Screams, desperate and anguished, reverberated through the besieged hotel as the relentless assault of tank shells continued. The once pristine white carpet now bore witness to the macabre dance of three pairs of feet, their owners leaving a trail of blood in their wake.
Stalker, Andrew, and the gravely injured Zach stumbled into view, the harbingers of a tragedy that unfolded within the confines of room 223. Zach, weak and battered, pointed with trembling fingers towards the ominous doorway.
Carter and Lilah, vigilant warriors amid the chaos, rushed out of the room, their eyes locking onto the trio. "INSIDE NOW!" Lilah's command sliced through the tumultuous air, the building quivering as tank shells relentlessly collided with its walls.
"We will find more people!" Carter's gaze met Stalker's, a silent understanding passing between them. "Go! Find Sarge and the others!"
Stalker hesitated for a moment, his eyes lingering on the room's threshold. With a nod, Lilah and Carter, armed with determination, darted away, disappearing into the ominous corridors.
Jug, his gaze heavy with concern, locked eyes with Zach, whose weakened form bore the weight of impending agony. Maddy, realization dawning upon her, uttered a gasp.
"Zach!" she exclaimed as Stalker and Andrew carefully seated him on the bed. "Lay down, kiddo," Andrew's gentle command resonated.
"We have to cut off his arm," Stalker declared, swiftly taking off his belt and wrapping it tourniquet-tight around Zach's arm.
"I need people to hold him down!" The urgency in Stalker's voice resonated through the room as Maddy, with determination in her eyes, rushed over to restrain Zach.
Zach, looking into Maddy's eyes with shock, gave a subtle nod, wincing from the pain that awaited. Maddy, her eyes brimming with tears, grabbed his other hand tightly. "You're so brave," she whispered, her voice a fragile reassurance amidst the looming ordeal.
Andrew, resolute, held Zach down from the other end, meeting his eyes with a somber nod. "It'll be all over soon, buddy," he cooed, offering solace.
Maddy wiped away her tears, holding Zach down with one hand and clasping his hand even more tightly. "We love you so very much," she whispered, her words a heartfelt chorus of love amidst the impending tragedy. Zoe, wielding a machete, joined the solemn assembly, ready to assist.
Stalker, eyes moist with unshed tears, took the machete and raised it high. "I'm so, so fucking sorry, Zach."
The blade descended with a merciless force, blood oozing out as Zach screamed in agonizing torment. The group, united in their somber task, held him down, the room echoing with the symphony of pain.
The machete swung again, breaking through bone, blood staining the once pristine sheets. Zach shuddered and, overwhelmed by the torment, succumbed to unconsciousness.
"Zach?" Maddy's voice trembled with fear. "Hey, Zach!" Zoe's panic mirrored the collective concern as Andrew released his grip.
"Start a fire! Now!" Stalker's urgent command cut through the lingering echoes of agony, signaling the beginning of a grim yet necessary aftermath.
In the ravaged lobby, the aftermath of destruction manifested in swirling smoke, cascading debris, and a thick veil of dust that clung to the air.
Sarge lay on the ground, ears ringing, blood trickling down his forehead, a silent testament to the chaos that unfolded. Above, the tank unleashed its relentless fury, the machine gun's ominous rattling piercing through the disarray.
A survivor, obscured by the lingering smoke, dared to retaliate, firing their weapon. However, a sudden and ominous whizzing sound heralded the brutal response.
Bullets struck the survivor with brutal precision, obliterating them in an instant, leaving a splatter of blood on the floor.
The tank, no longer content with unleashing shells, now turned its machine gun on the beleaguered survivors. Sarge winced as he struggled to his feet, his hand grasping his rifle at his side. "RUN!" he bellowed, urgency laced in his strained voice.
Biters, drawn by the cacophony, echoed in the distance, steadily infiltrating the lobby. Sarge surveyed the wreckage, flames flickering faintly in the smoke – their defensive barricades, now reduced to rubble. The cars that once shielded them from the relentless horde were obliterated.
A limping biter approached Sarge, but with a swift retaliatory headbutt, he knocked it back. Swinging the butt of his gun, he dispatched the creature, black blood splattering on the floor. Eyes narrowed, he aimed into the smoke, vigilant for lurking shadows.
A lone figure emerged, a shadow within the haze, adorned in a soldier's attire. Sarge squeezed the trigger, bullets tearing through the silhouette. The shadow crumpled, a scream resonating, diverting the attention of the approaching biters.
Sarge retreated toward the stairs, rifle steadfastly aimed at the tattered entrance. Rounds were fired, disrupting the advancing biters before he withdrew into the hallway.
Meanwhile, Lilah and Carter sprinted up the hallway, haunted by the distant echoes of anguished screams on the third floor. "Rotters!" a survivor's cry resonated, followed by another proclaiming, "Brian is one of them!" Gunfire punctuated the unsettling symphony.
Lilah rushed towards the chaos, drawn by the cries. Carter noted the grim transformation – the survivors they once shared refuge with had turned. Doors were knocked down, darts protruding from their necks. "They have done this!" Carter hissed, raising his gun.
A survivor-turned-biter lunged at the survivor from behind, clamping onto his neck. Lilah, vigilant, aimed her rifle and dispatched the group of biters, methodically reducing the threat. As they advanced down the hallway, a survivor's voice yelled, "Carter!" The disheartening sight unfolded as a door, its hinges compromised, fell upon Carter.
Two biters seized the opportunity, falling onto the door, tearing and biting at him. Lilah's heart sank as a crawling biter emerged, growling, and advanced toward Carter. With her knife drawn, Lilah turned just in time to face another imminent threat – a biter lunging at her, tackling her to the unforgiving ground.