The Invasion

For me, it should have been a normal day. And by normal, I mean going to work, going on a date with my girlfriend this weekend, enjoying heading home from work, talking to friends etc. You get the picture of a normal boring day. Was that going to happen that day, like day the day before? No, none of that was going to happen. But hindsight is always 20/20 so no that day was not like the day. It all started when I got to the subway and let me say I ALWAYS leave on time. Living in Manhattan being on time is a must. When I got to the subway, I nearly ran into someone because a bright green light was flashing in my face. At first, I thought it was a green traffic light. But then I realized it was a light that was never there before. Now that was the only time it happened that day I would have said, “Fine, whatever, weird stuff happens.” But it turns out that fate had something else planned for me and everyone else that day. When I finally got to the platform, I had to wait for the train for 10 minutes. This type of delay is unheard of but as my train pulled into the station the green light was in my face again nearly blinding me. As my sight came back to me the train finally stopped and I got on the train. As always it was jam-packed with people. Many were either on their phones or reading something. Again, my point being is that they were to busy notice that we were heading right towards a bright green light. “What’s up with the green light,” I thought to myself. However, this time something happened.

As we hit the green light there was a loud screeching coming from the train. “Now this is new,” I thought to myself since this did NOT happen the first two times. By this time everyone was aware of what was happening. The train car was bathed in a dark green pulsating light and the screeching continued. In addition, the train car started swinging from side to side. I was desperate to hold onto something and I grabbed the pole next to me. But it did not help. I bumped into a rather attractive lady about my age. She gave me some nasty stink-eye saying to me: “How dare you,” After a few more seconds of this harrowing journey, we finally made it to the next train station. What awaited us was not the station we knew. Instead, people were running in a panic. What caught my eye was the swarms of insect-like creatures chasing them. Every time some got stung, they fell to the ground wreathing in pain and with an expression of pure horror on their face. I just hoped that the doors would not open. But I was wrong, the doors did open. “What was the conductor thinking,” I asked myself. And in instant, those bugs are in the train and people started running for their lives.

I had no idea where to go. Should I go hide somewhere in the subway or run to the streets. In a panic, I ran out of the train to the streets above. Once I got up the stairs and outside, I could not comprehend what I was seeing. The same swarms were here as well but in addition creatures that I will have a hard time describing. Because they don’t look human and not like anything I thought aliens should look like. The best I can do is to put them in the Lovecraft monster category like Cthulhu. Each monster had tentacles in their shriveled-up face, black sunken in voids for eyes, a smooth skull, but the rest of the body looked as if someone stayed in the water WAY too long. Where their mouth was, all you could see was three rows of sharp teeth. Mind you, there were in total 6 rows. Three on top and three on the bottom. As for their nose, well I could not see one. In addition, if they were human, I would have said that they were muscular and about 7 feet tall. But their height kept on changing. As to color, well I saw a wide range of colors. But the most disturbing ones were the ones with see-through skin. And I will spare you the horror of what I saw.

When my mind finally caught up with reality and I could use my body again I made the decision to run for cover. I ran for the nearest store and others had the same idea. As I entered someone crashed through the window. Fighting the urge to help, I continued to the back or trying to find some room that I could lock myself into. And bingo. I spotted the office and I raced to it.

As I was about to close the door, someone else had the same idea. A woman about my age, though this was not the one I bumped into during the train ride. Once she was inside, we closed the door and I locked it. There were equal amounts of shock, horror, confusion, guilt (for leaving people outside), and relief from being in the office. “What are those things,” she asked desperately. I wish I had all the answers. “I have no idea. They look like something out of Lovecraft's novel,” I replied to her. “All I know is that in the subway we hit this green light, and everything started shaking and then they were there,” I continued. “You saw the green light as well,” she asked. “Yeah. Twice in fact. Once when I was entering the subway, and nearly ran into someone, and then again when the train hit the same light. Did you see the light” I replied? “Yeah. Only once though. As I was walking out of my apartment building. What do you think they want,” she asked? “By the looks of it, it is carnage, mayhem, and destruction,” I said as I reached for my cell phone. I tried calling my girlfriend and my parent, but I could not get through. “Damn it. The phone is not working. So, there is no way of calling for help,” I said. And that’s when the despair hit. I was stuck in an office with someone I did not know and had no way of calling for help. I sat down listening to all the screaming. I wondered if my family and girlfriend made it or if they met the same fate as everyone else.

Hours went by and the screaming started to fade and then it was eerily quiet. “Do you think it’s safe to go out,” asked my office mate? “I think we left safe a long time ago,” I responded. “Well open the door and see what’s going on,” she urged. I wanted to stay in the office but then curiosity took over. I slowly opened the door. The aliens were not there so I stepped back into the store. Dead people were lying everywhere. You could see the horror on their face. Many people had scratch deep bloody marks on their face, as of they were trying to get something off their face. As I walked out of the store the horrific scene continued. There was smoke and fire everywhere. Cars were in buildings, people lying out windows dead, some had even jumped out of windows and now their bloody mangled bodies were lying on the street. After about 5 minutes of aimlessly walking, I found my parent's building. It had been demolished by an Airplane. I don’t know how long I stood there in shock, but I was brought back to reality by someone speaking. “Hey, you ok,” someone asked. I turned around and saw the same Lady from the store. “No. My parents lived in this building,” I responded. I could see the pity in her eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “Thanks. Let’s keep moving. There have to be other survivors,” I said. I was still hoping my girlfriend was alive. But given all the destruction I gave up hope.

We started heading towards Central Park. I knew my girlfriend worked in the Ritz Carlton there. The day was dragging on and it seemed like days had passed when we finally arrived. But, alas, only an hour or so passed. And in that hour, we saw a few survivors starting to come out. They had the same horrible expression as we did. As we rounded the corner the Ritz came into view. It was slightly damaged but still standing. I ran towards the hotel. All I heard was to slow down from the Lady, but I ignored those words. And when I arrived, I entered the lobby. Dead bodies were everywhere. So, I started checking every single one. But I could not find her, and that is when the panic set in. Where is she? Is she still alive? After an eternity looking, I heard someone yell my name. I turned around and there she stood. I was relieved and we ran towards each other and embraced each other. I kissed her. “Thank god you are alive. I was so worried,” I said. “Do you have any idea what’s going,” she asked. “No idea. They seemed to appear out of thin air. All I say was a green light and they were there,” I responded. Then I noticed she was trembling. “Hey are you ok,” I asked. “No, I’m not. Everyone I know, besides you, is dead. I have no idea what to do,” she said teary-eyed. I ran my hand through her red hair and said: “First of all we need some shelter. I am sure that there are two rooms. One for us and one for my new friend here. Once we have done that let’s get something to eat. How is that for a plan.” She nodded in agreement.

At that moment the buzzing noise I first heard when I exited the train started. “Oh god no. We need to hide now. They are coming back,” my girlfriend said in sheer terror. And she ran off and I followed her to another office. The three of us got to the office and were about to enter. My traveling companion, whom I had met earlier through sheer dumb luck tripped and fell. What she fell over I never saw but I had to make a decision. Wait for her and risk getting caught or close the door and safe myself and my girlfriend. I did the most sensible thing and closed the door. I took my girlfriend in my arms as we heard the terrifying screams of someone I barely knew. And now I waited again in an office with many questions. Who are these aliens? Where did they come from? What happened to my girlfriend to make her react in such a way? What have we done to deserve this fate? and What hell did I stumble into and how do I wake up?