Flashf0rward

Chapter 37: Shock and Awe

Wren

I remember the first time I ever held a gun. My father used to take me hunting into the woods near our house, the same woods that Ivy and I would hide in when the world ended. Usually, all I did was watch him hunt any deer or rabbits that we would find, until I was old enough. Then, he took me to a shooting range, and taught me how to fire a rifle.

The first time I did it, I remember the recoil pushing the butt of the gun against my shoulder hard. I thought I'd broken my arm, but all I got was a small bruise. From then on, I learned that if you don't respect the weapon, the weapon won't respect you. Soon, I knew how to shoot dad's hunting rifle like I knew how to breathe. I would have bought my own and gone hunting with him, at least, if everything hadn't gone wrong.

Now, here I was. Standing on top of a wooden wall, staring out a darkened valley, the light of the torches that we'd lit along the walkway flickering behind me and causing my shadow to dance in the firelight, holding an assault rifle in my hands, waiting for the war to begin. My dad never got to see me and Ivy grow up, turn into adults of our own. But perhaps it's better this way, since he never got to live in this hell of a world.

I heard someone walk up next to me, and I turned around, seeing Jude slightly limp up and take a position next to me. "You sure you're gonna be alright?" I asked him, and he nodded. "I'll do what I can." I sighed. "Did you get word from Ivy?" Jude motioned towards the woods. "They're just getting into position now, and will be ready for the first attack."

Nodding, I looked down, my hand fidgeting across the barrel of my rifle. I felt Jude's hand on my shoulder. "She'll be alright, Wren. We all will." I looked at Jude out of the corner of my eye. "You don't need to lie to me." He paused at this, then looked out at the valley. "Sometimes hearing a lie can be the most comforting thing before combat."

I turned to him. "Is that what you did?" Jude looked down, silent for a long time. Just as I was about to drop it, he spoke up. "I was part of one of the first regiments to engage the hypermorphs. At the time, we didn't have a clue what was going on. All we knew was that the world was going to hell, and we had to stop it. Turns out we didn't have a snowball's chance."

"Every single member of the regiment was killed except for me and a few of my guys, whom you know. We spent a year or so trying to pick up the pieces, only to find the chain of command was totally dead. That's when we found you. I saw something in you I hadn't seen in a while." He looked at me and smiled. "Potential."

Surprised at how he opened up to me, I gave a small smile back. "You're not going soft on me, are you?" Jude laughed and shook his head. "You wish." Suddenly, we both heard a rumbling noise that made both our heads perk up. Hoofbeats. "Contact!" Jude shouted, and every soldier with a gun on top of the walls aimed their weapons towards the top of the hill.

Looking down my scope, I could barely see anything through the darkness, and I wished we had some kind of night vision, but not even our luck was that good. As the rumbling drew closer, something was off about it. It wasn't rhythmic like the hooves of a horse, but rather more droning, constant, and growing louder and louder. Almost like...my eyes widened. "Get down!" I shouted before all hell broke loose.

Something large crested over the top of the hill, with two large lights flashing from the front of it. I remembered it well from walking into Matthias' camp. The Hummer. The large black vehicle started driving towards the camp, parking just out of range. Then, the gunner on top began to fire the large .50cal machine gun towards us.

Those who had ducked in time managed to just barely miss the volley of bullets that began to hail down on us. Those who weren't so lucky were peppered with lead, collapsing to the walkway, some even falling off the back of the wall. Figures that Matthias would bring out the big guns first.

Peeking up above the wall, I could see the headlights of the Hummer were aimed at all of us, blinding us from getting a clear shot. I couldn't see the driver or the gunner, but I had a general direction. Looking at Jude, I shouted to be heard above the gunfire. "We have to take out the lights!" Nodding, Jude shouted back to his men. "Stay in cover, return fire!"

Those who were still alive began to shoot their rifles in the general vicinity of the Hummer, missing it or having the bullets bounce off its armoured hide. I did the same, trying to direct my bursts towards the driver's side or the top of the truck, but to no avail. Then, an idea occurred to me. I shouted down towards the group behind the front gates. "Bailey! Shut 'em down!"

The front gates of Sanctuary creaked open slightly, enough to let one person through. That person was one of the girls I had fought alongside while trapped within Reservoir. Bailey, the girl who could absorb and redirect kinetic energy. The same kind of energy that could be given off by ordinary bullets.

As I watched her exit the village, she started sprinting towards the Hummer, a determined expression on her face. Soon, the gunner turned his weapon on her, but I could see the bullets bouncing off of her, or simply dropping to the ground like flies, their kinetic energy being absorbed and reduced to nothing by her abilities.

Bailey managed to run up the length of the hill, taking every single bullet they fired at her. Finally, she made it to the Hummer, and put her powers to use. Watching through my scope, I saw her wind up what looked like a gargantuan punch, and aimed it right at the front grille of the truck. As soon as her fist impacted the vehicle, the entire metallic body of the car crumpled, and was sent flying backwards over the hill, out of sight. I didn't need to see the crash to tell the car wasn't getting back up from that.

Then, as I breathed out a sigh of relief, Bailey turned back to us, running towards Sanctuary, yelling something. It took a few repetitions, but I finally managed to make it out as "Infantry! Horses coming over the hill!" I looked at everyone who was still alive and shouted. "Weapons up! Prepare to engage!"

Everyone cocked their rifles and aimed over the hill, Bailey getting back inside through the gates. Aiming, I heard the rumbling again, this time definitely hooves, as I saw what looked to be an entire army's worth of men on horseback riding over the hill, guns in hand. My shout echoed across the valley. "Open fire!"