The day they came.

Melissa awoke in a panic that grew as she looked at her surroundings. She vaguely remembered the loud bang and flash of light as she was pushed down the basement steps by her father. She remembered watching in fear and confusion as he ran off to go and get her mom and brother, leaving her scared and alone.

When she looked around she quickly realized that her family was nowhere to be seen, which left a feeling of doom and sadness in the pit of her stomach.

She took a deep breath and stood on shaky legs struggling to stay upright as she moved through the rubble of what used to be her life, in search of those she loved.

"Mom, Dad, Luke, where are you?" She shouted in a gravelly voice as she coughed thanks to the rising dust that was disturbed with every step she took.

She was wiping the dust from her eyes, desperately trying to focus on her steps and trying not to hurt herself more than she already was. She continued to stumble through the debris shouting for her family when she tripped over something, landing painfully on her knees. She turned to see what it was she had tripped over gasping when she saw a hand under what used to be her front door.

She quickly moved bits of wood and metal of the person below, and when she saw who it was a sob broke free and her heart shattered into a million pieces. "Mom, mom, mommy, please wake up, please." She shook her mom trying desperately to wake her, but she never moved. Her eyes were wide open and cloudy, staring lifelessly at the sky.

She leaned over her mom and kissed her cheek noting the lack of life running through her mom’s veins, she felt cold and oddly numb. Tears soaked Melissa’s cheeks as she laid her head on her mom’s chest and screamed out her pain knowing that she would have to leave her mom to go in search of her father and brother.

When she leaned back she noticed the heart-shaped locket that held photos of her family. Her mom and dad were on one side, and Melissa and Luke were on the other.

She had always loved the locket and would love nothing more than to listen to her mom tell her bedtime stories as she looked at the images of the people she loved inside, just one last time. She sobbed once more knowing that it was a wish that would never come true.

Knowing that her mom was gone and that there was nothing she could do to help. She took a deep breath as she took the chain from around her mom’s neck and placed it around her own.

"I love you, mom. I promise I will look after this for you." She kissed her cheek once more and stood and reluctantly walked away she needed to find her dad and brother.

She walked around the foundations of her once happy home looking for any sign of life but there was none. She had never felt so scared or alone in her life.

A loud noise startled her enough that she tripped and fell landing on a sharp piece of metal. She opened her mouth to scream but a hand quickly muffled her cries.

“Shhh sweetheart, they can’t know we are here.” The fear she had felt with being grabbed from behind was quickly replaced by relief at hearing her father’s voice. She wanted to turn and hug him but he wouldn’t loosen his grip on her or remove his hand from around her mouth.

“Calm down Melissa, we have to move before they come back.” She stopped struggling and allowed her father to carry her away. As he did she looked around at the destruction that left her desperately wanting to ask her dad what had happened, but her dad's hand was still keeping her quiet, when she looked down she could see why.

Bodies were lying broken and bloodied among the debris. She quickly closed her eyes not wanting to see any more death and destruction.

Her father carried them for what felt like forever when she suddenly felt herself being lowered to the ground, but his hand never moved from her mouth.

“Open your eyes sweetheart.” She did as she was told to see her dad crouched in front of her smiling softly. “I need you to stay quiet for me ok?” She nodded and as soon as she did he moved his hand.

“Dad, I saw mom, she’s........ She’s dead. What happened?” she saw the tears in his eyes as he pulled her in for a hug, and for the first time since she was in the basement she felt safe.

“I don’t know for sure, all I know is there are things here that are killing people. I don’t know what they are. All I know is that there was an explosion that destroyed everything. We only had a minutes warning of the impending explosion. I managed to get you to safety but I couldn’t get to your mom and Luke fast enough, I tried but I couldn’t find them.”

His voice broke a little when he talked about her mom and Luke, and she squeezed him tighter just wanting to take his pain away. Her heart sank at his next words.

Whatever these things are they are searching for any survivors and taking them away.” He took a deep shaky breath before continuing.

“I need to try and find your brother, and then we need to leave. We have to see if there is somewhere that is safe. I need you to be brave for me and stay here, and stay quiet, while I go and look for Luke. Can you do that for me, sweetheart?”

She nodded her head and hugged him tight “I won’t move and I won’t make a sound I promise, just please be as quick as you can.” He smiled down at her, then noticed the locket around her neck.

“Your mom would be glad that you have that princess.” He kissed her forehead then disappeared, leaving Melissa alone again. She sat on the floor and hugged her knees tightly to her chest, praying that her brother and dad would come back safe and soon.

She had so many questions and fears. Who or what had done this? And why were they killing everyone? None of this made sense. Maybe it had been a terrorist attack, but that made no sense because her dad had called them, ‘things' and he had said that he didn't know what they were.

She shook her head and sat quietly, waiting for her dad and Luke to return. Too scared to move, or make a sound. She didn’t want who ever had done this to find her.