Gnash by Brian Parker

back to a lab if they let us.  So far, it seems that a dead man attacked your team.”
    Sergeant Atkins broke in, “Whoa sir.  Are you talking like zombies and shit?  I knew this place was rotten man.  We gotta get the fuck outta here.”
    “Sergeant, there is no such thing as zombies.”  The doctor looked over the top rim of his glasses through the plastic face shield of his chemical suit.  “I said, it seems as if the dead are walking, based on the accelerated state of decay on this body, but the same thing could be said for someone with severe frostbite.  That tissue is dead as well.”
    Sergeant Owens threw up his hands, “This ain’t no damned frostbite sir.  Something happened here after the chemicals were released near the outside protective monitors and there was a coordinated attack on the inside, what if they did something else also?  They planned their attack on at least those two levels, what if they did a third attack of some kind?  Something we didn’t know about.”
    “That’s why we’re here Sergeant.  I need to finish my field examination, why don’t you determine what happened to your boss.”
    In the background, Sergeant Atkins continued talking, “Man, I told you.  This is some fucked up shit man.  I didn’t join the Army to fight fucking zombies.  What the fuck man.  Can you…”
    “And please take the young sergeant with you too,” the scientist said.
    “Atkins, shut the heck up.  Everyone else, form a perimeter far enough away that you’re not going to bother the doctor.  Keep an eye on the doorways in case anyone else comes from inside.  And everyone stay together, we’re not splitting up anymore.”
    The soldiers walked out of earshot, but not out of sight of the command post.  “Man, we need like shotguns and baseball bats and shit.  I read about the zombie apocalypse online Sergeant.  These M4’s are just gonna punch holes in those things’ dead skin and they’re gonna keep coming.  We gotta decapitate ‘em and stuff.  Man we are so fucked.”
    “Sergeant Atkins!  I suggest you regain your composure and remember that the men in your team look to you for leadership and maturity in situations like this.  Think about what you just said for a minute.  That body wasn’t decapitated and he’s dead as a doornail.”  He was a deeply religious Catholic man and crossed himself for the second time in the past hour.  Geez, I am too old for this stuff Owens’ thoughts carried on.  “Whatever happened here, may have caused that or he may even have been one of the terrorists that were in here, we just don’t know.  Keep together and stay alert.”
    ***
    Sergeant Jones and his MPs returned shortly after the teams established a security perimeter.  He walked up to the Sergeant Owens and said, “We searched the entire courtyard and didn’t find him.  We can head into the building and look if you want.”
    “Where the heck did he go?  No, I don’t want anyone else in the building until I get some guidance from higher.  Thanks for looking.  Help my guys set up the perimeter around this building.  Basic Training was probably the last time these guys did anything like that,” the sergeant gestured to the snack shop in the center of the courtyard, “Remember, we are weapons hot until we figure out what is going on.  I need…” He stopped giving orders when he saw the colonel coming from the building.  He was walking with his arm around someone who was having difficulty staying upright.
    Lieutenant Colonel Henson walked up to the controlled chaos of the command post, “Sergeant Owens, what the fuck is going on out here?  What’s the doc doing?”
    “Sir, where have you been?”
    “I was inside the building sergeant.  Who is that on the ground?” he said as he eased his companion into a chair.
    “Sir, one of our teams was attacked when they were in the basement by…”
    “Attacked by whom?  Did you report it up yet?”
    “Yes sir, it’s