1. Through The Gates hell

It was a hot and humid August night. The population of the suburbs of Exeter were asleep as the storm clouds approached. The suburban silence was shattered by the growl of an American straight six engine and the unmistakable sound of We Will Rock you by Queen. The rudely awoken elderly residents began to lean out their bedroom windows to see what the disturbance was.

Rolling down the street came a large semi-tracked vehicle painted in desert camouflage and displayed the World War II British army logo. It abruptly stopped outside three houses that had their lights on all night. A door in the back of the armoured monstrosity opened and four boys and one girl all in their teens stepped out. Each one of them was dressed in a drab tan shirt and trousers and a grey beret.

From what people could see the teens lined up by the driver side of the vehicle and saluted. This was followed by a 180° turn in perfect unison and they marched off to their respective houses. Once the teens were gone the halftrack sputtered into life and the deafening music began to play. The halftrack then pulled away and faded out of sight but alas the music and noise continued to pollute the peace of the suburb.

After a few minutes the halftrack joined the dual-carriageway. The occupant in the passenger seat, a tallish lad with pale white skin and darkish hair done in a ponytail that reached just below his shoulders, reached for the volume nob and turned down the music.

"We should really feel sorry for those pensioners…" he said in a deep monotone voice. "Buuuuuuuuuuut, I don't"

He undid his seatbelt and disappeared in the back for round about a minute. He returned with two cans of red bull. Once settled back in, he handed one of the silver cans to the driver. He was a taller fella with close cropped dark hair and more sort of tanned skin from longer exposer to the sun.

He took the can. "Thank you. And yes you're probably righ…" he was cut off midsentence by the sky above erupting with bright light and the deafening boom of thunder. He put the can in a makeshift cup holder made from a spent 17pdr shell casing just as the rain impacted the windscreen.

"Well I wasn't expecting that. You know what, Ryan?" the monotoned individual said turning to the driver.

"What?"

"We've had a piss poor night and now we have some piss poor weather to drive through" he said with a slight smile.

"Yeeeees well, how about we just go home 'ey, Micah." Ryan replied taking his eyes off the road.

"For once in you're life captain, you're right. AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD!"

Ryan returned his gaze to the road as the rain pounded on the wind screen. However there was something odd about road. "Is it me, or aren't there any cars on the road?" his statement was valid since it was a Saturday night and the roads should've packed with all sorts of motor vehicles and motorcycles. Just as Micah was about to open his mouth to speak, the halftrack swerved violently to avoid a bolt of lightning that struck just in front.

Micah looked at Ryan with a patronizing stare. "Warn me next time." Ryan wasn't paying attention but was instead leaning over stirring wheel and was looking at the sky. Micah did the same. Looming above them was a mass of swirling unnatural dark purple clouds. "Those aren't like no clouds I've seen before."

"Yes I'd have to agree with you there" Ryan said a little wordily. Another bolt of lightning struck close to the halftrack quickly followed by another.

"GET US OUT OF HERE!" Micah yelled. Ryan complied with his friends request and smashed his boot on the accelerator. As they sped up the lightning got faster and closer to the screaming vehicle. "SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!"

They blacked out completely unaware of the events to transpire…