(Hey all. This is something I managed to write up in one sitting after viewing the Modern Warefare nuke scene on YouTube and had One Punch Man in mind. So, keep that in mind for what awaits below!)
Sirens, roaring helicopter blades and the spreading mass panic was nothing new to those who lived in City Z in smaller numbers. But now, it had an all new purpose. A threat like no other had appeared as it took all forms of mobilisation which rocked the cores that formed a government. Police, national guard, emergency services and the army itself. They were all here. Even ones pulled from nearby cities were present here. Sirens ablaze were barely heard over the raid sirens of a new monster threat. Even then, that was barely heard by the numerous helicopters which moved both in and out of the city in sharp maneuvers.
To think the city was peaceful an hour ago was ludicrous with the amount of warfare happening deep in the capital of City Z.
Not far from such, an evacuation point was barely contained as volunteer policemen attempted to maintain order with the government's extraction plans. A Chinook from the filled sky darted down as it landed with a thud and a squeal of its wheels. Blades continuing to drown out the crowd as its loading bay door slammed into the concrete. A few soldiers darted out as the policemen begun to let in numbers of civilians. Having to force back some that slipt through the crack with force.
"Jackson!" A Lieutenant barked over the radio. "Get the women and children in first!" He answered with a nod at the direction of his superior as he let his rifle hang. Sorting various states of women and children who praised him for his service. The policemen were reinforced by the remaining soldiers as they continued to let in civilians. Soon, only two men let in as the helicopter was filled in seconds. It was time to leave and everyone there, even not official, knew it.
The engines whirled as they begun to take off until a child was held into the air. Soon the crowd surfing the child over as they begun to yell in unison. Barely heard as the policemen looked back for recognition. "TAKE HER BABY! TAKE HER BABY! TAKE HER BABY!".
The helicopter stalled as Lieutenant gave approval. Jackson once again stepping out as he took the child from an officer donned in riot gear soaked with sweat. A man accepting his fate if worse came to worse. Jackson gave him a nod as he took the child carefully. His radio perking up as it begun. "To all frequencies, this is Command. We have a probable Dragon plus level threat in the capital. All evacuating personnel are to proceed to the minimum safe distance until the all clear is given by the DIRT teams." He heard as he took the screaming child in both hands into the helicopter. A jet whizzing past as a boom shook the ground slightly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We're in for some chop! Hang on! Jake, gimme max power." the pilot attempted to humour on the situation before the engines finally charged up and begun it's ascension. Civilians scrunched up in fear. Wiping away their tears as others continued to cry. Jackson handing the child over to a comrade as he begun to lift up the cover of the door as they begun to fly off. Stopping briefly as he looked at the scene from above with the ruins that begun to spread outwards from the capital. The panic and civilians squashed into the zone as military vehicles, ambulances and more attempted to get both into and away from the scene. As vehicles like no other in the army were seen charging into where a city block, seconds ago, utterly collapsed in one swift, devastating attack.
"All forces, be advised. We have a confirmed Dragon level plus threat in the city. DIRT teams are on site and attempting to intercept. I repeat, we have a confirmed Dragon le-" His radio cut off suddenly as they begun to reach the outskirts of the city. A bright flash blinding him as he instinctively raised his hands up to cover his face briefly. Squinting as for that brief moment, silence fell in the helicopter as they stared out in horrified awe.
The immovable sky soon begun to collapse as a mushroom cloud rained high above the city. Helicopters seen going into the city were instantly vaporized as a shockwave begun to fire at rocketed speeds outwards. Helicopters retreating from the scene from evacuation points like Jackson's team soon spiraling out of control and doomed for a crash. The lucky ones engulfed in a fiery ball of flame to spare them of any pain.
It was then the silence was unbroken. "Everyone hang on!" his Lieutenant screamed inside the helicopter as everyone bursted into a panic before the moment the blast hit them. Everyone sent lunging off their feet towards the back of the helicopter. Smashing into each other like a grinder as screams erupted along with warning sirens in the helicopter. But even that was short lived as the helicopter begun it's own dooming spiral down from its flight downwards. The mob of scrunched up children, women and men sent flying forwards as Jackson slammed onto the floor of the helicopter.
Looking up, he was forced to witness the people they came to save flung out into the wasteland from the door he stalled to close. Instinct kicked in as he used the last of his strength to catch his squadmate who managed to hang onto the child they rescued. His legs dangling out the opened door as he too, managed to grasp onto Jackson's grip. Jackson's entire body began to scream from the strain in the attoseconds he held on. Looking hopelessly down at his friend who to, desperately clung onto him as a lifeline for not just him, but the child as well. A look on him only managed when faced with death itself staring at you.
Jackson's grip was fastly slipping before let let off a wail in pain. Soon finding himself the last man who hadn't fallen out of the helicopter. Barely managing to hang onto his former seat as he could only now stare at the blazing circle before him as the helicopter whirled towards its inevitable crash landing. The last seconds spent letting out a desperate scream at the horror before him as tears and sweat flew off his face.
Then it was darkness.
A loud thud wasn't even heard.
He was met with a void until...
His senses slowly begun to return as the screams, sirens, explosion and more rushed into his fleeting consciousness against the void he briefly faced. Now finding himself once again flung into the back of the Chinook. His eyes barely managing to open as he begun to let off a violent cough and managed to look down at his ruined hands. Panting heavily as his heart thumped widly in his head in an erratic manner. He was dying.
The noise of fight or flight was replaced with a whole new, darkening outlook as he briefly took it in. It was...
Death.
And it was the fate that awaited mankind in this cruel Earth.
He continued to fight against his body as he tried to stand up. Letting out a loud yelp in agonizing pain as he looked back to see the state of his now mangled remains of his legs. Not letting it sink in as he looked up to the ruined entrance of the helicopter. Beginning to crawl towards it in a grueling effort.
He soon found himself greeted from the remains of the helicopter, to the remains of civilization. Looking around as he saw much similar crash sites like himself with the gorey remains of those who occupied it around. His blasted ears picking up the static radio noise and whimpered voices of those who were just as unfortunate to survive in agony for the little time they had in this world now. Crawling out into the mud as he looked up at the towering mushroom cloud formed by the wicked beast that brought him here in the first place.
He looked away briefly to the remains he was in. His mind not making sense of things of things anymore as he heard the disembodied voices of what he knew was of memories. Barely able to make them out even then apart from ones like his mother wishing him happy birthday or the laughter of his childhood friends at school as the bell rung. All the while, he wailed. What little water was now in him snotted and cried it out of him until he looked back up at the mushroom cloud as he felt his body beginning to fade away and shut itself down. His vision beginning to get brighter and brighter as he begun to wince in agony from it.
Witnessing the cruelest of fates as he saw the monster in its form. In pure ecstasy of the destruction before it as it casually walked amongst it. Staring at it until his body finally succumbed. Dying with what it felt to experience fear in its purest form. A horrifying fear from those very memories he was hearing flash back to him. Because like many childhoods, he grew up with hero shows, movies and comics. A novel idea to offset the bad, grim reality of the world.
And that was what made him experience fear in its purest form. Not because he had a mental image to match the death and destruction. But, because he knew, in that brief moment, that there was no such silly twists like those stories to come and save the day for Humanity.
Because...
...There are no heroes.