This is what truly happened to my race.
But do not pity us for we are a strong people.
Our legend will live on now in you.
~ Re-Ida
The invasion began three Earth days ago. I can remember they just appeared out of nowhere. The luminescent glow of their crafts materialized in the eastern sky between the distant shape of Earth’s crest and Moon’s craters. At first, we did not know what to think, but when we realized it proved too late.
Then, two Earth days afterwards, our extermination began… and in those brief forty-eight hours her life was eternally altered. The world she knew, the people she loved, all of it was lost. I am Re-Ida, one of the final survivors of my people.
Here she was, crouched behind the barrels, amongst the rubble, in a deserted alley, clutching a gun. Old, decrepit buildings loomed around her, shrouded in mournful veils of red dust. The whole planet seemed to be mourning; the already crimson soil was soaked with so much blood. She squinted at the empty entrances, at the doors swinging limply on broken hinges. The city was in ruin. Windows were shattered and the buildings were wounded, maimed. All was eerily quiet.
I could not help but wonder, what was the cost of a life, whether familiar or alien? Was fear of the unknown a suitable enough excuse to kill? Did it warrant this planet-wide annihilation? So quickly her people had fallen, so rapidly had her reality unraveled that it was easy to succumb to shock. We used to be such a strong, proud race, now we are nothing but particles in the wind.
Shifting, her knees burning, sweat trickled between her shoulder blades even though the air was frigid. Her paws trembled as she reached up to adjust the scarf she had fixed about her head, concealing all but her vermillion eyes. All this because of Humans…
If I had learned anything over the past few hours, it was that Humans were all the same. Her heart had been hardened watching every one of her family, her friends; everyone gradually fall to their knees. They are all murderers, cold-hearted, cold-blooded murderers.
That was when she heard it, the distinct whine of their patrol vehicles. She tensed, cocked her gun, and glared over the barrels. As the rover bounded into view their headlights sliced through the clouds of never settling dust. They drew closer and closer, and then…
She jumped up and fired. Three shots erupted, two in the dirt, one glancing off the hood of the approaching lunar rover. She reloaded with a flick of her wrist, fired again, and one of the men fell. Reload. Shoot. Reload. Shoot. She missed more than she hit, but as the rover whizzed by she clipped them twice more and caught the second man in the shoulder. Then the rover spun out — its tires struck a patch of loose dust — and careened into the street.
Re-Ida ducked down amongst the barrels. The only sound was her raspy breathing. She could hear a voice shouting, hear the crackle of radio static, and then there were footsteps. She peeked over the barrels’ rusty rims to see the rover was still and a body lay crumbled on the ground. The second Human sat in the rover, clutching his arm. A third Human was inspecting the wound.
Now was her chance for vengeance! Re-Ida leapt to her feet and clutched her shotgun tightly, her finger resting comfortably on the trigger. She fired. But nothing happened. She realized; the laser cartridge is jammed! Quickly, she ducked down again, before they spotted her.
She knew she had to get out of there while she still could. Time was of the essence. So she began to separate from the barrels, walking backwards while keeping herself in the shadows. With one hand clutching her gun, the other traced the cold stone wall behind her. She kept her eyes on the two Humans; the second was now lying on the ground while the third crouched over him. Then the third Human stood up.
She quickened her pace.
He turned and his helmet reflected her retreating figure.
Holstering her gun, she swung around and began to run. She could hear him shouting into his radio, but she didn’t stop to listen. Light on her feet, Re-Ida dashed down the alley, swung around the corner, and suddenly collided with another body.
Stumbling away, she looked up into the shiny, reflective surface of a black helmet. She caught her breath and reached for her gun, but his large hand clamped down upon her wrist.
“I won’t hurt you.” His voice, spoken in a whisper through the speaker in his helmet, made her heart jolt. “Listen to me, I can help you.”
“Humans do not help. You are all killers!” Whipping out her dagger Re-Ida slashed at his face, going for his throat, but the man was too quick and ducked away. He disappeared into the haze.
Suddenly, there came shouts behind her. Re-Ida swung around to see three Humans breaking through the rusty clouds of dust, silhouetted by the sun’s waning light. She couldn’t run anymore, they would eventually find her again. She watched them approach, watched as they cocked their lasers, and she sank into a fighting position.
Red light erupted from their guns.
She used her dagger to knock two shots aside and ducked the third.
Re-Ida was doing well and the fight looked promising, until she stumbled. Then a laser clipped her side. The dirt bit her palms and her knees; she couldn’t breathe. Pain was blossoming in various places as blood poured from her wounds. She quickly realized she was about to lose.
I knew I was about to die then. I remember I was not pleased, however I accepted the inevitable. As the Humans bore down upon her, she was aware she was about to reunite with her people and an unexplainable longing filled her. In my mind’s eye I could see my Mama smiling, I could hear my Papa and my siblings laughing and calling to me. I anticipated joining them…
Just then, something swung into her field of vision and landed in between her and the approaching Humans. Through rapidly deteriorating sight she watched as a man with a gun, haloed by the setting Martian sun, began to fend off the Humans. Then she rested her head against the cold ground and the darkness descended upon her.
She came to when something wet splashed her face. Sitting up, Re-Ida coughed violently and blinked, wiping her eyes.
“Are you alright?” a voice above her asked.
She looked up into her reflection in a black helmet. I was horrified to see a Human standing over me. Before she could react he held up his hands and exclaimed, “I am a friend.”
“Traitor!” she spat. “You claimed you came in peace!”
“I know…”
“What happened?” she demanded venomously. “Your people turned on us! You killed us all!” In her rage she tried to sit up again, but a burning pain screamed in her side. She gasped and clutched herself.
“Don’t move,” there was an ache in his voice, as if he felt her pain, “you’re wounded and bleeding.” he said, but she had already recognized the feeling of a laser lesion.
He reached into his pocket. Her heart jolted, as moonlight flashed off something metallic. A knife! She tried to move away and tried to kick. He grabbed her ankle.
“Wait!” he exclaimed. “I won’t hurt you.”
She glared at him and snapped, “Every human tongue lies!”
“No. I am not one of them!”
“You are not a human?” she demanded, looking him over.
He shook his head, “no, I am. But I fight with the Martians!”
“Implausible!”
“I’m a part of a Resistance against Earth, on the Martians’ behalf!”
“Lies! You are killers.”
“But I saved your life.”
That statement struck me harder than a deathblow. It had not occurred to me he was the reason I had not been killed. At the time I was unsure whether I should thank him or not…I was unsure whether I wanted to live. Slowly, she pulled her foot out of his hand. He held up the device and she realized it was a medical wand. Pressing a button, leaning in, he applied a warm light to her side and she felt her wounded flesh begin to repair itself.
“The Resistance offers safety and protection for war refugees. You can join us.” he offered. “You would be sheltered and cared for; we have food, water, and a safe place to sleep…”
“I can take care of myself. I do not need help from a Human!” she snapped.
He reclined and gazed down at his gloves, the black of his suit morphing with the darkening sky behind him. Re-Ida struggled to see where he ended and the night began. “Not all Humans are the same.” he said his voice cracking.
At that moment a brilliant light, like a star gone supernova, blinded them both. Re-Ida squinted against what were rover headlights.
“Marcus! Why?” A voice boomed.
The man stood up, positioning himself so his body shielded her from the light. Sitting in his shadow, Re-Ida tried to peek around to see their attackers.
“This is wrong!” Marcus declared. “We shouldn’t even be here!”
“We can’t return, you know this, Earth is dead.”
Slowly, Marcus waded into the light. Keeping his voice level he claimed, “We’ve gone about this all wrong. They don’t deserve to die!” As the headlights were averted, Re-Ida could see his comrades surrounding him, some listening, some brandishing their weapons. She climbed to her feet.
It was in that moment I finally understood the Humans. Re-Ida’s heart pounded. If my native planet was dead and I was seeking a home, I would do what I had to, to help my people survive. His species were homeless, and desperate, and perhaps her people had been less-than hospitable. Maybe our extinction was the result of a planetary war, rather than a species’ massacre. She felt her blindness begin to lift.
“You’re a traitor, Marcus.” The others accused sharply.
Marcus raised his chin and declared, “perhaps, but not in their eyes.”
“You would risk your freedom and your life, for that?” One asked, aiming his gun at Re-Ida. Marcus turned to look at her. Re-Ida clenched her fists and glared back.
“Yes.” He declared.
I never imagined a Human would speak such honorable words as those. It went against everything I had assumed of them. Re-Ida just stared at Marcus, the Human, the traitor of his people and the hero of hers, enthralled. But maybe acting upon our assumptions had been our first mistake.
Whether it was accidental, although she doubted it, or intentional, which was more likely, the unthinkable happened. The Human still pointing his gun at her suddenly fired. Re-Ida saw it, a fixating bolt of red light hurtling towards her, and she prepared to die for a second time.
That was when Marcus lunged in front of her, without a cry or hesitation, and Re-Ida watched in horror as the laser dissolved in his chest. His body crumbled to the ground.
The plaza was still, none quite sure how to react. Re-Ida gazed down at Marcus’s body, then up at the others. Her instincts told her she should run while she could, but she was stunned by the fact Marcus was dead. I could not explain this new emotion I felt; I was in disbelief that he had willingly died for me. Perhaps we were wrong…
Turning, she forced her feet into a run and bounded across the plaza. Laser fire ricocheted off the rock around her. Perhaps not all Humans are the same. She ducked into an alleyway and allowed the shadows to consume her.
Bio: How can I describe me? If you’ve seen me around campus I always have a paintbrush in my hair. I am an artist and a writer and (whether with words or with paint) telling stories is one of my greatest passions. I strongly believe that words can make a difference, and if my work can make at least one person smile, then I have done my job. I hope someday to be a Special Education teacher, but I know I will always tell stories. Now you know me 🙂