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I would like to inform everyone that I have written this story for Translucently Opaque, a friend of mine who has put up with all of my unfinished horrible stories. This is dedicated to her. I am one of the few writers on Fictionpress that knows her real name, and I am grateful. Sorry for making you put up with my sappyness. You may read now.
Once there were streets crowded with human life and human creations. Now the streets were abandoned, the asphalt broken open to reveal the stony topsoil underneath.
Off in the distance was a building of dark beauty. It's towers were molded of sturdy stone and brimstone. It shone with brilliance. It's six towers had pointed, curved spikes along it's wall. It was black and held a polished shine. Thin, narrow windows ran along the tower's lengths, following the outer staircases to the top where purple fires raged. The smell of burning wood and flesh and smoke poured out of it's walls. Ever so often the sound of faint screams of pain could be heard if you listened closely. They tried not to listen too closely.
“They”, were three young children huddled in the corner of a still existing basement. Thankfully parts of houses had survived the onslaught of flame, and metal, and creature's tearing hands. Some basements still survived, or single rooms hardy enough to remain standing. The three knew that others must be in the same position as them, hiding and surviving. They prayed desperately for their friend's and family's safety.
The sky's had become thick with black cloud. Thunder and lightning ran throughout the sky's, yet not a drop of rain was shed. The undeniable sound of heavy feet marching in step echoed off the building's walls. The ground shook as the military sent fighter jets to check out the surroundings. The jets never came back.
Everyone was gossiping. Everyone was trying to figure out what was happening. The stench of fear filled the air, and little did they know that that smell was bringing the creatures closer. People were taken by surprise as heavy fire from crude weapons rained down on them. Liquid fire burned bodies as it seemed to flow underneath the disturbing creatures.
They may have been beautiful at one time, and after all this time it was still apparent as that foreign light clung to them. But time had changed them. Their skin was sallow and sagged around their faces and necks. Their eyes showed an intelligence of those far older then any person living. In their eyes you could see the passage of time throughout the centuries. They looked haunted, and an air of violence and anger flowed about their masses. They wore armor of an advanced, yet raw form of some unidentifiable metal. They held sophisticated weapons in their hands. Any gunfire that was thrown at them disappeared in their skin, not leaving a trace. They moved, unstoppable. They killed those who opposed them and took captive those who surrendered.
People looked away from the bloodshed as the ground in the nearby field split neatly in two, stray dirt and rocks falling into the abyss as the black fortress rose from the ground, water appearing from the ground to pool around it's base before sinking back into the ground as dirt fell off of it's surface, pouring like rain to the ground. It stood imposing against the black sky and any humans still resisting fell to the ground on trembling knee's. They had been rounded up like cattle for the slaughter and led into the fortress.
A few had escaped, sneaking into shelter, holding their breath when a creature came near. They thought themselves lucky when they were left in peace, hugging their shotguns and pistols and knives to their chests.
Back in the dust and cobweb filled basement huddled the three children, their heads bent together, trying to share each other's body heat. Their faces were dirty and they looked in desperate need of baths. Their clothes had tear and burn marks running through them. The ground above them shook and plaster and cement dust fell onto them.
It had fallen into a rhythm really. Every couple of hours the ground would shake and dirt, and dust, and anything not secured would be shaken loose. The creatures made a search, to find and capture anyone unfortunate enough to be caught. The children were too terrified to move very far from their secure place.
The children held in their ranks two boys and one girl. The oldest boy was short and stocky. His red hair was buzzed in military style and he wore his father's dog tags around his neck, the tags he had taken from his fathers cold, dead body. His eyes were slightly red and swollen but he held his tears and feelings in check.
The other boy looked to be the youngest. He wore an over sized tee-shirt and a pair of baggy shorts and worn out sneakers. He had brown hair that curled to his chin. He wore a fake diamond stud earing. Tears had flowed down his cheeks, leaving paths of clean skin. He slumped his shoulders into a dejected look.
The girl put her arm around the younger boy's shoulders, pulling him closer to her. “ Angelo, come here, pull in closer. Your freezing.” The concern in her voice seemed out of place on her. She had a cold and emotionless look in her face. Her dark skin gleamed with perspiration. Her black iris's drifted above her head as the marching from a few streets away traveled to shake the ceiling above their heads. Angelo pushed himself closer to her body and tried to hide in the crook of her arm. Leo too moved closer to her, as her put his arm around Angelo's back also.
She wore big, clunky combat books that laced up to her knees under her black jeans. She had a black tank-top under her black sweatshirt. Her head was shaved save for her bangs that reached her hips when she stood. Only the people that knew her understood her often misunderstood humor and kindness.
The marching moved further away and in a few moments they felt the huge, heavy gate lift, staying up for a minute before slamming down, causing a large piece of plaster to fall onto the children, it's force reaching them even there. Leo and Hannah, the young girl, tried to shield Angelo the best they could underneath their bodies. Leo gasped when he was hit but Hannah, who absorbed the majority of the impact groaned but held up underneath the force.
