Out of Control

I was in my bed when I heard our alarm system go off. I jumped up and ran downstairs. I found the control box to the security system. I pressed it on. The security system question my mom designated a few years ago popped up.

“WHAT DO THEY CALL THE BOUNTY HUNTER CLONES IN STAR WARS?”

I typed in “Storm Troopers.”

It blinked red then the statement, “MUST BE FEMALE TO OPERATE” popped up.

I proceeded to try and tell the machine I was female so I could disable the alarm. The fuse suddenly blew. The lights in the house turned off and it was complete black. At least the alarm was off.

Then, wait, I could hear the T.V. on in the other room. I saw the dull light glowing against the walls. I slowly walked over to it.

The man on the T.V. reported, “Alien invasion plagues Western United States. National Guard and all military forces have been mobilized…” I was so confused.

It was suddenly daylight outside. Lights shone in the window and I squinted at the bright rays. I sprinted up the stairs to get to my attic. The attic had the highest window in my house where I could overlook the neighborhood and see what was going on. My hands were sweating and my heart was pounding. When I crested at the top of my stairs I saw a small toddler at the single window in my dusty, wooden attic. He held a television remote out toward the window. Tears were running down his face.

“Who is this kid?” I thought.

“Why won’t the channel change?” he cried.

I took him in my arms and looked out the window.

Out on my suburban street stood what looked like a man, but eight feet tall. It was pale. Ghostly pale. It had short white hair, a little whiter than its skin. And its eyes. Its eyes…

The alien stood still; so still that the earth seemed to sway underneath it. Neighbors stood on the edge of their lawns, staring at it.

The toddler suddenly jumped out of my arms. It ran across the attic and down the stairs. I followed after him. The toddler burst out my front door.

“WAIT!” I cried.

He was running straight for the alien! The “thing” turned toward the toddler. Before the toddler reached the alien, two of my neighbors ran and tackled the eight foot beast. Both my neighbors and the creature lay on the ground, motionless. The toddler stood over them, crying. I was shocked. My feet felt like led. I tried to scream but my throat was stuck. Finally, I was able to slowly walk toward the bodies. I rolled over the bodies to see which of my neighbors had saved this young boy. It was my mom and my dad.

“NOOOO!” I yelled. I fell on my knees crying bitterly. Then I took up a stick and struck the beast. Then I hit it again. I beat it until all my strength was gone. Nothing on the creature changed no matter how hard I hit it. It facial expression was the same as it was alive, but its eyes were closed. It suddenly looked beautiful, even intoxicating. I was still afraid, but a type of wonder rose in me. I bent in close to its face. The eyes opened.

I awoke with a gasp in my fox hole, and drew my knife. I sorted through my brain what was dream and what was reality. I leaned back again and closed my eyes. I knew I wouldn’t sleep again that night. I heard the sounds of the jungle around me. The rain poured on me and there was no escape. The thunder rumbled in the distance; or was that mortar rounds? I couldn’t help but feel the chaos and fear of my dream felt a lot like reality.