Chapter 73: The Horde (Last)

"We also want to help!" It was my people, the civilians who lived in our base. They had come to the front line, armed with whatever they could find. Old and young, men and women, they all wanted to join the fight. I smiled, feeling a surge of hope. "Good! Help those machines to load!" I shouted, pointing at the medieval machines that were firing at the horde.

They nodded and ran to the machines, helping the soldiers to reload and repair them. They worked quickly and efficiently, boosting our firepower.

Then, I heard another shout, this time from the other side of the base. It was Rex and Roger, the my right and left hand man I had sent to either destroy or make them surrender on the enemy base. They had returned with two groups of survivors it looks like the group surrendered. They had also brought some vehicles and weapons they had scavenged from the enemy base. Roger spoke to me through the walkie-talkie. "We'll cover the back, focus on the front!" He said.

I felt a wave of relief. They had made it back, and they had brought reinforcements. "Roger that, good job!" I said, thanking them.

With hope, I smiled. "Let's kill these fckers!" I shouted, raising my rifle. My troops echoed my shout, raising their morale. We had killed the evolved ones, the ones that had led the horde. Now, only the thousands of regular zombies were left. And we were ready for them.

I felt a surge of hope as I saw the civilians and the reinforcements join the battle. They had come to help us, to fight for our survival. They had brought new energy and resources to our defense. Together, we were stronger than ever.

The medieval machines, which we had built from scrap metal and spare parts, were our secret weapon. They fired rocks, arrows, bolts, and bombs at the zombies, hitting them with a wide range of attacks. They made a lot of noise, clanking and whirring, adding to the chaos of the battle.

The zombies were relentless, but we were more. We had killed the evolved ones, the ones that had led the horde. They were fast, strong, and smart, but they were no match for our firepower and determination. Now, only the thousands of slow zombies were left. They were easy targets, but they were still dangerous in numbers.

"Open the gates! Don't waste bullets on them! Get the medieval machines outside for range! Kill those fckers before they can get close!" I ordered, making a bold move. I knew it was risky, but it was also our best chance to end this.

The soldiers opened the heavy metal gates, and the civilians and soldiers pushed the medieval machines outside. The air was tense with anticipation as the machines launched their projectiles, decimating the approaching horde.

The zombies moaned and shuffled, trying to reach us. But we were faster and smarter. We fired at them from the walls, from the vehicles, from the machines. We used everything we had, and we didn't stop.

The thuds and booms of the machines echoed, signaling our desperate battle for survival. The zombies fell one by one, but they kept coming. It was a race against time, as we tried to thin their ranks before they overwhelmed us.

We did it. We survived the horde. After hours of fighting, we finally managed to kill the last zombie. We cheered and hugged each other, celebrating our victory. Under the moonlit sky, we gathered within the fortress, feeling a mix of exhaustion and relief. The sounds of our laughter and applause mingled with the distant moans of the few zombies that still lurked outside. We lit bonfires to warm ourselves and to light up the night. We looked at each other's faces, smiling and grateful. We had stood together against the undead tide, and we had prevailed.

But we also knew that we couldn't let our guard down. The night was still dark and dangerous, and we didn't know what else was out there. We kept our eyes and ears open, ready for any surprise attacks. We assigned some of us to keep watch, while the rest of us rested and recovered. We knew that we had to be prepared for the next day, and the next challenge.

As the stars emerged, we felt a new sense of hope. We had survived the worst, and we had proven our strength. We had also found new friends and allies, who had helped us in our time of need. We felt a bond with them, a bond that was forged by blood and fire. We felt that we were not alone, that we were part of something bigger. We felt that we had a future.

The night passed slowly, as we shared our stories and gratitude around the bonfires. We had survived the horde, thanks to our teamwork and courage. We had also made new friends and allies, who had joined us from other bases. They had brought new skills and resources, which we needed to rebuild and fortify our base. We talked and laughed, feeling a bond that was forged by blood and fire.

But we also stayed alert, knowing that the zombies were still out there, waiting for a chance to attack. We had some soldiers on watch, scanning the perimeter with their guns and binoculars. They were silhouetted against the dark sky, showing their commitment and vigilance. We knew that we couldn't afford to be complacent, not in this world. We took turns resting, knowing that we needed to be physically and mentally ready for the next day.

It was my turn to watch over the walls in the middle of the night. I took out my binoculars and scanned the surroundings. It was quiet and eerie, I felt a chill in the air, and I tightened my grip on my rifle.

"Shouldn't you be resting more?" I heard a voice behind me. I turned and saw Lily,

"Lily? What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised. She should be sleeping, like the rest of the soldiers and civilians. She had fought hard today, and she deserved some rest.

"I couldn't sleep, knowing that the horde might still be out there," she said, looking at the dark horizon. "I mean, I think everybody feels the same," she added, pointing at the base, where I could see some lights and hear some voices. "I guess we're all scared, huh?"

I nodded, understanding. We had survived the horde, but we didn't know if they would come back. We didn't know what else was out there, in this world that had gone mad. "Yeah, I think it's normal for us humans to be afraid," I said, trying to sound reassuring.

She giggled, breaking the tension. "Yeah, I guess so," she said, smiling. She had a beautiful smile, that lit up her face. I felt a warmth in my chest, and I smiled back. "You're smart, right? What do you think should be our next move?" I asked her, curious about her opinion.

She thought for a moment, then said, "Sending scouts is crucial. We need to know where the horde is, and if there are any other survivors or enemies. Also, we should take this as a chance to loot the other bases that got destroyed by the horde. They might have some useful supplies or weapons that we can use."

She said it coldly, as if it was a logical thing to do. I knew she had seen a lot of horrors, and she had learned to be pragmatic. But I also sensed a hint of sadness in her voice, as if she was mourning the loss of those bases. "You're quite cruel, huh?" I teased her, trying to lighten the mood.

She looked at me, and said, "You're the one to talk."

She was right. I had done all those things, and more. I had to be cruel, to survive. I had to be ruthless, to protect my people. I had to be a leader, to give them hope. But I also felt a burden, a guilt, a doubt. I wondered if I was doing the right thing, if I was making the right choices. I wondered if I was still human, or if I had become a monster. "My bad," I said, with a sheepish grin. "I'll do as you said. I'll send scouts all over the place, and I'll take everything that the destroyed bases have."

She smiled, and said, "You were going to do that anyway, weren't you? Why did you even ask for my opinion?"

I shrugged, and said, "Well, I wanted to know what you think. You and your sister have become like family to me, you know. It almost feels like I'm your father or something." I said it with a nervous laugh, hoping she wouldn't take it the wrong way.

She looked at me with sincere eyes, and said, "That's good to know. I'm glad you feel that way. You've been very kind and generous to us, and we appreciate it. You're like a father to us, too."

I felt a warmth in my chest, and I smiled. I was glad she felt that way. I was glad I had found them, and they had found me. We had become a family, in this world that had taken everything from us. We had found each other, and we had found hope.

Then, I heard Nana calling for Lily. "Lily!" She shouted, from the base. She was probably looking for her sister, worried about her.

Lily turned to me, and said, "I'll be going then. Take care." She gave me a hug, and ran to her sister.

"Good night," I said, watching her go. I hoped we would all survive this night, and the next day, and the next challenge.

I turned back to the walls, and resumed my watch. I looked at the horizon, and saw the first signs of dawn. A new day was coming. A new beginning. A new hope.

As the dawn approached, we felt a quiet determination. We had faced the worst, and we had overcome it. We had proven our strength and resilience, and we had found hope. The sunrise painted the horizon with beautiful colors, showing us a new day. A new beginning. A new challenge.

We faced the uncertain future together, armed not only with weapons, but also with the will to survive. We had survived the night, and we were ready for the day. As the first rays of sunlight broke through, we got up and prepared to face whatever awaited us, united by our victory and our promise.