I was awoken by a strong, sturdy shake and shouting. I opened my eyes to see Jon standing over me, backpacks in hand as he kept shaking me.

“LEO WAKE UP, WE GOTTA MOVE!” He said frantically before confirming I was awake and moving to grab more supplies.

I hurriedly got up and began rolling my sleeping bag up and attaching it to my already overflowing pack. I was more than prepared to leave on a moments notice. I took a look around our camp for the night, a random house we had cleared and reinforced for the night. Even if there were two savages in the bedrooms, it was still a safer place then outdoors. Although, sleeping bags were not my favorite. ** **I could hear distant booms in the distance and the ground was lightly shaking. Marcie was nowhere to be found, but as I helped Jon collect more supplies I became more curious.

“Where is Marcie, she’s usually the last to wake up?” I began as I picked up three water bottles and bagged them.

“She was on lookout when I woke up and she said she spotted **The Tortiose** on its way here. She’s ready in the car with the rest of the supplies but we have to move, you know it’s only going to attract more savages.” murmured Jon as he finished zipping up his second backpack.

At least Marcie was ready, she was one that never seemed to be caught off guard.

I instantly picked up the pace but continued inquiring. “What do you mean?! The Scouts said its migration pattern was nearly 20 miles away, how did it get knocked off course this far?”

He shouldered his packs and started walking torwards the door as he replied, “I have no clue but we have to hurry, the tremors are getting closer.”

As I packed the last of the supplies, filling my pack past the brim, I stood up and replied, “I’m ready, let’s get the fuck outta here before we get squished.”

Jon nodded as he stood at the door, I quickly moved to the windows and searched the surroundings- nothing- but Marcie sitting in the truck logging our supplies. I gave Jon the ‘clear’ hand sign but almost immediately after a savage _sprinted_ past the window, it was a **variant**. It was too late, Jon had already opened the door and the savages pale scratched face had already locked onto the noise of the door opening.

He instantly tried to push the door closed but the savages inhuman and uncontrolled strength stopped him from shutting it completely. I bolted over to help close it but the savage was pushing against the door with its whole body, and yet the both of us couldnt close it. The tremors were getting closer and through a window in the back I could see it’s monstrous feet towering towards us in the distance.

Macie finally noticed the struggle and started to scream, drawing it’s attention from the trucks sunroof. Two more had heard the struggle and started a stumbled jog towards her but the one at the door hadn’t noticed and the others were headed for Marcie. If we didn’t these savages cleared in time they would stop at nothing to get through the truck. They did tend to go for the nearest _live meat_.

With a final push Jon and I managed to push the door closed but ended up cutting off one of the savages fingers in the process, I inwardly grimaced at it’s detached finger plopping to the floor. As we both took deep breathes and thought of the way out, I had an idea. One that Jon wouldnt like.

“Jon, I have an idea but you won’t like it.” I said while wiping sweat from my brow. Today was a particularly hot day for the end of August. Macie was still outside drawing their attention from the safety of the truck for now, so we had to hurry.

After explaing my plan to Jon he instantly reeled back and exclaimed, ”DUDE, what the fuck!? Are you trying to get yourself killed? That is way too risky.”

Before I could refute his disapproval I was already crouched and next to the windows, once again checking if the coast was clear. Two more savages were visible in the distance and they’d reach her in under a minute. With that many pounding on the trucks windows.. _she wouldn’t last_. I quickly got my long metal spear out of my pack and headed for the door, it was now or never.

“Just get to the truck and get out of its path. I got this, trust me.” I said approaching the door while sporting my spear.

He had distrust and worry written all over his face, giving a silent nod and saying, “Don’t die.”

“Trust me, I can’t. Ready? On three.” As I put my hand to the doorknob.

He gave another silent nod and quickly got behind me.

“One.. two.. THREE!” I quickly swung the door open and dashed out and to the left. I started screaming and clanging my ring against the metal parts of my spear to create more stimuli for them to focus on. I had distanced myself about 15 feet without them noticing but my screaming had changed that. In less than a second they all whipped their heads and found a new target, one out in the open.

Jon peeked from behind the door and shouted, “LOOK OUT, ONE MORE INCOMING FROM BEHIND.”

I turned and seen another about twenty feet from my back, with it’s throat damaged. I inwardly thanked Jon for the nice save. The savages attention briefly snapped to Jon but after he immediately shut the door, the savages focused on me as their prey again. I let out a nervous sigh and said, “LET’S GOOOOOOOOO, COME ON YOU UGLY MOTHERFUCKERS.”

By the time I finished screeching the **variant** had already began sprinting towards me with its unnatural running posture and had closed half the distance. I sprinted to my right bringing them further out into the fields surrounding the house. The other five savages had absorbed the silent one into the group shuffle while I stood ready for the quicker and stronger variant. In the next second it was already within reaching distance with it’s disgusting burn patched arm sprawled out towards me. I barely dodged it’s claws as I slammed my spears metal section into its kneecap, breaking it with a disgusting hard crunch. The ground shook even harder.

That had taken care of the variant for now but if it survived this ordeal it would be stumbling up again within a week. Perhaps decapitating it after would be ideal. The other five followed me slowly and I changed my pace into a slight jog as I lured them back into the house. After rushing back into the house and scattering chairs and shelves in front of me to slow them down. Jon was nowhere to be found so he must’ve rounded back to the car.

After finding a window, I hurriedly opened it and started to climb out but I paused in awe at the behemoth before me. **_The Moving Mountain_** I had heard so many rumors about at the base, the ordinary Galapagos Tortoise that was once an animal observed in a zoo yet they were now a behemoth after The Fall, the one whose feet were as were as thick as a bus and sent shockwaves with each step, was now stomping before me. I hurriedly finished climbing out the window and hastily circled around, shutting the door and locking the savages inside. The behemoth was nearly here, I bolted away from the building and to where I spotted the truck, Jon and Macie both looking at me like my head was on fire. Less than a second later the tortoises giant left foot crushed the building into the ground before it picked it up and hit it again with its hind leg.

Jon and Macie synchroniously got out of the truck and runner toward me, with Jon hugging me and slapping the back of my head.

“When did you turn into such a dumbass Leo?!” He said with an unapporving glare.

I let out a deep sigh and smirked, “At least it worked, right?”