Chapter Two: New game
Emma Rolland
[Year: 2018]
[Day: September 8th]
[Time: 16:08]
[Location: Earth; Britain; England; London; Metropolitan police station]
The world had been shaken; or rather it was jolted. A burst of light brilliant as the dawn had shone through the city running in lines across the map, contained within colour of every shade imaginable, Like magic.
And now this...
Monsters, that’s what the report said, that’s what all the reports were saying, the particulars didn’t matter, what it boiled down to was monsters running loose in the middle of London. Whatever the hell that meant. Well actually it was London’s northwest area that was under attack.
She couldn’t go in with that report ‘there was a big flash of light and then monsters attacked’ not unless she wanted to take a one way trip straight to bedlam*. She sighed scratching at her scalp marching back and forth before the door, the eyes of the other officers drawing near to her, at least when they weren’t dealing with the current surge of panic.
“Emma, get in here already.” Jacob’s voice called out from within the office, the twenty year old waving to him through the window set in the top of the door. She felt a frown grow more prominent across her face.
She shook her head stepping in, she needed to make this report or everything would go straight to hell some needed to take charge and she was glad it wasn’t her. Of course that didn’t make her prospects better especially when the one they were relying on was that man.
And there he sat, the metropolitan police department’s commissioner, the man in charge of the greater London area and beyond Jacob Hummer. Perhaps that description was too grandiose for the man currently couched at his desk his face buried in a book. He had brown hair and a fair complexion, his clothes were worn loosely, his stubble going unshaven and his glasses resting on the table were murky, in need of a good clean. If one were to find this individual walking around town there would be little to no features distinguishing him from the homeless, especially since he was wearing the same stained shirt he had been yesterday. Emma sighed pushing the door aside and stepping into the office, a grin spreading across Jacobs face. “Ah, my dear Emma, I’m guessing you have the latest reports. So what have we got is it interesting?” How on earth had this man been given authority over nearly thirty-two thousand police officers
He leaned forwards setting his book down and placing his phone before him expectance shimmering in his eyes. She took a deep breath looking down at the reports that had been submitted, she had taken thirty different example to prove that she was not going insane.
“We’ve received a total of One-hundred-and-sixteen reports that seem to be generally consistent but can be divided into two groups. The first group are those from people who were caught up in the shake a few minutes ago. The rest are from people who have encountered one of two groups that are fighting in the city.” She reported placing the report to her side hoping he wouldn’t ask anything more, and knowing that wouldn’t happen.
“Come now, I’ve been listening in to quite a few of the reports we’ve been getting myself. Tell me about the monsters.” He grinned tilting his head towards her an idiotic grin on his face. She sighed inwardly as she looked down to the report resting at the top of the pile.
“As far as we can tell there are two groups of monsters fighting each other in London’s northwest though they seem to be moving towards the cities centre. We don’t understand the situation but they appear to be armed with melee weapons and moving in groups of three to five at average though larger groups can consist of up to twenty individuals. There have currently been no reported casualties among the civilians though numerous attackers have died or been gravely injured.” She finished her report, waiting for the man to say something. He nodded the idiotic expression fading for a moment as his computer began to chime.
He raised an eyebrow turning to the screen before looking over the display a weary smile appearing across his face accompanied by a slow shake of the head. “What is it?” She questioned moving aside as one of the deputy assistant commissioners entered the office with another set of reports in hand.
“We have officially declared this an emergency situation, the media will handle informing the public and the military will suppress the foreign forces.” The commander yawned, sliding his hands into his pockets and rocking out of his chair. He gave a strange smile turning around to wander forwards stopping before the window looking down into the street. “The Cabinet will be convening to function as an emergency command centre. We have been requested to remain on standby until requested. It seems we have no dog in this fight. If I don’t miss my guess we’ll be dealing with the cleanup”
“Why is the cabinet convening, if it’s just a terrorist attack shouldn’t M.I.5 be placed in command?” The newcomer questioned placing his pile of reports on Jacob’s desk before stepping back towards the side of the doorway, Emma had to agree with him, in an emergency a government department was supposed to be given command, and it was M.I.5 that dealt with threats on the home front. “Come to the window and you’ll understand.” He declared grinning back at them.
Emma placed her own stack of reports on the desk moving to stand by the window. The young man moved to join them as they stared down at a scene, one that did not come to a reasonable solution. What she saw...
What she saw defied rational thought.
“Well at least things will be interesting for a while.” Jacob laughed turning away from the streets, “no matter what, watching this will be fun!”
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Sampson Cold
[Year: 2018]
[Day: September 8th]
[Time: 16:05]
[Location: Earth; Britain; England; London]
This was it the end, he could see it, see it in those bloodshot eyes, in the glaring light ricocheting off a sharpened edge
And then everything began to shake.
The ground bucked beneath his feet causing him to stumble backwards into the shelves as a pulsating light rushed through the streets. It blared through the shops window turning his world into a canvass of colours; vibrant and beautiful and blinding. Sampson stumbled backwards pressing the crook of his arm to his face to cover his eyes his back slamming into the shelves hard the sound of the merchandise clattering to the floor around him. But even as he stumbled searching for a way out his vision cleared patches of colour still smeared across his view.
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But at least he was moving again. He’d woken from the shock and now he could see it the creature, the monster standing before him holding its head in meaty palms muttering guttural calls. Sampson turned his gaze around the shop searching for it, the weapon that the creature had held now embedded deep within the till shredding through the metal as if it were cardboard. And as the smoke cleared and the fallen bottles and packets lay still, there eyes met once more.
The creature moved with haste, grabbing its weapon and tugging it free from the till stumbling backwards with the motion. The he felt it, a firm grasp upon his shoulder tugging him backwards as he fell to his rear against the floor looking upwards at him. Mr. Stohess, he stood there a grim line cut across his face, eyes cold as the grave exuding calm and confidence, a kind he’d never known from the man, even as the monstrosity moved towards them weapon held over head for another swing. The shop keeper moved with a grace that could only be instilled by intense training and polished through practical use; stepping into the creature swing and grabbing its wrist. He pulled it close and when they were but a few inches apart, their eyes locked mixing fear with fury, his fist barrelled forwards striking the monster beneath its jaw. A boom rang through out the shop the air being blown backwards with enough force to send Sampson tumbling away as the pig-creature was hurled to the rear end of the shop to crash against a freezer, metal crumpling the monsters body heavily marked with lacerations.
“God damn orcs.” He muttered wiping the blood from his knuckles before sighing and giving Sampson a wan grin, “that was something eh?”
Sampson rose to his feet eyes focused on the man who he had known as nothing more than a shop keeper for the last nine years. “You said orc?” He questioned a dull static buzzing in his mind, his words finally snapping him out of the daze as he grasped their meaning. “What the hell is going on!”
The old man grinned grabbing the fallen cleaver and placing it on the counter. “Calm down, I’m going to make a few calls, don’t get into any trouble kid. Tell me if our guest wakes up and I’ll give you a proper explanation when I get back.” Mr. Stohess chuckled wiping a hand through short lank hair stepping once more into storage leaving Sampson standing amidst the wreckage.
He had probably better clean up.
He sighed kneeling down reaching out to restock the shelves with fallen merchandise. He moved slowly working down the aisle placing an assortment of random items back on their shelves working ever closer to rear of the store. The shop sold a bizarre number of things from stationary to computer software; even for a corner store it had a bizarre variety, he didn’t understand how the old man stayed in business. His shift would end in two hours; it was funny how he was thinking about that now, his life had been in danger just moment ago and he was getting hung up on his shift. He gave a small smile trying to comfort the fear that lingered in him.
He shook his head, he needed to think about what was really going on, that creature Mr. Stohess had called it an Orc. Frankly speaking it did match the description of an orc, well at least one variety of orc. It had a pig like head and humanoid body, was tall and strong and its’ general appearance was uncivilised. Orcs usually took the role as barbarians and monster, though occasionally could be a playable race. This one looked like the former. He stood up from his crouched position at the end of the aisle approaching the fallen monster, the ‘orc’. It was ugly and smelly, and still alive. He shivered thinking about what the creature had just tried to do to him. But now it was lying there bleeding from the back of its head... Helpless.
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[Time: 16:21]
Well that had been a pain. he stood up from where the orc once lay, his hands drenched in blood. It had only been the natural thing to do in that situation only natural.
He’d patched the fallen monster up, he couldn’t say it wouldn’t die, but he could say it wasn’t his fault for not doing anything. He’d taken a first aid kit and wrapped the injury on the back of the head after sterilising it. Frankly he hoped it hurt, it was a natural feeling, and he couldn’t lie and say the thought of killing the beast didn’t cross his mind but he didn’t know why the creature attacked him and couldn’t judge. Well that or he’d just been soft. If he were in a game he’d have killed it without a second thought. But this was real life.
As he leaned back against the counter for a brake the television mounted in the wall above blurred to life. He turned his direction towards it, where once had been displayed only static a young man and woman, news presenters, sat. There expressions were haggard and their complexions sallow, lacking any form of makeup or preparation: they began to speak.
“Thirteen minutes ago, a state of emergency was passed encompassing the entirety of Britain. We will work to bring you information as it becomes available.” The man declared wiping the sweat from his brow the woman taking over, “we would like to warn all people to remain inside their homes or places of business. Those in the streets move to the nearest building and request shelter. At the moment we believe there to be two armed groups fighting in the city. They have not targeted civilians so far but their aims are unknown as they remain unidentified. Confirm the safety of all family members and friends and wait for information. Do not attempt to make contact with any armed individuals.”
Sampson watched as they repeated the message a few times over. His grandfather would be fine, he was in a hospital so he didn’t have to worry about the old codger getting caught up in the problem, especially as he was stuck on the highest floor, he doubted any orcs would get to him. But then there was Silvia. He needed to check on her, she should have arrived home so he could just call her house.
No! Today was a Monday that would mean she’d have netball practice afterschool and that lasted for nearly an hour. She would be leaving about now, or perhaps she had already left. He needed to call her.
Sampson grit his teeth rushing behind the counter to pull his satchel from beneath his chair removing the phone from the side pocket. He switched it on the screen blurring hazily to life as he searched for his contact details. There it was her name standing proud at the top of his long list (of five) contacts. He did not hesitate to call. He never used the phone, it had actually been a gift from Silvia on his last birthday after she had gotten frustrated she couldn’t call him whenever she wanted. He waited the dial tone blaring on the other side. He waited, his expression growing more dire with each passing second, Then when he thought it was hopeless monotone voice declared that he couldn’t contact her. He tried again and again but it didn’t work no matter how many times he called. It wasn’t god damn working!
Sampson looked out to the streets, they were practically empty, of both man and beast, but it just put him further on edge. He needed to go see her, he needed to make sure she was safe. He could feel rationality warring against the fear that she would be hurt. Perhaps it was guilt, or that somewhere deep within his game loving heart he had the smallest sense of feeling for that idiot, no matter what it was he knew he had to go.
Sampson turned his bag upside down emptying the contents and replacing it with bottles of water and snacks, mainly consisting of nuts and chocolate before stuffing a pair of first aid kits into the side pockets.
He rushed past the counter moving towards the door and the empty street beyond. He should go, go out there and prove to himself that she was okay, that he could relax, that tragedy wouldn’t strike. For a moment he considered, what was he really doing? He was rushing into danger like a madman and just increasing the chance of a fatality, but somehow he knew he needed to do this consequences be damned.
Call it the spurring of fate.
But what could he do if he found her and she was facing off against more monsters, nothing that’s what. Sampson turned back to where the orc was lying. He couldn’t fight against monsters like that, not bare handed, not a chance. And then his eyes caught it the cleaver lying against the counter, it was better than nothing. He reached out his hand grasping at the handle the cold iron digging into his palm. There was no time to wait, no time to hesitate or regret, he just needed to know she was alright.
He burst through the door and did not look back