Henry Andress; lost beneath time (1)

---------------Henry Andress Perspective-----------

----A month before----

As early as 8 years old, I was deeply enchanted from the unique style and power of the generated fire arms and weaponry. From the selective weapon fire sub-machine gun, P90; to its famous Ak-47. Entranced from these machinery, I decided to indulge myself from playing first person shooter games and the like during my youth.

"Papa, I want to be a soldier!" voicing out my deepest desires towards my parents. I wanted to protect the people, not from engaging wars but to silence the troublemakers, specifically the terrorists.

After obtaining the dream job that I had wished for, I was the youngest to be promoted as a lieutenant colonel at the age of 23. My luck had never ran out as I continuously spurred into action, succeeding every mission given in hand. I was known as the 'royal guard' of the modern generation, the protector of peace. My skill weren't clearly lacking and my experience proved its merry way.

I was tasked to move out from United States of America towards the coast island of the Philippines. The country requested our military presence and we, as a part of the United Nation, held attainable under variable requests; but of course, to train troops of their own, earning as some cash. The location was remarkable. Lots of beaches, farmlands, even the so called 'Jeepney's transporting random people elsewhere from a desired kilometer for a few set of change greeted our view. "Maybe this time I could finally settle out and meet someone, a partner may be?" lost in thought as I browse my way from a nearby store.

I notice the clear sky and the dazzling sun showering me with its grace. The lustful breeze felt from my short towards my skin. It felt like I was on vacation, and apparently we were given 2 days of preparation. A time for rest will always be part of my practical missions. But suddenly, a group of aircrafts came roving around, heading south on the heart of the city. I paid it no mind and speculated that it was a neighboring plane; and thus, I headed back to my hotel.

The room was incredibly nice. The décor and plant ornaments are lavishly placed in a graceful manner. Even the delicacies prepared by the skillful chef was outstanding enough to make my mouth water in awe. I checked my watch for the time being.

1200H

It was precisely midnight and I had yet to realise it sooner. My assigned room are composed with a king sized bed and a huge window that lets me perceive the city lights from my apex perspective. With the outstanding beauty on the royal realms of the hotel, I snuck my way towards the cozy bed and prepared my body from the ever warming slumber.

I was awaken with the large thuds galloping right outside the entrance door. As a soldier, I needed to check the security of the people lodging in the hotel. I got off my sack and headed out towards the said noise. As soon as I opened the door, the hallway, which should've been silenced from the dawn of midnight, had welcomed the overwhelming crowd somehow sprinting for their lives; away from someone or something. Fortunately, the hallway was big enough to cater dozens of people. The risk of tumbling during the stampede might pose a threat for minor injuries, if not, emotional distress for handful individuals.

"Hey, what's happening?" I grabbed the man parallel from my room, setting for a marathon, joining the rally.

Startled, the man hesitates at first, replying to me with cold sweats.

"M-m-monsters! Cannibals! Zombies! "Shrieking in a hoarse voice, unraveling the shackles from my grasps and made a run for it. I couldn't comprehend the thoughts I had digested. But the sight right infront of me had confirmed the rest.

On the latter side of the hallway, I saw eight people who looked oddly different from the rest of us. Their eye balls swollen, skin tattered and somehow decaying, and fresh scarlet blood painted all over their body. They seemed more like preys than a living human being.

I tried walking away against the current, seeking for the 'gruesome' scenery for myself. But I had soon realised that it was indeed gorish as ever. Around 20 feet away, I saw various dead bodies piled, scattered similar to warfare's. But aside from their dead flesh, their organs are opened up; intestines gouging out, lumps of meat and other indistinguishable organs came into sight. And finally, the eight perpetrators had proceed to welcome me, with their eyes lust with hunger, grabbing the unfortunate guy, gnawed to its death.

"Don't move or else I'll shoot!" as I reached and pointed my gun towards the cannibal, scraping his teeth on the poor guy's neck. The anthropophagist had not listen as he continuously chow down his meal. The jugular veins of the human's neck was ripped off with his sheer force of his canine teeth. The prey had, perhaps, had been dead seconds ago. His lifeless body had been eaten upon the mercy of the beast, unaware and forced from his will. Without giving away any hints of hesitation, I shoot the right leg of the individual who wobbles desperately, balancing itself from the shock it had experienced. It finally fall off whilst glaring straight in my eyes.

*growl*

The rabid man let out a horrid howl, as he continuously munch over the thighs of the man who had been dead awhile back. I couldn't behold on the sight and was forced to check for the 'beings' he's accomplice with. As I switched my sight from different directions, similar events had been occurring while I was being pre-occupied with what's in front of me.

Numerous individuals are being hunted down and eaten with a hefty crunch towards their skin. Watching the site brought terrors for the people gathered around, running away from my behind. Well, I… I need to assure their safety, and was required to stick my head on the problem itself. I pointed my gun towards all four from my direction, aiming at their footing. I discretely reach out for my phone, and called my squad vice commander, Vincent.

"Where the hell are you guys?!" scolding them through my smartphone. "What's the matter?" he asked in a half-awaken voice.

As we were stationed here in the hotel, I had requested a separate room apart from my group. It's a normal occurrence from my lone self, enjoying my delicate privacy. But around midnight, I had ordered every member of my team to rest and prepare for tomorrow's mission. But who knew that these incident had occurred quite randomly. And such, my team could've woke up during this crisis. If we were to get here alive, I'll give them the proper punishment they truly deserve.

"People are attacking each another. Hurry up and arm yourself. Bring an extra gun and a bag for me." I commanded them as I placed my phone back on my pocket, prepping to shoot out anyone who poses harm to any human beings.

Pre-occupied from my thoughts, I hurriedly shifted my gaze once again towards the rabid human infront of me. It looks like he had finished gobbling up the fresh wounds of the young adult slayed by his own hands. But the most surprising thing had happened quite shocked me, the body whom I thought it was deceased suddenly reanimated itself, similarly growling with the rest of its species. His eyes had turned grey, voided from life. His skin which it was warmed red was now covered in an orange, rusty, hue. Most of his veins had turned obsidian, and the blood which was oozing from before had now morphed into something hideous, a slimy ink-like liquid gushing from his holes. I had laid out my eyes for a minute and a transformation which was peculiar had occurred. It was similar to the zombies popular from video games we currently have; but right now, everything had brought it back to light.

The grip from its neck is still visible, making the head swaying heavily on either sides due to the imbalance caused by it. It stood like a normal human being, but slowly rotting the entirety of its organs. He was infected. And a bite or death could lead to this event.

'I should warn the others' is the first thing I had thought about. But I, who was still standing on their domain, had finally seize their attention. Like a mouse caught by a trap from the cats, they all simultaneously turned their heads, on a hundred eighty degrees fashion, towards my direction. They all began menacingly screech the sight of a new prey. Their mouth's opens wide, agape, from their glutton desires. My mind screamed the word 'RUN' as my instincts kicks, being aware from this certain situation. I check my surroundings one more time just for good measure, and by the time I had confirmed no citizens were visible around, I've made the fastest sprint that every man had known for.

I dashed from the hallway where, passing over my hotel room. Surely I could've stopped and grab my necessities, but with a horde of zombies chasing me down, I couldn't afford anything but to run away. My goal is to run down the emergency stairs, located at the far end of the corridor, and reach the entrance of the building and get my arse the hell out of here. Surely, my squad could've made it out. But, right now, I need to prioritise my own life, running away from the infected chasing me.

I grasps the door and shut it from behind and locked it from the inside. I supposed with their brute force and numerous numbers of the undead, the door will definitely be burst open in no time. Without a minute to waste, I hurried went down the humongous stairway from the 15th storey heading for the ground floor. Just as I had thought, as I step foot on the 13th level, I hear a loud breach above. The door which was locked moments before had been wreaked havoc from zombies, still chasing for my tail.

"Shit!" I cursed, as I swiftly hop my way, skipping the steps on the stairs thus boosting my original speed. But the battle had only began as my stamina have been steadily dropping to its core, making myself difficult to breath as I continuously head towards the lowest floor.

The zombies aren't witted, hence they're coping for their lack of intelligence towards their robust physical abilities. Consequently, I can see them struggling going down on the staircase. They were, at most, stumbling down, even sliding on the steps. They could hardly adapt their balance from taking each foot at a time in means of going down. But the amazing factor that they have was the ability to indiscriminate the sensation of pain. No matter how many times you could see them falling heavily down, as long as their limbs are still intact, they will desperately make their way towards their common goal. I was wondering whether those who were gliding over the rails could hardly made them quicker or not ponders in my mind. But jokes asides, I was still in grave danger from their swarm.

I finally reached my destination, as I continued locking the door from behind once again. Parallel from my view was no different upstairs. The horde of zombies came rushing at every sides. My mates, who were supposedly asleep a while ago had been thoroughly providing aid for the citizens, evacuating every one of them outside the building. Armed with various rifles and military grade weapons, they yield their bullets with sheer accuracy, aiming for the lower limbs of the zombies, unharmed at any possible way.

I rushed over towards their side, avoiding any suspected individual along the way.

"Vincent, status report""Sir, I believe we're being attack by mad mobs? I don't know. It feels like they are some sort of rabid virus spreading once they had killed someone." Vincent reported, clearly fazed from the unusual situation.

"It's like zombies, man!" the youngest, Zack, sprung from my right and commented from our conversation.

"ZACK!" Vincent scolded him as such his actions was indeed rude towards a respectful commander, but I paid it no mind.

"No, the kid's right. These things are what we can classify as 'zombies'. I've seen it myself. A man who had been unfortunately eaten by one of them had turned into something hideous in a mere minute. "

"I see" Vincent replies, his face still visibly confused on the matter.

The door from where I had gotten out was then bursts open at the second time, and dozens of zombies came flowing like a river parallel from our direction.

"Should we kill them?" Vincent asks. My squad are dependent from my group, as such.

"Annihilate anyone who poses a threat to your life. But as much as possible, leave them alive. Shoot their limbs. But save your bullets in the process." I instructed, receiving the M4A1 rifle handed to me by Zack.

"Shoot 'em in the head, man! Once you crack their skull, they're good as gone, you know" Zack mentions in a goofy tune. Honestly, without his childish feat, the tension ahead of us could've stretched out a problem. Zack was one of the cleverest personnel I've ever paired up with, alongside Vincent. I put a lot of faith towards these present individuals.

"Shoot them in their body mass. Break their spine and tore their balance. They can't walk nor move after that. Maybe" I continued Zack's line, as I am for the head of the zombie closest to our sight

No citizens was present on the site thus ordering Zack and Vincent to fire at will. Checking for other survivors will be our top priority once we exited to a safe place and gather our supplies. We should meet at the head-quarters and ask for any available assistance, that is, if they're still somehow alive. My other squad members, Lilia, Rick and Nathaniel had occupied a different hotel due to arriving late in the plane. Lilia went to pick up her parents on the road from Hongkong and got delayed for roughly 6 hours from their flight. I hope everything's alright for them.

Our resistance consistently, as the zombies came out appearing out in sight. We bypass the infected from the glassy doors of the hotel and head west on sight. Our hotel was located near a BM (big market), inside a village. For a fine hotel like that, no wonder the place was constantly being flocked by zombies. We placed our silencers on our weapons earlier prior from the warzone and before we knew it, we had managed to cut loose and sneak in an abandoned house built on the neighbourhood.

"How many bullets have you left?" I asked, while reloading my magazine.

"Mine's a hundred"

"Still a hundred or so"

They concomitantly replied, as they too reloaded their ammos in a rapid manner. I, myself, holds 140 bullets left in my disposal.

"Good thing we managed to found a house amidst of all that" Vincent chuckles from his comment, as he lights a cigar that he took from his pocket. We are all licensed soldiers wearing casual attires, whilst holding heavy machinery's in both hands. Vincent's brown hair is being illuminated by the embers of the cigar on his mouth, dripping its ashes on his black top shirt.

Zack, on the other hand, is still in his sleeveless white shirt, ragged with random sputum from his early doze.

I, on the other hand never ceased wearing my formal attire as my own way of fashion and comfort. My navy blue polo shirt was drenched in cold blood mixed with the ink which I had seen a while back. We were similar to thieves who had just murdered our first unlucky victim, but instead we are currently inside an apocalyptic universe.

"Did you managed to bring any sorts of useful things inside your bags? I couldn't get mine beforehand. I was stuck at the scene and I just needed to run away as possible. "

"You could've shot them all, you know?" Zack said, as he places his bag on the ground, remembering the things he had set inside.

"Yeah, but…" I paused for a moment as I tried reminiscing the bitter scene through my memory. "They were still people. People who were unfortunate enough to get caught by a sudden accident." Ending my sentence.

"Well, they're humans no more, that's what I'll say. Have you seen them eat one of our kind? Their eyes. Their beings. Their skin, rotten from hell! How can we call them humans anymore?" Vincent growled as he commented at my claim. The good mate has a point, as me and Zack both replied in silence. The words would come out will be bringing arguments towards our group.

"Well, I have dozen canned goods left. Spare mags for a handgun, binoculars, combat knife, and a match box" Zack declares, gleaming from his own achievement bringing in the most useful tools for survivability

"Mine's a duplicate from Zack's." Vincent states, as he too rummages from his bag. But as soon as Vincent ended his sentence, a pair of footprints could be heard across the far end of the house, just above the stairs.

My men and I posed into position, hurriedly, but not panicking, readied our fire arms. One aiming towards our breech (Zack), a centre man (Vincent), and me at the front, ready for anything popping out from my parallel line of sight. It was like what he had practiced. With this, we carried out slowly towards the stairs.

Just like we had guessed, it was a zombie creaking over the second floor, heavily growling in one direction. It was dark, the lights had been switched off from the master's bedroom.

At this point we are not advised to speak, rather we need to portray various hand signals for our sole means of communication.

The snarl of the zombie was getting more audible as we stepped foot on the second floor. We continued marching our way, silently, towards the closed dim rooms. Relying for our eyes to adapt from the instant darkness, we proceed carrying on as a protector of citizens.

I raised my hand and instructed my men to halt. The sound we heard earlier was in our line of sight, on the other side of the room. I was sure of it. From my past experiences of rescuing assaults and bounty hunts, my enhanced senses are second to none amongst my peers.

Without hesitation, I kicked the door and forcibly open it using the sheer force of my lower limbs.

"Put your hands in the air where I can see them" I yelled, hoping for a response. But the reply I had received wasn't the one I was looking for. The infected violently erupted in anger and roared once more, attempting to latch its arms towards my body. Its teeth was in breadth's length, garnished with all sorts of cavities on its jaws. Vincent and I shot the individual, knocking it off with the few bullets we had to spare. After determining if it was still alive, we unpacked our stress once again and opened the lights for the whole house.

It was a good thing that the electricity was still running despite these odd occurrence. The House was decorative, a simple lay-out for a simple house. The walls are painted neatly with white, desks and drawers are magnificently placed on the ground floors, and large closets stood firmly on the sides. It was indeed a happy home a family could afford living with. But, regrettably, this nightmare had occurred and ruined everyone's lives; killing people, infecting anyone for their selfish hunger.

"Tango down" I confirmed once again, observing the zombie with its eyes wide open, but alas the body had been completely expired.

It appears that this 'person' is a woman, distinguished by its long hair visible from its head and her soggy skin for her breasts, slightly falling off. I close my eyes and offered my prayers. "May you rest in peace together with the ones you love."

Moving on, we settled in, putting our bags on the side whilst changing in our fatigues.

"Aight, this so much better" Zack exemplifies, posing in a mirror similar to the renowned spy which everyone knows about.

"Do we really need to change into our uniforms, captain?" Vincent asks with a confusing look on his eyes, struggling on the placement of his boots.

"Our uniforms acts as our id's." I proudly claimed, as I pump my chest in a prideful manner.

But our worried expressions never ceased to amaze us. A vivid sound could be heard on the parallel side of the room we are staying with. But the footsteps weren't that unique, but our guards are up invariably. "Is that another walker?" Zack's query

"Walkers? Now that's a new thing. Well, I…I don't know. Captain?" Vincent shifted his gaze, but his head still focused on the door where the noise had come from.

I position myself across the door, pointing my muzzle at the entrance.

"Are you alive? Speak if you are. We're soldiers and armed." I announced ourselves, as I slightly knock on the wooden door. 15 seconds had pass and not a single soul had welcomed our words. We looked at each other's expressions and finally met our conclusion.

"We'll bust this door open. This is your second chance" I shouted once more, hoping for a cooperative response. I'd rather deal with normal robbers unknowledgeable about combat tactics and such than an aggressive zombie avoid the risk of their bites.

"One! Two..." I started to count down and end it on the third number. It was a warning from the other side of the room. Ambush or not, we needed to observe and prepared for sudden actions upon entering the enclosed room. But, before the last of the number, a soft cry, which sounded like a girl, resonates from opposite side of the room.

"P-p-p-please…don't hurt us…" It was a young boy's voice, completely stutter between his words. "W-w-we'll open the door. S-sorry" the doorknob suddenly moves and a squeaky creak from the movements of the door was slowly being opened.

A boy around 14 years old, and his younger sister, who was the origin of the cries, came greeting us with fearful expressions beneath their eyes.