David Presley - Rise of the Undead 1943

“They’re alive!” Muller screams to Karl.

Monte grabs Vanessa and pushes her out of the room. Oddball runs for the door.

“Behind you!” Monte screams at him.

A gargoyle flies toward Oddball, who turns and throws a handful gold coins at it, “I don’t want it; I don’t want it!” She dives at him, claws extended. Oddball screams and ducks, and she sails over him.

“Run!” Monte screams waving Oddball on.

Three gargoyles descend on Karl.

“Sarge, help me!” Oddball shrieks as the gargoyle swings around. Monte pulls Oddball through the door. The gargoyle is closing in on them and as they burst through, Muller slams the door closed. They hear Karl’s screams from the other side. The door crashes, and Muller is pushed back.

“I don’t think they’re staying inside.”

Yusif helps him hold the door. Another crash, and they both are pushed back. Oddball jumps in to help. Three hits rock the door, knocking the men down. A gargoyle stands in the doorway holding Karl’s severed head. Monte levels his gun. The Gargoyle knocks him onto the ground and flies down the hallway. Another steps out and looks at Oddball. The creature growls, showing its sharp teeth. Oddball crawls back against the wall, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Oddball reaches in his pocket and starts throwing gold coins into the room. The Gargoyle raises her hand back, ready to strike with razor sharp claws, “Couple more.”

Monte levels his gun at her.

“I wouldn’t,” Yusif advises him.

Monte looks to see the rest of the Gargoyles standing in the doorway, ready to attack.

Monte looks to Oddball, “Sorry, son, you’re on your own.”

Oddball tosses in the last of the coins and looks into the room, “There you go! That’s all of ’em.” Oddball smiles. The Gargoyle stares at him.

“Oh, shit,” Oddball says.

With a rush of air, the other Gargoyle flies back into the room. Oddball cringes. The one in front of him leans down and waves her finger ‘no.’

“Yeah, got it. Real sorry, won’t happen again.”

She speaks in an ancient tongue and then scratches Oddball’s cheek, just enough to draw blood. Oddball shakes with fear as she slams the door closed. He lies back on the floor with a sigh.

Pilch smiles, “Think she’s fresh on you.”

Oddball looks over to him, “I wonder what she said.”

“Do not touch me, my possessions nor my heart,” Vanessa translates.

“Trust me, I ain’t touchin’ nothing that bitch has got!”

Monte looks around the tunnel they’re now in. It’s lined with human skulls from floor to ceiling. At the far end, a speck of red light can be seen.

Pilch looks around at the skulls, “Must be thousands.”

“There is no end to man’s greed when it comes to gold,” Yusif states, “And in this place, they must pay for it.”

Monte leads the way forward, “Let’s make sure we don’t become wallpaper, too.”

Oddball looks to the light at the end of the tunnel, “That don’t look like sunlight to me.”

Yusif nods, “We are almost there.”

Oddball stops, “So let me get this straight -- the door to hell is just ahead, and you want us to just walk up and close it?”

Yusif nods and continues on.

Oddball shakes his head, “Something wrong with that guy. He’s always too calm.”

Yusif leads them to an intersection and stops. He looks ahead, toward the light.

“Look,” Pilch says and points to the wall where Karl’s head is surrounded by ancient skulls.

“Bastards,” Muller says.

“The door, we must hurry,” Yusif says.

From the other corridor, they hear the rush of running boots. Monte looks toward the noise, “Go! We’ll keep them off your back.”

Yusif starts moving toward the light.

“Pilch, go with him,” Monte orders.

Pilch and Monte lock eyes, tension in the air. Pilch nods and turns to go.

“Wait,” Monte says and Pilch turns back to find Monte’s hand extended.

Oddball and Muller take up firing positions, preparing for the onslaught. Oddball stares down his sights waiting, “Dear Mom. I’m standing in a skull-lined cave under the desert. On one side of me is an army of undead. On the other side, the gate to hell. Hope all is well back in Sioux Falls. Love, Oddball.”

Vanessa shakes her head, “You certainly have a way with words.”

“That’s what my drill sergeant told me.”

Vanessa looks to Oddball, Monte and Muller with weapons ready, “Do you have an extra gun?”

Oddball hands her a pistol with a smile.

“Thanks,” and she kisses him on the lips.

Pilch stares at the hand for a long moment and then reaches out to take it. The two men grip hands firmly.

“Go,” Monte tells him, and Pilch starts after Yusif.

“Stop!”

Pilch looks back to see Belial at the tunnel’s entrance and runs after Yusif.

Monte looks to Belial, “No stopping him now.”

Belial glares at Monte, “You will live to see the end of days for this.”

Monte nods, “So be it,” and Monte shoots Belial in the head.

Pilch and Yusif walk carefully down the tunnel. Pilch looks over his shoulder as gunfire erupts behind them.

“Get ready,” Yusif advises.

Something moves ahead, “What’s that?”

“I was told the gate would be guarded.”

“By who?”

“My father.”

Pilch sighs, “No, guarded by who?”

Yusif smiles, “The ones who opened the gate. Sumerians.”

Ahead, four skeletons step from alcoves in the wall. Yusif draws his scimitar as a Sumerian advances, his sword held low, the point waving back and forth.

“Welcome to 1943 asshole,” Pilch fires, and the Sumerian’s skull explodes. The rest charge for them. Pilch fires again, and another goes down.

“Do not go gently,” Yusif mutters.

The last two skeletons attack with their swords. Pilch uses his rifle to block a swipe. The Sumerian easily knocks his rifle from his hands and draws back for the deathblow. Yusif blocks a swipe and quickly swipes the head off the skeleton Pilch is facing. He has saved Pilch but opened himself up for attack. The last skeleton catches him in the side. Yusif goes down with a cry, and the skeleton raises his sword. Pilch fires his pistol, taking the skeleton’s head off.

Belial smiles at Monte as he spits the smoking bullet from his mouth, “Fools.”

From behind Belial step Harris, Margrave, and ten other German and American soldiers.

Oddball lowers his weapon and smiles, “Hey L-T,” and waves.

Monte looks over to Oddball, irked.

Oddball looks to Monte, “What?”

Monte shakes his head in irritation. Belial walks toward the passage, heading for Yusif and Pilch. Monte steps in front of him, blocking his path, “You and me got business.”

Belial raises his hand palm out and sends a blast of energy that knocks Monte to the floor.

“Neat trick,” Monte compliments him as he starts after Pilch again. Monte kicks him in the knee as he passes, with no effect.

“Insolent knave,” Belial says stopping to run him through with his sword.

The sword slips into Monte’s chest and breaks through his back with a wet crunch; he shudders as Belial twists the blade inside of his body. Monte reaches out, and with both hands grabs hold of the blade, keeping Belial in place.

“No!” Oddball screams.

Belial smiles evilly down at Monte and kicks him off the blade with a spray of blood. Monte falls back dead.

Belial looks back to Harris and the undead, “Kill them all,” he orders and then moves down the hallway unopposed.

Pilch and Yusif walk to the end of the tunnel. Yusif walks with a limp while carrying his scimitar and a Sumerian sword.