Alice and Michael were driving to the guard's distribution post the following morning. Birdsong filled the air and the sun shone brightly above. All around them, the grass was greener, the trees were vibrant, and the wildlife more active. It felt as if the world had been but a lifeless husk before the visions. Despite the threat of doom hanging over them, Michael couldn't help but smile at the energy.

There were other vehicles on the road, but they were few in number. The distribution post had been set up a couple miles away at a nearby shopping center. As they pulled into the parking lot, they could see about a dozen vehicles and a couple trucks. In particular, there was one military transport vehicle and a few uniformed soldiers overseeing the affair. The military had been quick to step in and ensure the food distribution apparatus of the nation continued unimpeded.

They parked Mr. Rockford's truck in an empty spot and clambered out. Once outside a guardsmen approached them with a serious expression. "How many and who are you collecting for?"

Michael pulled out a list of paper with the names of everyone in his neighborhood and handed it to- Private Clark. "I'm Michael and this is Alice. We're from the Whispering Pines development."

The private nodded and smiled apologetically. "We can only distribute two days of rations to this many people."

Michael shrugged. "Makes sense. Don't want people hoarding food after all."

The soldier sighed. "Not everyone agrees with that sentiment." He pointed towards a soldier overseeing the food coming off of the trucks. "Corporal Adams will get you sorted."

The pair approached the corporal and were in line when a bone-chilling shriek pierce their skulls. Michael looked all around him for the source and heard the soldier in front of him curse. Michael felt a tugging on his arm while Alice pulled him to shelter beside the suburban being loaded up with food.

"Command, we've got a chicken over distribution point Bravo Charlie Foxtrot. Requesting reinforcement."

With that Michael looked up and found a scaled beast flying overhead. Looking like a kind of dinosaur with arms for wings, it sported wicked barbed horns all along its necks and seemed like a relative of some kind of dragon. A moment later, it dove downwards.

Michael's eyes widened as it swooped down and he traced its path to its destination. With a start, Michael realized it wasn't even targeting a person. Instead, it had taken offense to the existence of a light blue slug bug. The shrill sound of claws scraping against metal made Michael wince.

Beside him the Corporal muttered under his breath. "Stupid chicken." Alert the soldier kept his rifle trained on the beast.

Several tense minutes passed with the beast rending metal before it crooned its triumph and took to the air once again. It circled overhead twice before flying off into the distance. It was maybe a half mile away when a missile darted across the sky, leaving a white contrail. It collided with the beast and detonated. That sent the beast plummeting to the ground out of their sight.

"A vet I knew once told me that domesticated turkeys will drown themselves by looking up at the sky when it rains." The corporal shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if those things did the same."

"Are they even dangerous?" Michael asked.

Alice elbowed him and pointed at the ruined remnants of the slug bug. The seats had been torn out and flung everywhere. Shards of glass and twisted pieces of metal were strewn this way and that around the demolished car.

Corporal Adams shook his head. "We're lucky it wasn't hungry, just asserting its dominance."

For the rest of the morning, Alice and Michael helped the other groups of people load their vehicles with food. At one point, one of the soldiers fired a burst of shots making everyone jump. The target had been a goblin bumbling its way across the open parking lot. Otherwise, their food mission went off without a hitch.

Before they left, Corporal Adams handed them a pamphlet. "Word is that a draft might be starting up soon. This contains some information about what you can do to get ready and also numbers to contact if you-" He pointed up. "-spot any more category 3 and above threats. Stay safe."

Michael glanced down at the different categories:

Category 1: Monsters killable by a healthy adult with weaponry (Slimes, solitary goblins, etc.) Category 2: Monsters immune to small arms fire (Minotaurs, Goblin hoards, etc.) OR possess virulent properties (Undead, Corrupted Slimes, etc.) Category 3: Monsters immune to rifles (Dragons, unknowns) OR both components of category 2 (Blood Mosquito Swarms, unknowns) Category 4: Monsters immune to heavy ordinance. Category 5: Monsters immune to tactical nuclear weapons.

Michael swallowed hard on a pang of dread when he read category four and five. He showed it to Alice. A moment later she grimaced.

"Think category 5s exist?" Michael asked.

Alice gave him a sidelong look. "I get the feeling the tower keeper is one."

Preparations for their journey to Chicago continued slowly, but steadily. Throughout the first week, Alice and Michael had handled most of the excursions but with them planning on leaving they had to prepare the community for the transition. To this end, Michael and Alice had begun taking Mr. Mike out with them. They'd had a scare with a group of goblins while showing him the ropes but Mr. Mike learned fast. By the next supply run, Mr. Mike could dispatch the lone goblin or monster with ease.

Mr. Mike had his own truck so they were driving that to the distribution point that day. After they'd pulled into the lot and climbed out of the vehicle, Private Clark approached them. Recognition flashed across his face when he saw the trio.

"Glad to see you're still in one piece." The private nodded at them.

"You too, we'd be in a far worse place without you guys." Michael replied. "This is Mr. Mike, he'll be collecting food for Whispering Pines in the future."

Clark cocked his head. "And what will you two be doing then?"

Alice answered for them. "We'll be heading to Chicago to enter the tower."

"Huh." Clark eyed the pair. "How are you going to get there?"

Michael winced. "Driving."

The private flinched. "That would be- bold." He made a sour face. "Here's a better plan. You talk to Corporal Adams and tell him you're looking to do Orientation." With that he walked away while shaking his head.

Alice and Michael shared a confused look.

Mr. Mike clapped his hands. "Time's a wastin'. Let's get to it."

Like the previous trip, the pair turned trio helped others pack supplies into their vehicles before working on theirs. Midway through their work, Michael mentioned orientation to Corporal Adams.

That made the corporal pause what he was doing. "You looking to climb the tower?"

Alice and Michael nodded.

"Bold." The man's eye twitched. "Orientation takes place at NAVSTA1 in Chicago. It's basically monster boot camp." Seeing that he had their attention he continued. "Now I know you guys can handle yourselves." He eyed their improvised weapons. "But even our best soldiers haven't returned from the tower yet.

"Command has told us, in no uncertain terms, we aren't to discourage anyone from trying to climb the tower." But it was clear he thought the pair should stay. "Anyways, the military ships out interested and qualifying participants in convoys every couple days.

"You two fit the bill. I can tell the LT that I've got two candidates if you're interested."

Michael opened his mouth to respond but was stopped by the Corporal.

"Think about it. Let me know before you leave."

The Corporal turned to deal with a person who had lined up during their conversation.

Michael turned to Alice. "What do you think?"

"If we're going to go, I think a military convoy sounds a thousand times safer than driving ourselves." She indicated the shredded Volkswagen. "Who knows if we'll encounter another territorial- chicken."

"How 'bout the boot camp itself?"

Mr. Mike cut in. "Boy, you don't need to stand around to jabber. Keep those arms moving."

The pair smiled. "Haha, sorry Mr. Mike."

"Anyways, boy, my two cents is that these monsters are all kinds of dangerous." He set a milk crate on the truck bed. "You need every advantage you can get." He patted a very illegal crossbow.

Michael looked at Alice. She nodded at him. "Well, I guess that's that then. I'll let the Corporal know."

They finished their work and as the group was preparing to leave Corporal Adams came over.

"Given it some thought?"

"Yeah we'd like to do Orientation."

The Corporal looked both happy and displeased at this. "Alright, I'll let the LT know that you're going." He took out another pamphlet titled 'Orientation' and handed it to them. "Buses leave at 8 A.M. on Thursday, bring a form of government ID," He rolled his eyes. "a weapon, and a personal item. The rest is detailed in the pamphlet. Good luck." With that he walked away muttering something about recruitment quotas.

"What personal item are you bringing, Michael?"

It was the morning of the trip and Mr. Mike had just dropped them off at the staging grounds. They waved good-bye as their friend drove off. Michael hoisted his bag over his shoulder and looked around the parking lot.

"My notebook. How about you?"

Her eyes scanned the organized chaos in front of them. "Grandma's medallion."

A long line of people stood in front of an officer sitting at a fold out table. A dozen armed soldiers scanned the crowd and surrounding area. Meanwhile, other people in uniform directed the new arrivals.

As they went and got into line, Michael responded. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah my great-great-grandma got it during her time in a maternity home in New York." She showed it to Michael. "It's an heirloom now."

"That's cool, does it symbolize anything?"

"Charity and adoption?" She shrugged. "To me its a lesson in protecting the vulnerable."

Michael gave her an admiring look. "Wow, that's very cool."

With that the two of them approached the man sitting behind the desk. "Names and ID."

They provided their names and handed over their identification. He crossed their names off the list and handed them back while instructing them to drop off their belongings with a Corporal Johnson. Fifteen minutes later, everyone had been loaded onto three school buses and the convoy rolled out of the lot.

NAVSTA - Is the US Navy's only basic boot camp location. Located just north of Chicago, this base serves as an excellent staging ground for action near the Chicago Tower. This is also a location of the fictional "Monster Orientation" in this story.1