America Stranded in a Fantasy World

Chapter 40 A Soldier's Creed

Additional Notes/Changes: Timelime compared to previous Volume 2 chapters has changed; September 15, 2040 - January 4th, 2042

English is no longer the universal language

CHAPTER 40

"A Soldier's Creed"

January 4th, 2042: Unknown Position, Foreign Forest

At first, it was the silence that Jessica noticed, and though she could hear leaves rustling from the light breeze, and the droning conversation between her fellow Canadians, the forest itself was stiff as a board. Anxiety growing in the pit of her stomach, her mind processed the world around them faster, and with it, she continued to scan their immediate surroundings.

"You hear something, Jessica?" Looking over with curiosity, Sergeant Keen also looked around, though seemed none too bothered by the lack of sound. "Been a hot minute since I've seen something get you this excited."

"This forest... something isn't right with it--and I'm not talking about the damn anomalies. It comes off like one of those artificial forests, ya know? It looks natural until you look closer--and find that there is no ecosystem at all, it's only trees."

"So what exactly is it then? You're saying that this is some weird... Cloverfield Paradox shit?" Benjamin waved his arms out in confusion. "We're technically on Earth still, but just not our Earth?"

"Maybe so, maybe not. But what I'm getting at is, this place is far from anything natural, or at the very least, it gives off that feeling." Still looking at Benjamin--and by extension the other Canadians - Jessica looked on in confusion as their faces went from neutral, to complete white-washed horror.

"What? Was what I said really that mind-rattling?" Questioning her countrymen, she then realized that they weren't looking at her, but rather slightly above. Turning around herself, she let out a shriek of terror, and collapsed to the ground a quivering wreck.

There, behind her for god knows how long, and standing well above ten feet tall, was a great monstrosity that the Canadian minds could only process as having once been a wolf. Its vantablack fur seemed to eat any light that touched it; everywhere that was except its bright glowing white eyes. However, what horrified Jessica--and by extension the rest of them, the most was the near-constant blood and saliva cocktail that was spilling from its mouth; which its oversized canine teeth prevented it from completely closing. Making no sound whatsoever, the creature raised its left, slender-like arm and with four ever more humanoid fingers, gripped a nearby tree.

"Light it up!" Being the first to snap out of his trance, Sergeant Keen raised his rifle and let loose a torrent of bullets. Everyone else quickly followed with burst-fire.

In response, the hideous creature let out a distorted shrill. Cupping her ears as they rang in pain, Jessica only got a glimpse of the creature using the tree it had grabbed to push itself forwards and over her. With the painful ringing taking more priority than trying to track the creature, she curled up into a ball; only able to faintly hear gunfire and screams that no human should be able to make, yet managed to.

As for Sergeant Keen, his earmuffs protected him from the awful sound, however, he could only look on as the creature tore past him and right into Oliver. Unhinging its jaw in the short distance between them, scooping up Oliver, then snapping it shut and bounding off into the thick undergrowth again with its kill, still screaming for a short while before silencing. Taking the opportunity to switch magazines Keen's mind changed gears and began to operate of its own accord--blocking out fear and replacing it with years of drilled-in military training.