The Last Stand 

Twilight was fast approaching people had dragged a couple of bins out to the barricades and started a fire in them proving an eerie feel in the early evening as the moans of the Viven's started to approach

Cheers rose up from the crowd and people started to move the barricade as they rounded the corner coming in to view

This was the head of a snake that seemed to stretch on forever

They were filling the street tightly packed people started to shout a man jumped up on to the barricade it was Mark

Friends he began the enemy were at the gates we wont let them take our home or our families give them hell a cheer rose up from the crowd

It was 6.30 and the ranks of the living had swelled to at least 4000 we were at the back of the group not wanting to get involved in the initial clash or stand to close to the petrol bombs that were starting to be lit

You could see people at the barricades begin to light them a roar rose from the crowd as the 1st bomb was thrown through the air it landed well short of the creatures but it still claimed a gasp from the crowd as flames spread over the road

The creatures continued to advance straight through the flames more bombs went soaring this time landing in the crowd igniting the monsters and they still kept coming more and more went flying through the air setting light to them after a couple of minutes the hail of bombs had stopped and they were still advancing a voice came over the loud speaker two men jumped out of the fire engine and picked up the hose lying on the ground they then proceeded to the front of the barricade and turned on the house the dead were only 20 meters from the barricade now most of the flames had dyed out now but many were still smoldering the men with the hose proceeded to douse the undead extinguishing the flames

Marks voice rang out again it sounded like he had been drinking a slurred CHARGE was yelled and the crowd started to advance forward people jumping the barricade eager to get to grips with the monsters in to the valley of death they charged

The 2 sides meet bats and teeth clashed yells and moans rang out

6.45 After the initial enthusiasm and momentum the tide is now turning the living are being pushed back to the barricade sirens rang out in the night someone had jumped in the fire engine they put it in to gear and rammed the barricade and drove in to the mass of undead sending the things flying before dissapearing quickly around the corner before reversing back and running over more of them

Dumb arse the barricade was broken and the dead started to swarm through the gap the front line defenders were take by surprise and quickly overwhelmed

Screams rang out not form the front but from the side the dead were at the left barricade no one had thought to keep an eye out in that direction and they were pulling them selves over the cars people at the back were starting to run we moved to the side to avoid the main crush only a few hundred people remained to defend the barricades were no overrun the fire engine had stopped moving I could see blood spatters on the inside of the cabin

People were falling around us I heard crying across the road there was a young girl by the front of the fire station she couldn't have been more than 10 years old blonde haired blue eyes sitting down hugging her knees

The dead were pushing forward and no one seemed to notice what was that rule from zombie land never be a hero? Oh Fuck it I thought I started to make my way across the road advancing towards the dead I reached her Hey are you ok a stupid question

I cant find my dad she bawled

What does he look like why did I ask that like we have time to wander round and look for them I turned round dam the defenders had backed off further now there was only a few meters of open ground between me and the dead Jon and Toby made there way to me

Look darling I don't know if we can find him right now but we cant stay here it's not safe

She looked up at me tears in her eyes he's dead isn't he I heard a scraping sound one of the barricade was being pushed further to the side by the sheer number of undead

Honey if he is alive we will find him but we have to go now she nodded

Whats your name? Sky Sky Harper

OK Sky I'm Tom that's Jon and Toby are you o.k to walk? She hesitantly nodded I'll tell you what how about a piggy back she seemed to prefer that idea I passed my bat to Toby and she jumped on

And we began our retreat there were on a few dozen defenders left now to drunk or to macho to admit that we had lost as we dissapeared in to the night

Jon light the way with a small torch on the way back past the shopping center we came across a grisly site 3 survivors just lying gutted on the floor with 4 Viven's feeding on them they looked up and saw us Jon and Toby moved forward to intercept them Jon put all his weight behind 1 massive shot to a creatures temple you could hear the crack of its skull I told Sky not to look

Toby's machete took off another head and he proceeded to deal with the 3rd out of the corner of my eye I noticed movement from the shadow of a shop doorway one came charging out it caught me completely off guard I had time to throw Sky off my back and raise my arm before it smashed in to me knocking me to the floor its face plunged towards my neck I managed to get my forearm underneath its chin he was a police officer but now a monster its teeth gnashed inches from my face hot breath washing over me I looked over to the Jon and Toby they were having difficulty finishing the last one Sky was watching me struggle she cried I managed to get my foot up and boot the zombie cop straight in the solar plexus this gave me a second to scramble to my feet

I stumbled over to Sky putting myself between her and the monster what I did next I did with out thinking I walked forward towards the creature when I was with in range I stomped straight down on the creatures kneecap with all the force I could muster the sound of the snap was unbelievable it started to sink forward i grabbed its head with my gloved hand and pushed it back it lay there on the floor trying to get up Jon and Toby had finished with theirs and had seen me stomp the thing Bat I said Toby passed it to me and with one hit I cracked the creatures skull

I stopped and looked at the officer he was young could not have been on the job that long dam

I proceeded to search his belt I took his collapsible baton and case handcuffs CS Spray a torch handcuff key his radio was smashed but I found a small first aid kit I also took his note pad we looked behind us more of the Viven's on the way I picked up Sky and we headed home entering through the back door ensuring someone or something didn't see us

10.30pm Toby has returned to his flat we have decided to stay separate for the time being we have new rules for entering the house now everyone gets checked for bites and cuts

We have boiled up some water and put all the clothes we were wearing in with them the water is still running so me Jon and Sky all had a quick bath each to clean off the blood

The things are advancing I risked a peak out the window earlier and saw dozens in our street screams echo through the night I have given Sky my ear plugs and she is asleep now cuddled up with Clio the cat we have given her Ty's bed we don't want to be sleeping downstairs just in case the things come through the door so we have had to place it in my room Ty is in his own room and me and Jon have drawn the short straw and have to share but tonight i will be on watch til 3 and then Jon will take over so it wont be to bad

I sat down at my desk sipping my beer and watched as fire raged through Coventry.