The Locket

Clutching the heart-shaped locket my aunt gave me, my brother and I ran through the burning apartment building. Green-black smoke billowed around us filling the corridor. I could feel the building slowly shifting, ready to take home on the streets below it. We came to the end of the hallway, there was a window and a door to the stairs. I came to the realization if we went down the stairs we wouldn’t make it to the bottom before the building collapsed. We took a chance, readying ourselves to go out the window, we took a few deep breaths before diving out. Once outside a stench wafted through the air. Not the normal reek of poverty and industry, it was like rotting meat. No worse than that, it was death.

Desolas Nera was the second moon of desolas prime. A humongous city buried deep into the planet was the heart of the planet or more like a tick, a parasite feeding off the precious life force of this planet and I was the head of it all. “Desolas Nera, a paradise in disguise” he scoffed. If this is what he got for surviving in the regiments he’d rather be back on the front lines, leading his men to glory. He looked out across the city from his tower, foul yellow clouds clung around buildings making it almost impossible to see down to the murky depths of the undercity. He turned away in disgust but as he did he saw shimmers in the sky, small speckles of light growing larger. He turned back to the glass an assistant running in carrying a holoplate glowing red. “Sir, sir!” He huffed and puffed. A short rotund man in his forties. “Multiple readings coming in fast toward the city!” Lord General Travis Valentris took the holoplate, seeing the green blips getting closer and closer. Hundreds of them, thousands of them coming in force. A thousand metal teardrops punching through the atmosphere and the fog. “What in the name of -“ he didn’t finish, his adjutant pushed him across the room. In an instant, the window and half the room disappeared in a roar of metal and concrete. His assistant a smear of crimson on the walls. The metal pod nestled into the wall of his office blossomed like a flower and from it came huge armored monstrosities firing thunder and rounds the size of fists. His retinue came in pulling him out and providing cover fire but they were pulped in seconds. Nothing was left in the air but green fumes and red mist. He knelt with his hands held over his head, slowly lowering them. He went to state his name and position, to stand, to put some power into his words but he never got the chance.

Hanging out the window he had so many things rush through his head. “Stuff it down and run!” The building quickly becoming horizontal. So he did, running past windows, hearing screams from inside he just ran trying to block it out. He could see the bottom of the building tearing at the ground, wanting so badly to separate from its roots. At last, it did and we jumped.

Cowering in a corner store they held each other. Makeshift gas masks held tightly to their faces. The explosions had stopped, most of the screaming had stopped. It was silent, all that blew through was a warm humid breeze carrying the smell of ozone and smoke. They waited, occasionally the sound of rounds would go off, sometimes close sometimes far. They just waited, even after all of the sounds stopped, even after they were hungry and thirsty. No matter how hard they tried they couldn’t move in fear that something was waiting in the shadows, blind to them until they left their spot. No one came.

They landed with a hard thud and fell, his brother picking him and pushing him on. They were on the street now rushing towards the spaceport, hopeful there was some way off this planet. The streets were a ruined mess. Buildings collapsing and bodies lay in the street. This section seemed clear but they didn't stop. His heart pounding in his ears he didn't hear the round go off but his brother dove on top of him behind a makeshift blockade. The footsteps they heard were tremendous walking towards them. They crouched continuing into a building, trying to find an exit in the back. They heard a loud thump on the wall next to them and a crash. A large gauntleted hand burst through the wall and grabbed the boy’s brother’s shoulder. He cried out and was lifted into the air. Without thinking he jumped on the hand, he bit, hit, and kicked but it didn’t budge. Then through the wall, he came, walking through it like it was paper. Debris and bricks fell away and he tossed his brother and him like nothing. Walking towards them he grabbed the boy and lifted him to his face. His helmet was a smooth plate with round glowing red eyes. Looking him over, He put his hand on the locket and opened it with hands far gentler than they look. He pushed in the glass with a hushed crunch. The picture of him and his aunt and small shards of glass fell away, a small holo pict projected from it. Small blueprints spinning revealing some kind of machine. The giant dropped him with a thud still holding the locket. The armored figure put his hand to his helmet, lightning struck and he was gone. All that was left was a black ring.

On the command bridge of the Veilorous Nict, the soldier reported to his commander kneeling “we have found the holo files, my lord”. “Good,” said the commander “ burn the rest, leave nothing behind”. With a single push of a button and a flash of light, the planet was cut in half imploding into fragments.