Ashes to Ashes (Book 1 of 2) A ZOMBIE FICTION

The Control Tower

With the full tank we had on take off we could stay up in the air for a day or two, with any luck we could stay in the sky long enough to keep that true.

We flew in low over what looked to be an abandoned US Military installation, only a few lights being on and dozens of infected or, as we would now call them after Drake's persuasion, Zombies roaming the base. We hadn't expected the SAM sites, or Surface to Air Missile sites, to be active. My definition of low, was about a thousand feet off the ground.

The aircraft began beeping, letting us know of the missile lock in place; then our radio went off.

"Aircraft! State your identity and purpose or be shot down."

"We are a group of civilians looking for a safe place to rest for a while."

"Negative. Pilot of US C-5M, Number 'Seven-Seven-Two-Four', divert your path and look elsewhere."

"We can assist you in clearing your ba-"

"Negative! Break flight path or be shot down! This is your final warning."

"Alright! Alright, I'm breaking flight path!"

"One-Hundred and thirty-two mikes east of this position is a United States Air Base, you may have more luck there with your intentions. Good luck." The man said, cutting the radio frequency.

"Well, at least he told us that..." I said, looking at Sadie. By now the others were crowding the cockpit.

"What's going on?!"

"It's fine! We flew over an active military installation. They locked onto us and told us to divert, then told us about a USAF base a distance that-a-way." I told them, pointing east.

"Good, don't get us shot down." Drake said, exiting the doorway before I could see him.

"Will do."

The trip was silent and didn't take any more than forty-five minutes, upon looking at the airfield in full we could see that the strip itself was desolate. Meaning that either the zombies hadn't made it this far, or that someone was hiding inside. We approached the runway for a landing when engine one, the far right, went out suddenly. It threw the plane off balance but I was able to bring it back and land it fine. 

As we taxied down the run way, slowing down, a foreign object pierced the high part of one of our wind screens.

"We are under fire! Everyone! Get ready, the shots are coming from the Control Tower." I shouted over the intercom. I heard two shots from the back of the plane, then another hit the wind screen in front of Sadie and hit my vest. It stopped dead on impact, being slowed heavily by the screen. The firing from the back continued and I now realized that my hearing from the right still hadn't returned; "Sadie! Stay down, by the door!" I ordered as her shaking became evident.

I stopped the aircraft and got up to grab my gear. I moved to the main section of the plane, grabbing Drake's M4 from him then three magazines.

"Alex! Don't go alone!" I heard Drake shout as he fired out the right door of the aircraft.

"Right. Josh, with me." I ordered as I jumped out of the left door.

I ran to the very edge of the runway, jumping into the small drainage ditch and jogged to the end closest to the tower. Making sure to turn and see Josh behind me.

I heard two cracks of thunder off in the distance, then climbed onto the runway and ran sprinting across the tarmac; leaving Josh to keep up. 

"If we've been noticed then they just aren't worried about us." I said, panting for breath.