Mall Walkers Contest |
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Duty
by Charlie Slayton
Capt. Jenkins looked out of the Engine as it rolled down the dark street. He hated automated alarms. This was the third this week at the mall, and he was planning on giving the mall management a little of his mind about not getting the alarm system fixed. In the back he could here the usual chitchat that the squad was saying over their Dave Clark headsets. Robinson was going on about the race, and as usual Peterson was talking about what was left of dinner and how he was planning on finishing it off when they got back. They were a good shift and Jenkins liked his squad, they were some of the best Firefighters and Medics his Company had.
As the engine pulled into the mall parking lot Jenkins knew almost immediately something was wrong. This was not going to be a typical auto alarm. The mall had not closed yet and a lot of cars were still in the parking lot. As he watched he saw people running out of the mall from all exits. He could see an abandoned Police unit sitting in front of the door to the main entrance. People were screaming and began to run toward the Engine. Jenkins gave orders to his driver Rodriguez to pull up to the front. He could hear the crew in the back pulling out air packs and getting equipment ready. They could also tell this wasn't a normal alarm.
Jenkins exited the Engine and at once was grabbed by a young women, the look of terror in her eyes froze Jenkins blood where he stood. She was screaming at the top of her lungs "It's the dead" she said "hundreds of them, they are everywhere". Jenkins looked back at his squad, Phillips the shifts medic was already taking the women away and trying to calm her down. Jenkins reached for his portable radio to call dispatched, but before he could transmit. He saw a man jump through one of the glass window fronts of the mall.
The man was trying to fight off three other people who were all grappling with him. Jenkins words caught in his throat. He could not believe what he was seeing, the three people were trying to eat the man as he crawled away from them, as they watched the three ripped the man apart, and the Jenkins understood what the women had meant.these attackers were dead, zombies. Jenkins stared in disbelief.
Other people were now fighting their way out. Something had to be done, Jenkins turned to his squad and as he did he saw the determination on their face. He knew they understood what he was about to ask of them. As he stood their looking at them they began to move as one unit, going to different compartments on the Engine each picking a piece of equipment that would deal the most damage.
As the squad reassembled next to Jenkins he saw that they were well armed, Robinson had the Engines chainsaw, Peterson had the K12 saw, Phillips had a Fire Axe, and Rodriguez had a 12-foot pike pole. They were all dressed out in their Turnout gear and had their helmets on. Jenkins thought to himself, "at least that should give them some protection" he hoped.
The group of Firefighters began to walk as one toward the Mall each with their weapons ready. As they passed the police unit Jenkins reached in and grabbed the shotgun that was still mounted in it's center bracket. He tried to call dispatch one more time and was only answered by static. His crew continued to walk toward the front entrance. The people they passed as they moved closer to the mall began to stop and look in awe at the group of men with the look of quite determination on their face.
Jenkins took one more look at his squad knowing this was the last time he would see all of them, they looked back and each one smiled. "You know I always wanted to kick some Zombie Ass" Joked Phillips. "Ahh hell you just want to hit something with the Axe" said Rodriguez to him. The group all laughed.
The squad disappeared through the door this was their day it was their duty.
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