They boarded the jeep before driving off but as they drove from there hiding place a creature was rested on top of the building unannounced to them. The creature was slowly awoken by the sound and its eyes flickered open and stared at the moving object. The creature slowly rose up as the slime ran down its skin, as the creature stood on all four limbs it opened its mouth and made a hallow crackling sound. While XL was driving he felt as if he was being watched and so he checked his rearview mirror and saw the creature standing on the building looking in their direction. The creature looked like a lizard looking beast with its dark black beady eyes and slimy skin, no one saw the creature resting on the building due to its skin resembling the same dusty grey brown color as the building.
"Things about to get bumpy" XL said before smirking and making a sharp turn. The other members then checked the mirror and saw that the creature was standing on the building and then it jumped off running at high speed. Shaun noticed it was one of the lizard types, a Lazster and so he knew it was really fast, the children then peered their heads up and saw the unusual creature running after them. The children covered their ears and sank into the seats before XL telling everyone to hang on as the creature was getting closer. The driving intensified and XL was doing his best not to crash, everyone had fear on their minds but XL was wearing a gleeful expression as if he was enjoying the chase. As they kept driving with only a short distance that they were separated by, the lizard looking creature took a few seconds and stopped mid-running to scream as it tore it's mouth open.
"XL you gotta reach the safe zone right now" Shaun ordered lightly panicked feeling the creeping thrills in his body.
"Hold your horses man, I was born for the tracks" XL spoke with the smirk still wearing on his face.
He sped up and took multiple paths trying to create a larger gap, as they were driving on flat roads XL told Shaun to take the staring wheel while he did something. Shaun was slightly worried with the sudden task before his hands as he wasn't use to such kind of driving, XL then climbed out the window and climbed above the jeep. XL had great footing and balance as he stood there and took the gun from his back, he then touched a button and the gun folded out extending more. He used the scope and locked onto one of the creatures and fired at it, as he fired the gun then started to release smoke and was heating up in XL's hand so he threw it away. The machine like gun that he used was very powerful as the energy expelled from it caused it to stop functioning. The bullet that shot out from the gun was so powerful it detached the creature's leg from its body and the creature lost balance and stumbled backwards crashing into a few of it's kind as its blood plastered the area. XL then swung back into the jeep taking the staring wheel from Shaun and performed multiple stuns, his driving skills were remarkable as he drove unbelievably. The creatures trampled the ground, using their surrounding to get closer to the jeep as they ran up on in the abundant buildings. Their heavy stomps could be heard as they created clouds of dust behind them. The Lazsters were gaining on them and XL decided to take a risk, he noticed a familiar building that seemed as if it was on the verge of collapsing at any moment, as if the only thing keeping it a balance was a pebble. XL slowed down and gave the Lazsters the opportunity to get closer and as they did XL pressed on the gas pedal as the creature leaped to the air to jump on the jeep. Everything was going according to XL's plan and as the creature jumped to the air he reversed the jeep swinging it around. The creatures landed on the ground before crashing into the building, the building came crumbling down burying the Lazsters that were in reach, the shattering of concrete broke through the air tumbling down and created a huge dust cloud that spread outwards, XL wasted no time spinning the car changing direction at full speed as he tried not to be caught in the dust cloud.
"Exhilarating", XL laughed manically, while everyone else was holding on for dear life. He was indeed a good driver, but it felt like they were teasing death when he was around the wheels. But even so with all the travels they made when XL was driving no one had ever died.
He drove the jeep as he continued performing multiple stunts while deflecting the monsters, soon they saw a great barrier in sight and XL kept driving. A man who was on the barrier walls looked through his binoculars and saw XL waving his hand through the mirror.
"They're back! Rise the gates!" a man shouted on top of his lungs.
Everyone who heard him started moving around getting busy.
"We have company, Lazsters in sight. Get ready men", the man screamed again. The others on the barrier walls along with him took their position pointing their weapons. They spun the handled as fast as they could as the gates slowly rose up creating enough room for the jeep to pass, as XL reached near the gates he flung the wheel spinning it around and drifted behind the walls as the gates fell shutting instantly. As XL passed being secured behind the gates, the men on top of the barrier's wall wasted no time firing at the creatures eliminating them one after the other. When the Lazsters stopped moving some people ran from small doors at were on the walls and ran up to them bulging out their insides and dismembering their limbs. They then started moving the bodies away to burn them so their bodies wouldn't smell and the ones at the top stood as look outs. Some people gutted out the chest of the Lazsters and pulled out the orbs if they wanted them, but they weren't sure what was its purpose, but they found them beautiful and some people were willing the spend Kazas on them.
XL then walked out of the jeep while the commotion continued on outside, everyone slowly crawled out of the jeep after him falling to the ground. The children dragged their bodies from the jeep collapsing one after another, the woman who was also in the jeep came out holding her stomach and covering her mouth wanting to throw up and Shaun came out standing but was obviously dizzy.
"We made it….." Shaun spoke steadily
"Haha… Of course we did" XL said merrily while laughing and slapping Shaun in the back that caused him to fall over hitting the ground. A few people then walked over to them, but before they could say anything their eyes landed on the children, they all wore puzzled expressions. They were confused as they sent Sam's team out to collect resources and they were missing a few members and in placement they had children. They wanted to ask questions, but it would have to wait since the girl Pat was vomiting, Shaun was so dizzy and he could hardly make sense of anything, The children were in no position to answer questions and only Shaun could make sense of XL's speech. XL walked away with his joyous composure as if nothing happened and the children's were taken to a room, Shaun and Pat was taken somewhere for resting. As the children followed a strange woman they gazed up at their surroundings, there was a huge high wall with people stationed on top, everyone was bustling about busily, everywhere looked dull, very dull as if light had been drained away. Everywhere was a wreckage as the children could see how old the place was put together, compare to this their underground shelter was a haven, they wanted to see the outside world so badly, but never thought what if it was all gone? Now they realized they took everything for granted.
After Shaun felt better he went to his superiors and explained everything, they weren't very thrilled about taking in more people, but they couldn't just abundant them either, they would also be farming their resources and at least they didn't appear emptily. The children's were in an old looking room trying to process their new reality when Shaun and two others walked in behind him. When he walked in their eyes never met his and the room was filled with silence, few seconds pass and everyone remained silent, but then XL spoke.
"What's the mood? Can't you all lighten up" XL said while yawning loudly. After XL spoke the silence got louder as few eyes looked at him, and then someone ended the silence.
"What do you mean by that? Didn't you see those things?" Nikoi stuttered his question loudly. "Do you expect us to remain calm?" he continued. " Like what's wrong with you, so many days passed I don't even know how much since there was nothing to tell time and all I wanted was to leave that stupid place and go home, and I finally did. I escaped and now there's nothing and now that dumb place felt much safer. What you want us to do smile like a lunatic like you?" Nikoi rambled shouting at XL.
"Nikoi just calm down…" Vincent uttered softly, but before he could finish Nikoi cut him off.
"And just squat there like you staring into space, like let me guess you're coming up with some grave idea" Nikoi shouted
"Nikoi just….." Shaun opened his mouth speaking calmly stretching his arm out towards him, but he was also cut off mid speech.
"Just what calm down like hell yeah that'll work. I can't go around like this idiot" Nikoi shouted as he pointed at XL. "He's the only person going around smiling like he's some damn maniac, well good for you that you haven't lost anything. We're frustrated because we lost something. You think you can keep smiling like that just watch when those monsters get in and kill us all" Nikoi shouted angrily, but as the very last word left his lips, his face was greeted solidly with a hard slap as everyone froze stiff. Nikoi shuddered backwards and almost fell, but he managed to maintain balance as he rose his head looking at XL.
"You-", that was the only word he managed to say before the second slap met his face.
"XL just hold on a bit", Shaun said approaching him, but XL only lifted one of his hand up signaling Shaun to stay put and so he reframed from stepping in. XL then took a step closer to Nikoi was laying on the ground propted up by one hand. Tears rolled down his face as he gritted his teeth with eyes burning with anger with his other hand on his face. XL squatted in front of Nikoi looking in his face.
"Listen kid we all lost something, everyone in this room has. Shaun, that one, you and even me and even your friends" XL spoke as he pointed while looking into Nikoi's eyes with his a straight face and eyes of regret.
"But why do keep that smile plastered on your face? No one else does?" Nikoi asked while shouting angrily and sniffing his nose.
"We all have reasons to why we behave in a certain way, I keep smiling because dwelling on something does nothing but add risk" XL paused for a moment before speaking again. "I was racing on the tracks when I noticed what was happening and I immediately rushed home, things got heated as we were trying to stay alive and my dad decided to be a distraction seeing him dying wasn't easy. As I tried getting my wife and kids away I couldn't handle everything at once and I couldn't keep a level head and I started dwelling and hesitating and that's what caused my wife and children's death, everything happened so fast I didn't know what to do. I was lost during everything and that's how I lost everyone I held dear" XL spoke with a soft voice
"So I decided never to dwell on things and keep smiling, that way I won't let anyone down and will never hesitate. I understand how you feel, but the barriers keep a safe place for survival for us all. I think you'll be a great warrior kid so don't go doing anything stupid, humanity needs us all" XL spoke as he rose to his feet's, his huge figure towering over Nikoi as he looked up at the man who just spoke words of wisdom. XL didn't say anything else and started walking away, Nikoi was left laying on the ground and everyone still remained silent. Shaun then explained that they were accepted into the community to stay and was granted will of freedom, but they would be given tasks if they were a part of the community and would have to learn all the norms and rules. That marks the continuation of everything. In the passing of months they slowly adapted to their new surroundings and life, they still had to cover their noses as their lungs haven't adapted well as yet, but they were adapting as sometimes they removed the cloths from their nose for a few minutes and nothing would happen. It was struggling at first but they managed. Vincent was a born leader and was looked up to by many in his area, it was no surprise when he was leading his own party by the age of twenty- four, Nikoi became a great warrior that went behind the barriers and was put on defense duties and the others did their fair share of supporting humanity.