treacherous Mass Killing

By: I.F. Conner

I trust you with this information @hawthorns&roses1994. You are the only one from the Philippines I have tracked down alive among the agents. I know that you can find the other code in the archives saved by @lunaticthunder201. He is not a mole, but he unlocked something crucial. Unfortunately, he is dead. But I located his address based on his computer’s IP code and it says that he lives in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Cypress Towers Condominium, Building Alpha, 7th floor, Room 704. His computer might still be there, and once you have arrived, please do contact me. One more thing, here is a data that may interest you. …. …. … …. ….. … … …. …. Please stay alive! I hope you can make it.

I felt a sudden heap of the moment knowing that this whole damn thing was partly intentional – people turning to zombies is all a game. But who would think of this as a joke?

“Did you find anything?” Kuya Isko inquired.

“I can’t believe it. I just can’t. I.F. Conner was able to decipher some codes. She found out about bombing incidents before this shitty Zombie Apocalypse began. There’s an alleged mass bombing of positive cases in quarantine areas like hospitals and communities. They thought they could stop the virus or lessen the population, but they were wrong. The gaseous smoke only increased the level of infection,” I calmly explained.

“In what way the smoke intensified the infection?” John asked.

“The data tells that the bombs are not just bombs. These are contaminated with the plasma of the patients who severely died because of the virus. Moreover, the bombs contain such chemicals that we have to know in order for us to deliver the information to Conner. She’s in a safe place waiting for it. It is important that we find it out to help her devise a cure and to stop this wreaking havoc. She told me the place where we could find the Intel, but we’ll be needing more gas and supplies. We’re heading to Manila.”

They did not disagree. At that juncture, we set off and stopped by the gasoline station. We grabbed whatever we need and Kuya Isko drove the van, and the long journey began. He was careful, not fast, and our eyes were furtive and observant, still hoping that there could be survivors that we know. Our lives should be meaningful. Many people died in vain without even having the chance to struggle for their lives. This world is now in chaos, but we should try to stop it. We are entering the void, the sole foyer of the enemies who dared to launch their treacherous tactics. Yet, as we have our chances, we know that the time sets its count, limiting our paces of actions. Being fast is not the best way, it’s about patience and appropriate strategies. The three of us have not come this far to die now. Conner needs me, us.

Along the road, John requested to stop because he noticed a bicycle he’s familiar with. We all went out, searching for the environment, no biters so far. John became so serious with his face as if he was telling me that someone needed us. We followed him, darting through the bushes that led us to trails of footprints. Someone must have been running a moment ago, then, we heard a scream from a guy coming from the open fields. The fences were strangled, a clue that someone was trying to get away from a biter. John sprinted and we did, too, holding our weapons. On the way, I tripped myself and a biter came near me. I let go of my melee weapon as the zombie intended to viciously bite me. My hands warded off the ugly dangling monster, but it was so strong it almost got me. Kuya Isko shot it in the head, but the sound signaled more zombies in the way. “Come on, let’s run!” he shouted.

We quickly tracked John’s trail and we saw him superbly marring the heads of three biters, more were coming. We helped him and I was awestricken seeing the injured guy lying on the ground. John stabbed the head of the other one and lent a hand to the guy who happened to be another of my students. However, there was no time in drama and reunion for we had to get out because a fast biter was on our way. With his shotgun, Kuya Isko assented a direct hit on the head of the quick zombie. We ran as hastily as we could to the van. As we hit the road again, I felt my tears falling because of intense worry. Lucky. I clutch the first aid kit without saying a word, just crying a little. Our emotions were again concocted. John saved Louis Clyde. He is alive, just injured by the barbed wires of the fence. As he spoke, he was crying, too. He said that he didn’t know where his family is. He camped with his friends the night before the apocalypse. His companions did not make it. When he entered his house, no one was there. Lucky that we found him. I just looked at his face, sullen eyes, sad expression, tears like of the lit candle. I tapped his hand after I treated his leg.

“You’re safe now, everything will be alright.” And when we finally found a little hope, my empty heart was filled with joy I cannot define. (To be continued)