Days of clearing trees off roads and looting small towns paid off a little, but it's been too chill. We clearly aren't the first to come through here.

Jean yawns and stretches, Dave laughs as she groans, "What?" Jon looks back, "How do you fall asleep in here so easily?" She yawns, "Guessing Norbert didn't show?" I roll my shoulder and hunch over, "Nope. Said he had something to investigate."

Jon picks up the microphone, "Yeah, doesn't seem like trouble." *More rubble?* "Yeah, it's getting more torn up as we go." The dispatcher laughs, *That's a good thing.* I smile, "Hey, no racism with this new guy." Jon scoffs, "God, I loved watching them trying to save that bastard." Dave smirks as Jean raises a brow, "That lizard was swinging him left and right. He was done!" I smile at her and shake my head. Boys and their harsh ways.

So the caravan finally rolls into Jackson with frowns on faces. Each major city we go through is more torn than the next. A shadow zooms over us. I blink and then look up, that's a big bird. Mama, you feel that too? Something's coming. I shout, "Everyone get to cover!" The convoy beeps down the line as flocks of them take to the skies. They caw and dive down. Dave shouts, "Open fire!" Cars at the front begin to drive, I wave one to go. A caw to my right, I turn and block. Next thing I know, my heart bursts and a wall catches me. A car rolls towards me. I jump out the way and tumble to the ground.

Only after I got up, I heard the gunshots roar. I see Jack in a truck without it's tarp, shooting his pistol into the sky at them. One swoops down at him and I kick off so fast, I catch that damn bird by the wing in midair. I cave it's head in and swing him to the scientists that wanted to dissect the damn alligators for some reason. They drag it inside a building as I shout to Jack, "Good shooting, you downed a couple!" He takes another shot and shouts, "Thanks!" Damn, kid's got a future in sharpshooting. "Diesel!" He points, a crow dives straight down. "Mama Hearth!" I roar, "I got her, you shoot it down!"

I kick off and punch through the crows with their wings clipped and look up. It's still going down. A bird smacks down and a gas tank in the back explodes. My eyes widen and I speed up, putting some strain on myself for once. Stones stab into my skin as more gas tanks explode. Damn things know what gas does. You ain't blowing the one with Mama next to it.

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I'm not fast enough. The bird gets shot again and again, sparks fly off it as it pierces the tank. The tank explodes and I feel a force against my chest, metal shrapnel smacked against me. I grip it with my bare hand and yank it out. That bird caws and hobbles towards me. I kick it away and jump in my skin.

I missed Norbert's head by a hair. A deep sigh of relief escapes me, Mama hangs on him as Rose gives his leg a death squeeze. I get on top of a truck and look over it all. All the damage. Another set of shadows block out parts of the sun. More of them!? I look around, they're still fighting the stragglers on the ground. The destroyed cars block the way ahead. Guys! Inside! Now!" They get inside a building as I wince. I close my hand and stones block them inside.

I rush back towards Jack, the car he was in is knocked over. I look around as they all look up. The governor shouts in the silence. "Your team said it was clear!" The soldiers shout at me as I point, "Get inside the buildings! Now!" They shake their heads and one shoots me. I roar and they all shut up. I look up to the man with wild eyes and point, "I hope the crows claw out your eyes, boy." He scoffs and shoots again. An impact goes against my head, "Diesel!" I try to catch myself, but fall onto my back and grab at the pounding pressure in my head. "Demonic trash!" I close my eyes for a moment.

Next I open them, there's more dead, crows feast upon their flesh. The crows turn as I get myself up. They make their wings span out. I make my heart explode and the squawk. Parts of the road smack against me as they try to fly or hop away. The survivors come out the buildings and I huff and puff with my head low. Damn idiots wouldn't listen. Jean tries to walk up but I shake my head and kick a broken car into a building. They jump as I kick a car rolling out our way. My hands rip away plates of metal as I pin it against the working cars, I use my other arm, a rocky rod fires into the car's hull.

And now Mama's hounding me with her tapping. I'm coming, damn it. "Forget it! Move the cars your damn selves!"

I get over there and make the doorway I've made crumble. Norbert sighs, "About time." Mama frowns, "Diesel. You better hide or run. They're getting explosives right this second." Rose pouts and Norbert kneels, "Rose, don't tell anyone but me about this. Only when we're alone." "But-" "I'm serious." Norbert then gets up, "Diesel, come on." With a nod, I follow him to the doorway. He peeks out and they all are scattering to get explosives, the spare rocket launchers. Everything. "When I say go, you run and get under the truck that Mama was in!" I nod, "Not yet-" "Go!" I rush out silently as I could.