Brevis tabulatorum

Mechanized Barks

It has been almost a forty years now, yes it was. I can remember the first time I heard them, their blinding lights and towering structures covered the sun and the once peaceful chirping of birds in a flash are gone. Horrifying how every moment of that felt; it was the scariest thing then and honestly years after even. I was in my college campus with a few of my mates and we're studying for exams, I can even remember wishing something would delay it or better so halt it permanently. I guess I should be careful what I wish for.

The whole campus was in a panic, the building I was in more so. Screams of fear and confusion can be heard from the hallway and out the window I can see a few of my schoolmates, whom I shared meagre exchanges, go outside to see what is happening only to be scared out of their mind when it starts heading in our direction. It was almost like we're living an alien movie but aliens don't just go and trample buildings do they? Or at least not the aliens I know of. These are something more terrible. . . Something more real.

I got my things and dragged my mates out of the room we're in heading god knows where, I don't know, anywhere would do I thought and as we pass through classrooms after classrooms of people either breaking down or desperately trying to get out like us. We tried lifting the former to their feet to no avail, they're like glued in place. I can't blame them, I would too if not for a fleeting promise. A fleeting promise? These people have them too do they? I thought to myself and so I did something that should have probably killed me later on if it were not for my ability to think quick or just you know Lady Luck and I dragged those frozen in place till they're running along with us out of there. We got out of the building and into the open field of our University a few minutes away from the exit and then sounds of explosion can be heard; for some reason those things that were trampling buildings left and right in the distance? Yeah one of those things just awakened in the very building we were once in and start making quick work of the infrastructure that was really our home since the start of school year. Watching it burn and slowly crumble broke my heart. Sure, I hated taking exams but I liked it there and now it's gone.

We ran as fast as we could toward the exit and a few of us stumbled only to be picked up by the largest in our group, the one we dubbed as the "Iron Giant", yelling "None of us are dying here!" as we quicken our pace and those behind catching up. We reached the front gate and before we could cross it a giant hand just landed on top of the gate, crushing it completely, breaking every damn material that was made of and the sounds of fighter jets can be heard. We looked up and almost breathed a sign of relief. The military is here, they will save us we thought. We are safe. . . Then those things let out a sound most deafening, like a speaker malfunctioning but a million times worst and the thing was I can't hear it but it's really affecting me. It was almost like silence really I thought but not the kind that was poetic, I could only scream in pain and agony as it continues for god knows how long. The lot of us were on our knees covering our ears then it was gone and the skies are clear again. It was complete silence. But wait, what of the fighter jets?   Where are they? I thought to myself, but they were nowhere to be found only that thing remains and now I can see it clearly. A metallic titan the size of small skyscraper, it's iron hide grey and almost on every joint connecting it's various parts contain a camera I think or a turret I can't tell from where I was but there is something I saw though, almost too clearly. It's head, it was shaped like a bull. With horns protruding forward. The eyes obviously huge cameras to see literally everything. The Minotaur I thought to myself, what is that? Why is it shaped that way? And why does it seem to be readying a charge? Oh wait, it's facing this way.

RUN! I shouted on the top of my lungs as I grabbed my peers to their feet and dragged them along; my eyes looking for somewhere, anywhere to hide or just away from that thing! I scan my surroundings, it's loud gearing sound to charge giving me an additional pump of adrenaline and I saw it the huge grocery store I used to always buy essentials from and then I remembered there's a forest right behind it. Surely the trees would provide cover for us, right? Surely, well I didn't have to think so I guided our little group that way and hope to get there before it starts charging. We ran as fast as our legs could get us in the heat of the moment but then the ground is starting to shake. It's charging, and I doubt it's toward something red. We ran faster, the very ground our feet was touching was literally shaking, it's almost like an earthquake really then the entrance can almost be touched and it bellowed, thankfully not the same sound as earlier but like beast's roar but metallic and mechanical, almost surreal. We entered the building and hid. I know we're supposed to go to the forests but we're spent and it seems like something attracted it as the sounds were now becoming fainter and fainter until once again, silence. With just the sound of our panting the only thing we can hear we slowly calm ourselves down.

After a time, we finally gained the energy to talk and process what just happened. "What the hell was that?!" Merman said, the usually calm one but now frantic. "I don't know" answered The Iron Giant between breathes "But I do know we have to keep moving". "I a- a- agree" added Winnie, our brave geography Nerd now reduced to tears. "But where?" Asked one of the crying kids we brought along earlier. "Somewhere safe" I said, in a tone reassuring. "But first, supplies" declared Nellie, after a hearty sigh; our sort of leader, the jack of all traits really. We got to keep moving and in the calmness we didn't realized that we just broke in this Grocery out of nowhere and people armed with various gardening tools surround us. "We come in peace!" I declared with my hands up. They weren't convinced. Winnie explained, "We're as scared as you are! Please, don't hurt us!" Then The Iron Giant too joined it "We have family too, please." That seem to take them aback and they halted their advance. A gruff looking fella armed with a shovel advanced, "Take what you need and go, do anything funny and we'll toss you out with nothing" he warned and quickly we got food, some lighting materials, maybe even a few weapons and go outside.

"That could've gone worse" Another kid breaking down earlier said. "Aye, but look forward" The Iron Giant replied and in silence we made our to the forest.

Now you could be thinking isn't this but the start of a journey beautiful? After a harrowing escape from the terrifying Minotaur like thing that tramples buildings to dust they would settle in the forest and live forty years and more. . . I wished so too, but why do you think I gave them aliases instead. Oh and there were five of them, the students breaking down that we saved. You don't have to know their names. It has been forty years now, yes. I can still remember the last time I heard them. Pity, they didn't get to hear mechanized barks.