Transformers:
Danger In Summer
Started writing 7•6•2011

Universe: Not specified.
Warnings: Action, slightly scary image-inducing for those of you with really good imagination
Characters: Optimus Prime, Arcee, Bumblebee, Ironhide, OC Carol
Summary: When you think that there's nothing worse than Summer School, you might be proven wrong...
Pre-story Author's Note: Based on a dream I had the night before July 6th, 2011.

"I hate this teacher," I whispered to my friend Nicholas.

"You loved him during school," Nick pointed out quietly from his computer adjacent to the one I was sitting at.

"I only 'loved' him because 1) he plays the guitar, 2) wasn't so strict, and 3) he looks almost exactly like Paul McCartney," I told him. "As a summer school teacher though he SUCKS! He's like über strict now!"

Nick rolled his eyes at me. "I still don't see the resemblance," he mumbled. "Don't let him catch ya talking to me."

I pouted at him a bit though I could see Mr. Taletreader coming for us out of the corner of my eye. I quickly but smoothly turned back to my own computer and re-read the current question on the worksheet that I was supposed to be completing for my next-to-final assignment in the summer class. Subject: Financial Literacy.

"How are you two coming on your assignments?" Mr. T inquired of us. He even sounded like Paulie sometimes, minus the British accent.

"Almost done," Nick told him.

I hummed and nodded in agreement.

"Alright, take your time, guys," Mr. T said. "You need to get this done. I don't care if a flock of seagulls come and take you both away – you'll have all day to finish up." He turned his back and started to walk off toward his own desk to work on his stuff.

"No, we don't have all day," I muttered sarcastically, quietly so that he could not hear. "Cera's been waiting for us for about fifteen minutes now."

"Then quit squawkin' and get to it!" Nick hissed.

Cera was waiting for us just outside the classroom as Nick and I turned in our final assignments for the summer class. After these assignments we only had a final test to take on another day.

I handed Mr. Taletreader my assignment packet, completed and just printed from the computer. He took the packet with a grin; not a normal grin but a grin that a teacher gives you when you hand in an assignment after fighting it the whole way from the start to the end.

"Just one more test Carol," he told me. "Then you'll be done with summer school."

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah…" I pulled my handbag up higher on my shoulders and gave him a small smile. "Have a good day, Mr. T."

"You too, Carol. Get home safe."

"I will."

I was soon outside the classroom where both my friends had been waiting for me. Nick adjusted his backpack and Cera put her cellphone in her purse.

"Ready to go?" I asked them.

"Yeah, come on," Nick said, putting on a brown ball cap.

We started on a mostly silent trip from the school through drying grass soccer fields toward the hill where I lived. My friends and I were all going to hang out at my house for a movie or maybe a game to wind down after the day. We were talking about mostly nonsense or aimless chitchat during our trek and I did not think that we would encounter anything of danger to us.

I started to think so though when I noticed how much construction there was between the soccer fields and the park. I had never thought I'd see so many CATERPILLARS, orange barrels, and men dressed as clownfish before, but now I stood corrected.

I began to feel uneasy when I noticed there was an excessive amount of the construction vehicles, only one or two in operation. I saw a few mean-looking cars and trucks parked in a line along the road by the soccer field and I could swear that I heard the sounds of helicopters and airplanes overhead. Oh crap.

"Guys, we need to get out of here," I told my friends quietly.

Cera looked surprised. "Why?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"No time to explain," I said, "just get out of here! Don't go to my house. Get as far away as you possibly can." My paranoia was growing fast and I could only hope that I was wrong.

"Hold on, why just us?" Nick demanded. "What about you?"

"I hafta go a different way," I responded, throwing a wary eye to some of the construction vehicles. "I don't want you guys to get hurt. Now get out of here! Go! Shoo!"

I lightly shoved Cera and Nick back toward the soccer field. I barely caught them giving me a look of concern before hurrying off down the road down the hill, opposite to the way my house was. I watched them a bit until they were a good distance away and then readjusted the strap of my handbag. A shame that I might have to ditch it at some point.

I warily began to look around, looking for a way to avoid the construction vehicles and cars as much as possible to leave the hill.

While looking around though I heard the familiar quiet rumble of a Nissan Pathfinder coming toward me from the direction where my friends were headed to. Surprised I watched as the tan car rolled toward me, a dark-haired woman in the driver's seat.

"Hey, Carol!" Mom greeted me with a grin, her head poking from the side window. "Heading home from school finally?"

I blinked. "Mom…you're back from work."

"Yeah, I am," she said. "What, you counting on I was not going to show up today?"

I shook my head. "No, that's not it at all," I said quickly. "Mom, did you pass Nick and Cera on the way up?"

"Yeah, I did," she confirmed.

"Great, okay… I need you to go back and pick them up. I want you to get them off the hill okay?"

Mom now had the same concern that my friends did when they left. "Carol, what's wrong?"

"Mom, please, just go!" I told her. "There's no time! Go! Please!"

My mom nodded. Thank Heaven she understood. "Alright, alright, I'll go. Carol, be careful."

I returned the nod. "I'll try. Go." I shooed her with my hands.

Mom retreated back into the car and made a quick u-turn right there in the middle of the road. I sighed, a little happy now that I was sure she and my friends were going to be safe; now there was just the issue of me.

I started to run down the street perpendicular to the one going up to my house. I tried to keep an eye out for anything that could potentially be dangerous and I prayed that I would have some help soon. I had no idea if I'd be able to take care of myself when something happened.

Engines started and I nearly panicked. The low rumbling of a back-hoe reached my ears along with multiple other car sounds and I really didn't want to look to see what was going on. I pressed my lips together nervously and just tried to focus on running. Men began to shout and scream in alarming voices and the vehicles grew louder.

And then I heard it; the alien, yet unmistakable sound of metal shifting as the machines literally changed shape into something completely different. I spared a glance back behind me and I just about stopped breathing completely.

Decepticons. There was absolutely no use in denying the fact that large and very hostile robot monsters were sprouting from many of the parked vehicles in my field of vision. Some immediately pulled out arm and hand cannons and began to fire, causing the human construction workers to scramble like ants from a stepped-on anthill. A few others were barking orders to each other or yelling Cybertronian obscenities to the humans in sick glee.

Many very unlady-like swears and curses of my own were racing through my mind. Frick, I really wished that I had been wrong before. Clearly my though caution was not unfounded. Decepticons were in my neighborhood, firing at any and every living thing that crossed their path and causing as much damage as they possibly could.

That wasn't even the worst part – the worst part was that they weren't here for no reason. They were here to obtain something of value in their war against the Autobots and that something was me. Not just because I was friends with the Autobots, oh no; it was because I knew something. Something that would be beneficial to either side and they obviously wanted it really badly.

I wasn't about to give it to them of course. Oh no; that would just spell the end of mankind.

"Find the girl!" one of the taller construction vehicle Decepticons growled to the others. "Lord Megatron commands it!"

Oh, so they hadn't seen me yet. Um… good? I didn't think I'd be able to keep that invisible status for much longer. But maybe I could keep it just long enough for back-up to arrive.

I noticed I was quickly coming up on some still-transforming Decepticon cars so I made a bee line for the park, heading toward the large umbrella-like tree at the opposite end of where more of the robots were creating havoc. I couldn't believe how many there were; I had lost count when trying to determine the exact number and I gave up at about "seven" because no matter how I looked at it, there were definitely a lot and I was totally surrounded.

I skid to a halt in the grass under the shade of the tree to catch my breath as quickly as I could and to try to determine where I was supposed to go now. I was going to have to head further up the hill because Decepticons blocked my initial route and try to turn left or right to escape. I dropped my handbag by the trunk of the tree, deciding that I shouldn't have it with me because it would only slow me down.

Quickly looking around to make sure that no one was watching me I started to run again.

I dashed through an opening in the chain-link fence and darted across the street toward the rows of uniform houses of my neighborhood. I ran on the sidewalk, my sneakers smacking against the concrete with each leaping step I took. I did not look back. I did not want to jinx the luck that I was having so far.

Then I heard something: blades of a helicopter cutting viciously through the air somewhere ahead of me.

At first I couldn't see it because the houses blocked my view of anything in the sky. But then I saw a black elongated speck popping up above the dark brown shingles of a building directly before me. I couldn't help but slow my pace to a near-complete stop as I watched it, trying to determine what it was.

Definitely a helicopter. But that didn't necessarily mean anything; it could be a military chopper, or it could be just an innocent rescue unit.

But as it grew closer, dread was growing and making a dark pit in my heart. The jet black copter descended toward the street between the houses and was quickly approaching my position. It saw me.

I wanted to scream. I really wanted to scream as loudly as I could, as if it would make everything big and scary just dissolve and leave me alone. But my voice wouldn't obey. All I succeeded in doing was tiring out my throat without making so much as a squeak.

I started to back away from the chopper before completely turning around and bolting right back the way that I came. The sound of the spinning blades assaulted my ears but I never turned to watch the thing come closer. I shuddered and my step faltered as it flew over me, blasting air at me making my hair fling wildly around me.

I glanced up to see the helicopter land on the pavement of the street. No sooner than the blades stopped spinning did the whole thing break apart and begin shifting into yet another massive Decepticon bent on my capture.

I felt like I was about to cry, but I forced myself to keep running. My throat started to clench uncomfortably and I tried to swallow it away while panting from running so hard.

The monster's transforming would give me a little time, but only a little. I needed to figure out where I was going to go now; south? West? East? It did not matter, as long as it was away from Decepticons.

I suddenly heard a sound that finally made tears come from my eyes, but more in the form of overwhelming joy rather than hopelessness; it was the blaring of a big-rig semi-truck horn.

I almost laughed at my disbelief. They were here. They were finally here. Just when I was beginning to think they were never gonna show up… my friends the Autobots had finally arrived.

The deep blue and fiery red truck emerged on the road from behind a small business building followed by two sports cars, a pink one and a yellow-and-black one, and a huge black pick-up truck. In a split-second metal shifted and moved and soon there were four more robots leaping into action. It was Optimus Prime and three of his Autobot officers; Arcee a pink 1963 Corvette Sting-Ray, Bumblebee a yellow-and-black 1976 Camaro, and Ironhide a black 2007 GMC Topkick.

I never actually stopped running, but up until I heard the angry growling behind me I had nearly forgotten why. I stole a glance behind me only to confirm that the Decepticon was still there but was looking very pissed; it's likely that he always looked like that, but it was more likely that he was mad because now there were Autobots here. Great.

The Autobots had now begun to attack the Decepticons and everyone was shouting. Cannon fire boomed and made my ears ring, but I kept going as fast as I could. I was heading back toward the tree and from there I decided that I would try to weave between the hostile alien robots to escape; I was counting on them being too busy with Autobots to try and make a grab for me as I ran by. I was also counting on the thing behind me to be held up as well when we got closer.

I was again through the gap in the fence surrounding the park when I heard an explosion that sounded way too close. I dove head-first to the ground just as an orange and white construction barrel zoomed by over-head, way too close for comfort. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…

I scrambled to my feet, deciding that I would try heading back for the school. Hiding on the campus might be a good idea.

I was stopped and my heart about jumped up my throat, out my mouth, when a robot suddenly landed, blocking my path; but I quickly relaxed when I realized it was Arcee.

The pink robot was on one knee in front of me shooting at the Decepticon behind me before he could get closer. It was clear that she at first didn't notice my presence because of how close and how roughly she fell to the ground. She spared me a tiny glance but then did a double-take.

"Carol – what are you doing here?" she demanded, her optics wide and jaw dropped in shock.

"I live here," I quickly told her.

Arcee's optics grew even bigger and brighter than I thought was even possible. "You what? Is that why –"

Something to my left, her right, caught her attention and the Autobot's arms shot forward, easily plucking me up from the ground. Arcee darted away just as the cab of a yellow bulldozer flew over and smashed through the tree into the ground, snapping away half of it with a loud CRACK! Dirt and grass exploded everywhere and momentarily blocked half of my view of the battle with the Decepticons and the other Autobots.

Cradling me in her right, Arcee's left arm transformed into an arm cannon and began to shoot orange fireballs into the screen of dirt. I don't know how she could see through it, but her shots obviously hit their mark as two large bodies of Decepticons tumbled to the ground and skid from the momentum of coming toward us.

Without a word Arcee dashed away, hurrying toward a nearby three-story office building. No other Decepticons came after us at that time because aside from the two Arcee had shot down, many of the others either didn't notice us or already had their servos preoccupied with the other three Autobots fighting them.

After looking around to make sure it was clear Arcee put me down and shoved me into the alley by the office building. It was a small area hidden by a parked red Volvo, still remarkably untouched by the raging battle around it.

"Hide here," Arcee hissed. "I'll come and get you later."

I didn't reply as she hurried back to aid her comrades and I hid in the alley like I was told. Most people would have gone as far back into an alley as possible when there was a giant robot fight just outside, but I couldn't help but watch my friends as they battled the monsters that were attacking my neighborhood.

I also couldn't help but feel guilty that all this was happening just because of me. I never had the time to think about it before, but now that I had the chance to sit down I was wishing that I had never been there to begin with. If it weren't for me the Decepticons would never have found me there right next to my own school and the Autobots wouldn't be losing.

That's right. My friends, who had come to Earth to protect it from the Decepticons and who had come here to protect me because I knew too much, were fighting a losing battle. Each of the four robots were incredibly strong and had already taken down nearly a half-dozen Decepticons, but there was simply too many of the villainous machines for them to handle.

I watched helplessly as one by one each Autobot were brought down and restrained by stasis cuffs and shackles. They fought against the bonds, but it was no use and all of them were unable to move; even Ironhide.

I wanted to cry again, but I couldn't bring myself to let tears come to my eyes. Instead I tried to swallow away my grief as once more the Decepticons began to spread out to "Find the girl and deliver her to Lord Megatron!"

With those monsters searching for me my hiding place was useless and the need for me to escape arose yet again.

On my hands and knees I crawled behind the red Volvo and peeked around it to find a way down the hill. While searching I could see Optimus Prime perfectly, kneeling in the once-spotless grass field by the park bound by his hands and feet as a large black Decepticon stood by him yelling at the others to search harder when there rose complaints that they were unable to find me. It hurt to see the Prime just sitting there, looking toward the ground with his body and shoulders sagged in apparent defeat. I wanted to shout at him, tell him that he can't just give up, that the other Autobots needed their leader and their friend; that I needed my friend.

I quietly sniffed and forced myself to look away from him; I couldn't stand the sight and I had other important things to do at the moment.

To my left I could see the perfect opening for my escape; there were parked cars leading into a cluster of office buildings like the one I was right next to and I could eventually run down the hill and away from the Decepticons as fast as my legs would allow.

I started my trek still on my hands and knees so that I wouldn't get spotted as I crawled behind the cars until I was unable to do so. I thought I heard a sound overhead, but with the shouting of the Decepticons and even Ironhide's own bellowing and biting insults toward them I couldn't be completely sure.

When the line of cars ended and there was only an empty street between me and the winding alleyways of the office buildings I got to my feet, but remained crouched as I looked about to make sure none of the Decepticons were looking in my direction. When I was satisfied that they weren't I stood up straight and started to run again. My legs were burning at me in protest of the over-use, but I forced myself to ignore them.

But I only made it halfway down the street when I heard the boom of a jet overhead and a huge, red behemoth slammed down in front of me, cracking the very asphalt. I skid to a stop and covered my eyes at the impact, but when I opened them my heart dropped straight into my gut.

Standing in front of me was a tall Decepticon in blood-red armor with a cone-shaped head and wings sprouting out from his back. Above him were two other Decepticons still in their jet form circling above like vultures, laughing and taunting me with "Oh look, she's so puny!" or "We've got you now!"

The red cone-head cackled and red optics glowed brightly with terrifying excitement. "We have you now, little girl!" he told me with wicked glee.

That was when I screamed. Before I was unable to even let out a whimper, but now when I was seconds from being captured, my throat was more than willing to oblige.

I turned to run but it was useless as I was quickly swept up by a large and unwelcome red metal hand. Once I was in his grasp – barely holding onto anything, but still in his grasp – the Decepticon powered on his thrusters and immediately launched himself into the air.

My stomach flip-flopped when the robot did a barrel-roll right there between the office buildings over the street. It felt like I wasn't restrained by anything and I was fearful that I would merely slip out of his hands and fall the distance to the pavement that was just large enough for me to get flattened easily.

The jets all continued to laugh and jeer at me as I was taken along through stunts and flips like these and all I could do was scream.

"Aaa~ah! Help! O- AH! OPTIMUS! Help meee!" I was crying and it was making it hard for me to shout, but I went on making as much noise as I can in a desperate attempt to have someone – anyone – hear me.

"Carol!"

I only barely heard the familiar voice call my name when something hit the red Decepticon, forcing his claws to open and for me to finally slip and fall through toward the ground.

I was caught sooner than I could hit the pavement by a large metal hand. The owner of the hand cradled me against his chest as he picked up a car with his other one and lunged it in the direction of the jets. The two in their jet form were able move out of the way, but the red Decepticon wasn't so lucky and the vehicle collided with him right in the face.

My savior then turned around and started running from the flyers, his body bouncing up and down and his feet making loud clunking noises against the asphalt. He was not planning on engaging any more Decepticons in battle and was now just focusing on getting me to total safety.

I was quickly beginning to feel light-headed and darkness fogged up the edges of my vision, threatening to completely overtake me. I didn't know why I was feeling like this, but I sort of understood that it may have been because I was exhausted.

Slowly I turned my eyes up to look at the facemask of the Autobot who saved me and was able to manage a small smile toward him.

"Thank you… Optimus…" I said.

Then I blacked out.

The End
Completed 7•10•11

(Note: this story is in no way connected to my current Transformers series Giant Surprise).

Holy crapola on rice... it was intense enough experiencing this dream, but the fact that I remember so much of it? AMAZING!

I know that some of you may have a question: "How in the crap does it end?"To tell you the truth... I don't know either. I really did "black out" at that point, so I have no clue. Feel free to speculate, and I guess if you guys really want me to finish this I'll probably do it.

Autobot Vehicle forms featured:
Optimus → Peterbilt Trailer Truck
Arcee → 1962 Corvette Stingray
Bumblebee → 1976 Chevy Camaro
Ironhide → 2007 GMC Topkick

Also, let's play "Spot the Decepticon!" Admittedly I've only put in about four recognizable ones, but feel free to speculate about who else might be there. Have fun!

Transformers (c) Hasbro
Human characters, story, and art all (c) Me - do not steal or Ironhide will be yelling Cybertronian obscenities at you!

Note: You can see this story also at .com/art/TF-Danger-in-Summer-253911568 to view title picture as well.