Gears of War Begininngs

      You ever dream of a world that comes to an end. All you see is destruction and death in its wake. An unstoppable wave of evil and carnage ripping through cities tearing limb to limb leaving nothing in its path. What if you're smack in the middle of it? What would you do?



        November eleventh, Manville, New jersey. Emergence day as we named it. Early morning.



        I just dropped of my daughter Sarah to school. Sixteen years ago when I was just in my prime, I mean early in my prime. I was fourteen when I had Sarah. I decided to keep her. From then it was just me and her. She is a lot like me, physically and emotionally, but she is a lot more rebellious.



        We survive of of my military pay and benefits. I joined the national guard for thirteen years, only recently retiring. I made the decision to stay with my daughter.



      After eating breakfast and having my routine coffee, I went to enjoy a hot shower. As I stood their I pondered if I should get Sarah a present for her birthday or wait until the weekend. I dried off and stared into the mirror. For some reason I froze, staring in wonder at this girl in this mirror. I looked different, almost luminous, more radiant. I stared at this stranger, wavy brunette hair, light blue eyes, ivory skin, five six, hundred twenty five pounds, just standing their sharing her grace. I shook my head and walked out in a daze. I dressed in tight blue jeans and a black t-shirt. To pass up time I just sat down and watched television. When I realized it was almost two thirty I jumped and ran to the car. I recently acquired a 2011 Chevy Camaro. I nearly sped to make in time. As I pulled up, she was walking out the school doors. She does look a lot like me, but instead of blue eyes hers were hazel. She approached and sat in the passenger seat. "Hi Susan," she sighed. I got frustrated, "how many times do I have to tell you to call me mom Sarah?"

"Countless times." she said with limited enthusiasm. "Then why do you continuously do it Sarah?" She didn't respond. We used to be very close. Like best friends. Now she can not even call me Mom? Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing this right.

      I sat staring into the open road, thinking. "How would you like to go out for a late lunch honey?" I waited for an excuse from her. "Sure I'm pretty hungry." Now that was something I didn't expect. I was caught off guard. I stuttered, "uh, ok. How about um pizza, like Belloroma's?" She turned and gazed into my eyes. "Yea Mom, sounds good." She smiled. Wait a minute, "what do you want Sarah?" She answered almost to quickly, "Tiffany was asked to this party tonight and she wanted me to go with her and be like her body guard and stuff, but I just really want to go cause Eric will be there, please o please Mommy?" She waited anxiously for an answer. I decided to mess with her a little before I replied. So I waited, watching the road, watching her stare at me with curious eyes. Finally, "Absolutely not." She replied with peril in her voice. "What?! Why not?!" It was almost too easy, "because Sarah, you are only sixteen years old, there is no reason to go out at night just so you can party and sleep with some jerk who is most likely a fucking rapist anyway, so no, hell no." She rolled her eyes, "whatever Mom." We then just sat in silence for the twenty minute ride. It was excruciating. Shit, why do I always have to be the sucker? "Fine Sarah you can go, but you are not to be out past eleven, I want no boys coming back with you and I want you to call me every hour. If I ever find out you drank or did some kind of drug tonight or any other time then you will be grounded for life, got it?" She almost burst into tears,"yes! thank you mom, thank you! I love you!" She is so sweet when she wants things. "I love you too Sarah."

      I pulled up on the side street. I have been going to Belloromas for years. I just love their pizza. We sat at an outside table. A waitress stalked towards us, she is pretty, long blond hair, green eyes, tall and slender,  wearing the usual waitress outfit. Her eyes widened. "Hi, my name is Samantha, I will be your waitress for the afternoon. What can I get for you?" She gazed at me and to Sarah, back and forth, waiting for a reply, I began first. "I'd like a large plain pie and a Philly cheese steak with a Pepsi please." I looked at Sarah. "Cheese steak and a Coke, that's it." 

    We enjoyed our greasy food in silence. This was nice. It always was until I say something, everything started to shake then, glass and tables falling and shattering. People running and screaming, fault lines started to appear from no where. It opened wider, wider. If I wont move I will be a drop in. My adrenaline then kicked in and I started running full force. I grabbed my daughter by the shoulder. I tried to pull her with me as fast as I could. As I was looking forward trying to get to my car I felt Sarah slipping from my grip. I looked behind me and Sarah was holding on for dear life on the edge of the hole. I quickly grabbed her and used all my strength to pull her up. She was in tears. In shock. I held her repeating, its ok honey. It seemed to have calmed down then. No earthquakes or falling debris. I looked at the carnage this catastrophe just caused. It was like a crater two miles in diameter. I have never seen something quite like this. There wasn't a meteor. Was there? More seismic activity. I stood in place waiting for another episode. Nothing. Wait, almost all at once hundreds and hundreds of these creatures raised out of this demon hole. They were like ugly dogs with this slime coming from their shredding teeth, and they were each with a man looking creature. They looked like men just more grotesque and sharper teeth. They had we-opens as well. Theses ugly creatures started firing, killing humans on sight. the dog things started jumping on people ripping them to shreds. Then I heard Sarah scream, the man looking creature was walking our way with a devilish grin on its face. Now any other mother would have ran, but I don't. I stay and fight for whats mine. I ran towards him, he began running too. He has the barrel of his rifle aimed right at me. he did not fire, he wanted to wait until I was closer, big mistake. I thrust-ed my leg high with full force, I kicked his gun right out of his wretched fingers. He raised his head as the gun soared. I did to but I on the other hand knew where it was going to land, right in my hands. As soon as I felt the trigger on my finger I fired. Three rounds going straight into his skull. I grabbed Sarah and ran to the car. I sped off like I was about to give birth.

        All around us was despair, carnage, hell. These creatures are brutally murdering any human they find. This is not good.



        "Shit! What the hell were those things," I said in a panic. "I don't know mom, they just started killing everything, oh my god," she said as a tear ran down her beautiful cheek. I have to calm down and plan this right. That back there was not just a quick battle. More like an invasion. Unless the army stops them I'm afraid they might have our town over run in less than an hour. "All right, we will go to the house. I have to grab a few things. I want you to pack, but please pack light, we-"  "but Mom, were are we going to go?" I sighed, "I was getting to that Sarah. After we leave I suggest we go to the police headquarters. Get some we-opens. We are going to need them. Then we will go to a marina or airport. Go somewhere where it has not hit yet." She rolled her eyes. I sighed in frustration. When I parked I quickly scanned the area. It was quiet as far as I could tell. I told Sarah lets go. She is trying to hold it together. To be fearless like her mother seems, but I know she is trembling.

      As I unlocked doors and turned on lights I scanned my lonely apartment. Empty. Good. I started darting to clothes and grabbing food and throwing them in a bag. Sarah went to her room to do the same. When I noticed she was out of site I went to my safe. I turned clockwise then counter then clock wise again. I hear a click. I grabbed two .45 Smith and Wesson, some ammo and emergency money. I like to be prepared if you have not noticed. I heard a shattering type noise coming from downstairs. I ran to see Sarah was all right. We both looked towards the bottom of the stairs. "Wait here Sarah, I mean it. I'm going to see what that was." She gave me a scared please don't go kind of look. When I reached halfway down the stairs I pulled out only one of my pistols. I turned the corner. There is a vase smashed on the wooden floor. Nothing else in sight. Right then I heard Sarah scream. I quickly ran upstairs aiming the pistol. Sarah is lying on the ground with one of those dog like creatures on top of her. Behind that was a young but very handsome boy holding a spear that is lodged inside the creature. This boy just saved my daughter.



        "Who are you, what is your name?" I asked with some authority. "Marcus, Marcus Fenix. I was just looking for tools to survive this onslaught. I didn't think any body was home. Sorry about that." He spoke as if using up every bit of confidence he had. "No, it is quite alright. Thank you very much for saving my daughter." He then had a shocked look on his face. "Wait, she is your daughter? Whoa, I mean, you two look like sisters more than anything." He smiles. He is quite handsome for a teenager though. Buzz cut, dark hair, blue eyes, tall, very masculine. "Well we are leaving this place if you would like to join us?" Marcus looked into my daughters eyes, "sure, I would love to," he shows a huge grin on his face. I cut in there little reverie, "wait just one minute. You can come but if I catch you even looking at my daughter in a sexual way I will remove your testicles," I unsheathed a bowie knife, got it?" His eyes widened like they were going to fall out."Yes, I got it, I definitely got it."



          We all climbed into the car. We sat in silence as I drove to the nearest police headquarters, assuming we all were thinking the same thing, fear of this new and devilish race.



          I parked in the back trying to be inconspicuous and stealthy. "I don't think the police will let you walk in and borrow some we-opens Mom," a hint of sarcasm in Sarah's tone. "No. They won't. That is why I am glad they are not here." I got two puzzled looks. I sighed, "did you two not see what happened downtown? Every officer will be busy trying to suppress those things. So, Marcus, I need you to cover me. Lets go."



        I half ran to the east wall with my Smith and Wesson in hand with Marcus on my six. He has the gun I got from the creature earlier. I didn't notice until now it has a chainsaw built on to it. Nifty. I kicked the back door in, peered around the wall, aiming. Empty, as I predicted. "Marcus, go to the gun cage, try to get it open. I will look threw their data base for any updates. Go." He went with obedience. I moved the mouse so it sprang to life from the screen saver. A few key punches and pass codes and wah la, "at approximately 3:00 a crater formed at the central district of down town. Some sort of new race has risen from this crater. Instantly they murdered any human on sight. All local units please report. National guard will be arriving soon." I scrolled a few inches down and a new report was posted. "At approximately 3:45 the creatures have over run the down town area. We are estimating that 2,000 people have been killed thus far. We are slowly diminishing there numbers but they return even stronger. 10 battle forces have been terminated along with half of the police force. Any one out their with experience of battle and weapons please come to 17th ave. Thank you." After reading I estimate they will be here in ten minutes. I yell, "Marcus I think you should really hurry."   



      "Freeze! Manville police! Don't move!" I instantly put my hands in the air. I started, "relax officer." I turned slowly to get a look at him. He was short but well built. He had dark eyes and a crew cut. He seemed to young to be a cop. He was shaking uncontrollably. "Don't move," he screams. I identified myself, "I am 1st lieutenant Susan James of the Army National Guard. I'm here to back you up." He is shaking so bad he almost loses the grip of his gun. "Bull shit. you are supposed to be downtown helping the others." I shook my head, "They are all dead." 



    The officer lowered his pistol and sighed. I felt bad for him. "Look, we do not have much time. Those things will be here less than five minutes. I have a friend casing your gun case now, we need every piece of ammo we can get. We are going to try and flee to the nearest marina or airport. There is definitely not a chance to survive with just us. So you're with us. ok? He nodded. What is your name officer?" he replied, "Dom, Officer Dominic Sanchez."



            Marcus reappeared threw the doorway I sent him threw. "I got it open, here." He threw me a black bag. I caught it with a big oomph. The bag must at least weigh a good 200 lbs. He carried one too. "All right. We got what we came for, now lets move out." Marcus exited first, followed by me then Dom. We gathered in to the car. Sarah stared at me, "Go well?" I anserwed, "better that I thought, but we have to get out of here....now."



      Silence, again. Driving on 22 to Newark airport. Praying that it goes in our favor. I glance to my right to my Daughter as I press the gas peddle down an inch further. Sarah smiles at me that jaw dropping smile, "I love you Mom." I turned my eyes back to her from the road. " I love you.