The smell of the sea mixed with blood.
It was the sixth wave in less than twelve hours.And it was the worst.
The creatures poured down from the hills like a black tide.Some ran.Some crawled.Others simply walked—with that dreadful slowness of something that has no need to rush to kill you.
Viña del Mar…was no longer a city.
It was ash.And smoke.
Only one thing remained:
Echo-Zero.
An improvised fortress, built with containers, concrete, barricades, and forced faith.A shelter for just over two hundred souls.A fragile line between life… and extinction.
And standing at the front of that line—me.
—Redirect power to the forward shield!—Zone C is falling!—Where's the containment team?
My voice didn't tremble.But my chest burned.
We had hours left.Maybe less.
The last explosion had cost us a watchtower and five soldiers.
Not dead.But no longer useful.
The medics had run out of clean bandages.Ammunition was being counted by hand.The generators wheezed on the edge of collapse.
And the civilians...waited.Some prayed.Most didn't anymore.
Isaías, one of my lieutenants, approached—his face streaked with soot.
—Commander… still no response from the open channels.No one's answering.No one's coming.
I nodded.There was nothing to say.
—Keep trying —I told him,though I knew how useless the words sounded.
From the command tower, the world looked like the end of all things.
The hills burned.The sea reflected nothing.And the creatures… they were already too close.
I clenched my fists.
Not from fear.
From helplessness.
—General! —Isaías shouted from below—We have an incoming transmission!
I turned instantly.
—What frequency?
—Unknown. But… it's human.
I ran down the stairs.The transmitter hissed with white noise, until a voice broke through:
"Echo-Zero. This is a mobile squad from the inland region.We received your signal.We're on our way."
Silence.And then:
"We'll arrive before dawn.Hold the line."
I froze.
I didn't recognize the voice.No military ID.No call sign.Just a direct transmission.And a promise.
Isaías looked at me, silent.
—Who are they?
—I don't know —I answered.
But my hand trembled over the receiver.
Because in a world where no one answered anymore…someone just had.
—What if it's a trap? —one of the operators whispered.
—Then we die anyway —I replied without hesitation—.But if it isn't…
we might still have a chance.
I picked up the comm again and responded:
—This is Echo-Zero.Transmission confirmed.We'll hold position as long as we can.
"…over and out."
And for the first time in days…something changed in my voice.
Not hope.Not faith.
Something stronger:
Resolve.
Because even though I didn't know who was coming…
someone had heard us.And that was enough.