Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #22 January 2016 | Page 47

it became fists and rifle butts. As they struggled and fought, they didn’t see another figure come down the ramp—they were too involved in the life or death battle to notice the silver mask, the long coat or the large, ancient book. The figure in the long coat ran past them and up the street to the open area where he shouted in a strange language that, had any been close enough to hear, would have struck them as an inhuman sound that no man should be able to speak. No living being heard him, but a dozen corpses that stood in the open area did and, obedient to the command, they shambled into the narrow street to kill everyone they found there. # In the fort the other half of first platoon was formed up behind the embattled houses. There were no walking corpses in this street, and they were able to form a line to cover the alley further up. A pair of Ironsides and several men of third platoon were fighting their way backwards down the alley and into the street. They stepped clear, and the first of the dead staggered into the street and straight into the fire of two lines of redcoats. One, then another, then two more of the dead were cut down; one made it close to the line of infantry while the ones in front took the shots but it was smashed aside and crushed by the Ironside. Lieutenant Ambrose stationed a squad and one Ironside to block the alley and led the rest of his men along the street behind the houses. corpses staggered down the alley and attacked the Ironside. He turned and opened fire alongside the men standing there, and for several minutes the sergeant was too busy to do anything other than load and fire. Lieutenant Ambrose reached the end of the street where it opened out into the clear area in front of the fortified building that sat against the highest point of the hill. He waved the rest of his men and most importantly the noisy Ironside to stop then peered cautiously round the corner of the last house. He saw a figure in a long leather coat step through the door into the fortress building and the backs of a number of walking corpses as they lurched into a narrow street across the open area by the far wall. Once they were out of sight he gestured his men and the Ironside to advance to the corner and into the open area. He sent a few men to check the door of the fortified building, and then once no enemies were seen, he led the rest to the top of the street facing the gatehouse. As he now looked down the street towards the ruins of the gatehouse he could see less than a score of redcoats holding the gate, another dozen or more on the rooftops of the houses on one side and Greyhound standing above the rubble of the houses on the other side. street. No more than fifty corpses still moved in the Behind them the fire from second platoon was slackening off though none here were aware of it over the c ۜ