(authors note: hi guys, i entered a writing competition. thats why i havent updated this in a while. okay have fun)
The two soldiers crept through the darkness slowly and carefully. Jebediah felt a growing pit in his stomach, filled with a horrible anxiety. Even Butcher seemed a little on edge as they walked past the empty parking spots, aiming his rifle around in some kind of paranoia.
The entire place was silent. No birds chirped, no rats squeaked and even the wind waited with bated breath.
Jeb waved at Butcher, catching the man's attention, before pointing to a door at the end of the room - leading to a stairwell. Butcher nodded, and they quietly advanced toward it.
Jeb slowly turned the door-handle, it creaked quietly as it turned.
Jeb, with as much precision as his sweaty hands could muster, pulled the door open.
It came out about four inches smoothly and silently. Jeb smiled before yanking it open in one swift pull.
This caused a horrible screeching noise to come from the door's rusty hinges. The sound echoed about the entire parking garage, only amplifying as it bounced from the walls and faded away.
The two men stood still for a moment, stunned.
"Why'd you go an' do that then? Ya Bastard!" Butcher shouted, slapping Jeb upside the head. The need for silence was not very important anymore, the machine was likely coming to them right at this instant.
The sound of loud metal clanging rapidly began approaching from up above as the blue machine approached.
Jebediah and Butcher nodded at each other. and immediately began to sprint for the exit.
The sound of an explosion and falling rubble behind them spurred them on, and they moved even faster when they heard the sound of a roaring engine, and steel footsteps stomping towards them at intense speeds.
They ran like they had never ran before in their lives - adrenaline taking over their muscles to a point where they couldn't even feel their legs anymore. The mechanical sounds of pursuit came closer and closer.
The light of the outside world was ahead , and they leapt out eagerly, rolling on the ground outside right as a blinding flash and a deafening BANG went off right in front of them. The bombs put down by Private.
The entrance of the Parking lot completely collapsed in front of them and a cloud of grey dust blew up into the air like a fog.
The soldiers didn't stick around to see the results, however. They all clambered into the Humvee, Private having switched places with Kirton.
"GO!" Shouted Jebediah, and Kirton stomped on the accelerator pedal.
The vehicle launched forward in an instant, almost launching Butcher and Jeb off the back, but still they clung on with all their strength, heartbeat beating loudly in their heads.
The Humvee had made it to the end of the street, and screeched around the corner, almost rolling onto it's side but luckily Kirton was able to bring it back under control.
They raced down a long street, everything rushing past so quickly but behind them a sound of explosions came, and from the smoke was a scuffed and bloodied blue robot which hunted them - V1, the mysterious killer robot. It leapt forward at a horribly fast speed, and begin to slide down the road after them, dazzling sparks flying from its feet.
"Open fire." Ordered Jebediah, but Butcher was already shooting.
The carbine rifle was lit up, the drum of its bullet fire hammering a chisel of pain into Jebediah's head while he watched the bullets race towards V1.
The machine did not try to dodge these bullets, no. Instead, it jumped towards them, and punched them with its fists, causing the bullets to bounce off its metal knuckles and back towards the Humvee.
Its movements were unnaturally quick, not missing a single bullet with its one fist punching so fast it was a blur.
"Stop! Stop shooting!" Yelled Jebediah, grabbing Butcher's arm while ducking under bullets which soared overhead.
"Don't you see, this is a weapon of destruction, it can use anything as a weapon, even weapons used against it.. Kirton, take us to the beach right now. As fast as you can drive, as many shortcuts as you can take."
"Yes Captain." Said Kirton, taking a sharp left turn into a tight alleyway.
"What's your plan, Cap'n?"
Jebediah Jenkins smiled confidently.
"I'm going to lure it to the beach, where the US navy is waiting. They will open fire and hit the coast..." His smile faded slightly, "not even that thing can survive a barrage from four American ships."
"Won't we die as well, sir?" Kirton asked, voice shaky.
"We will get out alive. I know we can survive this, we've survived the entire battle and we can survive this." Jeb replied, lying out his teeth.
He knew they would probably all get killed by the navy, but at least that... thing.. would die with them.
They careered between the claustrophobic buildings which pressed in from both sides, feeling the wind blowing in their faces, there was a loud CLANK, as a grappling hook attached itself to the rear bumper of the Humvee.
At the opposite end of the grappling chain was the machine, speeding towards them rapidly.
"Damn it!" cursed Jeb.
Butcher opened fire on the chain, breaking it.
But the robot's momentum continued toward them.
Jeb looked ahead, seeing that the alleyway ended soon, the light of the sun painted the road on the other side, almost glowing.
"Go towards the light, Cadet!" Ordered Jebediah.
The machine was coming closer and closer. Beads of sweat began to form on Kirton's forehead.
All of a sudden light blazed upon them, as they burst from the alleyway, back out onto Ocean Plaza. The cityscape fell away before them, the long, wide road leading right to the beachfront.
As they turned left down the road, V1 flew out behind the car, reaching out trying to grab it, but it missed and its momentum launched it into the fountain, destroying it.
Fragments of stone and water exploded in all directions behind them.
"Full speed ahead." Said Jeb.
They barrelled down the road, the beautiful blue waves of the ocean drawing closer and closer still, and behind them the metal stomping resumed with aggressive pace.
There was nothing that the soldiers could do but watch the technological terror advance upon them...
"Private. Call up the commander's bridge on radio for me would you?"
Private pressed a few buttons on the radio box, the frequency of the commander, before handing the handset to Jebediah.
"This is unit Foxtrot 12, the last surviving scout unit in Christchurch. We are coming down Ocean boulevard, the target is following us. Do you copy?"
"We copy you Foxtrot 12." Came the crackled response.
"You will see the target come onto the Promenade after us. As soon as that happens, order all your ships to open fire immediately. Over."
The voice on the other side went to speak again, but hesitated.
"Are you sure about this, Foxtrot 12? You will surely die. Over."
Jebediah scrunched his eyes shut.
"If that's what it takes. Then yes."
"I... I understand," came the response, "we're sending the order to the other ships in the fleet. Godspeed, Foxtrot 12. Over."
"It's been an honour serving. Over and out."
Jebediah passed the receiver back to Private.
The atmosphere on the Humvee was grim, sombre. Everyone silent, in contemplation. Kirton focused on the road ahead, realising his imminent fate. The young boy couldn't accept it, but drove onwards still for he knew this is bigger than himself.
The American ships came into view now, floating upon the gleaming sea not too far from the coast.
Each of them bore huge guns, turrets which were now aimed..
"..right at us.." Butcher pointed out, quietly.
"Don't give up. I know we can make it!" Said Jeb, lying once again.
Kirton drove the Humvee right over the wall in front of them, the vehicle gaining some airtime before landing down on the beach, throwing up buckets of sand in all directions.
"Everyone get out of the bloody car!" Yelled Butcher, before frantically vaulting out of the Humvee.
Jebediah followed suit when he saw that machine bounding right for them.. and only a mere eight metres away.
Jeb did not know really what happened next - only the feeling of hitting the floor, and the deafening sound of some powerful blow connecting... the humvee had been uplifted by V1's tackle, flying in the air until it crashed into the sea. Sand and salt water covered Jebediah, he was stunned - barely able to move. All he could do was watch the machine land back down, dispelling sand everywhere.
There was a sudden series of loud cracks, followed by BOOMs from the waters. Jeb looked up, a victorious feeling welling up within him as he saw all the turrets on the battleships firing. The whistling of the approaching shells was akin to an orchestra of trumpets singing in this mechanical monster's defeat..
V1 turned when it heard the bangs. It looked up, watching those missiles drawing closer and closer, locking in on the nearest one. Its engines whirred, and its legs clacked into gear. Preparing.
Jebediah's smile was erased when instead of watching the machine be obliterated, he watched it leap up into the air. So high it jumped, like it was walking on nothing, flying even.
"What is it doing..!?" Uttered Jeb.
Butcher cried. "NO!" His eyes were wide in disbelief, "it's using the shells as stepping stones."
Indeed it was. Jeb looked back into the sky, watching it dash between the rockets efficiently and effectively, getting closer to the ships.
Butcher grabbed Jebediah's arm, hauling him out from under the sands.
"There's no point, Butcher. We're already doomed." He lamented.
"We may have lost against that thing, but I won't let us lose our lives here!"
Butcher pulled Jeb by the shoulder and together they slowly began to walk up the sands.
The first shell hit.
The blast sent sand and rocks in all directions. They were thrown up against the beachfront wall.
Dazed and confused, they scrabbled at the stones trying to find purchase.
Two more shells hit the beach. A scrap of metal pierced Butcher's calf and he swore.
But still they kept climbing up the wall.
Jebediah felt a small ember of hope burn inside of himself when he grabbed onto the top of the wall. Shells screamed right over them, blowing up buildings, showering hot debris everywhere.
The screech of bombs falling was becoming deafening. Flashes and booms reverberated throughout their bodies while they felt each blast shudder the ground and wall they clambered up.
When Butcher eventually reached the top, he pulled Jeb over, and both of them huddled on the floor behind it. They were covered in soot and sand, eyes red and skin damp with sweat.
After a few more shells, it ceased. Instant total silence was a bombshell in itself. In the distance, on the sea, there was the fain sounds of gunfire and explosions.
"We're safe... now.. Captain." Said Butcher, panting in pain. His hands were scraped and bloody ; and a pool of red began to accumulate on the floor from the shrapnel wound.
.
.
MEANWHILE..
V2 lay back on a sunchair, staring up at the deep blue sky. Dried blood covered the deck of the small fishing boat, accompanied by the pale corpse of the sailor who captained it which had been shoved to the side to make space.
V2's red painted metal shell shined a little in the sun - it was quite proud of this fact. Despite being a human slaughtering robot, it had dignity enough to take pride in its appearance, unlike that blue one..
It didn't like to think about the blue one, so it let its virtual mind virtually drift to other things.
It apprehended the sheer vastness of the sea, appreciating it.
"AH. IT REMINDS ME OF THE DEPTH OF MY INNER THOUGHTS." It mused to Itself.
One thing which concerned it was the fact that it had not seen land in a long time. It should've reached the Northern Island in a while... It considered the fact that it may have veered off course briefly. Then it considered the fact it had no idea how to sail.
It peered almost in remorse at the body which lay sprawled across the deck like some kind of depressed ragdoll.
'MAYBE THIS HUMAN COULD'VE ACTUALLY HELPED ME IN SOME WAY.' V2 shrugged, uncaring.
But sooner or later, its engines would run out of blood. The sailor was only delaying the inevitable. And with nothing but endless blue surrounding it in all directions, V2 began to calculate chances of replenishing its supplies soon were dwindling with every second. It then calculated the best course of action would be to power down into a deep state of inaction, terminating all but the most necessary computation processes.
'NOT UNLIKE.. SLUMBER.' It's internal dialogue said, seconds before its power faltered and faded and its visual processors were cut.
And so, the engine became quiet. It was serene. A quiet boat, deck covered in red, bobbing in the middle of the vast ocean. The cries of seagulls echoing from the sky. The sound of deep thrumming reverberated from somewhere below the surface of the tranquil waves..