The End Of The Beginning Part 1

All was quite in the Benign family household. It was late at night, both children, Holly and Tom, were put to rest. Mrs. Benign was washing the dishes in the kitchen silently as Mr. Benign sat on his favorite armed chair, sitting back as he watched T.V..

Suddenly his program was interrupted as a news station appeared. The news reporters were frantically trying to get ready, the reporter started to speak before a mic was clipped to his jacket.
"Attention all residents of Sleepy Hollow, the army has issued an immediate evacuation of 10 miles from the Watchful Tower. Dr. Lee has been reported missing, as what one could only assume are his creations have began to pour out of the lower floor, running rampage in the town. I repeat, all residents need to evacuate 10 miles from the Watchful Tower now!" Shortly after his last word, the T.V. station  turned off and all that was left was static on the television.

Mr. Benign got out of his chair and walked to the window, opening the shades. He was able to see the Watchful Tower clearly. It was about 3 miles away from their house. There were helicopters flying around, an occasional jet as well as spot lights that were aiming at the building. Shortly after he soaked the image in, he heard gun fire.

The Watchful Tower was built 30 years ago, the town later came with its completion. No residents ever knew exactly why the tower was even there, but no local resident had a job there. Rumor had it that Dr. Lee was working for the government. Working on plane traveling and portal making. But it was also believed his heart was in a different field. Bio-engineering. The art of fusing man to machine or machine to man. Dr. Lee lost his funding the day one of his creations escaped. It was merely just a robotic hand, but human fingers roughly attached at the knuckles. It was crawling away, as if trying to get away from what horrors may have resided within.

That day there were never lights from the windows of the 100 story tower. Occasionally at night, it was rumored that you could see the flicker of lights from the inside, as if sparks were flying about. As if he was still working on what he truly cared about.

But now that there was an evacuation in place, Mr. Benign could only assume the rumors were true. The residents all knew Dr. Lee would never appreciate the fact they cut the funding. They all knew it was only a matter of time, but none of the residents wanted to admit it. They were all scared, and for good reason.

An explosion went off nearby, lighting up nearby houses with the light from the flames. Mr. Benign turned to his wife and ordered her to grab the kids and what ever supplies she could. Mr. Benign ran to the kitchen, getting what he could into a duffel bag, then went to his gun cabinet and grabbing out his favored shotgun, which was handed down from his father. He loaded it up and waited downstairs for his wife and kids as he peered out of the window. Waiting, but hoping nothing would show up.

Holly was in her mothers arms as they ran down the stairs. Tom was behind them, being 7 he was able to walk himself, and help carry some goods. He was rubbing his eyes sleepily as Holly began to cry when she saw her father with a gun. She knew guns were bad and that she would always get yelled at for getting to close to the gun cabinet.

"Okay, let's head out. We won't be able to drive out of here so head to the storm shelter." Mr. Benign announced. They then ran towards the back door, heading to the storm shelter in the back yard.

As they stepped out of the back door an explosion occurred in front of their house, sending a car into the air, then smashing down onto the pavement. The family ran harder towards the distant storm shelter after witnessing that. Tom tripped as they ran. Mr. Benign turned back after yelling for his wife to not stop, and headed for Tom. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw two glowing eyes, yellow and green, staring at him from the side of their house. He figured whatever it was, it must have been a foot taller than himself.

The two locked eyes for a second. Mr. Benign then made a run for his son, only to get intercepted by the metallic beast, which was much faster than himself. Mr. Benign was knocked onto the ground. Out of breath with a few broken ribs. The metallic beast raised an arm into the light from nearby flames, exposing, to all of their disbelief, that there was muscle inside a frame of metal. Attached to the frame, with wires digging into the muscles was what appeared to be a rocket launcher of some type, which only carried two rounds.

Mr. Benign saw that the thing was aiming at his wife and daughter as they ran down their property. He heard Tom screaming in fear. He knew his gun wouldn't stop this thing, but if he could at least save his family, he would be more than willing to sacrifice himself.

He turned to Tom, as if time stopped for a moment. He looked over at his son who was still on the dirt. His son stared back at him. Tom was able to see a tear run down his fathers cheek. It was the first time he ever saw his dad cry, but Tom was unable to figure out what his dad was planning or thinking, which only scared him even more.

Suddenly there was a blast of light and a sharp noise, ending in Tom's ears ringing. His father shot the thing with his shotgun just as it fired, knocking its aim to the side. The rocket it launched landed nearby Holly and her mom, which ended in both of them falling.

After getting back up, they began to run again. The monster looked at their father. With the new light from the recent explosion, they saw that this thing had half a normal human face. Where the metal met skin, the skin was terribly raw. The monster then looked at Tom, knowing if it killed the boy, it would make the father suffer more than his own death would.

Taking aim, it fired. But once again, just as it fired the father shot again. The rocket nailed the house, blowing it to pieces from the ground up. Tom got lost in the falling, burning debris. Mr. Benign got low to the ground as the monster was nailed by various household items, all flaming, as well as splinters of burning wood, which one impaled its arm. Holly's mother turned to see what the explosion was all about to see her son engulfed in the flames, to see her house go up in flames, then lastly, the sharp end of a burning piece of wood.

Holly crawled out of her mothers arms. She shook her mother, only to find her unresponsive. She called for her mom to wake up, only to receive no answer. She began to cry, but knew where they were heading in the first place is where her mom will find her if her mom were to wake up.

Holly ran to the storm shelter and closed the door after her, hiding in a corner, crying to herself.

Mr. Benign, getting up after fighting back the dizzyness from the massive bang from the house exploding, aimed at the monster again, only to have himself back handed by the beast, knocking him into the rubble of the burning building. Never to make it out.

What seemed like hours to Holly passed. She wasn't sure what was going on outside or if the sun had even risen yet. After falling asleep, she later woke up to voices she heard outside. Holly, excited that it might be her parents, began to open the shelter doors, only to find them un-openable. Something must have fallen on top of the doors that she couldn't push off with the doors. Being as she was only 6, it didn't take much to keep the door closed on her.

She began to call out for her mother.
"Did you hear that?" Someone from outside said, "Call out again! Call out so we can find you!" A man said. Holly did just that. Eventually the doors were opened and men in uniform came down and picked her up.
"It's just a little girl.." One man said sadly, as the other stood at the top of the doors, looking down at her. "Make sure she keeps her eyes closed." The other man ordered him, as he turned and left.
"Alright, sweety. I need you to keep your eyes closed until I say you can open them. Can you do that for me?" Holly nodded and closed her eyes, burying her face in the mans chest.

Holly felt herself be lifted out of the storm shelter. The cool fall breeze mixing with the warmth of dying flames were the only things she was able to feel from the outside. This guy was warm though, and his uniform was much more comfy than the dirt floor of the shelter. She quickly fell back to sleep.

The man loaded her up in the back of his jeep and drove her out of the 10 mile radius from the Watchful Tower in Sleepy Hollow to the closest army recon base that was set up.