The Day the Monsters Came

Science-Fantasy / 6700 words

PREFACE: I love this one! It started off as a crossover project between my universe and another author’s. It didn’t pan out, so I stripped it of all references to the other universe, and here you have it in all its glory! Enjoy.

The screams, the killings, the whole bloody mess... It all started in a bar just like this one. Aidan’s Hole, it was called. It really is one now. A hole, I mean. In the ground. Literally.

Damn, I need another drink.

Thanks.

I tell you, it was scary as hell. I’ve never seen anything like it.

What do you mean, what? Haven’t you been watching the news?

Yeah, I saw it all. From the beginning. Hell, without me, those things would be swarming all over the country by now!

I got there early that morning—at Aidan’s Hole, I mean. I had the early shift and was due to start at six, but it was so damn cold I needed to warm up my insides first... You know how it is.

Sometimes I wonder if Aidan ever closes. I swear, I’ve never seen the lights off at his place...

Well, I suppose he’s closed now.

Poor chap.

Anyway. I got there early to drink a few beers, and that’s when we heard the sound.

There weren’t too many folks at the bar—I suppose it was too early for most. Aidan himself was serving, and aside from me, there were only two other patrons.

So this sound rang out and we—

What? Oh. Well, let’s see. I suppose you could say it sounded like screeching wheels. Except it was really loud. I mean, really loud. Unusually loud. So much so I figured it really couldn’t be wheels at all. I mean, that wouldn’t have made sense. I don’t know any wheels that could—

What? Right, right. Who cares about wheels? Of course, nobody cares about wheels.

Damn, this beer is good.

So, what was I saying?

Right. The sound. All five of us—

What? Four? Damn, man, come on, who cares how many of us there were? Are you going to interrupt me every five seconds, or will you let me tell the damn story already?

Geez.

So, the four of us went out to see what was going on... Except, really, I was the only one to step out. The others were too scared, you know? They just stood inside and looked through the window. Can’t blame them. It was creepy as hell.

The sound never stopped, either.

In fact, it had risen in pitch and volume. As if something was fast approaching.

I swear, it made my skin crawl.

I hid behind the door and looked outside. It still was too dark to see anything, though. But as the sound grew louder, shapes appeared. Distant, at first, then closer as they approached.

There were a few people in the streets, and I yelled out to them. I had this knot in my stomach, a sense of impending doom, and the shout just came out of my mouth without thinking. I had to warn these people to get out of the way, to go inside, to stay off the streets. Whatever was coming was nothing good.

Nobody heard me. The sound was so loud it covered my voice. It was as if they were petrified. They just stared at the coming shapes with startled expressions. A few came to their senses, but it was too late.

The creatures burst into the street and lurched at any living person that was in their way.

They came in all shapes and sizes, but none had anything human about them. Bestial throats growled and howled; red, green, and yellow eyes glowed in the dissolving darkness; claws and fangs ripped through flesh... Some had scales, some had fur, but all seemed fueled by a fiendish hatred—as if life itself was a personal affront to them.

I swear to God, they were things straight out of a nightmare. You hear of them in books, legends...

Screams rang out as the sun began to rise.

I heard scrambling feet behind me, and when I turned around, I saw the room was empty. Everyone had fled. They must have locked themselves in a room, perhaps hoping a door could stop the powerful blows of these monsters. I had my doubts.

My attention was drawn back to the street

There were thousands of these things flowing by. Why were they here? It baffled me beyond words. I’d heard they existed—who hasn’t?—but we’d never seen any of them around these parts. So why now?

All I knew was that they needed to be stopped.

I jumped to my feet, opened the door, and slipped out. Most of the creatures had gone past Aidan’s Hole by now, and there still were enough shadows to keep me under the radar. I just hoped to God they couldn’t see in the dark... or pick up my scent.

There was blood everywhere. And torn limbs. I hardened my resolve and focused my attention ahead of me. The shapes were there, swarming in the distance. Where were they going? Deeper into town, for sure.

I heard shots and screams.

Something struck me, and I felt myself being pulled through a door. Still dazed from the hit, I looked around and saw frowning faces staring at me.

“Where do you think you’re going, Dirk?”

That’s my name, by the way. Dirk Rivers. I don’t live in that village, but I’ve been working there for over a year now. People know me.

“I need to stop those things,” I said.

“You and what army?”

He had a point. To be honest, it hadn’t crossed my mind until he said it. How could I have assumed I could do anything on my lonesome? Well, I wasn’t alone anymore.

“You can help me!” I cried out.

The guy who had talked—his name was Sar—snorted. I don’t think he ever liked me... The feeling was mutual.

Now why would you ask me that? Who cares what he looked like? Fine. He was burly with curly brown hair, how’s that? Geez. Can’t you folks just use your imagination and let me get on with this?

So, where was I? Ah, yes.

“If we go out there,” he said, “we’ll all get slaughtered. No thanks.”

I stood, dusted myself, and turned toward the door as I talked.

“Fine. Stay here. I’m going—”

Five hands shot out to hold me.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“What?”

“That’d be the best way to signal where we’re hiding and to get us all killed.”

Cowards.

The whole lot of them.

Sorry. I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead.

Yes, yes, I know, there have been some survivors—so few—but that’s no excuse.

Where was I?

They didn’t want me to go back into the streets. They were concerned I’d slip away while they weren’t looking, so they locked me in a room on the second floor.

Can you believe that? You’d think I was a criminal or something.

I would have gone out the window, but it was too high up and I was concerned I’d break my neck in the fall. It was day now, and though I couldn’t see the monsters from my vantage point, I could still hear distant screams and gunshots.

That was when the fire started.

I learned later it had been Mirkin’s idea. He is—was, I should say. He was the chief fireman. Talk about irony. He’d read somewhere that those things were sensitive to flames. All hogwash, if you ask me. I mean, I’ve seen what it does to them. They’ll burn, sure, and let me tell you, when they burn, they stink. Unless that’s their natural odor. I haven’t been up close enough to say for sure—nor would I care to.

Yes, I have a point! I’m getting to it.

Geez.

My point is that the flames don’t seem to scare them at all. They just run straight into them. I swear, those things don’t have two brain cells. They’re as stupid as it gets. Who in their right mind would rush into a fire? Well, they do. Tells you a whole lot about them right there.

Well, to be fair, they didn’t all rush into the flames. But many did. Most did. And then they’d howl as their flesh bubbled and melted. And still they rushed forward.

Made no sense at all.

But I guess it helped, because soon the screams and gunfire stopped. After a few minutes, I saw people running in the streets.

I broke the window, jumped out, and rushed to the city square.

That’s where everyone was headed, so I just followed the flow.

It was total chaos.

The crowd was confused, angry, scared, rowdy...

“Silence!” yelled someone.

I realized the command had been shouted a couple of times already, though it had been covered by the racket. It took a few more repeats before the throng finally quieted down.

Four men stood at the center of the square. One had jumped on the hood of a car, and I recognized him as the Mayor—Devin Nervald.

“There is no need to panic,” he said. “The situation is under control. The creatures have been pushed back. We are safe.” I saw from the faces around me that people were dubious. I had some doubts myself, after what I’d seen. “If any of you are wounded, use your first aid kits. The infirmary is flooded, so please only head there if your wounds are serious.”

“What was that?” shouted someone in the crowd.

“I won’t be taking questions at this time.”

“Why did they come?” asked another voice.

“How can we stop them?”

“Will they be back?”

“How can you say we are safe when half the town is dead and the other half burning?”

Questions rang out, one after the other, in an unending flow. The Mayor grimaced and jumped off the hood. He talked to the other three men, then walked away. One of the others—I’d never seen him before, but later learned he was the sheriff—held his arms up and waved them in the air.

“Please, please, remain calm! There is no need to panic. I understand you have questions, and all of them will be answered in good time. Right now, we just don’t know enough. We are still investigating the incident—”

“Incident?” screamed an outraged voice.

“—and we will make sure to keep you updated with our findings. We ask that you all remain calm and, unless you were harmed by this morning’s event, return immediately to your homes or places of employment. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.”

I heard some grunts and groans, but the crowd began to thin. Some officers helped disperse the more vocal protesters.

One came toward me, but I turned and walked away. I didn’t care to argue with the law.

It felt weird going to work after all that had happened. But what else was I gonna do?

After twenty minutes at the site, the morning’s events seemed like a distant dream—or, rather, a nightmare.

In case you’re wondering, I was hired as a digger to assist a team of archaeologists. What they hoped to find out there, in the middle of the desert, was beyond me. I just did my job without asking questions.

Oh, you don’t like that, do you? Tough. Way I see it, they pay me to dig, not to pry. So I dig. Doesn’t mean I’m not curious, mind you. I just keep my questions to myself.

Could I get another beer over here? All this talking makes my throat dry.

Ah, thanks.

So where was I?

Right. I got back to work and dug through the day...

Oh, I forgot to mention something.

On my way to the site, I passed the spot where they put the creatures on fire. It was a mess. A stinking mess.

I mentioned I was curious, didn’t I? One thing that puzzled me was why they had rushed in this direction—toward the heart of the city. From all accounts, monsters rather try to avoid contact with humans.

Yes, I know, there have been reports of attacks—gruesome ones, too. But they were isolated cases and usually happened out in the wild. Never in the heart of a populated area—at least, not that there are any known records of.

This was different.

It troubled me all day, making it difficult to focus. Not that digging requires much focus, but I did almost hit my foot with the shovel.

What?

Damn, man, why would you ask something like that? Don’t you know what a dig site is?

How the hell would I know what the archaeologists were looking for? I don’t ask questions, remember? All I know is that they found underground tunnels right underneath the village. Ancient tunnels. Must be centuries old. In the middle of the desert. Makes you wonder who dug those things in the first place. I heard some argue the sand just covered the ruins of some forgotten city. Go figure.

The monsters? Are you mad? Those things couldn’t build a wall if their lives depended on it. So a network of tunnels like this, forget it.

Yes, the dig site is in the middle of the village. It’s the strangest thing. It’s not my first dig site, but it’s the first I’ve seen that’s not some distance from civilization. Makes it easier to come and go, I guess. And to get drinks. Like at Aidan’s Hole.

Poor chap.

Yeah, yeah, I’m getting to it. You folks have no patience, I swear.

The second wave hit us in the evening. I was leaving camp and getting ready to fly back home when it happened. It was even bigger than the first. There had to be hundreds of them this time...

What?

No, no, I never said there were thousands the first time. Are you mad? There were like a dozen, at most.

Hey, I know what I said! Now, could you stop interrupting, or I’ll never get to the end.

Damn it.

Anyway. This time, they hit us from different directions simultaneously. They were everywhere.

The Mayor’s words rang in my head.

Safe, ha!

I managed to jump out of the way and run upstairs to the roof before the streets were overrun. From there, I had the perfect vantage point. And it soon became clear to me they were all converging toward a common place. I felt uneasy and somewhat nauseous when I realized their ‘target’ was the dig site.

Part of me wanted to go back, to warn my co-workers, or at least the supervisors... but they would already know, wouldn’t they?

I never thought I’d say this one day, but I wish the army had been there. A lot of this slaughter could have been avoided. But why would they care about an isolated place like this? I’m not even sure that village is on the map. Probably never will be now, for what’s left of it.

It was killing me. I needed to do something, but what could I do?

That was when the red-haired devil appeared—

No, I don’t mean literally, you dimwit! It’s a figure of speech. Though he did have red hair. Fiery red hair. Don’t think I’d ever seen a tint quite that red. You’d think he had flames for a mane.

What? No, I’m not talking about a monster. This was a human. Just like you and me. Except for the hair. Though a weird fellow, for sure.

He just popped up out of nowhere, in the middle of the street. One of the creatures rushed toward him. The man seemed startled, but he waved his hands and the air shimmered around him. The beast never reached him. It was as if it hit an invisible wall and bounced back against it...

Do you think I’m stupid? I know it’s impossible. I’m just telling you what I saw. I’m not gonna call it magic, because you all are gonna think I’m crazy, but I’d never seen anything like it before, is all I know.

The creatures growled and clawed at him, but no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn’t get through. All the while, the guy kept mumbling to himself and waving his hands around. After a while, the monsters just circled him and from then on they seemed to avoid the red-haired man.

Shots were fired, of course. Many more than before. I guess the townfolk hadn’t trusted their Mayor. Can’t blame them. Many decided carrying a weapon might be a good idea. Better safe than dead.

More fires were lit, too. They didn’t seem as effective. I think part of the reason was they didn’t light them in the right places. We had been lucky the first time. No one knew why the creatures were here or where they were going—if anywhere at all. It was pure chance if the fire was started on their path, and it happened to be on their way to the dig site. This time, though, people just started random fires everywhere, often around their homes, to keep them safe from the monsters. In many cases, they burned their own houses down. Before we knew it, the fire was spreading through the village.

Idiots.

I shouldn’t say that, sorry. It’s just frustrating.

Ah, it rattles me just to think about it...

Can I have another beer?

That feels good.

Let’s see...

Yes, the red-haired man. I must tell you about him.

Once the monsters were gone...

What? I didn’t tell you they left?

Well, I don’t know about ‘left.’ It’s more like they all got burned. Though I suppose some might have escaped. Others were still there, trapped, and they got... Well, let’s say, killed.

By gunfire, sure. Let’s go with that.

No, I’m not being coy, damn it, but you’re gonna call me crazy again, and I can’t have that!

You want the truth? Fine. I’ll give you the truth, though I’m not sure if you can handle it.

Let me down this beer first.

Okay.

The monsters... melted.

No, not because of the fire.

I mean, sure, some of them burned. But others were far from the flames, yet still their skins swelled and bubbled and...

You get the idea.

What creatures were still in town were now reduced to piles of molten flesh.

It was bloody disgusting, if you ask me.

Stunk, too.

After that...

Well, everyone went to the stranger.

It was like everyone was drawn to him. Like we knew him already.

I mean, hell, I thought I knew him.

Weirdest thing, I tell you.

The guy seemed uncomfortable, though.

“Who are you?” asked many voices in the crowd.

“My name is Reikk,” he said—though I could barely hear him from my spot at the back.

I waded my way closer as the Mayor appeared. I expected him to get booed—perhaps even assaulted—but everyone was too taken up by the stranger.

“How did you do that?” asked someone.

Reikk frowned as he looked around, though his eyes did not focus on anyone in particular. He seemed more interested in the air...

Don’t laugh! I’m just telling it like it happened. It’s not as if I was the only witness. Granted, most of the others are dead now, but still.

“I have... abilities,” he finally muttered, as if picking his words carefully.

“Who are you?” asked the Mayor, echoing the earlier question.

The man repeated his name and Nervald clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“That’s not what I’m asking, and you know it!”

An angry man shouted: “Are you kidding me? You did nothing for us and you dare question the only guy who seems to know what he’s doing?”

The Mayor stepped back, startled. He blinked a few times as he considered the crowd and all the upset faces.

“You can’t seriously be blaming me for any of this?”

“What have you done for us, except tell us lies?”

“I called for help!” he protested. “We just don’t have the manpower to stop them.”

“What do they want?” asked Reikk.

His voice was calm and confident.

All gazes turned back to him.

“Nobody knows,” said Mirkin.

The fireman had made his way through the crowd and stood now just behind me.

“They’re going for the dig site,” I heard myself say.

I now felt everyone’s eyes on me—including Reikk’s.

“You have a dig site?”

I nodded and pointed down the street.

He glanced in the given direction.

“What are you digging up?”

“We are exploring ancient tunnels that run underneath the town,” said the Mayor.

“Have you found anything?”

“Nothing of much interest so far,” said a new voice—though it was one I knew well.

I turned to see Avan Hamir standing nearby. He was the lead archaeologist working on the project, and I would often see and hear him going about the dig site.

He continued: “Cutlery, goblets, furniture, and tons of trinkets. Nothing that could explain this behavior.”

“There has to be something!” I said.

Reikk glanced at me and nodded. “I agree.” He turned back toward Hamir. “Something is drawing them here. And if they all head for the dig site, then it has to be something you have there.”

“Maybe it’s one of those books we found,” said Sahira.

Sahira Rane was another archaeologist who worked with us. A petite and thin brunette who stood a few feet away.

“Did anyone read them?” asked a distant voice I did not recognize.

“They’re not in a language we understand,” answered Hamir, “so I doubt these could be the cause.”

“You people need to figure it out before they come back!”

“They will come back, won’t they?”

I turned to look at the woman who had just spoken. She was young and clearly frightened, with a baby in her arms and two slightly older boys hanging to her legs.

I often wonder what became of her and her children—I never saw them again after that fateful day.

The look Reikk gave her was filled with sorrow and regret.

“You should all lock yourselves up in your homes. Perhaps if they find no one in their path, they shall lead us to what they seek without causing further casualties.”

“That is sound advice,” said the Mayor as he turned to his constituents. “Go home. Stay safe. Keep your radios on for further instructions. We will keep you updated as events unfold.”

Grumbles rose through the crowd and everyone looked toward Reikk, as if seeking his approval. The stranger shifted and nodded.

“It is the best course of action,” he said softly.

The crowd began to disperse, though the archaeologists and the fireman remained to talk with the Mayor and the red-haired man. I decided to stick around—maybe I could help.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” asked Nervald. “And don’t give me your name again, that’s not what I’m asking!”

I thought he sounded belligerent and marveled at how Reikk could remain so calm.

“I am looking for answers about my past and my travels have brought me here. I did not mean to intrude or to step on any toes. I will leave if that is your wish.”

Nervald blinked, taken aback by the response.

“You think you can find answers here?” asked Mirkin.

The red-haired man glanced at the fireman.

“I do not know where I will find them, so I look everywhere. Here is as likely or unlikely as any other place.”

“Well, you shouldn’t leave,” said Sahira. “I suspect we’ll need your help.”

I saw the Mayor frown, but he did not contradict the statement.

Reikk looked at everyone, then nodded.

“Very well. Then perhaps you should show me what items you have found. That might help us pin down what is causing all this.”

As we walked back to the dig site, I glanced up at the sky and saw it was darkening. Night would soon be upon us...

Barkeep! Give me another beer.

What’s a guy gotta do to keep the drinks coming?

Geez.

Do I have to get on my knees and beg?

Alright, alright, I’ll get back to the story! No need to get all worked up.

We took Reikk into the makeshift storage at the back of a requisitioned shoe store—it was the closest building to the dig site, so it served as our base of operations.

The stranger walked through the room, studying all the items we had placed on the shelves and tables. When we started running out of space, they were piled up on the floor. I’d heard talk of using another room for added storage...

What was in the room? Oh, man, how can I answer that? So many things. Common items—like hammers, forks, towels... even shoes, which was ironic, considering we were working out of a shoe store! Books, too. And glasses and paintings and writing material... But there were other things, more unusual ones, that we did not understand. Like a circular device with arrows pointing in opposite directions. Or a dusty orb that seemed made of marble, with an assortment of colored strains that melted into each other.

Don’t get me wrong, everything we found was dusty. Some even broken. I mean, all of that stuff was centuries old, if not more. I suppose Hamir could have dated them more accurately. Poor chap. I’ll drink to his memory, that I’ll do!

Where was I?

Ah, yes, Reikk. He looked at everything, though his eyes kept going back to the stranger items. The orb, in particular, seemed to draw him.

“It does have a distinctive smell,” said Hamir, “don’t you think?”

The stranger leaned closer and sniffed. Wrinkled his nose. Straightened and nodded.

“That, it does.”

“Well, do you still think something here could be causing all this trouble?”

I could hear the skepticism in the archaeologist’s voice.

“All I can say for sure is that there is no magic here...”

Hey, no need to be rude! I’m just telling you what the man said. Everyone in the room was just as startled as you all, though they were more civil about it.

There was a moment of stunned silence, then the Mayor was the first to react.

“Magic? Are you serious right now?”

Reikk shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, either way, as there is none. Forget I said anything.” Before anyone else could comment, he pointed at all of the unusual items. “Do you know what any of these do?”

“No,” admitted Hamir, “which is why we set them apart. We’ll need to study them. Perhaps there are records somewhere—”

“Maybe even in the books we found,” remarked Sahira.

The lead archaeologist clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Not that those would be of any help, since we cannot read them.”

“Surely, we could find a linguist to decrypt them.”

“Perhaps. But it will be tedious and time-consuming. There might be easier and quicker answers to find in our libraries. I have sent a request for help. It is on the way. They should be here within twenty-four hours.”

Reikk nodded thoughtfully as he glanced around the room.

“What was the last thing you dug up?”

Hamir pointed toward a wall. “That pile there,” he said. “And the orb.”

The red-haired stranger gave a cursory glance at the pile—it only had common items that you could find in any modern household. His eyes then focused on the orb.

“I wonder,” he muttered.

No one else seemed to hear—perhaps I was the closest?

I cleared my throat.

“What do you wonder, Mr. Reikk?”

He glanced at me and smiled.

“It’s just Reikk.” He looked back at the colored surface and pointed at it. “It is an unusual object, is it not? And what of that smell?”

“It’s not unpleasant,” said Sahira.

The fireman, who had sat on a nearby chair, jumped to his feet.

“That’s it! It’s that scent! It must be drawing them.”

We all looked at him. The Mayor seemed dubious.

“We can barely smell it from here.”

Hamir frowned. “And yet, some animals can hear or even see things we cannot.”

“Those monsters are not animals!” countered Nervald.

“Still. It’s not inconceivable that the creatures have a heightened sense of smell.”

“Fine. Then it’s easy to test. Let’s just toss the orb back where you found it and see what happens.”

“Where did you find it?” asked Reikk.

Hamir rubbed his neck, thinking.

“I’m not sure, to be honest. I was not on site when it was brought out...”

Ha! I finally knew something none of them did. So I cleared my throat again.

“I can answer that. Enders was the one who found it. From what he told me, it was in a sealed metal chamber. They had to blow the door to get in.”

“The material of those walls must inhibit the smell from reaching the creatures,” said Reikk.

“So it cannot be sealed up again.” There was a touch of despair in the Mayor’s voice.

Sahira walked closer to the orb, staring at it. “Why would anyone build something like that?”

“Are we sure it’s man-made?”

“There’s nothing natural about it,” she remarked.

Nervald pointed over his shoulder at the door. “Maybe it belongs to them.”

“I don’t think they could create something like this,” said Hamir. “I mean, look at it. The surface is smooth and even. I don’t see any imperfections. It has to be man-made.”

Sahira crossed her arms. “Which brings us back to my question... why would anyone make this?”

The room fell quiet as we all stared at the orb.

“Maybe it was a mistake,” Hamir finally said. “Maybe it was intended as an art piece, but when they realized the smell was drawing the monsters, they locked it up.”

“It would have taken time to build that bunker,” remarked Reikk. “And I suspect it would have been easier to destroy the orb.”

“Maybe the bunker already existed, though you make a good point about destroying it.” The archaeologist brightened. “Maybe we should do that!”

“No.”

We all turned to look at Mirkin who was shaking his head.

“If they didn’t destroy it at the time, then we shouldn’t either. There had to be a good reason for them to keep it. Maybe it was protection.”

The Mayor gasped. “Protection? When it’s drawing all those creatures to us?”

The fireman snapped his fingers. “Maybe that’s the whole point!” He waved toward the orb. “Maybe it’s intended to draw the creatures in so they can be trapped and killed.”

Reikk laughed, and we all stared at him.

“That’s good thinking,” he said. “You might be on to something. It would certainly explain a lot.”

“Like what?”

The redhead shrugged. “The bunker. The smell. Everything. It also hints at a solution to your problem.”

“We need to set a trap,” said the fireman.

Reikk nodded.

“How are we supposed to do that?” asked the Mayor.

I straightened. “We could use the dig site.”

“What?”

“They already want to come here. Let them. There are holes everywhere. Put the orb back in the bunker. Doesn’t matter that it’s not sealed, if we want to draw them—”

“We do not want to draw them,” protested Nervald.

“—into a trap. We could set the place with explosives.”

“No!” cried out Hamir. “That would destroy the site. We can’t do that.”

“Fire is effective against the creatures,” said Mirkin. “But that, too, would damage the tunnels.”

Sahira chuckled. “Maybe we can use their sense of smell against them. We could set stink bombs to go off once they’re all down there, but use a soporific to put them to sleep.”

I’ll spare you the rest of the exchange.

Suffice it to say, we decided to go with the latter idea, which seemed the easiest and quickest to implement without causing irreversible damage.

It still took us a couple of hours to rig things up. We were on edge, constantly expecting the creatures to drop on us before we were done.

We settled for twenty... No, wait, fifty bombs... Yes, I’m sure! It was fifty. Give or take a couple. We had no idea how many we would need, so we just got as many as we could. Honestly, we lost count after the first couple dozen.

Bah. It was ungrateful work, but someone had to do it.

We got as many of the diggers to help as we could. Not everyone was still on site. I suspected some would not be returning in the morning, fearing for their lives.

Honestly, I’m not sure I would have returned had I had the opportunity to leave. And then, I suppose the story would have ended much differently. Perhaps there would be no story to tell at all. Perhaps the entire village would be gone now—not that there is much left of it as it is.

Either way, I was there, and I did my part.

When the third wave came, it was in the middle of the night. There were thousands of them.

No, I didn’t count them, you dolt! But there had to be thousands. They were everywhere.

Thankfully, their focus remained unaltered as they rushed toward the dig site. They came from all directions, a swarm of bestial hunger. But they found no flesh to feed upon—this time, the streets were empty.

And then...

Uhm.

Well, hold on now! I’m trying to remember. It’s a bit fuzzy.

So, I guess they reached the dig site... Of course, they did! They fell into our trap, after all. Though my concern was whether we’d be able to catch so many of them. We’d uncovered many tunnels—perhaps enough to hold them all—but would we have enough bombs? I shuddered at the thought of some monsters escaping and seeking revenge.

In addition to the bombs, we’d set up cameras in all of the strategic spots. Because we had so little time to prepare—we had no idea when they would return—we used whatever cables were underhand. They did not run very long, so we had to place the monitors in an underground chamber we hoped would be secure enough. It had thick, soundproof walls, with a door that could only open with an eye scan and a fingerprint.

We had placed cameras outside as well—I mean, in the streets. So when they came, we’d have ample warning.

The six of us were there, along with the sheriff and two of his deputies—though I had no illusion as to how much help they would be in case of a breach.

When the third wave hit us, things got very weird.

The monsters spilled into the tunnels like a river of molten lava.

We watched the screens with mounting apprehension.

There were too many of them.

They cluttered around the bunker, like famished animals hoping to find scraps of food. We had used planks of wood to fill the blown hole in the wall, but the creatures were tearing them off easily.

“We have to set the bombs off before they get in,” urged the Mayor.

Mirkin nodded and hit the large red button on the device set before him.

The ground shook.

Lights flickered off and on.

The images on the monitors blurred, distorted. Some went dark.

“What the—”

Before the sheriff could complete his curse, loud bangs resonated against the door. We all looked in its direction. Dents were forming on the metal surface.

The Mayor blanched.

“Are you sure that thing will hold?”

Hamir blinked. “It should. You’ve seen how thick it is.”

Nervald pointed at the door. “Are you saying that is normal?”

The sheriff and his two deputies brought out their guns, though I doubted they would be of much use against these beasts.

I glanced at the screens, but those in the hall had gone off. Others—especially the closest to the bunker—showed creatures falling like dominoes. At least, the soporific seemed to be working.

A loud ripping sound drew my attention back to the door. Claws had pierced through the metal and were slicing their way down.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Reikk moving his hands in the air and uttering words under his breath.

The hinges broke and the door catapulted into the air, crashing against the wall behind us. Three creatures rushed in, showing us their fangs as they howled in rage.

The deputies shot their guns as swirling colors lit up the room, blinding me for a second.

Amazingly, the monsters whimpered and recoiled, swinging their heads from left to right, as if to shake off some unpleasantness.

“Over here!” shouted Hamir.

There was another door behind us, though it led to a smaller room without any other exit. We would be stuck there, just as we were stuck here. I was not sure what the point was. Still, we all hurried toward the opening. I doubted this door would fare better, as it was made of wood.

I heard a scream and turned around to see Mirkin getting clawed. I reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him away just in time to avoid his throat being slit open. If he’s alive today, it’s only thanks to me.

Pushed him into the other room, I ran in after him. Looking back, I saw Reikk was now alone with the monsters. I noticed one of the deputies had been cut in half, his body a bloody mess on the floor. The Mayor lay a few feet away, his legs and arms twisted at odd angles, in a grotesque parody of human limbs.

The sheriff and his surviving man, their faces livid, posted themselves on each side of the opening and aimed for the monsters.

As I suspected, their shots did nothing. I’m not sure the creatures even felt them, their hides barely grazed by the bullets. Thankfully, it did not even draw their attention, as they were fully focused on Reikk.

Whatever the red-haired man was doing was clearly irritating them.

The colors shifted and danced in the air, then swirled around the monsters—

Hey! Don’t give me those looks. I’m just telling you what I saw.

I resent that! I’m not a drunk! Take it back!

Yeah, you’d better be sorry, or I’d break your face, just like I broke those monsters...

Well, just like Reikk did, I suppose.

Because that’s what he did.

I mean, their bodies just exploded into pieces. It was like they had turned to rock, and now solid bits flew all around the room.

Not a drop of blood.

Imagine that.

Except, of course, for our fallen friends.

And that’s how it all happened.

What do you mean, that’s all?

It’s not bloody enough for you?

Why did the ground shake?

Well, it had nothing to do with the bombs. Some of the creatures tore a gas pipe, others exposed electric circuits. Sparks flew and boom!

As for Reikk, I didn’t see him again after that night. For all I know, he disappeared the same way he appeared.

I’ll take another beer now. So much talking has made my throat dry.

The creatures? What about them?

What we did with thousands of sleeping monsters? How the hell would I know? Do I ask what your wife did with your kids? They can burn them to a crisp for all I care. The monsters, not your kids, you moron.

Oh, and the hell with you all!

I’m sick of your wise ass remarks and all of your snickering.

I’m outta here.

There.

Much better.

On my own with the stars.

Of course, they would mock me! What did I expect?

I’m just glad I didn’t tell them everything.

Not that it was any of their damn business.

The army got there the next morning, but they didn’t find the orb.

Ha!

Of course, they didn’t, since I snatched it in the middle of the night.

It’s not like anyone thought to protect it.

Once the monsters were neutralized, the orb just sat there in the bunker, ripe for the taking.

So I took it.

I’m thinking of sending it as a gift to my old teacher.

He used to beat me with a stick when I was a kid, that old fart.

I hate his guts.

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• The Human Dilemma (in an Orwellian world, a man voices his discontent)

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Text (c) 2023 by Alex S. Garcia.

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