The Runners of Humanity

Battle of Chicago [Operation Steel-claw/3rd Chicago Offensive], October 21st, 2021

"Boys, welcome to Chicago. How's your time been?"

"To be honest, it has been complete shit. I can't find any hotdogs in this damned place."

The general chuckled.

“What do you mean ‘the Navy and Airforce are preparing for a classified operation?!’ What do you mean?! What are you hiding from us?! Can’t you see we’re in an alien war right now?! Send in static—thing! F-15s, F-18s, F-16s… static—cking care! Send in Tomcats! Phantoms! Fucking Super Sabres! Anything that can outrun those pega-faggots or whatevestatic—D FUCK— YOU!” Slam
Dunn who had been listening, put his hands to his face before slamming both on the desk.

“Damn it all!”

“What happened sir? Not even Phantoms in the reserve?”

“No. No. No. Nothing.”

The building suddenly rattled violently. Papers flew across the room. Sherwin slipped right onto his ass.

“Holy shit!” screamed the officer.

“Were those ours?!” questioned the disgruntled Major General Sherwin.

“No.” grunted the major.

A strained Corporal Porter stormed the station.

“What in sam’s hell are you doing here corporal?!” demanded Sherwin.

“We got ‘Grounder’s’… thousands of em’ storming the Lincoln Park Zoo!” shouted the Georgian.

“Well, looks like we finally can do something!” briefly smiled the major general.

“What are you proposing?” asked Dunn.

"There are M777’s just parked on the outskirts of West Lakeview. Maybe we can show them a little Chicagoan light-show!… I’m not a Chicagoan, but the line works, right?”

“Yeah, it does. But wait, aren’t refugees still there?” asked Dunn.

“I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure they’ve cleared the zoo. We have to do it. The ponies will be on our doorstep if not. Then the soldiers here are fucked.”

Dunn nodded silently. Nervous of this gamble.

Sherwin motioned his right hand to the major, signifying his request for the radio. The major grabbed it and gave it to the general.
The general then put the object to his ear.

“static Hello? Direct orders from the general: hit the fuckers at the zoo!— static.”

“Message received! We're packing the heat sir, don't worry! static—”

“Just make sure to not hit the animals!”

“Don’t worry, the animals have been evacuated already. We’ll have tha— static—rder in your han—static—n no time!” the radio cut off to static.

After a brief pause between the lines, Dunn could hear a distant conversation in the background.

”WE GOT AN ORDER! HIGH EXPLOSIVE! LINCOLN PARK ZOO!”

Then the talking stopped.

“HIGH EXPLOSIVES LOADED.”

“FIRE ON COMMAND, SIR.” said a voice.

“Just say wh—static— sir.”

“Now.”

“EVERYONE MOVE! THIS SECTOR IS BEING BOMBARDED BY HIGH EXPLOSIVES!”

Aidan ran around, trying to help other refugees to safety.

His phone rang. He reached into his pocket and accepted the call.

“Aidan, the family is going to hiding in Gelena. Be safe, and be courageous, but not stupid. If you need to run, run.”

“Okay. Okay I know. NOW RUN.” he said.

“I am. Okay, bye. Be safe.”

She then hung up. Aidan put his phone in his pocket.

“INCOMING!” shouted a distant voice.

The sounds of whistling from above became louder and louder.
Artillery. Oh shit, there are still refugees.

Porter could be seen running from the direction of the command post.

“What’d they say?” asked Aidan.

“Whadd’ya mean what’d they say? It was just a report I was giving them!” shouted Porter over the hail of gunfire.

“Well, how are we gonna evacuate these refugees in time before they get blown to bits?” asked Aidan.

“I think it’s going okay for now. Just gotta move some more and they’d be safe.” answered Porter.

“Hold on, how’s your best friend?”

“He’s over there right now. Why?”

“No I was just curious if he was okay.”

“Right. Well, we still have a job to do”

“Okay, lets go.”

“That artillery strike seemed like a creeping barrage.” said Aidan.

“Are you speculating that the next bombardment will be on our asses?” asked Porter.

“Afraid so.”

“I WON’T LEAVE MY SON OUT THERE TO BE KILLED!” said a random voice.

“Ah’ know, just trah’ ya’ best to stay calm. We promise we’ll get em’ back.” responded Peter.

Porter and Aidan went over to see what was happening.

“Let me over there! I'll get him myself!”

“Hey hey hey! Stop that! Ya’ gonna get hurt!”

“More hurt than I already am? Fuck you!” she shoved the soldier with such force he was thrown to the wall and was in a state of shock.

“Someone stop her-“ he ordered before hearing the sounds of high pitched whistling from above.

“Oh shit,” he said, “EVERYBODY RUN!”

“NO! FOLLOW AN ORDERLY LINE! THAT’S AN ORDER! OR YOU’RE ALL DYING!” said another voice.

“SHUT UP, THEY’RE ALL GONNA DIE IF WE AIN’T FIXIN’ TO HELP THEM!”

“SERGEANT I WILL HAVE YOU COURTMARSHALLED FOR INSUBORDINATION. NO CUT THAT SHIT OUT.” ordered the officer.

“NO!” he shouted, shoving the man against the wall.

“THAT’S IT. YOU'RE DONE!” shouted the officer before throwing a punch to the chest. Porter, infuriated that he just attacked his brother in arms, stuck a violent jab into his stomach.
The officer was a tough man though, after tanking the punch, he smacked him square in the jaw. Peter and Aidan both ran in to intervene, but Porter had tackled the officer to the ground. Both locked in a fist fight, neither could move after recovering from each other's attacks. Then down came a blurry object, colliding with the building in front of the two, causing the entire structure collapse. Peter had only seconds to react, as he moved his body as fast as he could, he quickly tackled his friend out of the way before suddenly getting most of his body crushed by the concrete. The shock of the situation hadn't fully applied to the comrade at the time, and he could only stare as his friend coughed out his life force before lying motionless.

A sudden cry of pain jerked him back to the battle, turning his body around to see Aidan pinned on the ground, multiple pieces of rebar impaling him in the shin, side of his torso, and hand.

“Oh my god oh my god.” said the corporal, “uh-uh-alright, come on, this will hurt for a moment--”

"Don't! Stop stop!" the distressed private cut him off.

"Don't worry, all you's gotta do is just shut the fuck up for a moment." he began trying to pull the rebar out of his leg, to no avail.

"Stop stop stop! You're making it worse! You're gonna cause an infection!"

"Humans aren't that weak, man up you pussy." he scowled, before trying to pull Aidan's leg out of the debris stuck in him. He ignored the protests of the boy and continued to apply more force to his arms. His torso jolted out of the metal bar, freeing the conscript from the rubble, as the rebar stuck in the other two areas could just be pulled out.

"I'm gonna die I'm gonna die I'm gonna die I'm gonna die." repeated the young man over and over again rapidly.

"Stop, please." Porter said, before lifting the wounded soldier onto his shoulder. He began jogging at a constant pace, ignoring the shouts from his comrade. After some time, the struggling from his body ceased. Porter noticed this, and put down the body on the ground. He stared at the limp soldier and sighed. Laying his helmet on his legs, he then started walking again. Leaving Aidan behind.