“All clear up here guys. Jacob, Tom, Maggie, let's get moving.” Said Dawn before she moved out of sight again.
“Tom? Maggie?” Said Jacob with hesitation, as he cautiously moved back into the dark space to find them.
The sounds of a struggle somewhere in front of him caused Jacob to stop in his tracks, afraid of what may be in the darkness with him. The fighting slowed to faint rustle then to sounds of a sharp object repeatedly piercing flesh. Now filled with a sense of dread, he again began backing towards the stairs. Feeling the vibration of something large hitting the ground in front of him, Jacob turned around to quicken his pace only to feel his feet slip out from under him, causing him to fall to the floor. Placing his hands on the floor to push himself up, he felt a warm pool of liquid in front of him as he came to the realization he was kneeling in a pool of blood. Feeling around in front of him, Jacob found Tom lying on the ground motionless. The metallic smell of blood rose in the air, as Jacob became acutely aware that someone was in the basement with him and had killed Tom and Maggie. Quickly pushing himself to his feet to make a run for the stairs, Jacob began to form the words to call for help when he felt something hit him hard in the chest. Swept off his feet by the powerful blow, he flew back hitting his head hard on the concrete floor, momentarily causing him to black out. Coming to with his head throbbing, Jacob laid on the floor in disorientation, as he pressed his hand against the large lump on the back of his head. Unsure if he was awake or dreaming, Jacob laid on the floor in pain. Unable to move, he looked around the room, an empty void of complete darkness, except for the dull red pool he was lying in and Tom and Maggie’s bodies on the floor beside him, somehow perfectly visible.
“Jacob, wake up.” Called a voice Jacob was sure was Alex.
“Alex!” Said Jacob instinctually, as he saw shadows moving in the dark.
Trying to force himself to move, Jacob found himself completely paralysed as strange hooded figures moved amongst the distant edges of the void. Unsure what he was seeing, he strained against the darkness, as the figures faded in out of sight.
“Alex, is that you?” Said Jacob, his voice met with complete silence.
Waiting to hear his brother again, Jacob stared at the distant figures unsure if they were real or tricks of the mind. As he strained against the darkness to make sense of what he was seeing, he noticed something approaching from the distorted edges of the void. Again, trying to force himself to move, he found it impossible. Only able to watch as the figure approached, he saw it’s bright-red body armour becoming vividly clear, as if it were the only thing that existed in that dark space. Filled with fear, Jacob could feel his heart pounding, as he realized the figure was wearing the same brass-rimmed glasses and respirator as the other invaders he had seen prior. Standing right over Jacob, the soldier came to a complete stop as it stared down at Jacob and drew a long-curved knife from a sheath at its side. Unable to resist, Jacob closed his eyes waiting to feel the blade come down on him, bringing him the same fate that met Tom and Maggie.
“Get up Jacob!” Screamed Alex’s voice, as Jacob exploded to is feet with a burst of adrenaline.
Feeling the blade effortlessly pass through his shoulder as he rose, Jacob narrowly missed the blow meant to kill him. Quickly rising, he smashed hard against the soldier in front of him, catching the invader off guard in the darkness and causing them to stumble backwards.
“Get down Jacob!” Darren yelled from across the room.
Spinning around, Jacob threw himself to the floor as the bright flash of a rifle discharging briefly lit the room, exposing the red-suits position in the dark for a moment. Darren fired a second shot, hitting the red-suit, as Dawn joined in from the top of the stairs, delivering a lethal head shot to the invader. The room lit up in an intense brightness, as Orm descended the staircase holding a flashlight. While slowly standing, Jacob cautiously looked around at the massacre noticing Tom and Maggie laying on the ground next to each other. Looking down, he could see the deceased soldier in their red body armour lying motionless on the floor at his feet. Curious, Jacob knelt beside the invader and cautiously removed their helmet and face mask. Standing up quickly and stepping back he stared down at the face of boy, who appeared only a few years older than himself.
“Look at him... they are the same as us.” Said Jacob, noticing Darren and Orm now standing at either side of him.
“But they are not us,” Said Orm in a sombre tone as he knelt and began searching the body for useful gear and weapons.
“Don't get too sentimental. Remember Jacob, they attacked us, they are here to kill us,” Said Darren as he bent down and removed a pistol and holster from the red-suits chest.
“They killed my mother, took my brother and destroyed everything I have ever known. How could I forget?” said Jacob. The sadness and anger evident in his voice as he knelt beside Darren and picked up the large knife the soldier cut him with.
“Your hurt,” said Darren, noticing the blood soaking through Jacobs shirt in the bright flashlight light.
Hearing Darren, Orm came over to Jacob to evaluate his shoulder wound. Grimacing painfully, Jacob gently removed his sweater with Orms help, to better expose the wound. Fresh blood began flowing from the deep wound and trailing down Jacobs arms, dripping onto thealready blood-stained floor. Taking some cloth from his bag,
