Pathways by Monarch Krow

Chapter 2: A grenade gets thrown into a baby crib

As I'm riding through the bumpy trail out of the forest there's Humvees and atvs driving through the forest, soldiers running around and shooting at each other, one side is the USA and the other is Canada. Quick background:

A few years ago Europe's nukes went off and destroyed all of that side of the planet and killed almost everyone. South America died out from COVID and all that's habitable is North America and Canada. They aren't called the USA and Canada anymore. The USA became, Grey Lands Monarchy, or GLM (we just call it Grey's Land.) named after president Grey James. and Canada became the Crestic Society, named after the crest in the land that formed when old North America and old Canada separated from earthquakes and global warming. Funny thing, after all that shit happened English became the only language spoken. Now that you know, let's get back into it.

Felix grips around my waist and snuggles his head against my shoulder blades, I can feel their heart slamming against his chest against my back. Bullets fly, soldiers yell at us as we zip by. It took us 20 minutes to get into the woods, but only 8 to get out. As we turn onto the road that leads into the city a tank rolls by and shoots at the challenger. Since we were in front of it the blast knocked out my back tire and the bike lays down. Before we hit the ground I whip the tail around so I can grab Felix and I lay him on top of me. Everything is slow. The screams from the woods and my friends. Felix's wide eyes and tears. The explosion behind us. The tank's engine overpowering the sound of mine. I have one hand around Felix's neck and one around his stomach. My back hits the asphalt and I can feel my shirt and skin peeling off. The bike slides across my legs and flips over my head. The challenger spins off into a ditch about 30 feet away. The tank turns into the forest, that must be where the main battle is happening. We slide a good 50 feet and I slam into the road barrier on the edge where the creek is. I feel my shoulder pop out of socket and feel Felix gasp. I release my grip on him and stand up shakily. Felix sits on the barrier I slammed into. I look to the distance and see Sven back the challenger out of the ditch and see that its front axle is broken. I see my bike laying about 20-25 feet to my left, with gas spilling out of it and its engine smoking. "There goes transpo." I think to myself. Sven, Jess, and Ruby run up to us and gasp. I look down and see my knees completely skinned, my left arm bleeding from shrapnel and look over my left shoulder and see my shirt shredded and my back covered in road rash. Felix is unharmed, just a little bruised on his neck and back. Sven's forehead is bleeding and the girls are cut on their arms from glass and cheeks bruised. Sven cuts off my shirt and takes my bandages out of my bag. I forgot about my chest, neck, and arm scars and when ruby and jess see the scars they gasp and cover their mouths. Sven gives them both a look and they shut up. He then wraps the bandages around my back and chest. I pull a black tee out of my bag and throw it on. My flannel is ruined so I used it to wrap my arms and knees. The bandages on my torso go up to my neck and cover the scars. Felix takes off his helmet and thanks to my leather jacket he's unscathed. Apart from said bruises.

"Oh my god, Grim, you should have been wearing the jacket. You wouldn't have been hurt." Felix proclaims.

"There's a reason I gave it to you." I responded. "Lets just keep walking, stick to the curb so we don't get seen by the military."

We start walking down the side of the road, every so often ducking down into the ditch to avoid getting seen by soldiers. Or to shield from an explosion. Just as the sun starts to rise, we reach the bridge into the city. a distant announcement plays. "This is an announcement from Grey Lands Monarchy, We are being attacked from Crestic Society. Please evacuate to the neutral zone off the coast of Gravel Falls." that announcement played on repeat.

"Gravel Falls? That's another 12 miles from here." Ruby whispers. "We aren't going there." I say as I pop my shoulder back in. "We can't risk it. We have to go into the city."