Run (D.L)

Invasion

31st December, 1999

It felt like the world was ending. That's what everyone been told anyway. It was all over the news and had been all day. But she didn't understand; she was only 7 years old, so how could she? How could she even begin to piece together what might be happening outside her front door.

Demi clung to her mother's sweater, her stepfather's protective arms around them both. The three of them sat at the top of their staircase, in their little house in Dallas, Texas. They had just received news that Demi's older sister, named Dallas after our hometown, had been found dead at her friend's house, along with her friend and his family. Dallas was only 11. Her mother sobbed into her hair; she could feel a wet patch forming on the top of her head. Suddenly, they heard a loud crack and they knew the creatures were here. Demi's stepfather stood up, baseball bat at the ready. "Diana," He said over his shoulder to her mother, "Get Demetria hidden." Her mother nodded. She moved around and opened Demi's bedroom door as her stepfather backed towards us, never taking his eyes off the staircase. "Alright sweetheart. Now you must do exactly what I tell you to do, okay?" Her mother said, trying very hard not to cry anymore. Demi nodded obediently. "Good. Now, I want you to lock your bedroom door and windows, close your curtains and hide somewhere, okay?" Demi nodded again, clutching her mother's old teddy to her chest. It had always been my favourite toy and right now seemed the perfect time to hug it. "Good girl." Her mother kissed Demi's forehead and hugged her tightly. "I want you to know that I love you so, so much. And so does daddy." She pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "We love you, pumpkin. No matter what happens." Her stepfather said over his shoulder. Another loud crack sounded from the front door. Demi's stepfather turned quickly and pulled her close. "I love you. You'll always be my little girl." He whispered in her ear as her mother wept beside them. "I love you too." Demi said, as her stepfather drew away from her. They heard the front be flung off it's hinges and they knew the creatures were in the house. "Hide. Now!" Demi's mother said, pushing her into her room and closing the door. Demi did as she had been told: she locked the door and windows, closed her curtains and, with the teddy still clutched to her chest, she rolled under her bed. Demi's bed had been thrown to an odd angle; when it all first happened, they thought it was just an earthquake. Everything shook violently, causing all the furniture to move. From under her bed, looking straight ahead, she could see her bedroom door. Everything had gone quiet; too quiet. Suddenly, Demi heard a terrible snarl and her parents pleas. It all happened so fast; a snarl, which turned into three, her mother's scream, a swipe and then silence.