Survivor

She looked out over the carnage of the scorched earth, the smell of blood and death lingered in the stagnant air. A lone warrior survivor from her city, clutched her heart-shaped locket tightly in her hand with a vice-like grip. The only remnant she had left of her family, as everything else had been obliterated in the carnage.

Across the way on the horizon over the scorched earth, she noticed him running faster and faster towards her. Her heartbeat was like a bass drum beating out of her chest as she ran for cover. The dark demon from the invasion was approaching, he was like a black streak of lightning faster and faster towards where she stood. Grabbing her, his warm breath was on her face, as a bead of sweat trickled down her face in fear. Suddenly he changed his shape into an ethereal human form with black smoke floating around his body. He was quite dashing in human form, with black hair like ebony and piercing blue eyes like an ocean.

“Quick there’s no escape”, he shouted as he grabbed her hand and whisked her away through the fire fumes.

She coughed and spluttered breathing in the dense smog, as gunfire and explosions came from behind - she gasped in horror.

“W…What are you?” She stuttered between gasps, trying desperately to get a clear fresh breath of air. Her lungs felt like they were full of glass and going to explode.

He laughed with a glint in his eyes, “I’m really not what you’re thinking.”

Turning quickly like a bullet, he pulled her arm so fast that she felt like it would be yanked out of its socket. Another explosion rang out on the horizon getting closer and closer, as armed forces came in and tried to capture them. A barrage of weapon were fired towards them, ranging from machine gun fire to a missile from a helicopter attack. The dark form went swiftly straight into the gunfire and protected the girl by pressing a button, which made a shield surround her fragile human body.

The entourage of weaponry fired out, but the being whisked her away faster than light. They were suddenly in a safe place on a road, between her home city and the next city along.

She was visibly shaken; her face was black and covered in soot from the explosion. Her hair was matted from all the debris of the fateful apocalyptic event when she had witnessed her entire city being destroyed. She felt starving as had not eaten for days and felt like she was going to faint from exhaustion. Staggering all of a sudden, she fell, and the mysterious darkness grabbed swiftly to break her fall.

“What is going on?” She sobbed, “You killed my family.”

She pushed him away, banging her small fist on his chest to no avail. Struggling to free herself she realised that she could not do it anymore. Losing the will to live, she dropped to the floor and a torrent of tears flooded from her beautiful green eyes. She could not believe that they were all gone forever. She remembered her mother who was the most kind, sweetest woman that she had ever known. Then her father, her lip trembled with the thought and the tears welled in her eyes anew. Her father was a brave soul and had tried to protect them all from the onslaught. She had witnessed it all, the terrifying moment when the bombs had gone off, and people she knew were losing their legs. The explosions and the decimation all around causing mayhem and panic, people screaming as they lay dying and severed arms, and heads lying around. The government had called everyone to arms and told everyone there was an invasion by a threat of unknown origin.

“Why did you destroy everyone? Why did you save me?” She screamed at him.

The being looked sad, and pulled her up off the floor, resuming his human form.

“We didn’t invade my dear.” He explained.

He approached her and put his arm around her shoulder to comfort her as she sobbed.

“I am from the planet Orion.”

She shook with her sobs.

He continued his story after regained her attention, “We came to try to help as many of you as possible.” He explained pausing momentarily. “Your earthly governments have been hiding the truth from you all. They have been trying to control this planet and because people were revolting, they have become a threat so they decided on mass extermination.”

He released his hand from her shoulder, and walked across the stone floor, which crunched under his huge feet.

“We can’t allow this to happen. We created this planet, and we left humans to rule freely, but unfortunately it only takes a little corruption to gain power and everyone suffers. The environment is being destroyed and people are being hurt… so we decided to step in.”

He walked back over to her and held her hand to offer comfort - she was breathing heavily, her chest heaving with fear but also in awe… Who was this mysterious being? He looked at her in the eyes.

“Your state of Texas has been destroyed, and quarantined, but we are wanting to intervene. There are still some survivors in other countries, and in other states, as they have not managed to strike everywhere yet.”

He turned to face her calmly but looked serious.

“We need a human to help to fight on our behalf.”

She steps forward, “Well, I want to help.” She states boldly, her eyes with fire , “My whole family is dead, and I want revenge.”

The being looked at her his head tilted to one side…

“You? Really?” He ponders, “Do you think that you can do it?” A small smile creeps across his face as he contemplates the idea.

“I can do it!” She replies adamantly.

The being nods his head after pondering the thought. “Okay, I will grant you your wish, and you can take revenge for your family. I will train you in our ways of fighting and give you our weapons which will help you. You will take back the land that has been lost and place it back under our rule.”

Laying his hands on her shoulder firmly, “What is your name? Mine is Grok”

She wipes the tears from her face, leaving a black smudge trail across her cheek.

“My name is Kira.” She answers.

“Okay Kira. Do you agree??” The being asks his eyes focused on her response intently.

“I will do anything that you want.” She answered, her expression hardens as she feels the anger well inside of her, and resolve hits her. In her mind she thought, she would destroy the people who had killed her family. No matter who they were, and no matter the cost, she would have her revenge and save the innocent souls along the way that were in danger.

“I’m ready,” she answered.

To be continued…