“There have been many sightings of unearthly objects in Japan. Recently we have found them in many other countries such as China, Russia, and India. No one is sure why they have decided to land in those areas, but we, HD News, are doing all that we can to secure the safety of America’s citizens.”
I couldn’t fathom what I was hearing.
Maybe this was the end. How could I possibly save the world, or even America?
I wanted to crumple myself up like a piece of paper and hide myself from the world. Right as I lay down to comprehend this information, my teller vibrated with a loud buzz.
“Yes sir?” I knew exactly who it was.
“Hello Marlene. I am in need of your assistance.”
“No problem Captain Prat. What do I need to help you with?”
“If you haven’t seen the news yet, we are under attack by an alien of some sort. You need to be down at The Base in Dallas by seven o’clock this evening. Thanks for the help.”
The teller went dead with a faint hum. Why did he just hang up? Something very urgent must be going on.
Captain Prat wasn’t only my boss, but he was my father. Though he was never around much, he always made me feel safe with his tall, lean figure. Since I was 10 years old, my father was a Marine. He didn’t just potty train me, but he also trained me to be a fighter. At 15 years old I was recruited to the military and sent to a boot camp. Now, I’m one of the best fighters the National Guard has ever had. My life has never been normal. I don’t plan on it ever being that way.

On the way to the airport I had to be extra cautious. Traveling alone wasn’t my greatest idea, but I had to get to The Base. As I was driving, the clouds started to shift into big pools of many different colors, as if the sky was being painted with mixtures of water color. All of a sudden big globs of purple goo were hitting my truck, pushing it back ten feet. Immediately I got my teller out and dialed for my father.
“Hello?”
“Captain Prat. This is urgent.”
“Well, look who needed help again. Your father went out to patrol an area around Austin, so I’m taking all calls for him at the moment.”
Dan, I couldn’t stand the name. He was a buff, c***y, over achiever whose only hobby was to kiss my father and other commander’s butts. He took my only chance at being closer to my father in the National Guard. He cheated his way in by changing his reviews on the assessment. He was a fake soldier.
“I’m not in the mood to argue with you, Dan. I just need help.”
“Of course I can help.” I knew there was a smirk on his grotesque face.
“What’s the catch?”
“You know me so well. As long as you stop trying to get me in trouble, I will help”
“Fine, I’ll stop.” We all knew that was a lie.
Finally, Dan sent some help.
Leaving Rhode Island wasn’t easy. The creatures were everywhere. They weren’t only ugly, but smelled of spoiled milk. They made my eyes burn as if they were melting off of my face. I finally managed to grasp my goggles from my pack to protect my searing eyes. I wouldn’t be surprised if I came out of this mess blind. After fighting relentlessly, we finally made it out of Rhode Island.

When we arrived at The Base there were millions of soldiers marching, screaming terse orders, and hauling big equipment around the campus. The main building of The Base was a cylindrical steel building. It consisted of medical assistance, training areas, secure transportation, and artillery. The surroundings were astonishing. The towering trees made me felt like a tiny speck of dust. The clear blue skies were comforting. I felt like I was still at home. I could get used to this.
I had my own room so it was easy to concentrate. The room consisted of a bed, projector, and my own laptop. These were all the tools I would need to help my father stop these odd varmints.
“On,” I commanded to my projector.
The light came on with a flicker. The humming of the projector made me feel as if I was in a bee hive with millions of little bees swarming me. The eerie hologram casted a faint light throughout my drab quarters. The HD news was on and a familiar face was present.
“Today, there have been more sightings of the alien figures known as the Overruners. They have been seen throughout the North East and will soon be invading more of the U.S. Captain Prat is here to tell us more about these creatures.”
“Hello, I am Captain Jake Prat. I’ve recently discovered the odd creation that we know as the Overrunners. Many of you have already seen them. I know that I and many other soldiers do not want anyone hurt. So, we order everyone to stay off the streets and in your Holders. Thank you all and have a safe night.”
The projector flickered off and everything went silent.
Everything was happening in a blur. My adrenaline was pumping and I was sweating as if I just came out of a sauna. The blood red sirens were screeching in my ears, but they were my only source of light. I was sprinting through the halls of The Base when I heard a heavy breathing.
Are those dogs? Maybe The Base’s guards sent them throughout the building to check on everyone.
Right as I turned the corner, my blood felt ice cold. In front of me was a giant figure. Spikes were poking out of each side. An odd agglutinative substance was dripping from the Overrunner. There wasn’t only one, but two of them, each growing in size as they inched closer to me. My only instinct was to turn and run, but I barely knew my way around. I found the closest unlocked room and rushed in. For a few moments I shuffled around, looking for the lights. Before I could hit the switch, I felt an agonizing pain in my leg. My vision started to blur and I lost control of my lower body. A shadow lurked in the corner of the room. Before I could put a face to the body, black started to take over my vision.

I woke up startled. The first thing that came to my mind was Dan’s name. I was furious. The only thing keeping me from going insane was the amount of pounding in my head. As I stood up, I tripped over a broom. The more I looked around I found more cleaning supplies. There were no windows which made the walls seem as if they were caving in. I stood quietly in the room trying to hear the noises outside of the walls. I reached for the door right as it swung open. I stepped back in astonishment.
“Hello. Welcome to Runner Official.”