Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #21 December 2015 | Page 48

Then another bullet glanced off the wall beside
him, where was this firing coming from? Aside from
the gatehouse the only other area was the flat platform
where the tower had been brought down by the
artillery and apart from the smoke drifting across it the
whole area was empty. Or was it? Was that a hint of
movement? Was something there? He could see... no...
it was just the smoke.
Then another bullet flew past him and he
ducked down.

“Fire B.” The six-pounder rocked back on
its wheels as it fired. A storm of shot spread across
the platform and the rubble of the tower. Suddenly it
was as if a wind had blown away the smoke. A dozen
figures in black could be seen crouched there firing
across to the gatehouse. Another figure clad in a long
brown coat stood on top of the mound of rubble, he
had been hit and was falling backwards with both arms
outstretched and what looked like a large book falling
from his grasp.

“Sergeant, send a runner to the guns, I want
that platform across from the gatehouse shelled, tell
Engler to use explosive or canister.”

For just a second it seemed to Engler that the
man was wearing some sort of metal mask on his face
then he was gone from sight.

“Yes sir. Oi you, soldier come ere.”
#
Lieutenant Engler was still watching events
through his binoculars. He could see the walking
corpses attacking the horses but could not fire at the
quartermaster’s wagon. He could see the general
standing up and then ducking down.
He watched a soldier run down the ramp and
then cross the market area towards him.
“Lieutenant, the general says to shoot at the
platform across from the gatehouse, the one where the
tower was. He says to use explosive and stuff.”
“What on earth for, there is nothing there. Oh
very well, go back and tell him I will comply.”
“A gun, load an explosive round, B load a
canister. Target the platform up there.”
Both gun crews obeyed, loading the rounds,
slamming the breaches closed and locking them then
turning the guns to bear on the target.
“Fire A.” The six pounder belched fire and
smoke, seconds later the round stuck slightly low,
exploding against the wall and shattering another
section of brick wall.

“RELOAD CANISTER. How the blazes did
we not see them!”
#
The sudden lack of fire coming from the gun
platform allowed the men on the quartermaster’s
wagon to get back to fighting the walking corpses,
other soldiers were able to kneel and fire under the tall
wagon. In quick order most of the walking corpses
were dropped and finished off.
First platoon was able to advance round the
wagon and kill the few that were left.
On the wall above them quartermaster
Simmons poked his head up to see if it was all
clear then swung over from the roof of the closest
house back onto the wall. When the corpses had
overwhelmed second platoon and attacked the wagon
he had climbed up onto the wall and stepped across
onto the closest roof. Now that is was a little safer
he went back to passing ammo across to the soldiers
inside the fort, though it took several minutes to get
his assistants back onto the wagon to help.
First Platoon or the half of it that was here
moved into the remains of the gatehouse and began
to fire up the street at the walking corpses that were
mindlessly trying to smash their way into the houses
held by third platoon.

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