As they exited the rear of the building, the area opened up to a large courtyard. The remaining lights from the setting sun glimpsed upon the large courtyard, revealing the decaying remains of the citizens. The bodies littered the courtyard. Aside from these bodies, the courtyard was surrounded by other buildings, with one road leading away from the courtyard between two collapsed buildings. The ground was marbled, the colour draining from it. It looked as though someone had sprayed it with a strong hose, and had intended to wash the colour off. In the middle of the courtyard, a twenty foot statue made from steel stood on a pedestal. The statue was covered in a grey substance, but was still detailed at first glance. The statue was of a man around his mid-forties, dressed in a suit. The man was a tall, thin figure, and looked sophisticated. His face had an educated yet cruel feel to it. The eyes were narrowed, as if judging them. His head was balding, with hair around the sides of his head. The man's nose was crooked, and his lips were pursed into a sycophant grin. Underneath the statue, engraved on a silver plaque, was the name 'Chairman G Richards'.
As the group approached the statue, they felt the cold, dead stare of the statue.
Private Kiran Bevan stopped in front of it, and pointed at it with his Lancer. "Who's the creep?"
Corporal David James looked, his helmet glinting slightly in the slowly darkening sky. "Read the name underneath, Brains."
"Funny, asshole," Kiran retorted. "How funny would you be after I shunt my foot up your ass?"
"Calm it," Luitenant gravell ordered, rubbing his temple. The whole scenario was giving him a headache. "I need to think."
Kiran turned back to the statue. "So what's his story?"
"Well-"
"Chairman G Richards was the head of this town," Luitenant Gravell interrupted David. This was a story he had to tell. "Three days after E-Day, Chairman Richards got as many police officers to round up the civilians and gather them to the town. There, the Chairman instructed the surviving people to baricade the main area, which we are currently standing in." He glanced at the other three, who looked with interest. "A week and four deaths later, the people had made an almost impenetrable fortress. Over the course of time, they had been attacked twelve times, with limited weapons and supplies, and still under Chairman Richards the people were victorious." Gravell smiled grimly to himself. "It seemed that Chairman Richards was a great leader. During the events, he had formed a small council, consisting of himself, his secretary, the police chief Phillips, and the people's representative Mauro. This council decided on what to do, and what their actions were to be. They attempted to contact the newly formed COGs, but COGs decided against it. As far as our people were concerned, they were dead to them." He held his hand up at Kiran, preventing him from speaking. "Don't ask why. I don't know. All I know is Chairman Richards was alone. That is why the people built a statue. To commend him for his relentless attitude to fight for his people. Then he went mad."
The others looked at Gravell curiously, even David, who seemed to have some knowledge on the history. Gravell continued. "A year later, Chairman Richards sent a small group to go out past the enemy outside, and find reinforcements. Most were killed exiting the barricade. Two made it through, but both died from exposure at the COG base. Documents found by his secretary even revealed that Chairman Richards was acting strange, and had executed four people for treason, including Representative Mauro. Chairman Richards sent men on suicide missions, attempting to blow up Locust Emergence Holes with suicide bombers. By the second year, the numbers of citizens dropped from 150 to twelve. By then, the area we are in was abandoned, deemed to be too big to defend. Hence the bodies." He waved a hand lazily towards the corpses around them. "Finally, he failed."
"What happened?" Sergeant Hilde asked, speaking for the first time since the Wretches attacked.
"An Emergence Hole appeared within their defences, and wiped the group down to six, including Chairman Richards. The Locust, deciding to make an example of the Chairman, took him and the prisoners to this courtyard. And they executed him."
"They shot him?" Kiran asked curiously.
Gravell shook his head. "He wasn't so lucky. According to the only survivor, a prisoner who escaped, the Locust made the others watch as they plucked out Richards' eyes, and while he screamed they ripped out his tongue to silence his babbling. Then, they sliced his wrists and hung him up on his own statue, suspending him by his veins and ateries. Like a puppet. He was still alive when the Locust waited for it to go dark, and watched as the Kryll devoured him slowly. By morning, he was just shredded flesh and Kryll shit!"
"Jesus," Kiran gasped, his face paling from the image, and looked up at the statue.
"With the exception of the survivor who escaped, the others were taken to the statue, and had their throats slit," Gravell continued, ignoring Kiran's disgust. "One of those was the police chief Phillips. A good man. Probably the only honourable one of the Chairman's council. Sliced like a dog."
Hilde yawned aloud. "As interesting as this is," he replied sarcastically. "I really think we should move out. Before we join the Chairman as Kryll shit!"
Kiran nodded in agreement. "We have to move out, sir. As much an asshole Hilde is, he's right!"
Gravell knew they were telling the truth. It wasn't the time to tell tales. Not when darkness crept upon them. "Corporal, where now?"
David looked at his device. "Sir, it's down that road. We can get there before it's dark. Fortunately, the only road available is the road we must take."
"You heard him," Gravell barked. "Move out!"
As the group moved away from the dead man's statue, Gravell looked at Chairman Richards. The statue stared back at him hollowly, his expression amused and cruel.
"Fuck you!" he said to the steel statue, and walked away, catching up with the others.

Private Lodwick sped towards the old box building ahead, the cry of the Wretches behind him echoing through his head. It made him sick to his stomach, but he promised not to vomit. Not now, at least. Staggering behind, he heard the heavy pants coming from the wounded Joseph Reed. Under the overweight man's breath, Lodwick heard what the man was saying as he tried to keep up.
"Bleeding. Hungry. Bleeding. Hungry."
The words annoyed Lodwick, but they kept him reassured that he was not alone. What made Lodwick feel bad was that he may have to sacrifice Joseph. The wounded pilot's blood was the reason the Wretches could find them, and the fat guy's scent was driving them crazy! He had thought about shooting Joseph in the leg, give him a chance to escaoe while Joseph was eaten. But he couldn't. He wasn't like that. He would find another way.
"Bleeding. Hungry. Bleeding. Hun-"
The two of them reached the old building, and charged the door open. The inside was messy, and filled with weak-looking boxes. Dry blood stained the walls, and the stench of death and urine hit Lodwick hard. Bile rose up his throat, but he fought it. The boxes were scattered everywhere, and the only other door was chained up. Lodwick kicked himself mentally for forgetting to bring something powerful. He knew by the lock shooting at it was futile.
"Shit!"
He turned to face Joseph, who stood leaning against the wall, still clutching his bloody wound. The blood dried around his hand, like a gruesome glove. The door was wide open, and behind Joseph was a blood trail.
"Close the door! CLOSE IT!" Lodwick shouted at him.
Joseph blinked in confusion, and suddenly it clicked. Panic on his face, he turned to close the door, still clutching his wound. He pushed it back closed, the door moving two inches closer to closing-
"AAAARRRGHHHH!"
Too late. A Wretch leapt upon Joseph, and the fat man squealed as it clawed at his face. Blood splattered to the ground, forming in small pools. Joseph stumbled back into a pile of boxes, howling in agony. He writhed under the Wretch's weight, and tried to throw it off. The Wretch dug its claws into Joseph's face, and slashed two lines down it, popping one of his eyes. Joseph's howls got higher, and the white liquid from his eye poured from his freshly empty eye socket, stinging the shredded flesh now exposed. Joseph's remaining eye glanced at Lodwick with horror, demanding help. Lodwick could only watch with horror, knowing his time was up.
Another Wretch rushed into the room, and pounced on Joseph's torso. Its teeth dug into Joseph's large stomach, and with a wet rip yanked out a stream of intestines, which flapped in distress from the creature's foul, sharp teeth. Joseph's screams got louder and higher. The first Wretch hissed at the other, but continued to work on Joseph, biting off his left ear. A third Wretch entered, and ran to Joseph's twitching left hand, ripping it off with one strong pull. The second Wretch was now hollowing out Joseph's stomach, and starting to work on Joseph's crotch. The second Wretch tugged fiercely, and created a large hole between Joseph's legs. Joseph cawed with pain, and started to weep feebly from his only eye.
Lodwick watched in awe and disgust as the first Wretch finally made the killer move. With a loud and high cry, the Wretch lifted its head, and buried its teeth into Joseph's throat. Joseph's screams became gargled, and blood launched from his mouth. Blood seeped down to Lodwick's boots, but Lodwick didn't care. The show in front of him had shocked him into paralysis. Reed's remaining eye curled up in his now shattered skull, and the noise ceased.
Joseph was dead.
The first two Wretches kept eating the dead man, and as Lodwick regained control of himself, he held his rifle in front of him as the third Wretch dived at him, claws out. Lodwick and the Wretch flew backwards into another pile of boxes, and Lodwick's rifle slid away from him.
The Wretch cried aloud, but Lodwick made his move first. With a clenched fist, he smashed the Wretch over the head, causing it to bite off its own tongue. The Wretch shrieked in agony, and fell off of Lodwick. Without hesitating, Lodwick leapt onto the creature, and pounded his fist into the creature's head, rage flowing through him. The creature slashed at his face, barely missing him. He felt the air strike his face. After a fifth punch, Lodwick dived for his rifle, leaving the Wretch to squirm in pain. He reached his right hand towards the rifle, eager to grab it-
- And screamed in horror and pain as the Wretch that had been eating Joseph's crotch ran at him and bit off his index and middle fingers. As he clutched his wounded hand, he heard the Wretch behind him cry out for others.
"Fuck!" he muttered.