Chapter Two: The Invasion

Scarborough, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, January 15 2068, 2:30pm

Jason Blake had just gotten off his bus, slung his school bag over his shoulder and began the walk home from the bus stop. He looked up at the sky, noticing the dark clouds rolling in as the wind blew his long, brown fringe across his forehead. He closed his eyes and sighed contently. He liked thunderstorms and from the look of the sky, he was going to get one. He opened his eyes and also noticed oddly rounded clouds. Clouds that looked like the underside of a bowl, but they did that sometimes. He crossed the road and walked down the alleyway on his usual shortcut. Thank god, he thought to himself, thank god it’s Wednesday. Most schools in Australia don’t operate during the Summer break, but his school was well behind the others academically and the move to operate during the Summer break was supported by the parents as well. It also meant they got slightly longer breaks during the terms. Wednesday his entire year group finished after third period and could leave, and they did in droves. The local transport actually ran double buses on Wednesday’s. When he got home, he let himself in (he was the only one there) and headed straight for his room. Once there, he dropped his bag onto the floor and then lay on his bed, thinking about what was really on his mind. His dad had died, in a research lab in Cairns. The army had sent someone to talk to them. Jason replayed the memory in his head.

‘He died a hero’s death…. You should be proud, he gave his life to protect this country…. In sacrificing himself he saved the lives of hundreds of people” all that came to him were those sentences. When Jason’s mother asked if they found his body, the army official said no but handed over the Aug A3. It was the only thing they could find that he owned. The plan was to bury it at the funeral. Jason fell asleep, thinking about how much like his father he was, wearing long pants every day of the year for starters.

He didn’t know how long he’d been asleep. Hours at least. But what woke him up was the rain. The roof of his house was gone and there was clearly destruction everywhere. He sat up and looked around him. He could see smoke clouds in the distance from houses that had been completely destroyed. He also noticed his face and clothes were covered in dirt and mud. He clambered over the debris in his room and set foot in the surprisingly clear hallway. He skipped checking his mum’s room. Even if it was normal day, she wouldn’t have been home until late that night; instead he headed straight for the store room and found the Aug A3. Jason knew a thunderstorm couldn’t have done this. The Tallentiri were responsible and he would feel safer having something to defend himself with, even if there weren’t Tallentiri around. His dad had taught him how to use and load most weapons; the Aug A3 included, and he always kept spare ammo in the house for when he went down to the firing range. Jason found and pocketed the ammo before raiding the kitchen for food and water. He then went back to his room and found his bag. He emptied it off everything, bar his laptop. It could be useful, he thought. Jason placed the food and water in the bag and the slung it over his shoulder. If Tallentiri were around, then this wasn’t the place to stay. He needed to find shelter before the night set in, and hopefully, other survivors. He walked out the street and instinctively turned left and walked. There was a deli and supermarket not far from the top of the hill and the houses near there could still be intact and be his best chance for survival during the night. As Jason turned and walked up the hill, he had to throw himself into cover. Three Tallentiri were standing at the intersection. Jason peered around the wall he’d used for cover and watched them. They seemed to stand there forever and then they began moving down the street, his way. He didn’t want to have to take on three of them at once. He had to move quickly, he knew that. He looked around quickly for added cover. There was a little walkway between where the wall turned and the wall of the house that the wall belonged to. He ran into it and it shielded him from view and Tallentiri seemed to pass him without noticing. Suddenly a hand clamped itself over his mouth and he could tell it was definitely Human. A survivor seemed to have found him.