They Came – Reposted
About five years ago is when they came. Large ships from the sky took out all our defenses while the ones who have been here for years rose out of the sea. I guess those sci-fi people were right about them always being here. My sister was right, too. Looking back, I wish she wouldn’t have been.
They knew exactly when to strike. The world’s governments were on the brink of yet another world war. Poverty was at a high. Everyone was obsessed with zombie outbreaks, so the search for aliens had dropped to the side lines. No one saw it coming.
Some tried to fight back, but when the world officials sold us all out, morale fled with our freedom. They had been promised more power and control as long as they did what they were told.
Then, there was that whole being allowed to live part sealing the deal.
It took a couple of years for them to round us all up by family and then place us in appropriate camps. Most cities had been demolished. San Antonio was practically a waste land. Now they go from camp to camp testing each and every person for what strengths and intelligence they have.
I got tested right away and placed doing physical labor along the river by our camp. My mother, aunt, and grandmother were set to housework in the main building. My sister and her husband hadn’t been tested yet.
The conditions for river labor were horrible. We slept on the ground and received daily beatings from our “foreign” masters. Weeks would go by between seeing my sister or other family members. It was during one of these long stays that I heard the news. My sister had been tested.
I ran as fast as I could and pleaded for rides on barges just so I could get back to the compound. By the time I climbed the steep muddy hill and reached the front door to our family prison, no one would meet my eyes. I broke through the door, barreling down the hallway to my sister’s room.
She sat on the pastel green sheets covering her mattress on the floor. Her head hung down, and tears fell to the floor. I threw myself down before her wrapping my arms tight around her waist. We all knew she would never have to be subjected to grunt work or hard labor. She was always too smart for that. She and her husband were guaranteed to test high in intelligence.
I looked up at her with the question written on my face. She simply nodded her head and buried her face in my shoulder. My sister, my best friend of all time, will be pulled from my life forever. They will come and take her away to their main ship, and she will never return.
Her husband walked in and joined our embrace. He’s going, too.
There was a commotion from the rest of our family. We slowly stood up, wiping our eyes and headed outside. Several small pod ships hovered down to the ground with American flags painted on the sides in mock allegiance to the country. As if enslaving all human kind wasn’t bad enough, they felt rubbing salt into the wounds would be a nice touch.
I hugged my sister’s side tightly, hoping if I clung to her, she would not have to leave. Her fist was full of my tattered shirt as well, clearly feeling the same way. The pounding of our hearts beat as one causing sharp pains. My lungs couldn’t seem to take in enough air either.
Troops poured out of the pods. Traitorous humans mixed with gray skinned aliens marched toward us. We tensed as they now stood mere feet before the crowded doorway. I clutched my sister and her husband in both hands, but one of the aliens came forward and yanked them from my grip.
We started screaming, and I ran forward only to be knocked down by a rifle butt. My aunt tried to help me up and hold me back, but I broke free.Both were fighting against the hands, dragging them towards the nearest pod but were overpowered. Just as they were drug inside, the door lifted up and shut. I made it to the pods mere seconds after they were out of reach. Screaming and crying uncontrollably, I threw myself to the ground and watched helplessly as my sister and brother-in-law were taken away to whatever fate “They” have planned for them.
