"Hurry, we need backup at front 13. Our formation is collapsing. Is anyone listening, I repeat, is anyone listening. Over", the soldier's desperate voice crackled through the radio. The soldier turns back and joins his fellow soldier and starts firing at the enormous horde of zombies that are climbing up the rubbles of the broken bridge. The undead struggled to ascend the large, jagged pieces of concrete.

Avyan shook in horror as he saw the buildings wobble, "Their numbers are exponentially larger than what we faced at the campus."

"Not only that. It seems they are even faster than before", says Anirudh, his face pale with dread

Their car's door opens up. Soham bends and peeks in, "Don't get out of here. We have this in control"

Avyan pleaded, "Come on, at least give us a gun to protect ourselves. You know you can trust us."

"I want to, but I can't," Soham replied, turning away as he saw the disappointment in Avyan's eyes. Just then, something seemed to change his mind. "Oh, come on, who am I kidding? Take this one for now." He tossed a Desert Eagle over to Avyan. 

Avyan nodded gratefully as Soham hurried back to join the ground forces. "Hey Anirudh," he said.

"Yeah," Anirudh replied, still pale with dread.

"Lo-look over there-", Avyan points out from the window. Anirudh bends to take a closer look and is shocked to see a large horde of zombies completely surrounding the front of the battalion.

Anirudh sighs and says, "They look as disgusting as always"

"But they seem to be more agitated and furious. these are different than those we saw at the campus."

In front of them, a bright shine appears. This shine emerges out of the shadowy depths of two long, broad and curved swords that are rising from behind the monster himself, Lector Gonzalez. The sheaths are attached to his waist on the back in an X-pattern. He unsheathes the swords and leaped directly into the horde. Anirudh and Avyan watched in shock as he cleared his landing by slicing the heads off zombies below him with precision.. As soon as he landed on his feet, his sword did not take a second of delay as it started beheading the undead without any mercy. Each blow decimated dozens of rushing zombies. Soon the bright sword turned red, not the usual red but something more darker, more creepier, more sinister. Both the swords moved in such coordination that it looked like a forgotten piece of art, the skill was unparalleled. 

Avyan said, "He looks even more dangerous and blood-thirsty than before"

Elsewhere,  enormous hordes of zombies attack from all the sides thus forcing each and every soldier to use all their might to fight back. Machine guns set up on ground, automatic guns in hand, grenades everything coming in use at once fighting off this wave of these mindless creatures. The snipers have set up their equipment on top of some cars. They finish the zombie in one hit by aiming directly at the brain. However the horde is taking the upper hand as they climb on top of each other to all-over avoid the debris. The weather seems to be clearing up, therefore they have to hold off the horde for a few more minutes only.  

In an exhausting voice, while panting, "This is front 13 contacting again, is any—" A creaking sound among the loud gunshots caught the soldier's attention. He turned to see a zombie standing behind him. The highway had been invaded; the formation had collapsed. "AAAhhh, help," he screamed, closing his eyes in fear.

Nothing happened. "Am I dead?" The soldier opened his eyes to see blood splattering everywhere, the zombie in front of him now missing its head. "Wha... Who?" He looked around and saw Lector slaughtering the infiltrated zombies.

"He was at the front just now. Did he cover such a distance in a couple of seconds? I had heard rumours, but this is truly horrifying. Lector is NOT a human," the soldier thought, watching in awe as Lector continued his relentless assault. He jumps down the bridge in between the zombies all alone as the surrounding soldiers shout in horror. He gets overwhelmed by the zombies which look like they out strengthen him. However, to their surprise, the he starts to clear up the horde by swinging his swords in an X-pattern around him. He is a lone tank, enough for all of them alone. He starts mercilessly killing each one of the zombie approaching him. 

However, due to the collapse in formation, several zombies had entered the parameter and infiltrated the inner zone. Deep down the lane, Avyan and Anirudh were observing the large scale defence in awe from a the same window.

(crk..)

Among the gunfires and grenade explosions, this eerie sound emerged not from the battlefield but from over Avyan's shoulder. Avyan turns and sees a zombie getting in from the open window by his side, his skin covered with dried up blood as if he hadn't eaten since ages. Anirudh quickly opened the other door, got out and looks over the gun which had fallen off Avyan's hand. The zombie takes a hold of Avyan due to which Avyan slips on the backseat.

Avyan shouts, "Fire the goddamn thing already". He takes a look at Anirudh standing aback,

"Come on Anirudh, pick up the gun". Anirudh gets out of his zone, looks over at the gun in a poker face and then over to the zombie. He turns pale and cold. He isn't able to move a muscle. Avyan kicks the zombie hard due to which it falls out of the window. Avyan rolls back, gets out of the car and pick up the gun himself, "What's gotten into you? Are you okay?". Anirudh just stands there, staring into silence. Avyan's attention is grabbed by the creaking sound of the zombie from around the car. He slowly steps towards the other side of the car with the gun in his hand as he unlocks it's safety. 

"Shit", Avyan sees the zombie feeding on the brain of a skinny soldier. This skinny soldier was their driver who appears to have been hiding under the car. 

(bang)

"This thing has a hell lot of recoil and blowback"

Soham joins in walking through the debris, watching each step, "We're done here. The weather is clearing, the sun is out, the zombies are running back to their hideouts"

"He-he died", Avyan points to the driver 

"Yeah, yeah; we've had some casualties but we're still strong"

"But what about people who die here? What about their families? Their wives, sons waiting for them?"

"Look Avyan, these people are here by their own wish. They have chosen to be a soldier. Life and death is a part of the game, we have to move past these setbacks. Everyday we train and devise plans and formations that will give us the slightest of advantage against these creatures of hell, but we cannot ignore the fact that people will die. Everyone knows that some deaths are inevitable. However, not for long."

Avyan has a look of sadness and confusion over him when Soham moves over to Anirudh, "Where is he?", He looks around and finds Anirudh sitting in the backseat of the car in complete silence, staring at blank space, "Hey"

"Anirudh?"

"Anirudh, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Anirudh turns his head to Soham but doesn't utter a word. 

Soham sighs and looks around. He throws his gun in the back. He walks back to Avyan while lighting up a cigarette.

"Back at those again"

"Times have been tough. If I can die any day, why not live every day to the fullest."

"Quit it. Stop giving excuses, you've been a chain-smoker since I know you."

"Yeah"

Soham drops the cigarette and crushes it under his foot, "Come on, everything's wrapped up. Time to move"

Avyan and Soham turn back and start moving towards the car, "How come you do not have to help in collecting the armoury?"

"I outrank all the soldiers here, except Lector of course"

Meanwhile Anirudh thinks by himself, "What just happened back there? I was just standing there. Avyan could've died just now, but why was I unable to move? Was it due to the fear of losing? I lost to Lector or was it Pratyush?"