Immediately after the geography lecture I scrambled out of the class, holding my books high above my head because of the bustle in the wide hallway filled with overly-energetic promising students going and coming from their various classes.
I probably looked dorky holding my books up like that but I didn't care much. I'm not very tall and I was certain someone in the crowd would slap my stuff out of my arms, accidentally or maybe just for fun. It happens.
I finally broke out of the chattering crowd and bounded past the double glass doors that led to the fields. Wellington University was designed like a final boss' castle with its greyish theme and cobblestone walls, and the college's dark ripped flags hanging from the corners.
I hurried past students hanging out on the field, having lunch in small groups or throwing frisbees. I finally stopped at a huge pine tree and sat down, pouring my books from my arms on the grass.
As usual I didn't get to do my assignments cause I procrastinate. Alot. But I had like thirty minutes until the next class. I just had to wait for Meg to bring our coffee...
Meg and I had been friends since freshman year. We'd bonded over a couple of fun animes. Turned out we had an unhealthy addiction to extremely violent anime. She's super weird but I don't really care...too much. It was just nice to have a friend.
Speaking of, what was taking Meg so long? I'd been sitting here for almost ten minutes now, she should know we needed to finish our assignments together. Also, I actually just needed her help with the quadratic equations part. She was smarter when she was locked in. Though, her ADHD was a problem, even worse than mine. She'd linger over the most dumb stuff... which was probably what was keeping her now.
A warm breeze blew across the field picking up dead leaves and sand. I sat there and watched students chasing each other and laughing as the wind picked up, ruffling their hair and clothes.
"I'd just do the assignment anyway." I decided after another empty two minutes. Meg will fix up the wrong answers it when she's back.
As I picked up my pen I heard a deafening gutteral sound.
So deep and violent it resonated in my rib cage. Everyone froze as one, searching each other's faces, snacks forgotten, confused. Maybe an earthquake? Sounded like a giant boar choking on a hairball. Then I heard it again, louder this time.
UURGGHHHH
This time I knew for certain it came from inside the school building, the branch where I'd just come from.
Meg was still there...
Oh my God.
Students spilled out the front of the building, screaming in panic and falling over each other. Where was Meg?! I scanned the crowd for her outstandingly bright pink hair but there was no sign of her.
I stood up, chest tight with panic. Then there was another roar, even louder than last time, shattering all the windows around and vibrating the ground.
Students clutched their ears and screamed, the field filled with complete chaos as people darted in every direction.
I sprinted towards the building, heart pounding almost as loud as the deafening belch/roar. Students brushed past me as I moved in the opposite direction, eyes scanning the crowd, my throat tight.
Just as I got near the building, the wall in front of me exploded, spraying bricks and glass everywhere and the monster appeared.
It wasn't actually a giant boar but it looked like something close. It looked like a cross between a moose, a warthog and some kind of insect. It was the size of a world war II tank with thick earth clods stuck all over it's insect legs. It had horns protruding out the sides of it's long mouth and when it opened its mouth, that horrible sound came out nearly knocking me unconscious having taking the full force of it.
It charged right towards me and by pure reflex I dropped and rolled to the side, the side horns nearly skewering me as it thundered past me. But it didn't chase me after, instead it ran into the crowd, scattering through panicked students. What in the hell was that...?
Then I found Meg, looking unhurt thank God, standing just next to the collapsed wall, hugging our coffee in her arms ...well our coffee cups, since her dark makeup, purple tank top and shorts were already soaked with it's contents. Her bright pink hair was looking completely harassed and her mouth was hanging open.
"Meg!" I stumbled towards her, relieved. "You fool, I thought you were dead!" I searched her face and arms. She seemed fine on the outside, would be a bit difficult to get those coffee stains off her clothes though.
Her face was still slack in shock, watching the monster ravage across the fields
"Zeph." She muttered. Her hands were shaking. She doesn't usually call me my actual name…she always just call me a Gremlin. I don't even know what it means. She only calls me by my real name when she's dead serious.
"Something's off." she said, her eyes slowly widening. What was she on about? Of course something's wrong. Right now, everything was wrong. As far as I knew, this was a first.
A nearby building collapsed with a loud crash, sending dust everywhere. I didn't know when the moose monster had entered the main school area, tearing down everything in its path, all the while its roar echoing across the entire valley like a terrible alarm that wouldn't go off.
Beside me, Meg gasped loudly and yanked my arm, "we gotta go!" she said urgently, "Something else is coming! Something worse".
Huh? Have you finally lost your mind?" I said, still mildly annoyed at her. "You took two damn day-"
"
Zephan!"
The ground started vibrating so violently we landed on our asses. The ground rumbled and heaved like something enormous was trying to break out.
Without a word Meg took my arm and we sprinted across the field which was almost now completely deserted, the last of the students were crammed at the mouth of the gate or jumping over the hedges, trying to get as far away from this nightmare as possible.
Twenty feet to our right, near our favorite hamburger store, the ground exploded like a landmine going off. Then another explosion not far from the main gate, flipping a Honda, nearly crushing some kids in lab coats. Soon the entire area was looking like the middle of a war zone. Each explosion came with a spray of hot lava. What was a green field packed with flowers and butterflies mere minutes ago, was now looking like a volcanic zone.
Then the place where Meg and I stood before, exploded, leaving a red hot smoky crater. I turned and glimpsed a leathery wing, twice the size of a ship sail break out of the ground, raining clumps of soil on us.
"Meg, that's not-" I muttered, my throat parched. I pulled her behind an overturned car. "If that thing sees us…"
The air was charged with the smell of ozone. There was a loud metallic groaning sound somewhere below the ground. Meg grasped my shirt and squeezed it, her face pale and sweaty.
Then as we watched, something resembling a dragon dragged its body out of the ground, leaving a giant smoky hole in the ground. I couldn't see or hear the Moose monster anymore. I almost missed it. Compared to this, the Moose felt like a dress rehearsal. It had two horns each protruding on either side of its head. Six beady bird-like eyes and a long curved beak giving it a crazy bird of prey look. It would have been a cool design if I saw it in my comic book back in my dorm room.
My breathing became labored. I was going into a panic. I was going to stand up and start running in circles pretty soon if Meg wasn't squeezing down tight enough immersed in her own fear. We were soaked in sweat, barely breathing from sheer fright.
The creature turned its head to the side, listening in a very bird-like creepy manner. The silence was loud except for a clicking sound coming from somewhere down the monster's throat. The smoke everywhere was choking, my throat itched badly but I didn't dare cough. Then Meg let out a small whimper. Oh Meg.
The monster snapped it's head towards our direction immediately and let out a loud piercing caw.
Shit.
I grabbed Meg and ran as fast as I could, but there was no escaping something that large with wings too. Meg stumbled behind me trying to catch up and I think then she went a little delirious, maybe from the panic or the smoke I don't know or she was just being being generally weird but I heard her muttering "yeah, come get some, I'll send you back to hell", even for Meg, that was really unusual but I didn't ask questions.
I heard the gigantic monstrous wings beat through the air, momentarily blowing away all the smoke and I glimpsed what looked like police sirens about twenty feet ahead. I didn't know what the police would do in this situation but I just needed to get out of this vicinity.
Right behind, the flapping grew louder, fast approaching, then I heard a slow long inhale. At that moment I thought about the ways we were going to die. Hopefully it exhales fire that would turn us to bones in seconds, I'd rather not be roasted slowly in a weak flame. Or worse fed to its babies, little demon birds tearing us to pieces didn't sound fun. We were just halfway to the police cars, there was nothing those cops could do against something so powerful anyway.
It was already on us, it opened its beak and I saw its pinkish throat getting charged up with bluish flames. I pulled Meg into my arms and tried to shield her with my body as much as possible. But then… there was no impact. No heat
Instead I heard a blade swing through the air, followed by a loud screech…