Hellspawn chapter 3

3

 The walk to the river took less then five minutes, yet by the time we reached the river the weather changed from a scorching afternoon to a dark day, with large clouds overhead. During the time mutinous talk was passing from man to man, and I wasn't liking where this was going. 
"he's out of line, we could of saved him." Corporal Knox, a very harsh man from Sergeant Josephs squad, said to everyone in a low mutter.
"I'm done listening to him! Somethings going on here and Mells  was our chance of finding out!" shouted Private Mathers, a young women with a bad temper.
"ok guys listen up! It's Sergeant Josephs and my own decision on what to do! I don't want to hear a word from you our your going to stay up all night and guard the village."
Sims shouted at us. We all raised our voices in protest but she  cut us short. "shut up now! Did you hear that?"  we all pause.

Gunfire and shouts are coming from the village, occasionally followed by a scream.
"f**k the water, let's move!" Sergeant Joseph shouts at us.
We break into a sprint, with Sims and Josephs leading the way. We're back into the village within minutes, and the change is horrifying. Fresh bodies litter the ground, with large pools of blood surrounding them. Some Walls sported handprints of blood, where people have held onto the Walls for support. On A building across the village I spot two soldiers shooting downwards at something hidden from view. 
"what the hell happened here?" Derek says during deep breaths.
"Joseph! Take your men and check the buildings! Squad on me! We got to help those men!"
I see Joseph break off and turn right, leading his large squad away. I start to wish I was in his squad. We rush forward, past lone legs and stray arms, and occasionally a head. We get to the building that the two soldiers are on top of and I can see who's on top of the building, Private Vegrent and a Corporal called Meddit. They have stopped firing, and have slumped to the ground. I climb onto the building and look at where I saw Meddit and Vegrent shooting. 
There's nothing there.
I see Sims and Derek round the corner of the building, and look up at me.
"stay with them! You too Cheing! Squad on me!"Sims barks up at me, I nod and see my squad round the corner.
"a hand, corporal?" Cheing says from behind me, I turn and see him trying to pull himself up. I grab an arm and haul him up, then I turn to Meddit and Vegrent.

Meddit has a long scratch from his shoulder to his wrist, blood is oozing out and he has a small burns on his hand. His eyes are closed and he seems to be unconscious. My eyes turn from Meddit to Vegrent and I can tell something isn't right, He is shaking violently and saliva is spilling out of his mouth, his whole right arm seems as if it's been mangled by a lion and his pants have singe marks and large areas torn.
"what's wrong with Vegrent?" Cheing asks me, he kneels down by his side and grabs his uninjured arm. The saliva stops coming out from his mouth and his shaking slows, changing to an occasional twitch. 
"I don't know, he looks better now, you do something to him?"
"no, why didn't Meddit react the same way Vegrent did?"
"your asking the wrong person private." I say, shaking my head. "what I want to know is what they were firing at though, and where everyone else is." 
Vegrent's eyes shoot open, wide and bloodshot, he let's out a pained yelp and starts trying to push himself away from Cheing.
"Private Vegrent! It's ok!" Cheing shouts at him. He slowly stops struggling and looks around, as if taking in the scenario for the first time.
"what happened Vegrent?" I ask, pulling out a container with barely a sip of water left, he takes it and puts his mouth to it, sucking out what liquid remains.
"dozens of them, Corporal. It was like all hell broke loose. We were just sitting around and talking about Mells when they came out. They got Eekens, and Owen. I don't know about the others, I saw some guys run off without even trying to fight. Me and Meddit ran to the roof and started picking them off. Took whole clips to take them down." he says quickly, I can see tears spring to his eyes and run down his dirt filled face. He let's out a moan and grabs his arm.
"slow down, Vegrent. What exactly attacked you? And where is the Lieutenant? Did you see him?" I'm about to reach for my pack when I remember I left it by the river.
"Demons. Couldn't be human." 
"Demons?" I repeat slowly, he takes his hold of me now and stares me in the eyes.
"I'm telling you Corporal, those things came from hell itself. This place isn't normal, we got to get out of here." I hold his gaze for a moment before I nod, his grip slacks and he lays back.
"I didn't see the lieutenant get hit, with any luck he's still alive and back to his senses. I just want out of here, now."
"what's happening to Corporal Meddit?" Cheing shouts from beside me. I turn and look at Meddit, I can see cuts forming on his face, fresh blood spilling out of areas that were once fine. Long gashes open up on his arm, and blood starts to spill out of his mouth. 

I leap up and am by his side in a second, but by then i can tell it's too late. A large pool of blood has already formed around his body. I place my ear where his heart lay, waiting for his strong pulse.
Instead I hear silence.
I slam my fist down on his chest, enraged and demoralised from what I just saw. I continue to beat my fist on him as Cheing inspects him himself.
"no way, he was fine two minutes ago! There wasn't a any cuts here! Or here!" he turns to look at me, his face has lost all it's colour. "what's going on here, Corporal? What the hell could do this?"
I'm speechless myself, and can only shake my head. Cheing swears under his breath.
"shouldn't we try and find the others?" Vegrent asks me in a wheezy voice.
"your in no shape to move right now, I think it's best to just sit tight and wait for them."
"but they might need our help! You havn't seen what those things can do!" he shouts at me, I cover his mouth.
"quiet! If there is any more of them around they'll hear us." I say in an urgent whisper. "The others can handle themselves, but I don't think you'll be fighting for a while, Vegrent."
He pushes away my hand and slumps back on the ground.
"ok Private Cheing, you watch the south and west, I'll take east and north.
"yes sir." 
From Where I positioned myself I can see the centre of the village clearly, I try and count the bodies. I can clearly see five around the poles sticking out of the ground, there may be more, who knows? 
That's nine of us dead, and there may be more. I think to myself solemnly. Nine out of the forty-two of us, I've never seen so much death on one mission, ever. 
"Corporal! I see movement!" Cheing whispers to me.
"friendly?"
"I think so sir, yes! It looks like Sergeant Joseph's squad."
I spin around immediately to see Joseph and his thirteen men, accompanied by six others. All six seem to be limping, or being supported by someone else.
"so few of them." I hear Cheing mutter under his breath.
"it dosn't mean the others are all dead." I reply, even though I know it means exactly that.
"Corporal Cooper! Where is sergeant Sims?" a voice comes from the crowd, I see a man Clutching his arm. 
It's the lieutenant.
Somehow he seems fine, except for a long gash on his arm, but compared to the others he's as close to fine as possible.
"She went looking for any other survivors, sir." 
"She won't find anyone, I watched them die."
"someone could of gotten away-"
"they're dead! Every last one of them soldier! Now get over it!" he shouts up at me, I can tell that I've pushed him too far. He now paces back and forth shouting.
"thirteen men have died on this mission! Thirteen, f*****g men! We are not leaving here until we stop these things. I'm going to find every last one of them and send them straight back to hell! Now who's with me?" he turns to a silent crowd, his eyes narrowing firmly.
"I said who's with me!" he screams into the air.
Luckily no one has to answer for Sergeant Sims walks into the square with her squad. All six of them look scarred and upset, but Sims puts on a hard face as she salutes to the lieutenant.
"sir! We failed to find anyone, we were to late." she says hoarsely. The lieutenant does something that raises an uproar from the men around him. He backhands her across the face.
"shut up you stupid b***h! I know there's no one left!" he screams at her, she steps back and looks like she's going to hit him back, but she never gets the chance, Derek rushes forward and hits the butt of the gun into his face, knocking him to the ground. He scrambles to get up but Corporal Maeves and Sergeant Josephs retains him.
"you mutinous little b*****s! They're going to kill you all! You'll die without me!" 
"get him into one of the houses and gag him!" Sims shouts at Maeves, who carries him off with the help of a man from Josephs squad.
"ok, Sergeant Joseph and myself are going to take command from now on, any objections?" Sims asks the Crowd. No one speaks. "good. Sadly the lieutenants right. We're staying here until we can stop these monsters." a small groan comes from the crowd. "we will travel anywhere in this village in three groups, I don't want anyone breaking formation and wandering off for anything, I don't care if you got to piss. These things caught us off guard, but that won't happen again. Sergeant Joseph, Corporal Cooper, and myself are going to lead these three groups. I want everyone to sit tight and relax here while I talk with Sergeant Joseph and Corporal Cooper, but do not leave this area!" there was a murmur of assent the crowd broke off, dispersing into small circles.
I almost forget I'm standing on a roof and nearly fall off, luckily Cheing grabs hold of me.
"watch yourself Corporal."
"thanks. Can you get Vegrent down by yourself?" I ask him quietly, I see Vegrent struggling to his feet though and gritting his teeth as he clutches his side, though still standing tall.
"yea, I got it. Now hurry up Corporal, Sergeant Sims is waiting."
And she is waiting. She's tapping her foot in an impatient rhythm and crossing her arms. I hop down and join her and Sergeant Joseph. Joseph has the build of an athlete, short cropped hair, well rounded body and thick eyebrows that always make him look angry. He is a very quiet man though, and I've never seen him kill if he could help it.
"come on, in here." he says, leading us into a house. I recognise it as a house I've searched earlier with Vegrent and Eekens. A small round table with four chairs in the first room, exactly what we need. Ad I sit on the small chair I feel my legs sigh with relief, I suddenly notice how tired I am. I could simply close my eyes and float off into nothingness. No. I tell myself firmly, I'm needed here. And the relaxing drowsiness leaves as quickly as it came, leaving me with my sore body.
"so, first things first, I want to get that water. We're all exhausted and thirsty, I say everyone heads out and cools off." Sims starts off simply.
"what about sleep Sims? Our men can't go on like this without a couple of hours of sleep." Joseph points out, and I can feel a rush of gratitude towards him.
"I know, don't remind me. I'm exhausted too, we can sleep in shifts." 
"and what about the lieutenant?" I ask her," and the wounded?"
"and those monsters that killed everyone?" Joseph throws out. 
Sims places her hands on her temples,
"one step at a time boys." she says after a minute. "first things first though. Water."