Evolution (Completed) ✔

20: Only the Beginning

Miles' crusty eyelids cracked open from his few hours of restless sleep. His head thudded against the shaking ground and he groaned. His eyes shot open, he held on to the grass with his claws and observed his surroundings. Ben and Tyrell dug their hands and feet into the soil, perplexed expressions on their faces.  The remnants of the ashy logs rolled from the fire pit and down to the stream, they landed with a splash into the water.

A flock of birds flew, screeching from the trees and away somewhere. Smoke rose up and spilled into the sky from over the tree boughs, another blast echoed.

Despite the lack of sleep Miles felt wide awake,

" What is this? How long have you guys been awake?"

" Same time as you, brother. Woke up to my head bouncing off the ground." Tyrell rubbed his right temple.

In another second the rumbling stopped, the three teens were left glued in place. They waited for a moment but nothing else came. Miles jumped to his feet and ran from his friends to the nearest tree. The tallest one lay crooked in front of him and he used the slant to his advantage. He clawed into the wood, clamouring up the bark until he reached the very top. He swore he heard Ben praise him from the ground. Miles hung on to the top of the branch, it swayed under his weight. He stared over the treetops then down at his tiny, ant looking friends. Tyrell's hair looked ridiculous, sticking up in every direction possible. Miles chuckled, using his hand to shield his eyes as he stared around the forest. Nothing but trees lay in front of him, no smoke or fire resided in the forest. He turned behind him to the direction he came, straining his eyes he now could see the smoke. Tiny streams of it floated from what he assumed was the town, the streams gathered into the sky with the clouds. The branch quivered as he stood on his tip toes, craning his neck for a better look.  At first he thought they were birds because they were so far away; but bird didn't drop black packages nor did they have stiff, green wings. The black package dropped like a brick, when it hit the ground it exploded in orange flame and brown dust. Miles panicked, the plane soared in his direction. He swung down from the branch without his claws, he hung on to the next by his finger tips before swinging down to the lowest branch. Ben gasped, Miles used his arms to propel himself forward once more. He landed on the ground and rolled a few feet, the sap on his hands attracted the leaves on the ground.

" Bombs." Miles gasped as Tyrell helped him to his feet.

" Did you see the colour of the plane?" Ben asked.

Miles visualized the white and red stripe on the side of the body,

" Green, red and white." He answered.

Tyrell tapped his foot on the ground,

" That's not one of ours." Tyrell stated.

Ben's wide eyes searched the sky,

" Tyrell, collect the rest of the water. Miles and I will pack up everything."

He pursed his lips and turned away from the group, walking back toward the fire pit. Tyrell took the tin can from under the water filter and hung it on the same shoe string. He brought another full bottle of water to the filter and poured it in as he started a flame under the hanging tin can. Miles knelt on the ground, packing his bag and trying to shake the leaves out of his sweater. With every,

WHZZZZZ

BOOM,

Miles' nerves quaked.  His house had already been burnt to the ground, but now surely everything he ever knew was demolished. The scar on his leg throbbed with painful memories of the last bomb fall. He hoped with all his heart that everyone had been evacuated from the city. Miles pictured Screwdriver's crooked smile falling into a frown as he stared at the ruins of his town. Maybe he would be the first to go, but Miles knew he was too smart for that. The man had seen the bombs coming far before this. Miles wondered about Mayor James too, maybe he and Screwdriver had both met an early grave. Or maybe Screwdriver wasn't lying and the Mayor had better things to attend with the New Earth Movement.