“Why do I have to sit in the back of the truck? It’s cramped and it smells like a teenager’s undry.” Mama frowned as she sat clumped up in the back of the delivery truck as it pulsed down the empty road.

  She tried not to look out the window much, it only brought her sadness. This whole moon was upended and thrust into war and a vicious cycle of death and destruction. She couldn’t help but think of all the children that were forced to survive in dire circumstances because of the failures of the adults around them. They were supposed to protect the kids, bring them into a better world, but this, this was just awful, the opposite of what they should be doing.

  She gripped her slug rifle tight. Her kids fshed in her mind. All the fun, cuddly mornings spent making breakfast and watching cartoons. The waiting by the front door so the kids could great their dad coming home from work, and she could get a long kiss and hug from her husband before digging into a delicious home cooked meal.

  Mama’s eyes scanned her gun. She didn’t like it much, but if she could use her strength to save the children, save her loved ones, then she would. No one else would step in to save them. She learned that tough lesson long ago. It was hard learned, but she would never forget it.

  “Because, a massive Anthro-Grizzly sitting in the front seat would draw instant attention. You’re the only Anthro-Bear on this moon, woman. If you want to keep taking part in these missions, you gotta y low.” The bck Anthro-Cat up front smirked, “Plus, it’s great when I see the faces of those Gellys when you burst from the back of the truck. Ha, I bet they shit themselves instantly.”

  “Language, Yami. We have too much negativity around here. No need for potty mouths too.” She tapped her massive paw on his shoulder to reinforce her authority.

  “Yeah, yeah. You know, you sound just like my mother. You two would get along smoothly.” Yami turned his head back to the road, “You’ll have to meet her sometime.”

  Mama shuffled about, getting nice and comfortable, as much as she could in the stinky truck. “That’d be pleasant. She sounds like a wonderful woman.” Mama hadn’t worked with the Anthro-Cat until recently.

  He was a young, energetic recruit of the Meowtws. He told her that he was inspired by all the people sacrificing to fight the ‘good’ fight and wouldn’t be able to live with himself if everyone else fought for his freedom while he sat on his ‘behind’. He was skillful and perceptive of the world around him, and he had a lot of pent-up energy.

  Mama smiled while thinking of Yami, he reminded her of her own kids. She hoped that they would grow up just like Yami. Full of care and compassion for those around them enough to fight for a better world. She couldn’t wait to see them in person again. It’s been so many years since…

  “Hold up, big Mama. Some sort of roadblock up ahead. Be still, we’ll get through this.” Yami shifted about anxiously as he saw what was going on ahead. Mama wouldn’t like this.

  The truck came to slow halt, just a few dozen feet away from the roadblock. Several cars were ahead of them idling by. A small Gellical ptoon was holding up the roads, just itching to bst the Anthros waiting by. Yami could easily see now what they were doing. He didn’t like it either. He only ever heard stories of these things happening. Now, it was happening right in front of him.

  “What is it?” Mama leaned forward just enough to see what was going on.

  Yami gnced back nervously. He couldn’t hide it. It was right there for her to see. Stories of Mama had circuted around the hideouts and rumor mills, about how her ferocity and anger didn’t match her demeanor, and how she acted when innocents were faced to deal with gruesome acts. Things were about to get exciting.

  Mama’s eyes grew wide. Her brows furrowed and she let a low growl slip by her lips. “What are they doing? Where are they taking them…” Her eyes gnced up to the sky. The massive Ascension ship was hovering in the sky, like always. Raining down misery and despair everyday, looming there as a reminder of what’s to come.

  Her eyes flicked back down to the Gelly roadblock. She scanned each and everyone of the kids in front of her, taking in every detail of their faces. The dirty smudges, ripped clothes, and malnourished frown held by everyone of the children.

  A long link of chains held them together with metal colrs csped around their thin, fleshy necks. Mama’s hand shot to her own throat, rubbing the spot where her own colr had trapped her away from her family.

  All the kids were being escorted out into the street in single file. All of them were human children with no parents in sight. They were being harvested by the Gellical Collective. More fanatics brainwashed into servitude and more meat for their grinders.

  Yami slowly grabbed his submachine gun from the seat next to him. There was no way he was getting out of this now. The only choice was to prep himself for battle. He smirked. This was why he asked to be put in Mama’s squad. He was the only one to do so. He needed to dish out just dues to the assholes around him. The same ones that destroyed his city all the way to the greedy fucks that worked his mom half to death for pathetic pay.

  All those te nights, cleaning up the house, making his own dinner, waiting for his mother to get home only to fall asleep on the couch as she was forced to work a triple shift with no extra pay. All these thoughts were racing through his brain, pulsing his body with rage in every heartbeat coursing through his veins. Why would they treat him and his mom this way?

  He matched up with Mama because of the rumors he heard. Her rage was the same as his. He knew it, even though he didn’t know much about her, he was one hundred percent sure. They both just wanted to live happily with their families, but outside forces were constantly fucking them over. That was the rage he saw in Mama, and the rage he felt in his own heart.

  Mama let a low growl reverberate the truck. She turned, smming side to side in the cramped storage area. The truck shook side to side, rocking about like a ship sailing the ocean waves.

  The Gellical Collective officer, at the head of the line, hesitated calling out orders as he saw the rocking truck several cars up the road. His feet stomped through the wet road, light glistening all around him, bouncing off the buildings, streets, sidewalks, and windows that were still left intact. He waved his arm around. Three Deacons stepped up to him and saluted.

  The whimpering of children was made deaf in his ears. He cared not for the infidels, only that they would find enlightenment through ascension and see the one true God as their savior in this sin filled world. Once the kids were rounded up and sent up to the ship, the parents would be rounded up and ascended too. There was always room for God’s chosen mortals in the Gellical Collective, whether they wanted it or not. He would get a promotion from all the souls he saved. It would be a pleasure to serve God in a more responsible way.

  “See that truck there. Follow me, guns ready. We don’t need any more loses from these heretic Meowtws.”

  There boots trudged into thick puddles, spshing water on the nearby vehicles. He whipped out his pistol, aiming it at the disgusting creatures in the pulse cars, “Stay inside or be killed. That is your only warning.” His breath fogged on the chilly air.

  He waved two of his Deacons around the left side of the car, while he and the st Deacon took the right. The cab was empty. The small door to the storage compartment was shut. He aimed his pistol at the window, not wanting any surprises. The officer pulled on the handle. “Locked, of course.” He whispered under his breath.

  He gestured to the rear of the truck with a flick of his neck. The vehicle rocked about some more, finally stopping as they took up positions behind the truck. He pointed his gun at the doors, his Deacons following suit.

  He held his hand up for a moment, seeing if he could hear anything within. Just the jingle of chains and the cries of children.

  Whatever was inside wouldn’t live to see the light of day. He was taking no chances here. With the quick flick of his arm, he shouted, “Fire.”