Slimes are DISGUSTING, tbh
The television began to flash, "Hello everyone, we have some breaking news for you tonight. The agricultural disaster appears to have been getting worse as the United States is sharing its findings with the public for the first time."
Gasps and cries rang out across the land.
"Folks, there has been a new development….I um, I am being told that the National Guard and the State Guards are being mobilized as reports of "creatures" are being discovered."
The news anchor seemed confused at the information she was getting live, "What? Slimeballs? Like? What? Games?"
She shook her head for a few moments and got the information straight, "So, folks, it appears there are these creatures, we are calling "Slimes" that have been appearing. They are similar to a Slug in that you can pour salt on it to kill it. Also, they appear to be dangerous. If one touches you, it will not harm you too badly, but they are rather caustic in nature. So, you need to wash the area quickly to remove any of the substance."
More confusion went across America, but the children were almost giddy.
---
Cody stood up at the news, "A SLIME?" Then he ran to the kitchen pantry to look for their large bag of winter salt they always kept on hand.
Ira and Betty came in soon after, "Uh, son, what in tarnation are you doin'?"
He froze for a moment and couldn't really explain it.
"Uh, well, remember those video games I would show you when we came back for weekends? Basically, it is out of the video game the same way it would be out of the bible….if that makes sense…"
Both Ira and Betty just looked at each other, "So, Judgement Day? I'm gonna' go get my guns."
Betty nodded and went to begin cooking.
Cody was shocked at how well they handled that, even if they knew the world WOULD be ending, they took the actual news incredibly well.
Cody just continued to get the salt bag divided up into old plastic bottles so he could pour it. This was all happening so fast, it was barely a week ago that he had gone on the news and now, MONSTERS were beginning to appear!
He shook his head, 'Focus, we need to get some canned food, load the truck with fuel, and get to Charleston.'
He looked over to his Grandma making a weird looking cake? Then he noticed his Grandpa loading his rifles and stripping his 1911.
Cody just walked past them and got the First-Aid kit, then he grabbed a bunch of old and thick blankets for the bed of the truck.
After setting it up, he had a place to put the canning jars that were packed to the brim. He could only hope they wouldn't shatter on the road.
After a few hours of debating with himself and waiting on his Grandma, he finally was ready to head out.
They jumped in the truck and rolled the old Ford down the road.
"Now, son, do you remember how to shoot?", his Papaw was making idle shooting conversation, "Uh, yeah, I think I can manage it."
His Paw was going through the motions again, just to refresh him anyway, then they hit the main road of the town.
Betty leaned forward and said, "What on Earth is goin' on here? That is Mrs. Johnson? Mr. Franklin? Is the whole town here?"
They pulled up to the Church that was PACKED to the rafters it seemed like, as people had chosen to just park in the road.
Ira put it in park and hopped out the truck with his rifle and sidearm visible. They wandered over to the main entrance and noticed that people were freaking out.
"Listen Stacy, calm down." Said a dumb man.
"CALM DOWN, HOW DO I CALM DOWN WHEN MY DAUGHTER'S RABBIT GETS EATEN IN FRONT OF HER!!!!" The hysterical woman was shaking and looked like she was about to knock Mike Tyson out.
The pastor just stood and watched as he gave up.
The woman pulled out her phone and went to her pictures, "SEE, HOW DO I EXPLAIN THAT?"
She shoved the phone in people's hands as they turned pale at the sight.
"Goodness," Betty let out.
Cody just barely got a decent look at it from behind and it looked...it LOOKED like something out of Alien.
It was clear and blood red in places...it looked like a giant cell?
'What the FUCK is that? Is that a Slime? That thing is huge, it must be the size of a black lab...how..how did it catch the RABBIT?????'
The stripped skeleton looked disgusting.
"The WORST part is that the FUCKIN' THING TOOK 2 MINUTES TO DIE!" Stacy went hysterical again.
Ira looked at Cody, "We are leaving." but before they got out of there, they were stopped by a neighbor, "Ira! Hold on a minute, where yall headed?"
Ira smiled, "Well, if it isn't you, ya' old bastard. My wife saw your car from 2 miles out, how ya' doin' Frank?
They shook hands for a moment and Mr. Franklin just smiled strangely, "Uh, not great to be honest, I lost my dog to one of those Slimes a couple days ago."
Ira had a hurt heart, "I am sorry, it is hard to find a good huntin' dog.
They shared a moment, "Yeah, she was getting too old, but the thing...it...like...stuck to her body." The family just listened, "It rode on her like a tick. She came running and crying to me, but when she got there, it was too late." He teared up, "She was getting eaten alive, I got my gun and I shot it and then I had to shoot her."
He smacked the open window frame of the truck, "Just letting you know, to not underestimate them, them' bastards are tricky."
Ira just nodded and looked at him. They knew it was just a dog, but dogs are important.
Not too long after, most of the cars began to move around them and they got onto the road out of Madison.
------
About 15 minutes later, on the road, "Grandpa, remember how I said these creatures are from my games that I played?"
He nodded and turned down the radio, "Well, I don't remember any of the games portraying the Slimes like this, it is like they are different, but it is too much of a coincidence."
Ira nodded, "That is okay, we are going to join with others to help figure this out."
"Yeah." Cody sighed, he thought this would be a little bit easier, but if the monster with the simplest power set was THIS different, how would he fight giant tigers and boars….theoretically.
Cody just sat for a moment, 'Holy fuck, MONSTERS ARE REAL!' It hadn't really clicked, he had just been going through his emergency plans.