The door opened to the destroyed city and the dark green gas awaiting outside.
2 people in suits awaited us on the ground.
"Put any dead body you find in a body bag and bring it to the truck, we'll start with this apartment building." One of them spoke through the non team comms speaker.
Once we all disembarked, the ramp closed up behind us.
We were back in the dark green gas infested inner area, parts of buildings we can see looked to be already crumbling. Office material among other things were on the tarmac road. Broken and already smeared green. On the side was a tall apartment building, the gas obscured the view of the very top, but i'm sure this is a different area of the inner city.
"Team, let's head in." Sebastian ordered. Moving towards the open glass door, tiny debris crunched under us.
Inside, it was empty, but already filled with green.
After a few seconds, the team started walking forward, now heading towards a stairwell.
The second floor. The area looked more professional and better than the last apartment we went to. The doors had a reader next to each of them as they remained shut.
One of the medical personnel opened the door with ease.
"Power went out, you won't have an issue with getting through these doors." He said.
"Everyone, start checking the other rooms. Place any bodies you find in a body bag and toss it outside for us to start bringing back." Sebastian said.
I opened a door to a random room of this place, like the first one it wasn't locked. Simply opened quickly.
Inside, it looked more modern. A glass table, flat tv, pictures were hung on a wall while a couch sat below. The place looked more tidy. But with the gas, despite the tidy room, everything was tainted with green as bits and pieces of the room were already corroding.
Stepping further inside, i turned to the side to see a small kitchen, it was divided from the other room but a countertop, just like the other place. On the ground, a dead body with a mask already worn lied flat on the ground, blood strewning around the corpse, i knelt down. The blood was nearly dried and the mask looked to be fastened on. Probably wore it too late, sadness hit me while i thought to myself.
I placed a body bag flat on the ground next to the body. Opening it and turning the corpse to lie on it's back, i began moving the corpse, dragging the top to the bag before moving the lower torso. I couldn't even see the inside of the mask, the visor was already in red.
A zip up and i got my first body bag. Feeling another pit in my stomach as i dragged it outside on the hallway. The others were already placing body bags of their own outside, walking back inside.
Inspecting the room there wasn't anymore bodies in the area.
"Let's just put the body bags outside before we head to the next floor." Stephen suggested.
Now back outside, the others began dragging the body bags they used. Dragging them on the floor. A few of us were carrying it by a handle on the top or carrying theirs by the shoulder.
As the others began carrying their bags with ease. One of the people in suits approached me.
"Need any help?" He asked. I nodded after trying to lift it up with difficulty.
"Alright, take the bottom part, i'll take the upper part."
He lifted the bag up along with me. Together we moved through the hallway and down the stairs,
Outside, we started placing the body bags on the top. Sebastian and Stephen helped inside the truck, hoisting the bags up and placing them inside.
Now finished, we started running back into the building.
The third floor was the new place to be searched, looking similar to the floor below, now with large paintings or pictures hanging up on the walls or on the ground. No time wasted, i entered one of the rooms, inside, it was bigger than the room below. Papers were on hte ground, no longer readable as the green stain made it impossible to read them. searching more, a dead body leaned on the wall, dried blood was smeared on the face and the clothing. Skin was already peeled off, fucking hell, whatever this gas is, it's relentless in killing. Can't imagine what these poor alliance civilians went through.
I placed the dead body inside the bag without another though, where the corpse once was, was already drenched in dried blood.
I brought out the body to the hallway, running back in to take a quick inspection.
Bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, were all empty, illuminated only with the remaining light that shone through the cracked windows.
"Continue searching any other unopened rooms, and we'll head back down." Sebastian directed us to the order.
I went out and made my way to another unopened door.
Inside, it was empty, no shelves, no extra clutter on the ground apart from the small debris of the corroding building. Guess this one is not owned.
Another room i went, inside, a dead body greeted me just near the door. It's hand was extended out, as if the person was attempting to open the door to escape, but was too late.
The more i found bodies in these predicaments and the situation they're bodies are in, from positions to the body itself rotting away from the gas. It made me feel saddened once more, irritated and saddened. Not staring at the body for too long, i immediately began to seal it inside the body bag. These people didn't have a chance to escape to the outside, but we'll bring them out for them i thought to myself, trying to bring some more hope and joy as the sadness and pit in my stomach made it harder to concentrate.
Finished, i gently placed the body outside, a quick room search and either i search another room, or we start bringing back the bodies.