by Phil Maxey
“E.L.F’s have broken through the north wall, and are making their way south. The army is trying to hold them back, but it’s a losing battle. If you got family anywhere near there you should get them somewhere else. Over.”
There was a pause, then Mike responded. “Okay. Where are you? Over.”
“In Granite Falls, picking some people up. I’ll be back up there within the hour. Over.”
Fiona pulled into the tree-lined road where her daughter lived. Up ahead she could see the Heaths and those under their care running back and forth between the house and two vehicles, a truck and a sedan. She pulled up in front of them, then jumped out and ran past the children ferrying supplies.
Walking through the open front door, and down the hall, Sarah was stuffing cans and packets into a large holdall.
“We need to go. Where’s Stephanie?” Said Fiona.
“She’s in her room packing. Will we be safe at the Core?”
Before Fiona could reply screaming came from out front. She spun around and ran towards the front door as kids ran in the opposite direction. Jack appeared from the living room with a handgun. Fiona ran past him and out onto the lawn. At first she couldn’t see what caused the children’s reaction, but then she spotted it creeping over the roof of the home opposite.
A flashback made her freeze. She had seen this thing before. She had even killed one in the cell in New Mexico. But the thing enveloping the roof a hundred yards away was much bigger.
Long black silky smooth legs or arms, she wasn’t sure, straddled the pleasant looking brick house across the street.
It’s front door started to open. “No…” was all Fiona could manage to say before a middle-aged man came out bewildered and looked upwards. Instantly one of the creature’s limbs grabbed the man lifting him off the ground and up into the air towards what was now a dark pit surrounded by blackened teeth in the center of the creatures body.
Fiona turned and realized there were children standing in the doorway watching, as well as at the window. “We have to leave!” she shouted shaking them out of their trance.
Jack stood in the hallway watching as well, his hand shaking. “What…what can we do? Where—”
Fiona put her hand on his that was holding the gun, and steadied it. “You need to keep your shit together. Get all your kids into your vehicles, and put some in the back of mine as well.”
He nodded.
Fiona ran along the hallway until she found the door to Stephanie’s room. Her daughter was sitting on her bed with a packed bag next to her, looking down at her hands in her lap.
“We have to leave. Right now,” said Fiona.
Her daughter didn’t respond.
Fiona knelt in front of her. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Stephanie slowly looked up. “I thought I was safe here. I can’t face the things again. I just want to stay here.”
Fiona held her daughters shoulders and looked at her directly. “Baby, I can take you, all of you to somewhere safe, where there are no monsters, but we have to leave now. Okay?” Fiona was ready to throw her over her shoulder and carry her out kicking and screaming if that’s what it would take, but she was hoping it wouldn’t come to that.
Stephanie sighed, and then picked up her pack. Fiona stood and they both walked back to the hallway near the front door. The house was empty.
They both ran out and over to Fiona’s pickup, where she jumped into the drivers seat, while Stephanie got into the passengers.
Stephanie turned to face the four children that were squeezed into the backseats. “All of you stay calm, it’s going to be alright. We just need to leave for some time then we will be back, okay?” She smiled and the nervous children did their best to do the same.
Fiona fired up the engine, and the small convoy pulled away.
CHAPTER 38
Tank shells exploded against the nine story high four legged creature which roared in response. Hundreds of feet below other creatures some cat like, others scurrying on two legs ran across fields bounding over bushes and fences and tearing apart soldiers firing at them. The scene played out on the large screen at the front of the main operations hall. Other smaller camera feeds showed large manufacturing buildings and factories lying in ruins, smoke and fire bellowing out of them.
Most in the large rock hewn room watched in silence, while others busily talked into the headsets.
Zach, General Trow and Elijah watched as the camps forces were slowly being whittled away.
“How long until they hit the capital?” said Zach to Hannigan in front of him.
The head of logistics at the camp, tapped some keys and did some quick projections. “At the current rate of their progress, maybe an hour.”
A cheer went up in the hall. Zach looked back at the large screen as one of the huge towering creatures started to stagger backwards, due to a barrage of missiles hitting it from the camp’s dwindling supply of Apache helicopters. The happiness was soon gone from people’s faces as a flock of winged beasts descended upon one of the choppers sending it into a tail spin downwards. “I’m going down!” shouted the pilot on another camera feed.
Zach touched the soldier who was sitting in front. “Bring me up cameras in the downtown area, on your screen,” said Zach.
The monitor display changed to show the tall buildings smoking and thousands running in which looked like no particular direction.
“It’s chaos out there,” said Trow watching.
“That’s all part of their plan,” said Elijah.
“What about our plans?” said Zach. “Any word from Bower?”
“Reported back a few moments ago. They have scouted a large part of the south and west, but haven’t found anything yet.”
“If they don’t find the gang’s Cascaders, it won’t matter what we do here,“ said Zach shaking his head.
“They’ll find them, it’s just a question of how long it takes them.”
“We got to get those people off the street’s and into the bunkers,” said Zach.
“The bunkers are at max capacity, there’s just too many people. And up top, you can see, lots are taking the opportunity to grab what they can.”
“I can’t blame them,” said Zach. He looked up at the main screen and the battle that was raging. “Tell the commander on the ground to pull his forces back to the capital.”
Trow spoke into her headset.
“Sir, Officer Acker has arrived outside with a number of people and children, she’s requesting to be let in,” said a soldier to Zach a few feet away.
“Let them in. Let everyone in who arrives at our gates.” Zach then turned to Trow again. “It’s time to implement operation Fire Storm, send out a camp wide message for everyone to take shelter and if they can, get to their local bunker.” Trow nodded and relayed the order to the commanders on the ground.
“Sir, Sergeant Bass is saying that there are more breaches in the west walls, but the east and south are holding.” Zach nodded in response.
Come on Abbey.
* * * * *
A modern blue sedan screeched to a halt outside a two story wooden home, part of which was collapsing.
“Mary, I’m here! Over.” said Sam into his radio as he and Isaiah jumped out.
Hundreds of yards in all directions the sounds of gunfire and unknown creatures roaring and screeching rang out.
“We’re still here Sam. We’ve been waiting for the Core soldiers to arrive. Can you see a creature in the house? Over,” said Mary.
They ran towards the house ignoring the large snake like thing tearing apart another home just a hundred yards to their left. Some of the white painted pillars around the house were snapped, and glass laid on the ground from what was left of the various windows.
They both crept forward and up the steps to the wooden porch. Pulling back the screen door Sam looked through the main door down the hallway, apart from picture frames lying on the hardwood floor it looked undisturbed.
He
pressed on the door handle and the door swung inwards. Isaiah eyed the reptilian E.L.F not far enough away as they both moved inside of Mary’s home. The bright sun from outside illuminated the hallway and they both moved forward and looked into the living room which was untouched. Sam pointed to Isaiah to check out the back of the building as he opened the cellar door and descended down the stairs.
The bottom door opened as he got there and Mary embraced him fully.
Sam looked at the children in the large opening under the house. “We’re going to get you all out, okay? There are some creatures not too far away upstairs, but don’t look at them, just look at me or Mary. We’re going t—” A shotgun blast came from upstairs. “—Wait here!”
Sam turned and walked up the stairs as quickly as he could. Running through what was left of the kitchen and sun lounge he noticed Isaiah ducked down behind the rear wall of the building, which wasn’t attached anymore to the windows that were once above it.
The blackened creature with a myriad of spikes stood in the back yard about twenty yards away. It was looking directly at them.
“It’s times like this I wish I was a Cascader,” said Sam diving down behind the will with Isaiah.
“I hit it once with the shotgun, I think I just pissed it off.”
Sam held up his M4 rifle, “let’s see if this helps.”
Isaiah raised himself up slightly as well to see over the wall. “Both together.”
They both let out a torrent of firepower towards the creature which stood around five feet tall on all fours. Immediately it howled, then turned and tried to run away but the damage inflicted was too great and it fell to the ground in a slump.
Sam stood and ran back to the basement door. Mary was already at the top peering out.
“Get everyone out and in your vehicles, the blue sedan is ours as well, use that if you can’t fit everyone into the others.”
Mary nodded and ran back down the stairs.
CHAPTER 39
Abbey held on to a yellow strap which hung from the helicopters interior wall and looked out over narrow roads, beige fields and farmhouses and smiled. Strange and exotic creatures, large and small moved across the land below her as the sun headed for the horizon.
She turned to the man in army fatigues and a headset. “We can head back now!” She shouted over the engine noise. The man nodded and gave the thumbs up.
After relaying the order, she asked for his headset and to be put through to the Core.
“Is it happening? Over,” said Zach from her radio.
“We have collected as many as we could, I don’t know if it will be enough, but we have some scary looking E.L.F’s coming towards the camp. Over.”
“Have any creatures tried attacking you? Over.”
“Some, but with the help of other E.L.F’s we survived. How’s it going there?”
“Let’s just say the E.L.F’s you sent this way are going to be the cavalry, I just hope they get here in time. You returning now? Over.”
“Yes, we should touch down within the hour. Over.“
“Good job. See you soon. Over.”
Abbey handed the headset back and looked at the faces of the people in front of her. Some seemed to be sleeping while others were busily sharing their experiences of creating an army of E.L.F’s.
Back at the Core Zach nodded to himself. We might have a chance.
“Sir, the first wave of enemy E.L.F’s are about to reach the outskirts of the capital,” said a soldier in front of him.
“Are Majors Telford troops and artillery in place?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Put up the capital’s feeds on the main screen.”
The large display changed to show mainly deserted streets, some bathed in the evening light, while others were full of shadow. Tanks and soldiers cowered in holes and inlets amongst the newly built skyscrapers.
Suddenly one of the many gun towers started to open up and the booming noise of its guns echoed around the concrete walls and shook the windows.
“What gun tower is that? Show us it’s feed,” said General Trow.
The large display changed and showed the view fifteen floors up at the top of the tower that housed one of the many rail guns the camp used to keep the E.L.F’s back.
Shards of metal sliced through the air downwards at a four legged creature standing hundreds of feet high, with an elephant like body and reptilian head. It roared and snapped at the air around while leaning to one side on a five-story building causing the masonry of the structure to start to crack and fall to the ground.
On the main street which looked north, a platoon of soldiers stood behind a barrier of vehicles which had been placed across the street.
“Don’t fire unless you are sure of hitting something!” shouted their commanding officer.
In the distance forms appeared, just visible in the fading light. Arms and legs and bodies which made no sense grew in clarity as they bounded and scurried towards the guns aimed at them.
“Above!” shouted one of the soldiers as reptilian winged creatures circled high above their heads. A shrill screeching noise filled the air bouncing off the concrete and glass walls around them.
One of the creatures dived from a great height as a torrent of bullets flew up to greet it. Even though it was injured the creature still found its aim and crashed into a group of soldiers sending them scattering for cover.
A group of werewolf looking creatures bounded over cars and leapt from their roofs into more of the soldiers, while E.L.F’s which looked like flying beetles the size of footballs, but covered in armor and spines descended upon others.
Zach and the others in the hall watched the battle from the camera feeds from the different military vehicles positioned in the streets.
“They won’t be able to hold out indefinitely,” said Trow.
“I know,” said Zach. He looked at the nearby soldier. “Get me Sergeant Bass.”
She nodded and soon Bass’s voice was coming through his headset along with the sound of gunfire.
“I’m here Zach. Over.”
“I need you to pull everyone off the walls and get them back here. Over.”
“That’s going to allow the gang’s people to walk straight in. Over.”
“We got no choice sergeant. Over.”
“Yes, sir.”
CHAPTER 40
Abbey’s grip on the straps holding her steady tightened. It was all she could do not to fall forward due to the tilt of the grated floor. The ride back had been level until they reached the walls, then the pilot informed them that they had to fly low to avoid being spotted by E.L.F’s or the Hell Fire gangs forces.
She couldn’t see much through the opening at the back of the helicopter apart from trees and buildings flashing by, but they could all hear the battle raging outside even over the drumming of the engines.
She looked at the crewman nearby who looked like he was listening to his headset.
“What is it Captain?”
He went to reply, when the floor tilted violently in the opposite direction and he flew forward slamming headfirst into the steel supports just to her left. Even with his helmet on his limp body began to fall to the ground then suddenly floated upwards. Abbey’s did the same as she desperately tried hanging onto the straps as her legs dangled weightless for a second before slamming back down into the floor again. It was only then she realized the sounds of screaming around her and the five-foot tear in the aircrafts hull fifteen feet away
As the g-forces pinned her to the interior wall she glanced to her right to the outside world, only to see the ground approaching and then nothing.
“Are you alright dear?”
Sound and fury burst into Abbey’s senses as she looked around her. She was laying on her back on the ground. In the sky above groups of flying creatures soared and dived attacking soldiers, which desperately tried to fire back at them. E.L.F’s which were so dark it was almost impossible to see them against the gloom
of the disappearing sun flitted amongst the ruins of nearby buildings while an E.L.F two stories high with an upper body which looked like an octopus fought with a tank pulling it onto it’s side as it fired off a shell.
A middle-aged man holding a shotgun and an elderly woman looked down at her.
Abbey tried to get up but instantly felt dizzy.
“You took quite a blow to your head,” said the woman.
Abbey swallowed, her throat felt completely devoid of moisture. “How did I get here?”
The woman’s gaze looked to the building behind them. Abbey turned over to see better. The helicopter sat half in and half out of a storefront.
She tried to get to her feet. “I have to go back, there might be people trapped.”
The man with the gun looked about anxiously. “We have to get out of here! We’re sitting—”
Shouting came from the helicopter. Cries of “Help” were just audible over the instinctual sounds of the E.L.F’s and the firepower being ranged on them.
Abbey tried once again to get to her feet, this time she was successful.
A man appeared from the hole that was once the large glass front of the store. He was covered in dust and blood ran from his dangling hand.
Abbey scrambled forward when the man behind her grabbed her around her waist and pulled her back.
“What are you doing!” she yelled as she fought with him. But then she saw, as did the man who was staggering around behind the wreckage of the helicopter. His widening eyes were even visible at the fifty or sixty yards to where he stood and he turned and started running. But a few seconds later the inevitable happened and a horde of creatures half wolf half ape descended upon him killing him instantly. They then smashed through the remaining windows and into the dark of the innards of the store. Screams and cries of anguish followed.
“We can’t stay here!” shouted the man. “Soon it’s going to be completely dark, and you don’t want to be out here then!”
Abbey hung her head then patted her pants side for her radio but it was not there. She looked around her but all the soldiers were either dead or gone, and their machines destroyed. The battle raged in some streets a block away.
