An Aerial Invasion

I woke up to the sound of sirens going off. Not an unusual occurrence where I live. Waking up to that sound is unpleasant still, so I wasn’t too happy about waking up to the warning noise of an incoming rocket barrage. Springing out of bed, I headed toward the air raid shelter as fast as I could.

Counting up to thirty, I expected to hear at least a few explosions in the distance. I knew all too well one could go off right next door, or right under my ceiling, but I was hoping that wouldn’t happen. Not today.

Admittedly, I’ve counted up to a hundred and ten by the time I got inside the shelter and locked it shut. Luckily, I was safe, this time at least. I’ve been through this time and again – the sirens go off, the rockets whistle in the sky above. Eventually a few of them land not far from where I live, after getting past the IDS we have installed here. Hell, one even landed across the road a few weeks ago. It didn’t change the fact that I’m stuck in a hellish routine. We all are. You can’t change that; we’re stuck in this routine as morbid as it may sound.

Silence, sirens, rockets, counter strike – rinse and repeat. You learn to live with it. You get used to it, and you start not caring as much as you should at some point.

Anyway, I don’t think I have much time. I stayed inside the shelter for the recommended ten minutes, not hearing the sirens any longer, nor any blast noises I made my way out. Got myself dressed and headed outside. Hoping to catch a neighbor to see what the commotion was about this time.

Dark clouds hung tightly in the sky, obscuring almost all the promised sunlight. An iron scent hung in the air. Something was clearly wrong, this much I realized when I’ve seen the entire neighborhood on its feet. Everywhere I looked I’ve seen someone standing outside, staring in awe at the sky. It was like everyone was forced out of their homes and had their heads turned towards the sky.

It took me a moment to realize why they were all staring at the sky.

A thunderclap echoed across the street and then I saw it, an ever-growing ball of light slowly making its way in the neighborhood's direction. In a couple of seconds, it was followed by a few more lights flying in our direction. Some forty seconds later, I could see a miniature sun racing across the sky. It was headed straight at the Goldstein’s house. I knew I should get back inside, but just as I turned to run, that fireball crashed into its target. It produced a shock wave strong enough to knock me off my feet. When I got back up, everyone was running around, smoke and fire spread everywhere in sight. More fireballs were headed towards my direction from the sky. I heard screams coming from my left and turned my head there.

Fucking hell, I shouldn’t have done that. In front of me stood a massive hairless dog-like thing. I didn’t catch its eyes. I’m not sure there’s enough space on its head for eyes with such a jaw. It had wings or rather hands attached to its back. Inside its mouth, the lower half of what appeared to be Anna Albercht. Her upper half was on the pavement right below that thing, crawling.

I think it had one of her kids in its wings, hands, thing… I don’t know.

Adrenaline kicked in, and I ran. I bolted it as fast as I could have into my house and ran straight inside the air-raid shelter. Whatever that airborne monster was, I want nothing to do with it.

I’ve been here for the last six hours. Reception comes and goes since I’m practically inside a bunker. I’ve enough provisions in here for wartime to last for a couple of weeks, including running water. I keep hearing something trying to ram itself in. Strange as it may sound, it’s trying to ram its way in through the walls rather than the door. I’m starting to lose my reception again. I’ll provide an update as soon as I can. If anyone near the Sinai Peninsula sees fireballs in the sky, hide as best as you can. Make sure whatever this is can’t get to you.

Worst of all, I keep hearing the voices of my neighbors calling out to me from the wall. They are asking to be let in, begging to be helped escape this monstrosity.

These aren’t my neighbors; I swear I could hear Anna’s voice calling out to me from beyond the door.