Zimmer frame

When the Aliens had first landed, the leaders of every nation tried to negotiate peace with them. The Aliens ignored every attempt at communication and answered by destroying every nations Capitol City and seat of power.

The next line of defence of each nation was the Army, Air Force and Navy. They met the Aliens in a head-on assault and were decimated.

Before the internet failed, the population watched with growing horror as the armed forces fell. They watched their soldiers fight honourably and die, while the Aliens killed indiscriminately. They killed those wearing the Red Cross, the Red Crescent and the Red Crystal. They killed those waving the white flag of surrender. They killed those with their hand up in surrender. They killed the unarmed. They killed women and children.

“Do you remember the plan?” She gripped the walking stick tighter in her hand.

“Marjorie, are you sure this is a good idea. We should just surrender. I’m sure they won’t hurt us.” Marjorie whipped her head round to face Dorothy.

“Did you watch anything on the internet? They don’t take prisoners, they only slaughter. My whole family is gone, they took my Son, they took my Daughter, they took my Grandchildren. I know I’m only one old Lady, and I’m going to die today, but I’m going to take as many of them with me as I can”.

“You know I don’t like new-fangled things, nothing good has ever come from the Internet thingy. I bet if we didn’t have the internet, those Aliens would have left us alone.”

Marjorie rolled her eyes upwards silently asking for strength not to clobber Dorothy before the Aliens got to them. “The internet is not new-fangled, how many times have I explained it to you. We’ve had it for 20 years.”

“Well, I don’t like it” Dorothy crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

“That’s great, you don’t have to like it. It doesn’t actually alter the fact that we are sitting in a crappy nursing home waiting for something that resembles a Christmas tree with legs to arrive and slaughter us all.”

They both jumped as they heard the door to the Nursing home slam open. They turned and shuffled as fast as they could back to the games room. Marjorie had decided it would be the easiest to defend so she had gathered all the residents there.

The residents all stood as straight as they could, waiting for the Alien to enter the room, in some cases, they sat as their legs were too frail to hold them anymore. They waited until the Alien entered and then fell on it like a very slow-moving hoard. They used Zimmer frames to keep it boxed in, every time it tried to raise its weapon, it was hit away with a walking stick. It spun in circles trying to get space to get the weapon into firing position, but in every direction it faced a walking stick was waiting.

Marjorie felt like a red mist descended over her eyes as she swung her walking stick again and again.

“Help me.” the Alien broadcast back to its ship.

“What is your situation?” The Alien on duty in the ship was quick to reply.

“Help me, the Native lifeform have me surrounded. You told me they would offer no resistance.”

The Duty Alien chuckled to themselves before replying. “Analysis of past behaviour has shown they will surrender at a show of superior strength and wait to be vaporised. So use your weapon. You are only on clean-up duty, we scanned this building and they have no weapons. Vaporise the natives and carry on with your sweep” The Alien on the ship left the channel open, waiting to hear confirmation of the vaporisation of the Natives.

While they were waiting, the communication board in front of them lit up. Every member of the clean-up crew was broadcasting trying to get in contact with the ship.

The Alien skipped from channel to channel and every message was the same.

“Help, they won’t surrender.”

“Surrounded, I’ve vaporised two, but they’re not stopping.”

“Help, I need backup. They’ve taken my weapon and are still attacking me.”

“Help, they are not behaving as anticipated.”

They closed all channels to the ground and opened one to the commander on the ship.

“Sir, we have a problem. The natives are breaking their own rules.”