Morgon fighter bombers swept over office and exclusive apartment blocks, small black revolving barrels dropping from open holds into the vehicle packed streets below, horns blaring in the stationary lines of cars and delivery vans as frustrated drivers attempted to escape the loud gunfire behind.
Flames shot upwards with billowing black smoke, the vehicles incinerated in the acidic inferno, the celebrating shrieking pilots unleashing a new weapon similar to napalm, but far more toxic. Clouds of polluted burning air billowed across the building fronts, seeping through window openings and over balconies, residents asphyxiated or blinded in the fumes in their apartments, their furnishings igniting to end the lives of any hidden survivors.
The cars burned in an inferno below, paint smouldering and bubbling as it was melted from polluted and scorched steel, the occupants’ seared and lifeless charred bodies still aflame inside. Windows began to smoulder and disintegrate as the crumpled dried and charcoal caked frames of pedestrians crumpled and shattered in the toxic firestorm, numerous approaching army vehicles either completely consumed or reversing away as several smouldering volunteers turned to run in panic.
All along the harbour, buildings became engulfed in fire, the Morgon vessels sweeping past to bomb and strafe positions behind. Screaming and burning human soldiers threw themselves into the churning water, many bodies consumed by the acid that now seeped from the quaysides down bubbling brick and stone, the others in safer areas dragged under the waves by powerful approaching enemy troops.
The escalating fires joined to become an inferno, sucking the oxygen from the air and depriving any unfortunate survivors of the last comforts of dwindling existence. The flames consumed everything in the lower harbour, a firestorm engulfing anything that would burn, fuel, furnishings and the contents of warehouses erupting in the intense heat.
Black armoured figures swept up the river, the water sizzling above as the alien soldiers slowly consumed the oxygen supply in their helmets, their muscular bodies powering against the diminished tide. The surging and frothing water was constricted by the immense crashed vessel ahead, churning past shattered pleasure boats and the sinking hulls of coast guard or security launches on either side. Burning debris filled the waterways, Morgon soldiers streaming into the Mystic and Chelsea Rivers and making their way further upstream to clamber into choked streets, horrified screams and the crackle of gunfire driving the invaders on in rising blood lust.
Rodrigues emerged from the trees, gasping for breath and dropping to his knees next to the other younger marine, both men breathing heavily and stunned by the sight before them. The tall white lighthouse stood to the left, the weathered walls stained and sporadically lined with lichen on the lower levels flourishing in grooves between the stones.
The early evening low sun seemed to sparkle briefly between clouds as they stared around incredulously in disbelief, a fast food van sat next to the high rounded structure with several children queuing for their selections, three minibuses parked around with couples sat on wooden picnic benches, chewing on burgers or hot dogs and sipping from paper cups or dink cartons. Several smaller children were playing in the distance, the small park at the end of a substantial driveway from the south and popular stopping place.
The picturesque island was steeped in history, from native American Indians in the seventeenth century to being occupied by the British Army in the revolutionary war, the coastline fortified in the nineteenth century, the island having experienced a number of intriguing uses with lighthouses and abandoned forts to be investigated.
The houses to the south were now reoccupied after the area of prominent land was closed in 2014, the unsafe linking bridge demolished in 2015, a short period of abandonment following before residents were permitted back with their own water transport, the island now attracting lucrative day trips, albeit to restricted viewing areas only.
The two soldiers glanced slowly to their right in almost unison, two sightseers staring through a small gap in the trees with binoculars at the burning city in the distance, another with a mobile phone raised, filming the heavily rising smoke plumes.
Rodrigues gasped, the soldier next to him tensing in alarm as he heard the muffled crashing of a transport platform door falling forward and grinding against the rocks, a loud snarl and roar coming from within the vessel as two beasts were released, the armoured Morgons crashing through the trees behind.
Grabbing his deafened countryman, the younger marine darted forward, screaming at the twenty three gathered people, several stunned as they glimpsed the drenched and blood smeared marines, their fear rising as the soldiers waved frantically, pointing to the vehicles. People stared in transfixed terror, the food and drinks dropping from their grasps, the two soldiers grasping out at individuals in an attempt to force them from inaction.
The two men with binoculars spun round to see the soldiers running with others, the mobile phone cracking onto the cement below them, the filming middle aged male gasping for breath as he backed from the trees before him in terror, two piercing eyes and salivating jaws gradually emerging into the dim light.
The four large incisors snapped menacingly as dripping wide paws with extended talons stepped onto the cement, the large muscular tiger lowering on its haunches as it snarled again, frantic screams breaking out as people fled in terror. Further crashing came from the trees, high piercing shrieks ringing out as the armoured soldiers advanced into the light, withdrawing large twin bladed swords from their backs in relish as a vehicle engine roared into life.
The
