Chapter 22 Rampaging Fart Mutants!

“Huh? What is that over there?” The swarm of reporters started noticing that something strange was spreading across the sky.

“There is a green smoke coming from the clock tower.”

“Did somebody set the clock tower ablaze?”

“That’s unlikely. I’ve never heard of green smoke forming when you set ablaze aged wood.”

“Then what is it?”

“This could be a major scoop. Let’s go check it out.” Dadra Gordon, the famous reporter of CN7 network ran towards her news van along with her gang following close by. She thought that she might be able to score higher ratings for her network if they were the first news crew to uncover the mystery of the spreading green gas. “Hurry and get in! I want to reach the clock tower before the other teams beat us to it.”

“We’re coming! We’re coming!” The cameraman and equipment engineer dashed into the white news van. They began setting up their internal equipment as they settled inside. They adjusted the radio receiver atop the van along with the outdoors cameras that would capture everything as they drove.

“Is everybody in? I’m getting ready to move.” The driver started the van’s engine then began reversing out of the station’s parking lot.

Dadra Gordon who was beside the driver was reapplying her makeup that had long since faded during her long wait in front of the police station's entrance. While she was looking through her circular mirror, she spotted a frightening group of people running in the middle of the road without a care in the world for the incoming traffic. “Are those people crazy? They are acting as if they’ve seen a ghost. Mac, can you take us to the street over there? I want to see what the fuss is about.”

“Say no more, sweetheart.” [Vrm! Vrm!] The driver drove out of the parking lot. Just when he was about to direct the vehicle towards the street close by, another news van cut ahead of them which forced him to jam the breaks abruptly. [Screech!] “Damn those blasted lunatics! Are they so desperate for a scoop? Dadra it seems we will have to find another way around.”

“That’s okay. We can let those greedy guys from Fox9 swipe the first scoop. Take the detour on Kabal Street. It’s a shortcut that should allow us to reach the clock tower before the others.”

“Okay.” Mac assented to Dadra Gordon’s instruction. [Vrm!]

While Mac was reversing on the alternate road that would lead them to the clock tower, the cameraman in the back pushed his head through the window and looked above. “That gas is canvasing the area very quickly. I have a bad feeling about this guys. I don’t think we should be going towards the clock tower. What do you think, Forbs?”

The equipment engineer also poked his head outside the window and replied: “Don’t worry Carlton, we have some of the latest Lignum masks in the trunk. If that smoke turns out to be poisonous we can wear them.”

“I still don’t think that we should go there...” [RAAAAH!] Another resounding beast cry sounded which shook the vehicle that CN7 News crew were driving in. Everyone inside was shaken up. “What the hell was that ear-wrenching noise?”

“I think it came from the clock tower’s direction.” Perceiving that something life-threatening might be lurking ahead, Dadra Gordon told Mac to stopped the van and pulled over at the roadside.

[Thud! Thud! Thud!] When CN7 News crew looked through the windows at the joining street ahead of them, they witnessed a disorganized horde of scared civilians sprinting in the opposite directing for their lives. [Boom! Boom! Boom!] Chasing behind them were some gigantic Fart Mutants of multifarious qualities with a vast contagious realm of virulent gas encompassing them.

“YAAAA! SOMEBODY HELP ME!” [Whoosh!] The green gas that seemed to be spreading even faster crashed into a large group of people located at the back of the fleeing horde. The moment this happened, those infected individuals started transforming into rampaging farting beast! [ROAAAR!]

[Boom! Boom! Boom!] The inquisitive cast from Fox9 news had their vehicle ripped apart and their flesh ravished by the increasing numbers of Fart Mutants. “Noo! Spare us!” [Chomp! Chomp!] Their existence vanished into the acidic bellies of their monstrous oppressors.

CN7 News crew was gobsmacked while witnessing this brewing catastrophe. “W-what is this?” Mac’s thick arms that were wrapped tightly around the steering wheel were trembling uncontrollably. His foot had no juice in it to press the gas pedal anymore. Nobody inside the van had the gumption to keep their fears in check.

“AAAH!” A lot of terrified people ran past the motionless news van, desperately making their way to safety. [Boom! Boom! Boom!] Chasing after them, were parts of the infected horde that had been transformed into rampaging Fart Mutants. CN7 News crew saw the monstrosities rampaging towards them and didn’t know how to react for a long while.

“Mac you fat bastard! Snap out of it!” During her momentous fright, Dadra Gordon came out of her paralyzed state and gave the driver a healthy slap with her palm to rouse him from his catatonic stupor. [Boom!] “Get us the hell out of here! Quickly!” To aid their escape, Dadra Gordon, pulled the gear stick in reverse, dashed her slender leg over the driver’s side of the vehicle then stamped Mac’s foot down on the gas pedal. Her heel almost broke his toe.

[Vrmm!] Just as the van started revving in reverse, it escaped the crushing strike of a 20-meter tall Fart Mutant. [Scrreech!] Mac seemed to have regained his survival senses because he adroitly spun the vehicle around then continued driving in the opposite direction of the rampaging beasts. [Vrm!] They quickly shot across the police station avenue that was still swarming with remnants of reporters who didn’t know what brewing monstrosity was taking place in the vicinity.

“Hey, wasn’t that the newsgroup from CN7 network? Where are they going in such a hurry? I thought they were going to the clock tower to find out what that green smoke is about.”

“Guys look over there! They are people running this way! What are those huge things chasing behind them?” [Boom! Boom! Boom!]

“HAAAA! It’s the end of the world! Everyone escape for your life!” [Whoom!] A scared woman who was fleeing with her baby in hand was warning the unknowledgeable folks ahead. Unexpectedly, out of the side building that she was running past, a miniature Fart Mutant burst out and attacked her.

“EEEK! Please don’t kill me!” To save her own skin, the fleeing mother tossed her 4-month old child into the malefic jaws of the miniature Fart Mutant. [Chomp!] This bought her some time to run ahead of the other fleeing individuals. Sorrowful tears overflowed her eyes as she reflected on the cruelty she had just done to her baby. She used that cute little baby as a sacrificial pawn to extend her life expectancy. “I didn’t want to do it. I’m not a cruel mother! I’m not a cruel mother! I just want to live! Please forgive me, God!” [Sob! Sob!] The tearful mother continued her escape to the police station, meanwhile, the miniature Fart Mutant was digesting her 4-month old baby.

Author’s Note: (I won’t criticize that hopeless mother who did what she thought was necessary to save her skin. Who knows, if I was in such a desperate situating I probably would have done the exact same. It was either she sacrificed her baby or both of them became substance for the miniature Fart Mutant. If she had sacrificed herself as an attempt to save her child then the baby would have died right after. It isn't like it could escape death on its own and she couldn’t depend on the other fleeing people to rescue the lone baby when they desperately wanted to save themselves.)