The Stampede

What is a stampede?

It is a special scenerio where an animal or some animals start rushing, creating and spreading chaos throughout the surrounding. A stampede can be somewhat similar to a domino effect. The more dominos or animals, the bigger the case. When one starts running, the rest starts running.

What causes a stampede?

For human, as they are also animals, the first thing that comes to mind when a stampede starts is nothing other than panic. It can be because of a suprise, it can be because of a sudden attack, or something mundane such as a lightning strike in a crowd. There was a particular case in the human history where a stampede started because there was not enough gifts for those involved (Khondynka tragedy-1896). Human is stupid and in the situation where one life is being threatened, it is easy to abandon all reasons and to run forward. Shame, pain, dignity, nothing matters anymore.

For animals, it is much easier. A fire in the middle of the night, a big predator suddenly appears in a herd of animals, a gun sound... In nature, stampede is nothing something so rare. Cowboys in western countries do this all the time, and they have a good experience dealing with it.

How about a size of a stampede?

One animal is too much if you are right in the middle of it. Facing head-on, how many can withstand a force of a running cow? There is no maximum size for a running like that as it can keep on building up like a snowball rolling down the hill until it his a stop and burst open.

Then, what happens when a herd of armored elephants with tusks as sharp as knives and as strong as hardened steel, each weighing at least 6 tons, charges forward from deep within the vast Old World? The answer is obvious, it starts a stampede with all kinds of animals. And a big one at that.

It took many days for The Creature to grab on to one young armored elephant. But it did not take too long for the poor baby to carry the abomination on its face to reach The Walls. On the way, The Creature allowed the small and fragile elephant to eat and drink while clutching hard on the head. To make the calf follow its predetermined way with its urine, it bit and pulled the baby elephant, created many wounds. Since the parents were always nearby, they were looking at the two with eyes filled with anger and something that one could consider that to be hatred. They say that elephants do not forget. It seemed they did not forget either as they chased their youngling with every second from the start. Not even one armored adult stayed behind. The only problem is that it took them longer because they had to protect the rest of the calves, other wise they could have surrounded The Creature with their speed.

However, that was enough to create a disturbance in the environment.

Animals in all shapes and forms unbeknownst to the human living without care in their walls were chased away from the natural habitats, and started running at one direction in panick.

At first, the pig-like thing only wanted to direct the elephants to The Walls by abducting their young. And now, it has created the biggest and most dangerous stampede in history. A stampede which consist of mutated animals with strange abilities. A stampede where no one has ever seen before, a running of the dead, lead by a small creature as big as a hand.

The Creature was like an accidental conductor, guiding everything towards an end.

In the crowd, there are those dears with strangly shaped horns that is sharp like razors, there are wolves that have fangs that is as big as those seen from historic fossils, there are boars that have heads completly covered in thick armor like a drill, and many more other creatures. Some look like prehistoric animals, and some look completely out of this world with lumps and winds on its body.

They were all resting easily in their nests and caves, until the magnificient rumbling of the armored elephants came, driving them away from their homes.

From the abduction of the baby elephant, came the herd with its alpha on the lead. On the way, trees and huge buldings were shoved away like paper, and from there, many more animals started running at one direction because of the fear of being crushed under the weight and stabbed by the tusks.

The first one to notice the strange event was the headquarter situated near the edge of The Walls. They do not have enough resources to track the surrouding areas at all times, but they had the teams located in various camps in the near vicinity when they cleared out the place to keep watch of it. By the time the first wave of the stampede reached the camps, they were already seeing the impending doom.

The camps fought valiantly, they used the weapons they had and tried their best to push back the horde. But that did not help in anyway. The animals charged at them without fear, since they were more fearful of what coming behind of them. The force generated from the horde pierced through the defense of the camps like a knife through a piece of paper.

As the last of the camps fell one by one, the signals from the camps also faced the same fate, and the headquarter had to declare a code red. The sense of despair quickly spreaded in the building, and the higher ups were alarmed immediately.

Every single soldier was then asked to prepare for what is to come. Be it in out of their resting period, they put on their weapons, calmed their nerves, and headed out to the other side of The Walls. Many were already calling home to inform them that they may not come back alive.

The headquarter ordered the remaining camps to focus back at the entrance, since they could lose the battle and they needed everyone available.

At least, at the entrance, the fire power is the best, and they hope they can use that to their advantage.

The turrets mounted on The Walls were checked to ensure their fighting capabilities, ammunition was also delivered. Tanks and armored vehicles with machine guns were deployed. Even though the place does not have a lot of military tanks, they still have four of them and about ten armored vehicles. All of them came from the main military base of the country, which has been active since 18 years ago.

Standing at the entrance, the soldiers ready their weapons and take cover in their premade bonkers. Sweats quickly fill their bodies and they have no idea whether or not that is because of stress or the heat from the inside of the bonkers.

The surrounding becomes extremely quiet, unlike the usual attitude they had. They had the advantage of technologies by using turrets and vehicles, so fighting the animals were always not so hard. The entrance was always in a state of alert with many experienced soldiers, but the way that people fight and win never brought a sense that the place was coming down.

But this time, it is different.

Never before that the camps went quiet so fast that the headquarter had to declare a code red instantly. If there were something higher than a code red, they probably could have pushed the button.

At the entrance of The Walls, there is only one captain.

The man has been a captain for 8 years, and has faced many battles against the animals coming from The Old World.

He has been on reconaissance missions, as well as guarding missions, as well as camping missions. The captain climbed the ranks with his strength, wits, and leadership faster than anyone in his old squad. By now, he is the boss of everyone he has been in a team with, and is in charged of keeping watch of the entrance.

He does not have a wife or a child.

Standing on the frontline at all times, the soldiers were able to know a bit of secrets, with the guarantee of not marrying or having a child with anyone. If they did, they would be kept in jail for the rest of their lives. And the captain was the same.

However, it is not like he has not been in love before. In fact, the man is quite the casanova, having slept with many women. The captain is very handsome, with a body near the quality of a greek scupture. In addition, he was a good listener. All those combined and created a person who many have to feel envy to.

Currently, he is having a physical relationship with someone that he has a really strong emotional bond with. Probably, that person also holds the same affection towards him. It is just that they know that with his kind of profession, there is no way for him to openly discuss their future together.

Everytime they talk, he would hear her stories, and left his to his own. He did not share his side but always had a keen interest on her side. The man wanted to listen to his partner, and the partner wanted him to know more about her. It was a nice but somewhat vague relationship. Although both of them accepted it as it is.

The lady in the story is not anyone special. She is a baker, living by herself in a small family bakery. The reason why they came into contact was because he saved her from being robbed one night. From then, they have been together.

The captain has been on his shift from the morning, and even though it is time for him to go back, he still could not return because of the red alert.

He wants to call the baker.

And so he did.

Takes out his phone, the captain quickly puts his password in. The screen unlocks and reveals a picture of a beautiful but very traditional woman.

Wasting nothing, he immediately dials her number.

Tutu...

"Hello? Are you coming back home? It's about time right? I have made a meal for you."

On the other side, a familiar voice rings.

"Haha. Yes. I'm coming back. Just wait, okay."

"Why are you calling when you are coming back home? No one does that."

"Well, it's because I wanted to listen to your voice."

"What!? You are making me blush!"

"Haha. How is business today?"

"Not good, not bad. So so, I'd say. I'm a little mad that your recipe is sold out, though."

"Oh really? You remember the bet, right?"

"...yes. I will put on cat ears for you."

"Good girl."

"Hey."

The other line sounds hesitant.

"What is it?"

"I saw the horoscope today. It's bad luck for you."

"Hahahaha. What are you doing this day and age? That is pseudoscience!"

"I know, I know. I'm just, a little worried, you know?"

"No need."

At that moment, a wolf the size of a horse comes out of the bush and charges at The Wall. A turret quickly points the nuzzle at it and the kills the animal instantly.

"Hey!" The captain says on his phone.

"What?"

"I love you. Be my girlfriend."

"Wha..."

He hangs up, turns his phone off, and readies himself.

A second later, a second wolf appears. The wolf is then killed immediately by the turrets.

Half a second later, a third wolf, a fourth, and then a couple deers.

The force in front of The Wall quickly dissipates the attackers and reloads. They all know the worst is yet to come. They could only wish for everything to be over soon.

Bam bam bam.

Suddenly, a boar with the head of a spear appears, and charges straight forward. The Turrets fire at it but took a little more time than usual.

Then comes the next one, the next one, and the next one. Many animals and creatures appear from every where, all coming at them.

The soldiers, even when standing in their bonkers, could feel the rumbling of the ground. Their ears are ringing because of the gun sounds.

Animals are heading forward, they are heading straight here.

The captain then says.

"FIRE WITH EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT."

The stampede starts now.

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM.

Fangs, claws, horns, heads, the animals charge at the entrance with all that they have, disregarding their own lives.