Chapter 9: This Means War

All the remaining EDF troops and the Eds have been walking for a couple of hours now, a safe distance from the overrun base as they make their way to a safer location. The Eds were flanked by a dozen EDF troops, all that was left after the evacuation. They all walked down a country road, abandoned and wrecked cars occasionally seen on the road.

Eddy slicked his hair back as he let out a tired sigh. "Man I can't freaking believe this..." he says, an annoyed tone in his voice. "We get attacked by giant bugs, get separated from the others, have to fight more giant bugs, and now we've been walking enough that my feet are killing me." He turns, facing Double Dee. "Any idea when we'll get to Peach Creek sockhead?"

Double Dee sighed, limping slightly due to the long walk and its effect on his injured leg. "Well, we've walked for about...two hours now? We should be getting there momentarily Eddy, don't worry." he says.

Eddy clears his throat. "Right, right. I just hope our houses and parents are ok, ya know? This crap is just...insane."

Ed hears this and pouts. "I hope my Mega Sun Air Commando comics are ok..." he mutters.

Eddy groans slightly. "I'm sure your comics are fine monobrow, relax."

The EDF trooper that was commanding the retreat from the base overhears their exchange, and slows down his stride to walk beside them. "Don't worry kids." he says, injecting some confidence into his voice for their sake. "A town like Peach Creek doesn't have anything to worry about. I'm sure the rest of the EDF is holding off whoever is behind this." He gives Ed a pat on the back and all three Eds a reassuring smile.

The Eds and soldiers continue their walk until they come to a hill, the last hurdle before being in sight of the town of Peach Creek. They were almost home. All three Ed boys adopted large grins, an added bounce in their step as they started to climb the slight incline of the hill.

"Oh man!" yelled Eddy. "We're almost home guys! My bed is calling my name!"

Double Dee and Ed looked to eachother, smiles plastered on their faces as they followed their unofficial leader as all three ran past the soldiers, eager to get into sight of the place they call home. They begin to crest the top of the hill, already excited to see the familiar sight. Eddy begins to speak. "Oh Peach Creek, sometimes I hate ya, but right now I love-"

His sentence was cut tragically short the moment they crested the top.

Before them in the distance was Peach Creek alright, but not how they left it. Smoke could be seen rising into the sky from burning buildings as dozens of the strange craft could be seen hovering over the town. Explosions could be seen going off at some points in the town, and some notable large buildings simply weren't there anymore.

Double Dee blinked. His mind was almost caught in a loop, his mouth opened in an attempt to speak, but all that came out was a slight squeak. Ed stood still, his eyes wide as he looked over the ruins of the town he'd lived in his whole life. Eddy, rather than appearing shocked or scared...actually looked more furious than anything else, his face getting red in anger and annoyance.

The EDF trooper that had interacted with them before walked up the hill behind them. "Kids? Hey kids? What's the ma-" His words needed no continuation when he saw what had gained the Eds attention.

"Oh my god..." he mutters under his breath, now keenly aware that the base itself was not the only sight of attack. He turns on his radio. "Command...this is the remains of the EDF contingent of Peach Creek Base...anyone?"

Static crackles over his radio as the Eds look to him. Now more than ever, they needed to know they weren't alone. The soldier repeats. "Command, please, is anyone there?" The static is broken after several seconds.

"We read you PCB, what's the status of the compound? Over." says a voice on the other end, sounding like it belongs to an older man.

The trooper replies. "The base is lost sir. I say again, the base is lost." He looks behind him to the remaining troops and in front of him to the Eds, who wait to hear what this conversation may bring as they glance to eachother. "We are twelve EDF personnel and three civilians, needing a location for evac. Say again, we've got civvies with us sir."

The radio crackles in reply. "Roger contingent. The town of Peach Creek has been lost to OpFor. Word from the top is the enemy is extraterrestrial in origin."

Those words made the Eds and every EDF trooper present stand still, all their mouths agape. "I-I'm sorry sir..." began the trooper. "Did...did you say "extraterrestrial"? As in...alien?"

The reply only takes a second to come through, but for the Eds and soldiers, it feels like an eternity. "Affirmative contingent. Hostiles are alien in origin. Several city sized craft were detected in the upper atmosphere. This is an invasion."

The Ed boys couldn't believe what they were hearing. An alien invasion? Double Dee put his hand over his mouth in terror at the realization. "An invasion...good lord...that means that...nowhere is safe..."

Ed, while normally the first to get giddy at the idea of fighting an alien menace, found it wasn't nearly as cool as he thought it would be. "They're gonna suck my brains out through my toes!" he yelled, his mind flooded with thoughts of what the menace may do to him.

Eddy merely stared back at the burning remains of the town of Peach Creek, too stunned and overcome with thought to insult his friends intelligence.

The EDF trooper found his voice again. "R...roger that sir...but, we still need evac and to get these civilians out of here. Are any evac points set up? Over."

"Positive on that. The only evac point still active is at Peach Creek Junior High School. All other evac points were overrun by OpFor. The last choppers will arrive at 1930 hours. Be there. Out." The radio falls silent as the final ultimatum comes through, all present standing still in contemplation and shock.

The EDF soldier, hearing the news, stands straight and yells to his cohort. "Alright! You guys heard them! Peach Creek Junior High by 1930 hours! Lets hoof it people!" The EDF troopers mutter amongst themselves, but fall in line behind their superior, beginning down the hill to the school evac point. Double Dee breaks out of his shocked stupor.

"W-wait a moment sir!" he yells, catching the soldiers attention.

"What is it kid? You heard the radio. We either get out of here by 1930 or we don't get out at all." he responds, wondering why these kids would want to hold them up.

Double Dee gulps nervously as he replies. "I realize that sir...but...could I please ask that we take a detour to see if our homes and families are ok? The trip wouldn't cost much time at all."

The ranking trooper looks to Double Dee, seeing the desperation on his face, and sees the same look on Eddy and Ed. He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine...but this better not screw us over."

All three Eds take a breath of relief. At least they'll be able to check on their homes.

It takes roughly 45 minutes for the group to walk through the war torn town, towards the Eds home neighborhood. They've encountered groups of giant insects along the way, but thankfully hadn't suffered any casualties in dispatching them. They turn a corner, coming upon the cul-de-sac.

Or more accurately, to the Eds great horror, what's left of it.

Every house was demolished, walls ripped down, roofs collapsed, scorch marks, even marks from explosions and bullet holes littered the entire area. Eddy's house is totally destroyed, the wood of the former building smoldering in a pile of ash. Double Dee's house fares no better, the roof having fallen down with the walls collapsing inward, making the building appear as if it had imploded. Ed's had suffered the least, but was still ruined beyond repair with the entire right side of the house blasted away, with the entire second floor collapsed. The Eds can hardly believe their eyes, their minds desperately trying to rationalize this as a nightmare or a fever dream they can't wake up from.

Edd breaks the silence, tears running down his cheeks. "How...why did this have to happen..." He looks all around, seeing the neighborhood he and his friends have lived in for most of their lives in totally destroyed. "Why did today have to happen...why...d-did..." He can't utter another word as he sinks to his knees his breathing hitching as he tries not to break down.

Ed takes several steps in the direction of what was once his home. The damage was clear, and he was certain all his most prized possessions were totally destroyed. His comics, his games, his models, even his vintage 1950s B-movies, all gone. He can do nothing but stare, unable to come up with words.

Eddy, unlike his friends, feels a far different emotion. "Those...those ugly alien bugs think they can tear my house down and invade my planet..." He grinds his teeth and tightly grips his rifle, rage becoming ever clearer on his face. "They've got another thing coming..."

All three are broken out of their stupor as they hear boots solemnly walking up behind them. Turning, they see the commanding EDF soldier leading what remains of the base forces. "I'm sorry kids. I truly am." he says, his voice low. "But we need to get to the school to get you kids out of here and somewhere safe."

Ed, Edd and Eddy all looked to eachother. They nod, and fall back in line. They can grieve and snap later, right now they've got a chopper to catch.