The Risen

Chapter Seven

The Skeleton Pit
Ryder

It's been maybe five days since Dante and James left, and the people here still haven't found anything about where the two went.

During these five days Maya and I have been spending more time together, mostly during training as she doesn't want to see me after.

Although one day after training I found her stumble into the male change rooms in only a towel. She flirted with me then, goddamn women and there mixed signals.

I really have improved with my weapons training, for the first few days I couldn't get around swords and axes, and although guns and heavy weapons are still my specialty Maya has showed me how to be quicker when attacking with a short weapon. The doctors have also taught me how to make my own cures, well not the cures their making for me but a simple "dummy" version that is made from simple herbs and spices that will act as a temporary cure for a few hours.

The Major called a meeting, it was strange location for a meeting. This was a lower part of the main compound, It was a dark room, lit using torch rather then electricity from thermal and solar power generators like the rest of the compound.

"Welcome everyone!" Said the Major, this was the first time I've ever seen the Major without a military uniform, he was wearing a casual buttoned up plaid shirt and black leather pants, I noticed a pistol and a holster around his belt.

There was about fifty people in this glass floored room, and the Major stood on a wooden stage, up there on the stage with him was Commander Faraway, and a man who I didn't recognize. The man was wearing hand cuffs and looked like he was beat up by someone.

"This man, Dylan Jackson is charged with helping Dante and James escape, Dylan here helped James rig up the trap that would set off the Alarm. because he basically killed the soldiers that went after Dante and James, God rest there souls Dylan is charged to death by the Skeleton Pit!" The Major Screamed.

That's when I looked down, below the thick layer of glass we were all standing on is another room, there was a few skeletons along the room, those of dead people. But as our doctors have discovered you will turn into a zombie if you die of natural causes.

The people here have proven that to turn, you must die. And when all of us die, cure or no cure in there system they will turn. Regardless of how you died. Getting bite is a death sentence without a cure. This is because the bite itself kills you quicker.

The Skeleton Pit below my feet had almost a dozen zombies inside it. The screams of people in shock filled the room, clearly nobody knew about this. What made the Major tell us now? Was it a fear tactic?

"What the hell is this!" I heard someone ask.

The Major, looking annoyed with the man who asked the question.

"A punishment!" He yelled, not at the man directly but more at the room. Major Skeleton turned to face Dylan

"Any last words?"

Dylan spat in his face and yelled not at the Major but to everyone else.

"This man is crazy, he killed my family! My wife and kids are down in this pit and if I die I'll die knowing I'm going to be with them, but all of you still have a chance to survive and this man will ruin that-" Dylan was cut off but the Major pulling a lever that retracted the floor beneath Dylan. Dylan fell into the Skeleton Pit and his screams of agnoy filled the chamber as his face was ripped open by the undead in the pit.

...

The people of Fort Black got the message, and everyone left the room. Everyone but Maya and I.