Zombies Apocalypse: Too Late To Run!

Chapter 11: Narrow Escape From Death.

When Hubert was at a loss for what to do next, a zombie unleashed its power. A fireball hurtled through the air, tearing through the wind, seemingly elevated to a high level - possibly reaching a peak at level two. This zombie seemed hastily attacking, fearing Hubert and his comrades might escape.

Hubert clears the earth’s slow, rumbling noises behind him, not just the two zombies. These were the low-level zombies being commanded by the two leaders to advance. If Jacob weren’t promptly, they would all perish there. Jacob was the only one who could fly the helicopter. If the zombies were allowed to advance, there would be no escape.

Determined, Hubert conceived a plan with little thought about its feasibility. One of the leading zombies was a fire user, while the other hadn’t used its power yet, making the situation even more chaotic. Wrapping one end of a rope around his shoulder and arm, Hubert mustered his strength, pulled, and launched his attack.

“Die!”

Despite saying this, Hubert’s actual intention was for both zombies to direct their powers at him. When the two streams of tremendous energy attacked, he created a protective virtual armor around his body. While these energy streams wouldn’t inflict direct wounds on him, their force wouldn’t diminish, propelling him into the air. Simultaneously, he focused his energy on his arm and used the blowback from their attack to move the fallen wall. The plan seemed successful.

Smack!

After being thrown into the air, Hubert hit the ground hard, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Jacob, having just escaped the wall, couldn’t get up. He seemed to have been directly affected by the zombie’s previous attack and was too weak to fight. Seeing the remaining zombie unleash its power, Hubert recognized it as water-based.

It hadn’t used its power earlier because water counters fire. If the fire-based power had been more substantial, it wouldn’t have been a problem. However, this zombie’s water-based strength was superior, rendering the fire zombie’s strength useless. The attack suggested that even though water counters fire, it could still easily defeat Hubert. The fire zombie charged forward, aiming to launch a final strike to kill Hubert, but a tall ice wall, over a meter high and half a meter thick, suddenly appeared in front of him.

“I’m here to help!”

“Lucia!”

Hubert’s vision was blocked, so he couldn’t see how the fire zombie responded. But the thick ice wall was shattered in just about five seconds. The zombie’s fire was exceptionally potent, likely on the verge of breaking into level three.

“Lucia, like before! I’ll create water, and you freeze it immediately, keep using our powers so they can’t break through!”

“Okay!”

Hubert promptly responded by unleashing his water-based power. This time, he enveloped the bodies of the two zombies with water. The water-type zombie was the most elusive yet most straightforward, as the water barrier around it conveniently facilitated Lucia’s freezing abilities.

With no room for lengthy contemplation, it was a matter of life and death. Mustering every ounce of his energy, Hubert executed his final strike, transforming into a half-human half-cat form and launching himself at the target. The dagger, previously handed over by Jacob, pierced through the thick layer of ice and embedded itself in the giant brain of the water-type zombie. The zombie disintegrated into the water in an instant.

Hubert, barely managing to retrieve the dagger, attempted to take down the fire-type zombie. However, it had already broken free from its icy prison and sent Hubert flying with a mighty blast of fire, causing him to be airborne again before crashing to the ground. Jacob, now conscious, was deeply pained seeing Hubert's bruised and bloody state.

"Hubert!" he cried out.

Although Hubert heard Jacob, he was too drained to respond. He briefly saw Lucia being flung towards the emergency exit. The fire-type zombie growled menacingly, advancing towards him and Jacob. The end seemed inevitable. Hubert clenched his eyes shut. The game was over, right here, right now!

"Grumble... Grumble..."

Suddenly, the zombie's growls became more intense. Unable to resist, Hubert reopened his eyes. The ground beneath the zombie appeared to have liquified, akin to a swamp, and below this marshy surface were numerous electric sparks preventing the creature from moving or deploying its power.

"What's happening?" he asked, baffled.

As Hubert grappled with his confusion, Lucia burst in from the emergency exit, shouting urgently: "Young Wang, quickly, get Jacob out of here. Bella and Rowan's energies are unstable, and I don't know when they'll cease their power output. We must seize the opportunity!"

"Uh... okay!"

Although confused, Hubert obeyed Lucia's instruction. They struggled to reach Jacob, lifting him from either side and moving him out. The pressing issue now was Jacob's severe injuries - who would pilot the helicopter?

Hubert, Jacob, and Lucia fled the scene just in time to see Lucia carrying Rowan. The two were entangled in a vortex of swirling energy, likely due to Rowan's colossal energy triggering Bella's power manifestation.

Once outside, Hubert collapsed, his knees giving way. The initial blow meant to save Jacob had been an extreme gamble. Despite the virtual armor, his rib was almost fractured, causing excruciating pain with each movement.

"Hubert... I dragged you into this mess." Jacob mumbled guiltily, lying flat on the floor. His arm was broken with the bone protruding - a ghastly sight. His face was a canvas of fresh and old wounds soaked in blood. His clothes were torn and ragged - a miracle he was alive. However, Hubert didn't have the time to discuss blame or responsibility with Jacob. He simply asked:

"Can you hang on a little longer now? As long as we escape, we can survive. Jacob, can you guide me to pilot the helicopter?"

After a period of silence, Jacob finally nodded. This was his lover, always resilient, never giving up. Yet, he had faltered just moments ago. With Jacob's affirmation, Hubert painstakingly helped him up once more, and with Lucia's help, they hoisted him onto the helicopter. Only Bella and Rowan remained rooted, for the fire-based zombie would break free if they ceased their current abilities.

"After I start up the helicopter, Lucia, quickly get Bella and Rowan on board!"

"Got it!"

Jacob, assisted by Hubert and Lucia, took the co-pilot's seat. He began instructing Hubert on starting up and piloting the helicopter.

"First, your hands and feet must stay steady. On your right is the 'cyclic' stick. No matter what happens, only arbitrarily move it if you mean to. The cyclic determines whether the helicopter will move left, right, forward, or backward. The stick on your left side..."

Jacob pointed to another stick on Hubert's left and continued.

"This is the 'collective' stick, deciding whether the helicopter will rise or descend. On top of the stick, there's a throttle control for speed adjustment. However, the main control for speed lies in the foot pedals."

Jacob pointed to the foot pedals next to Hubert's left leg. He felt a dry sensation in his throat but couldn't stop.

"This control adjusts the helicopter's overall speed, and your feet are on the pedals. They assist in opening and closing the helicopter's tail rotor, determining the yawing motion. Operating all these controls simultaneously can be tricky, especially for a novice like you."

Hubert nodded. He started the helicopter under Jacob's guidance, with hands on the control sticks and feet on the pedals. He then called out.

"Lucia, quickly get Bella and Rowan up!"

Receiving Hubert's signal, Lucia quickly detached Bella and Rowan. She took Bella's hand and climbed onto the helicopter while Zorion carried an unconscious Rowan aboard. The helicopter buzzed as it took off. The fire-based zombie broke through the barrier at that moment, and hundreds of zombies caught up.

Hubert's hands trembled, soaked in sweat and blood, dampening the control sticks. His eyes widened, and he gasped for breath.

"Hubert, calm down. Nothing's going to happen."

Hubert shook his head, trying to steady himself. He stepped on the accelerator and simultaneously pushed the collective stick, the helicopter began to ascend, but it couldn't avoid a little shake due to unskilled control. No matter how comforting the words were, his heart pounded fearfully and anxiously. All these feelings made his chest tremble continuously. He had never experienced anything like this since childhood. When the apocalypse first happened, he didn't overthink it, thinking it was just a game. How scary could it be?

The level of fear was escalating, matching the terrifying situation. He was the lone guardian of six lives on this helicopter, and a slight mishap could send them all plunging to their doom. Hubert's hands gripped the control stick tightly, not daring to relax. Sweat dripped down his forehead, falling into his bloodshot eyes.

"Hubert, let me help you." Jacob offered, placing one hand on Hubert's.

His left hand began to manipulate the controls, accelerating their ascent. Lucia, seated behind them, sank to the helicopter's floor, panting heavily.

"We've finally taken off. That zombie was horrifying, far too powerful!" she exclaimed.

However, her relief was short-lived as the helicopter lurched suddenly. The fire-element zombie below launched attacks, hurling balls of fire that shattered a propeller blade. At the same time, another fiery missile blew out the left window by Jacob's seat, causing shards of glass to embed in his already wounded body and intensifying the horror of the scene.

The helicopter was knocked off course, tottering precariously. No matter how hard Hubert pushed the control stick, they gained minimal altitude, as if the helicopter's lift had been compromised. If things remained this way, they would surely perish. An emergency landing was imperative. However, where to land was challenging, given the urban landscape teeming with zombies and the need for sufficient open spaces for a helicopter.

"Jacob, what should I do?" Hubert implored: "We must land, but I can't find a suitable spot. Places large enough are too far away, and with the damaged propeller, we can't reach them!"

Jacob felt the unmistakable tremor in Hubert's hand for the first time. He exerted himself to steady the control stick, maintaining their flight level. The helicopter circled as the fire-element zombie continued its relentless assault. It was then that Zorion spoke up.

"I recall a large parking lot behind the supermarket, and the helicopter could land there!"

"Is that so?"

Hubert spun around, his vision surveying the area. Indeed, behind the supermarket they had just left was a vast open space. Guided by Jacob, he began to steer the helicopter across the fiery zombie's path. Just then, another emotional attack hit the aircraft. The helicopter's damage alarm blared, indicating a fire at the helicopter's tail.