"The ramp leads in to the barracks," Casper explained. They ran down the long dark corridors leading through tunnels, the place where the dead had begun seeping in through. They took shots left and right as they emerged through the shadows one by one.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I know you don't trust me, but try," Casper declared. They turned the corners and looked down the pitch black tunnels.

"Why should I?" she asked.

"Because I know these tunnels more than either of you," he declared.

"They're still out by the door," she explained.

"They won't get through for a good while," Casper assured her.

"This is just a cakewalk," Ross said pointing, "Wait until we make it out from the barracks." Up above as the dead tore every moving being apart feasting on others along the floor, the general had escaped the room leaving behind his men and made it alone through the tunnels looking for a way out. The few whom were lucky had all escaped through the doors and exits and were now out on the land, the wilderness, and had to fend for themselves from there on in. Some left together, and others parted ways.

"Keep moving," Casper said keeping his gun drawn in front, "We're almost there." Ana panted wiping the sweat from her face and shot ahead. They slowly walked through the dark corridor, their guns drawn as footsteps could be heard in the darkness. Casper stepped forward and attempted to look through the blanket of pitch darkness. He quickly drew his gun looking down at Gary who stood bunched in a corner.

"You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me," Casper complained as Ana rushed to him.

"Gary, are you okay?" she asked helping him from the corner.

"I hid here," he explained, "Some of them were chasing me."

"Come out of there, you're safe now," she replied grabbing his hand.

"Great," complained Casper, "All we need now is a yappy dog named Skip, and we'll have all levels of annoying."

"How did you get down here?" asked Ross.

"I saw some of them coming down the stairs," he explained holding a cut arm, "And I just ran for my life. I ended up here and got lost."

"You're coming with us, okay?" she said holding his hand.

"Okay," he replied.

"But you stay close," Ross explained, "And when we say run, you run as fast as you can, got it?" He nodded looking down.

"Well, that was sweet," Casper said, "Oh yeah, does anyone remember that we're being tailed by flesh eating cannibals?"

"Come on," Ross huffed leading them away.

"I hear them," Gary warned looking around.

"Quiet," Casper whispered, "We need to hear them, too."

"They're coming up the East end," Ross said pointing down a ramp.

"The South end," Casper replied.

"How'd they get in so quickly?" asked Ana.

"All the "exits" they gave us are now entrances," Casper declared with dread.

Three undead soldiers burst through a door in the distance. The door smashed open sliding to the floor and they emerged in to the dim light quickly catching wind of the foursome and gave growls.

"And here they come," Casper said jerking his head.

"Run," Ross ordered. They turned speeding down the corridors, as the monsters groaned running after them madly. They sped down the ramp and past the pipes and furnaces. The heavy weight of the guns had slowed them down considerably, and their predators were slowly catching up with them. "They're coming!" Gary screamed.

They ran down the ramp as the three soldiers rushed behind them through the darkness. Ana, Gary, and Ross sped up as Casper lagged behind them, looking back and running as hard as he could. "Casper, hurry!" Ross screamed. Suddenly Casper stopped and turned as Ana and Ross looked back slowing down.

"Casper, what the fuck are you doing!" screamed Ana.

"Shut up!" he replied pointing his gun, one eye closed as he aimed. They rushed down the ramp out of the dark growling with their arms ahead as he shot, blasting a hole through the soldier's head knocking it to the side, he turned shooting the other down, as the last came rushing quickly. He shot again and heard the loud click; empty cartridge.

"Oh, shit," he muttered looking at his gun.

"Casper, come on, run!" Ross screamed from afar.

"Fuck," Casper nodded in disbelief and emptied the cartridge but before he could re-load the zombie came charging. Instantly, he grabbed it by the arms throwing it to the side and turned backing up as the zombie stood up charging again. Casper ran at him and they clashed staggering back. Casper grabbed its arms and slammed his head against face knocking him back against the wall. The zombie staggered back and fell down attempting to get up as Casper quickly reached for his cartridge reloaded and within an instant, shot. The charging zombie lurched back, its head exploding from the back as the bullet blasted into it. Casper lowered his gun and exhaled calmly as he looked down onto the corpse.

Another of them lurched out from the darkness with a growl jumping on top of him. He attempted to bite at his shoulder. Casper yelped trying to throw it off his back. He flipped it over his shoulder and staggered back shooting it in the head. He stepped back as the corpse growled still moving, "What the f-!" The corpse jumped back on him knocking the gun on the floor as he struggled. It struggled mounting him as suddenly it shoved its hand down his throat. He gagged loudly, wincing as the creature growled forcing its hand down as he struggled. "Fuck!" Ross rushed up the ramp, "No matter what happens, keep running!" He told her as he ran up the ramp and blasted the corpse. He shot, its brain splattered all over Casper's face. Casper shoved it off him and quickly stood up. Ross tore Casper from the ground and they ran down the floor after Ana and Gary who was already up ahead.

"Come on, come on!" Ana screamed noticing them running behind her. They rushed in to an elevator and turned. The doors closed behind them quickly. "See what happens!" Ross yelled at Casper, "You act like a daredevil and you nearly get yourself killed."

"Okay," Ana said trying to calm him down, "I think he learned his lesson." Casper rubbed his face from the brain fragments and leaned against the wall retching loudly. After having that monster's hands down his throat he was going to feel it for days,

"Fuck-" he muttered as he vomited all over the corner of the elevator. Gary cringed hiding behind Ana. "You're going to be okay?" asked Ross.

"No," he replied spitting on to the floor, "God damn."

"What floor?" she asked standing by the button pad.

"Two," Ross replied.

"It didn't even go down," Casper said.

"What didn't?" she asked.

"I shot it, in the head, and he kept coming at me," he explained in surprise.

"When we get through the barracks, keep your guns drawn at all times," Ross warned, "We may not be shooting at those things only."

"How's your arm?" she asked lifting his sleeve.

"It burns," he replied, "It was a close shot. I've never been hit before."

"What happens after we escape?" asked Gary.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, kid, I promise," Casper assured him.

"We're here," Ross said standing in front of the door.

"Wait!" Ana said stopping the elevator, "Is this a good idea?"

"What?" asked Casper.

"What if they're already in the barracks?" she asked.

"Only one way to find out," Ross replied drawing his gun. They stood side by side pointing ahead and opened up the elevator doors. There was a long silence amidst the corridor.

The barracks were quiet, and finally they stepped out from the elevator. They turned pointing ahead. Luckily the dead hadn't found the barracks, but the screams of suffering could be heard above. Thumps and crashes, running and howling echoed from every corner. Gary gave a frightened and sad whimper looking back thinking about all the victims being ravaged mercilessly. "Let's keep going," Ross said. They walked past the cells quickly and proceeded to the door. Casper stopped suddenly and turned looking in to the shadows. He saw a foot in the darkness and noticed the mysterious shape.

"No, it can't be," Casper whispered.

"What?" Ana asked walking back to him. She stood beside him and held her mouth muffling her whimpers.

"She's dead," Ana whimpered.

"How did this happen?" he asked.

"She must have caught on to something early," Ross said with a quiver, "God damn, those bastards."

"What makes you think that?" asked Casper.

"What other reason is there?" he asked.

"Her face," Ana said in disgust.

"We have to go," Gary whimpered.

"You made it here," the general said walking out from a door. They lurched back in surprise. He stumbled over to them in astonishment and relief.

"How did you get out of that office?" asked Casper.

"I escaped through the vents," he explained, "The others didn't fare so well."

"What happened to you?" asked Ross.

"A few of them bit me," he replied holding his arm, "But I'm okay."

"You're a dead man walking," Casper remarked with a half smirk.

"I can get you out of here," he argued, "I-I can. I'm sorry for what happened to you all, but I want to help now."

"Because we survived," Ana deduced.

"Why her?" Casper asked angrily, "Why Becky?"

"She was dangerous," he argued.

"Liar. She didn't have a mean bone in her body," Ana declared.

"She was dangerous to us," he replied.

"To think," Casper said with gritted teeth drawing his gun, "I defended you sons of bitches. I sacrificed a lot for you people."

"They were ordered to make it quick," he replied, "I can't be accounted for them and their twisted doings."

"You're not even sorry," Casper nodded in tears, "You're just as cold as those things out there."

"Don't shoot," he pleaded, "Please." Gary drew a gasp clutching to Ana as Becky's body began to move in the shadows and stood up. "Ana…" Gary whispered. She looked over by the cell and saw Becky limp toward them slowly. "Get up against her cell," Casper declared. They all looked over at him surprised he'd seen her too. "Why?" he asked. "I want to kill you where she was," Casper explained, "But you deserve it, she didn't." He looked over at them frightened and held his hands up. Becky rushed out and grabbed him from behind. He yelped in horror and attempted to struggle. Casper pressed his foot against his chest keeping him still as Becky tore at his neck and face viciously.

Her own face had been shattered in seven places. They'd sought out to make her suffer for a single innocent mistake and moment of vulnerability, and Casper watched as she bit down on to his cheek hungrily. He let out horrifying screams squirming with no luck and fell to the floor. She pulled his body as far as she could within the cell and continued eating him. Casper stood back watching in disbelief, her mangled face tearing in to him. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here," he whispered.

"We have to go," Ana whispered, "We can't help her anymore."

"Come on," Ross ordered. They rushed off closing the door behind them and ran down the ramps as fast as they could.

NEW YORK…

Debra paced around the roof crying aloud and panting as she searched desperately for an escape route. The banging on the roof door continued thunderously as they began gathering below scratching and grabbing for them. Sooner or later they'd break in through the roof door, and their time was limited. "What do we do?" she asked, "What do we do?" She looked over at Peter for guidance as he simply stood at the edge of the roof looking down with a grimace at the piranhas that awaited him below.

"Peter," she said yanking his arm, "Peter! They're going to break through, we have to leave, now!"

"They have every corner," he replied with a whisper. He turned and slid down to the floor. He gave a slight smirk and looked over at her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Did I uh-did I ever tell you about my sister?"

"W-what?" she asked in tears, "What are you talking about?"

"My sister," he explained, "She was uh-she was my girl, my heart." He chuckled in remembrance and looked over at Debra who held his arm crying, "Before I became a firefighter, I was a paramedic, I was one for five years...five years goes by so fast, y'know? So, one day I just couldn't handle watching people die in front of me...so, rather than watching death, I tried to prevent it, so I became a fireman. My sister though..." he pulled out a revolver from his pocket, and opened the barrel, pulled out a hand full of bullets, and began loading the gun, "We were attached at the hip, you know? She wouldn't even go out onto the stage at her graduation unless I was in the audience. Before she graduated college, she was nervous and didn't really know what she'd do after she graduated. So I couldn't think of anything else to say...I said, "Ana, you have a warm heart, and a strong sense of charity. You should get into the business of saving lives."

The banging and groaning became louder and resonant behind them. Peter proceeded to load the revolver, "So she became a nurse. And a damn good one, too. I warned her though, I said "you're going to see people die in your hands, and you're going to see a lot of sick shit". Being the stubborn fool that she was, she became a nurse anyway. Sometimes, I wondered if that blonde hair of hers clogged her brainwaves." He chuckled and clicked back the hammer to the gun, "Everything was so terrible when it started, I never had the chance to get to her, to say goodbye."

"Where is she?" asked Debra.

"Dead," he replied caressing her face, "I'm guessing. There's a good chance of it. I wish I could have helped her."

"Peter," Debra said in tears, "What are you doing?"

"I have two bullets in here," he explained, "One for you, the other for me."

"You don't know what you're saying," she argued in disbelief, "We can make it."

"No, we can't," he replied, "There's no escape...we're stuck here." He clicked the hammer back and sat down at the edge of the roof leaning back as she looked down at him, whimpering in sadness, the crowds of undead lingering below.

"So?" he said looking up at her, "what do you say?"

"We can't," she argued, "We can't give up this easily."

"I've been fighting for months, now," he explained, "In any time now, those things will break through that cheap metal door and get to us...I'd rather be dead here than being their lunch, or worse, one of them. I have never given up at anything in my life...but I was also taught to know when you're beaten. We're beaten, Debra." She wiped her tears and looked around, still hoping for a rescue or mode of escape. There was no way down, there was no way out, and they were breaking in. She sighed and knelt down slowly in front of him, "How do we do it?" she asked with a whisper.

"I'll do it," he replied, "I'd rather have you go first." He caressed her face as tears ran down his eyes and sighed, "You know," he said with a smile, "You remind me of her. I guess that's why I liked being around you so much." She jumped on to him hugging him tightly and slid back on to her knees wiping her tears. Debra closed her eyes slowly, tears pouring down her face, he held the gun up to her head, clicked the hammer, and shot. With one blast, she fell flat onto the ground, blood pouring from her skull as he looked on and began whimpering aloud. "Oh, my god!" he shouted crying louder as the banging persisted mercilessly.

Finally, he sighed, leaned his head back, and looked up into the sky, "God have mercy on me," he whispered, "I love you, Ana." He clicked the hammer, jammed it into his mouth... and shot. With one loud blast life seemed to slow down before him, his childhood memories flooding back. The blast caused his head to jerk back violently and he went limp and fell to his side, his brains covered along the wall in back of him. Suddenly, there arose a silence as the wind blew through the desolate skyscrapers. They fought, and fought, but in the end they admitted it to themselves, there was no escape.

FLORIDA…

"So what now?" Ana asked.

"I can see the daylight," Gary said looking up at the cracks in the tunnel ceilings, "We're not even close," Casper argued.

"Stop right there!" the soldiers said holding their guns up.

"Wait—what are you doing?" Casper asked.

"Don't make a move Ross," they said keeping their guns drawn.

"Put your guns down, we're taking them with us," Casper declared.

"I didn't get any orders that you were coming down here," the soldier declared curiously. "I know," Casper replied, "It was a last minute thing."

Ross and Ana listened curiously, "We're headed out the end there," they explained. "There's an escape door down there?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," the soldier replied, "We just have to keep going down and it leads to an opening where they will be, but we can sneak through there, and make a break for it through the beach."

"Good job," Casper declared. He turned shooting them down and began re-loading. Ana scoffed, "For a minute there-"

"—Not anymore," he replied, "Look, I'm sorry for what I did. I didn't know what happened with Becky. But you have to trust me now. We can't be fighting each other here."

"Man has a point," Ross shrugged.

"Now we know where to go," Ana replied. The door to the barracks crashed down as the groups of undead seeped in through the door looking out on to the group, "Oh come on!" Casper yelled.

"Run, run!" Ross yelled firing ahead. They continued running through the corridors, Ross dropped his bag behind and ran up behind them with his pistols in tow, "Why did you do that?" Casper yelled.

"I need to drop the weight," Ross yelled running ahead.

They entered in to the next section of the hall. Ross and Casper ran up to the door and slid it shut as the groups slammed their fists against the doors. Much to their surprise, they'd tried prying it open. Ross and Casper rushed to the door again and struggled to close it grunting loudly. Ana stood back drawing her gun as Casper fought them off and pointed his gun shooting wildly. They grabbed on to his arm trying to pull him in, Ross yelled to him. Ana and Gary ran grabbing him and attempted to pull him back in to them. "They got me!" Casper yelled dropping his gun.

"Don't let go!" Ross yelled.

"No, no!" Casper screamed. They began biting in to his wrist. The blood splattered on the floor. Ana cried out attempting to pull him back. Gary crawled on the floor and saw his gun and went for it. But it was too late they'd grabbed on to him and pulled him into the hordes.

"No! No!" he yelled, "Ana, please help me!" he screamed reaching for the gun.

"No!" she screamed unable to grab for him. His body disappeared in to the crowds quickly enveloping him. Casper tore his arm back with a cry and staggered back tumbling to the floor. "Gary!" she screamed frantically banging the door, "Gary! Answer me! Gary!" She kicked and pounded the door frantically. "Ana, enough," Ross replied holding her back. He whispered in to her ear, "He's dead." She wiped the tears from her eyes looking down at the door and walked to Casper. He sat down against the wall and held his arm. "It's about time," he declared with a groan.

"Not you, too," she cried kneeling beside him.

"Oh come on," he replied panting, "It's okay.

"They really got in to you," Ross said in disbelief.

"It doesn't hurt that much," he assured them, holding his arm which was torn and bitten in to right down to the bone. "Cover it up," Ross whispered wrapping it with his shirt, "It will stop the bleeding."

"God, I wish I had known you better," Casper whispered looking to him, "We could have really been good friends."

"It's okay," Ross replied, "Really."

"I hate going away with regrets, you know," he said, "But, that comes with this package. God damn it. They're fast. And they… bite hard, too."

"What do we do?" she asked wiping her tears.

"You know how to escape," he replied with a shrug, "Don't be coy."

"No," she said with a quiver, "I…"

"…No," he said sternly, "You know damn well I'm already dead. Look at my arm. I tried to do what I could."

"You did that on purpose," Ross nodded, "Didn't you?"

"Jesus," Casper said with a smirk, "Good thing I'm dying before I became predictable, eh?"

"Why?" she asked.

"Taking one for the team," he declared. He grunted and leaned back sighing, "I'm not feeling good," he warned, "You two better go."

"I'm going to miss you," Ross said shaking his hand, "Good luck." He handed him a pistol and stood up walking ahead. "Hey, sexy," Casper said to Ana.

"Hey," she said with tears in her eyes, "I'm going to miss you so much."

"Same here," he sighed, "I wish I could have seen the beach with you. I've never seen one, before."

"I'll think of you when we're there," she promised.

"He's in love with you, you know?" he declared with a faint smile, "Ross."

"He is?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied breathing heavily, "That cock blocker. He's always had a thing for blondes… do you love him, too?"

"I don't know," she replied in tears.

"Be with him until your last moments," he suggested, "He's a great guy... excellent leader. I'd follow him to hell."

"We'll look after each other," she assured him.

"Get out of here, okay?" he said, "Before I go all rabid dog on you."

"Okay," she replied with tears in her eyes, "Good bye.

"Take care of yourselves," he said as she ran up to Ross, "Both of you! Take care of each other." He turned looking up at the door and gave a heavy cough, "Oh, shut up," he whispered hearing them pounding, "I'm going to join up, soon." He grunted looking down at his arm. They ran like bats out of hell down the halls and through the empty corridors, they'd seen the metal hatch leading to end and saw the light seeping in. "Come on, god," Ross whispered. He grabbed the handle and twisted it. He heard the door unlocked with a thump and he forced it up and open with a grunt. They emerged in to the light of the day. The ocean was smashing hard against the sand, the pelicans cawing in the distance

"Oh my god," she said looking out at the empty beach.

"Come on," Ross urged grabbing her hand. He turned and smacked the door down and locked it shut. They turned and ran down the hill on to the sand looking back as the dead emerged from the trees on the coast, "They're coming," she warned running down the grass slope.

"Look," Ross said pointing ahead, "The boat!"

"It's still there?" she asked in surprise.

"They left all the wrecks behind," Ross explained running through the sand. "It still works," Ana reminded, "It will take us away."

"Get on," he demanded. He turned and began shooting back as they crept up on them through the sand growling hungrily, "Ross!" She yelled jumping on to the deck. She swung her leg around and stood up looking over, "Ross, come on!" He stood on the beach shooting wildly and turned running in to the water and began anxiously pushing the boat out to the shore, "Ross, get on!" she pleaded reaching for him. "Hold on!" he yelled pushing it back in. It broke from the sand and began floating again in to the water. He ran for it and was tackled from behind falling in. He turned shooting it in the head and fumbled back up to his feet hanging on to the hull. "Reach for my hand!" she said reaching for him.

He held on to her arm and anxiously forced himself on to the hull dropping along the deck. The boat drifted away fast enough to avoid the onslaught of walking dead standing at the beach growling to them. Ana sat down looking over at them and rushed to Ross. He panted heavily sitting up, "Shit, that was close," he declared.

"Did they bite you?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine, I'm fine," he assured her. She kissed him repeatedly in relief and knelt down beside him. "We're safe, now," Ross assured her lying on the deck, "We're safe." She walked over to the edge of the deck and looked out on to the open beach swarming with the walking dead now. It was a safe haven once, a safe haven she'd been able to call home for a while, but the civilization the people built was brought down by greed and deception.

Casper, Gary, Becky, and everyone else, all innocent people, all victims were gone in the haze of corruption. She lowered her head giving a whimper. Ross sat beside her and put her head on his shoulder looking on to the beach, "We're going to be fine here," Ross assured her, "I'll protect you." She looked up at him and kissed him and watched the island fade off in to the horizon.

"I don't know where we're drifting," Ross said with a scoff.

"That's okay," Ana replied, "We'll keep going. We'll keep going."

THE END…

… Coming Soon: The Dead Chronicles, Part Four: Riders of the Storm - Meet Rush. He hunts Zombies. And he has two stowaways he's not prepared for.

Disclaimer: Author Felix Vasquez does not own the rights to Dawn of the Dead or the concept. Characters, scenarios, and "The Dead Chronicles" are a copyright of Felix Vasquez.