|
|
|
G raham opened one eye and saw a small grey creature looking back at him.
‘Holy shit, what the hell are you?’ said Graham as he jumped backwards and fell off the chair.
‘What do you think I am?’ said the small creature, jumping on Graham’s chest.
‘I have no idea, but you’re not a bloody human’.
‘Correct. And nor will you be soon’.
Graham got to his feet and tried the door, but it was locked. The creature walked over to Graham and looked up at him.
‘You are going to join the collective and be part of the new order’ said the creature as he pulled out some kind of laser.
‘Whoa, what are you doing?’ said Graham as he backed up against the door.
‘I’m bringing you in to the collective. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt’. ‘Too right it won’t’ said Graham as he kicked the laser out of its hand, sending it across the floor.
‘That was not a good thing to do’ said the creature as he ran towards it.
Graham grabbed one of the creatures small legs and swung him over his shoulder and in to the door, leaving him in a crumpled heap. He grabbed the laser and pointed it at the creature.
‘How about you join the collective’ said Graham as he pressed one of the buttons.
‘Your statement is irrelevant, I cannot join the collective’ replied the creature.
‘Really? Well, you can join the dead then’ said Graham, still pressing
various buttons to no avail.
‘’Do you need some help?’
‘No, just be quiet and wait to die, I’ll figure it out’ replied Graham, frantically pressing everything.
The alien sighed and got up from the floor.
‘Don’t move you bastard’.
‘Why not? You’re not going to do anything with it. Pass it to me’. Graham backed away from the alien, still pressing all the buttons when a surge of energy came from the laser, sending him flying backwards in to the wall. When the dust cleared he saw the alien stood over him with the laser pointed at his head.
‘You should have listened to me the first time’ said the alien as he fired a shot at Graham, knocking him out.
‘Where are we going?’
‘Out of this bloody hospital’ said Frank running down the corridor. ‘We tried that before and somebody in a jeep drove in to the car park and tried to kill us. They killed Carl, in broad daylight’ puffed Kyle. Frank opened the fire door and stopped by the wall.
‘There is quite a lot you don’t know and I don’t have time to explain it now. See that hole in the wall over there? That’ll take you out of the hospital complex and to safety’.
Kyle looked at the small hole and was unsure that he would fit. ‘What if they try and kill me on the way out?’
‘They won’t. They’ work for my agency. This whole thing is top secret, not even the prime minister knows about it. Just get yourself away before you get killed’.
Kyle looked at Frank, drenched in sweat and white with fear. For a moment he felt sorry for him.
‘I ain’t running away, I’m going to stay here and fight them’.
Frank laughed.
‘Don’t be stupid, I’ve just given you a life-line to get away and you want to stay here? Shit, you’re more stupid than I thought’.
Kyle grabbed Frank and pushed him over the top of the wall. ‘Don’t you ever call me stupid. I just saved your life back there’. Frank looked at the concrete floor fifty feet below him and decided he didn’t fancy kissing it.
‘Ok, I’m sorry. You’re not stupid’.
Kyle pulled him back over the wall and pushed him on to the floor, pointing the laser at him.
‘Shit, don’t press anything, you could kill us both’ said Frank.
‘I shot that alien fine, so I could do the same to you. I want to know what this place is and whose these alien bastards are’. Frank sighed and lent himself against the wall.
‘They came here last month and landed in the hospital. We had to act quickly to make sure the press didn’t get wind of what was happening. We told them it was an accident with one of the boilers. I’m not sure where the aliens are from but they told us we were not to make public their arrival. They said they just wanted to help our species in return for knowledge’.
Kyle sat down next to him and scratched his head.
‘So why do they want to kill us now?’
‘They lied to us. They wanted knowledge about our species to take us over and have Earth for themselves. With the knowledge they have about our make-up they are able to take us over, and we have no way to stop it. The only people that know they are in the hospital are the men in my agency, and the staff in the hospital that they have already taken over’.
‘Hold on, why did you pay us to get those old people to the hospital then?’ asked Kyle, still scratching his head.
‘Because they matched the exact criteria that the aliens wanted to test on. We couldn’t risk blowing our cover so it was easier to get kids like you to get them here’.
‘So you basically fucked us over. You planned to get rid of us anyway when you had what you wanted’ said Kyle as he picked up the laser again’.
‘Please put that down. Look, I admit, we’re weren't straight with you and I’m sorry, but when you have an alien species promising to change the human race for the better then you do what you have to do’.
Kyle had an overriding urge to pull the trigger but still had no idea how to work the laser.
‘It hasn’t exactly worked out though has it? You’ve screwed us over and they have now screwed you over. Two of my friends have died because of this, so what we going to do now?’ Frank rubbed his face with his hands and sighed.
‘You need to get out of the hospital complex. My men are monitoring
everyone that enters and leaves but if you take that tunnel then you’ll
escape unnoticed’.
‘What about you?’
‘Leave me that laser’.
Graham awoke to hear a commotion going on around him.
‘What has happened to our leader? Where is his head?’ came a voice from nearby.
‘One of the young humans shot and killed him. We are trying to locate him at the moment, along with Frank’.
‘Heather? Darling, is that you?’ asked Graham trying to lift his head.
Heather came in to view, looking down at Graham.
‘Hello love, how are you feeling?’
Heather face seemed to be glowing and her eyes glazed over, but she still looked as beautiful as ever.
‘My god I’ve missed you. Can you help me up? We can get out of here and get home for a nice cup of tea’. Heather smiled at him and stroked his head.
‘That’s not going to be possible I’m afraid, there are more pressing things to be done here. Are you ready to join the collective?’ Graham held her hand, which felt icy cold.
‘Why are you so cold? We don’t need to be in the collective, all we need is each other. Help me up and I can help you get back to normal’ said Graham trying to struggle free from the straps. ‘This is normal now. Just lie back and relax’.
‘Nothing about this is fucking normal Heather. Please love, help me up and we can go home’ pleaded Graham. Heather smiled and walked away.
‘Wait, come back’.
‘There’s no need to worry Graham’ came two voices in unison. Graham looked to his right and saw Harry and Hazel stood there. ‘Thank god you’re here Harry, can you undo these straps and we can get out of here’.
Harry looked at Hazel and smiled.
‘You don’t need to go anywhere, you are home. Soon you will be part of the collective, just like us’ they both said in unison. ‘Shit, they’ve got you both us well. Fuck’.
Graham tried to move his body but he was strapped in tight. ‘Don’t fight it Graham, this is a positive thing. We can do so much more in the collective’ smiled Harry.
‘Christ, you sound like one of those religious fanatics that knock at my door. They have done something to you, changed who you are. Can you not see that?’
‘I can see clearly. They have opened my eyes to what we can achieve. All humans will be part of the collective soon to help serve our leaders and bring tranquillity to the Earth’.
Graham looked at Harry whose eyes were glazed over and in a vacant stare, like he was looking straight through him.
‘This isn’t right Harry and you know it. They have done something to you, Hazel, and my Heather. We need to stop it, but I need you to help me out of these straps’.
For a moment it seemed like a light flickered behind Harry’s eyes before he smiled and walked back to Hazel.
‘Shit’ muttered Graham to himself as one of the small aliens jumped on the bed.
‘Are you ready to join the collective human? Don’t be afraid, you should see it as a privilege; you will be the first batch’. ‘Fuck you, you stumpy legged piece of grey shit’.
‘I don’t understand those words but I presume they are not friendly. Number one, are you ready?’
‘Yes’ replied Heather as she appeared with a large needle.
‘God no, that’s my wife. Please Heather, this isn’t right, don’t do this’.
Heather moved the needle towards Graham’s neck as Harry and Hazel watched closely, with the alien stood on the end of the bed nodding. Graham closed his eyes and waited.