Written by Paul Gamlowski
They came from out there, in the vastness of space, and swarmed us like locusts.
For whatever reason, our early detections failed. Probably busy watching all of us instead of scanning space.
Fortunately, my friend, Roger, worked at a high-security government defense agency. He mentioned it once, something about bio-research.
I called him, and I prepared to beg him to host our family. Apparently, he expected my call and said, "Get over here, now!"
Roger lived alone, and his relatives were from Europe, so he basically adopted us.
My wife, Jane, and I packed light, and we took our dog across the high-plains to the mountains. Roger gave us unlisted off-road routes, which helped us to avoid droves of people fleeing the cities.
I'm Mark Brown, and I'm an underground survivor of an alien apocalypse, but there's a point where I could've been their next meal. I distinctly remember that moment when I showed resolve and knew my place and purpose in the world ...
Roger showed us a special satellite feed to his basement with the news behind the news. It transmitted live broadcasts and unedited video clips showing the invasion.
He said, "Check this out. It's a security recording from a retail store."
I asked, "What the hell? What are these creatures?"
Roger replied, "We have a theory. They look like winged humanoids. Check out their fangs. They don't carry any weapons. We think their skin is impervious to bullets. Wow! It's grabbing that woman pushing a grocery cart. Oh, man, don't look. Disgusting!"
I couldn't watch it. The woman screamed in horror. Then I heard the creature make a slurping and gurgling noise.
After I looked again - the alien left no bodily remains, only the destroyed cart and clothing scattered on the floor, with bloodstains everywhere.
"Nothing left!" I pointed at the screen.
Roger nodded. "Right. They use a suction apparatus or proboscis. Not only do they consume the bones and meat, but they also suck the blood."
"Vampires?" Jane asked.
Roger nodded. "Something like that. We believe they'll regurgitate it into food for another colony that'll arrive."
"Bloodsucking alien insects?" she asked again.
Roger replied, "That's a good description. We think they genetically engineered their own alien dermestids and made flying humanoid hybrids for agility."
"Say again?" I asked.
He chuckled. "Flesh-eating genetically mutated hybrid alien beetle space invaders."
Jane blurted out, "Someone wake me up from this terrible nightmare!"
Roger smiled. "This is real, and you're safe for the moment. They need my scientific expertise to combat this menace, so I'm a valuable asset."
I asked, "How do you know they're only the first stage invaders, not the masterminds?"
Roger showed us another monitor observing outer space. "Check this out …"
It showed a live video, and, as he zoomed-in, an enormous mothership beyond the moon.
"It's gigantic! A colony? A civilization?" I wondered out loud.
Roger nodded. "Yep, and it's relaying signals through our satellites to other terrestrial planets in our solar system."
I asked him, "So we're talking bio-weapon space beetles. Destroying all the living organisms, non-vegetation, anything capable of intelligence?"
Roger answered, "That sounds about right."
"So what's next? What's the plan?" I raised my hands out of frustration.
Roger showed us another monitor with a relief map. "See that crater? They'll air-lift us to it, where there's an entrance, then we'll take an underground tunnel where there's a base. I've no idea where it goes, in case of my capture, only that we start there."
I said, "Jane, let's pack our things and bring Lyla. Make sure she goes outside first."
Roger shook his head, "Sorry, man. No dog. I should've told you that. No pets allowed."
I gasped. "I won't leave our dog. Lyla's like our child. We've had her since she was a puppy."
Roger frowned, sadly. "I'm really sorry, man. We can't."
Jane pleaded, "Mark, we've got no choice. We need to get out of here. Leave her here!"
I held onto Lyla. "No! I won't do this. She's everything to me. You both go, I'd rather get eaten with her. There's no point to this life without her. With all respect, my love."
Jane cried. "I can't believe you'd sacrifice your life, and our marriage, for that dog!"
I argued, "Just go. You'll manage without me. I'm not leaving without my dog. My decision is final!"
Roger showed us another video of the creatures massacring a crowd of people. Their horrific devouring defied description. "This is your fate if you stay."
I shrugged. "My fate is that I'll picture Lyla being devoured and have to live with endless nightmares of her yelping, barking, and begging for me to stop them from eating her. I'd rather die here. I'm not going. Not without my dog."
Roger said, "Very well. I'll hide her in one of my suitcases I use for specimens to keep her alive. If caught, I'll say I need to study her genetics for a way to fight the hordes."
Months Later …
I wore a protective suit with a built-in communication device, and so did Lyla. We stepped outside, surrounded by a devastated city landscape.
"Let's do this, girl!"
Lyla ran to the middle of the street, sat up, and barked.
An alien creature shrilled and clawed out of a torn-up building, then rushed toward her. She howled a command into her communication device.
Hidden from around a corner, a pack of hundreds of hybrid-dogs, who also wore communication devices, stampeded toward it. Roger had bred Lyla's subordinates based on her DNA but mutated with razor-sharp nails, spiked fur, and giant fangs for slaughtering the alien beasts.
They piled onto the creature as a strike force—immobilized it, then ripped it into pieces.
Together, our mega-pack overwhelmed and decimated the creatures worldwide.
Forever, I'll remember my fateful decision—so that Lyla could save our planet—when I firmly held to my morals and principles and told them, "Not without my dog."
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