Arrived (World At War): Arrived, #2

Copyright © 2017 Kathy Dinisi

Arrived: World At War

All rights reserved.

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by the United States of America copyright law.

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owner of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication or use of those trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Designer: Voluptuous Book Editing

Editor: Voluptuous Book Editing

Ebook format: Kathy Dinisi

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Dedication

To my family who enjoys my stories, you are my shining star.

For all the readers who picked up my books and fell in love with my characters.

Thank you, Laura, for your hard work and dedication.

Chapter 1

The nightmares just begun

-Unknown

I brace myself against the rock walls in the underground cave. Pebbles fall all around me, crashing to the cold cement floor. I close my eyes and pray that the walls are strong enough to withhold the violent shaking. It’s not a normal earthquake, not like the ones we used to have in New Mexico. No, these quakes are different, angry, scarier. The Aliens had dropped so many of their petrifying machines down to Earth shortly after we were rescued. We had to find somewhere to hide, nowhere was safe. The military had taken all personnel to an underground military base in Texas. Which has been our home for four months.

I haven’t seen Max since that last time we spent together in New Mexico. He saved my family’s life and saved my friends John and Stacey as well. I miss him, I know I didn’t really know him, but those couple days we spent together felt different. It felt magical. I can’t explain what I felt for him, all I know is it’s something I’ve never experienced before with John or anyone else. He is special somehow.

Finally, after what seemed like forever the ground stops shaking and the pebbles slowly stop falling. There’s not very many places us civilians are able to go that aren’t guarded by the military. So, I try almost daily to look out the tunnel doors hoping to see the world outside of the dark and gloomy base. But every time I come here it’s nothing but dark halls.

There’s no windows to look out of, just two big metal doors that can only be opened with a code that only the military has. Not even Max’s uncle Mr. Johnson has the code for it. And he has been working with the military ever since we got here. Trying his hardest to figure out the Aliens secret codes so we can fight back.

I heard some rumors about the new species of Aliens that have been arriving here on Earth. The way the soldiers explain these creatures frightens me. Kit describes them as spies. They stand taller than the ones we first came in contact with, they have long tentacles that spring out of the sides of their tall thin bodies.

The tentacles can detach from their body’s and travel in small confined areas, even cracks. Searching, feeling for their food. When I say food, I mean us. They can somehow squeeze through every crack making it almost impossible to hide. For the poor innocent souls that they catch, they would suck the blood from their veins until there wasn’t a drop left.

For the ones that they decide not to suck dry, they take them as prisoners to a spaceship that is hidden somewhere far into the depths of the stars where we can’t save them. The ones that are taken to these ships have never been seen again. What they do with the prisoners; I have no clue.

I’m not sure if I want to know what they do to them. I can only imagine that they are abused and tortured in the most horrific ways. I don’t know what would be worse, been taken aboard a ship or getting my blood sucked out until my heart stops beating. It’s a miracle that they haven’t found us yet. Makes me wonder if the military has some sort of machine that can camouflage the military base. For what little bit that Stacey’s father has told us the military has known for years that there was life outside of our universe and some day they would invade Earth and take us for everything we had. But supposedly there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop them from killing us. So, we waited and waited for years hoping and praying that they would leave us alone.

I quickly walk through the dark tunnels. My hand on the wall, feeling my way through the darkness. Small flickering lights by my feet lead the way to the sleeping quarters. Faint voices can be heard the closer I get down the dark hall. The dark hallway opens to a big round room that is filled with rows and rows of cots.  Even though the military gave us a place to stay it still doesn’t feel like home; it never will. With Max gone and my mother still in a state of unconsciousness, I feel lost and alone. Stacey spends most of her days and nights wrapped up in John’s arms.

And Mr. Johnson isn’t much of a conversationalist. He is so involved with trying to find a way to break through the Aliens barriers so we can take down their ships and stop hiding that he doesn’t have any spare time for me. Kit is the only one that I really hang out with when he isn’t on guard duty.  I dodge rows of bunks filled with families that have someone working for the military or they work for the military. I step over children playing with whatever little bit of toys they still have on the floor. They smile and laugh oblivious to what kind of horror is lurking outside.

The military separated all the survivors by status. The families sleep at one end of the room and the single people sleep on the other end. My bunk is located against the far wall away from the children and families. Which I don’t mind because the kids can get loud and annoying. Kit sits on my bunk waiting for me. He stares at the two pictures that I managed to keep from back home.

One of the pictures is of my parents embracing. My father has his arm wrapped around my mother’s waist, he looks happy. My mother stares at him laughing. It’s my favorite picture of them, it was taken right before they got divorced. Even though I wasn’t very close to my father after my parents divorced, I often wonder if he is alive out there in the midst of this evil world? I hope he is, and I hope he somehow finds his way back to me.

The other picture is of me and Stacey at school, we were sitting on the red bench right outside of the lunch room. I can’t remember who took the picture of us, but we have the biggest, goofiest grin on our faces.  Our arms are wrapped around each other’s waist. It was taken just two months before the prom. Oh, how I miss our fun and annoying girl talks where we just talked about boys and music for hours. Laughing about god knows what.

He must not hear me approach him, so I make my presence known. Hey Kit, why aren’t you working today? He looks up and gives me a very large smile. Kit is a very attractive man. If it wasn’t for Max I think I could really fall for him. With his tall, heavy set 6’1" frame. Short, blond hair and his big, blue eyes. The military has done well for him.

I have the day off and wanted to know if you wanted to hang out with me?  He asks with a smirk and a lift of his brow.

Smiling, Yes, please! I’m beyond bored. I even went down to the tunnels to try to get a look outside but, didn’t get very far, it’s too dark. I say disappointed as I flop down on the bed next to him with a whoosh. I want a job Kit, I add frustrated. I hate feeling so useless, I’m great at math and may be able to help Mr. Johnson but he hasn’t asked for my help since that night in the abandoned house.  He said I found something that may have helped the military break through the barrier’s but he never clarified any further what I found or if he still needed me.

He jumps up, Do you want to see outside? he says excitedly grabbing my arm and pulling me to my feet.

Yes, please, I squeal in delight.

Then come with me young lady. He holds my hand pulling me through the rows of beds and people. The tip of my shoe kicks over a tower of colorful square blocks. The little boy looks up at me with tears in his eyes. The mother grabs her son and rubs his head. It’s okay sweetheart, you can build another one. I mouth to her sorry but she turns away from us.

I turn my attention back to Kit and laugh at his enthusiasm, Where are you taking me Kit?

He looks back at me, You’ll see. He smiles and winks. Leaving the living quarters, he takes me through another dark tunnel. One I’ve never been through before. The air grows colder the further down we go.

It’s cold, I say following close behind Kit. Our hands still tightly entwined together.

Don’t worry, it’ll warm up here pretty soon. He says with a hint of a smile. Just like he promised the tunnel starts warming up as the ground tilts up towards the world above us. My heart starts beating rapidly with excitement at the thought of seeing the world above us.

Kit, are you taking me above ground? I question skeptically.

Kind of, now hurry before someone realizes that we are gone and come looking for us. He picks up speed rushing us through the tunnel. A small piece of sunlight shimmers through an opening at the end of the tunnel. A big smile from ear to ear forms on my face.

I’m so excited I feel like a child on her birthday. I haven’t seen the outside world in over four months!

"I know, we don’t have long and unfortunately we can’t go outside but it’s better than nothing.