The first zombie bird appeared soon after. Its wings were torn, its eyes pale and glowing, and its screeches echoed in the sky like broken glass.
Mike tensed at the controls, his hands gripping the stick harder.
"Damn it… We're really meeting them this early," he muttered.
But before he could even prepare, Ivy had already raised her rifle. One shot, clean and accurate. The bird fell instantly, spiraling down into the fields below.
Mike's eyes widened. He glanced at Ivy, then quickly looked back at the skies.
More came. Three this time. Their feathers were ragged, dripping with black blood, and their claws were sharp like steel.
They rushed toward the helicopter, screaming.
Ivy's eyes narrowed, and her hands moved with calm precision. Bang. Bang. Bang. Three shots, three kills. The birds dropped one after another, never even reaching the blades.
'Good. At least my aim hasn't rusted. If Silas wakes up and sees me struggling, he'll never sleep during my watch.'
