They Don't Need to Kill Us

If you've ever had your planet overrun by aliens, you know that it's not nearly as entertaining as Hollywood makes it out to be. The beings usually aren't friendly, and the Avengers never come to save you. It's you, whatever outdated technology you own, and and whatever level of patriotism you can muster--the more patriotic, the better. I've seen too many people join the fight, and give in, for lack of belief in what it is we are saving.

Not me. I believe that buffets are worth fighting for, walks with family, and long drives. This is what I'm patriotic for: the simple pleasures.

The aliens have been here for 6 months this go-around, but it feels approximately 2 lifetimes longer. No one knows what their agenda is, except that every human corpse gets them that much closer to their goal.

It's important to note how these resident aliens are getting rid of Earth's population. They never capture. They never commandeer skins. They don't want us. They pass through bodies like ghosts, and in the process weaken hearts. Then, they leave, leaving the hearts of The Attacked to fall apart on their own.

The Avengers never come to save you.

If I didn't know how painful the whole process is, I might find the method poetic. They don't need to stop our hearts from beating. They only need to weaken us enough to keep us from fighting for our very lives.

We've managed to develop rudimentary stent technologies that allow us to keep The Attacked alive even after they've been passed through. However, the stents are expensive. Under more favourable circumstances, we could join forces under mandates from our governments. We could focus our efforts, ramp up production, and make staying alive commonplace again.

They only need to weaken us enough to keep us from fighting for our very lives.

However, the circumstances we're in are anything but favourable. Our population is quite literally going brain dead in the middle of this invasion. And as you would imagine, it's hard to focus on mass production when everyone is so focused on simply trying to stay alive.

Staying alive is becoming less and less commonplace; supply remains low, demand high; the stents remain expensive. There are no government mandates. Maybe because our government leaders have lost hope, or they're fractured, or they're safe.

The rich stay alive; the poor never do; and the middle-class are somewhere in the middle. They stay alive for a week or three, then their loved ones sell the stents to the next unfortunate soul that needs them. Dying pays a wage, but absolutely no benefits.

I am a broker of these transactions. I've had a stool at countless deathbeds, and have delivered possibilities to as many operating rooms. But don't be fooled, this is not honourable work.

I am not a broker of hope.

Better we keep the fight alive amongst any persons, than give into the misery of our situations.

On bleak days, I take from the vulnerable, and give to the selfish. On empty days, I stand by as the selfish argue for what they believe they deserve.

I do not revel in my work, but I do understand it is necessary. Better we keep the fight alive amongst any persons, than give into the misery of our situations.

I am looking ahead to the day when our unwelcome guests have had their fill, and our turns will come to have our fill of buffets and walks with family and long drives.

Though, I suspect we'll have to retake up our mantels from the aliens. Instead of them, I'll have to fight you for my buffet, my walk, family, and drive. If such a day comes, you will find my heart fighting as it is today.

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