The Invasion

4 | Doomsday

A piercing scream shrills through the air. All heads turn towards the source, confused. It's coming from the same group of fleeing people, the same direction which Leo has come from.

And then I see her—a familiar face. Her bob hairstyle and geeky glasses help me recognize the falling figure.

Ella. A girl that I know from biology class. She's nice, quiet and an extremely bright student.

I still remember the first day we met. By sheer coincidence, it was in the hallway too. Some crazy chicks had pushed her to the floor. They bullied her and called her names for her zits until I came to her defense.

Ella was grateful for my help. Overtime, we chatted and became friends. I recall the times we were project mates and how she had given me study tips to pass my finals last year. In classes that Avery and I don't share, Ella is always there.

Through the gap of human bodies in the hallway, our eyes meet. I remember our last conversation this morning—she had passed me a bag of Skittles to last me through the day. She knows I have issues sitting still and not doing anything.

Seeing her helpless on the ground, my first instinct is to help her.

Ella has fallen once again, but this time, she can never stand on her feet again.

Horror crosses her features and her mouth forms a circle. Before she can release another scream, something crashes through the glass wall, pounces onto her back and buries its face into her shoulder. The figure's all dark brown, massive and full of scales. There are fins growing at the back of its body and it has elongated, sharp claws with two oddly shaped feet.

"Ella!" I scream, but two pairs of hands hold me back—Avery and Leo. "Guys, let me go! Ella!"

At my desperate cry, the creature's head snaps up. The sight causes my heart to leap to my throat in pure terror. Bright blood drips from its fangs and a pair of red, gleaming eyes watches me hungrily. The hallway is silent with bated breath as everyone stares at the bizarre monster in great horror.

It's one of those Fang-tooth fishes, I realize, but several times larger with...limbs?

What the hell?

Teeth bare, a snarl erupts from its throat. Returning its attention to a screaming Ella, it sinks its fangs deep into her flesh once more, drawing more bright red liquid. She thrashes against it, but her efforts are futile. Her body's trapped in the creature's claws. The more she resists, the more her wounds deepen. I shriek as her strength falters. Her eyes roll back into her head and she collapses.

She's the first victim we see, but not the last.

Hell unleashes itself in the school's hallway. Shadows—sea creatures, to be exact—come barreling through the glass walls and into the hallway to catch us. Petrified screams fill the air as people panic and scramble for safety. But they don't get far. They attack several people that I know; Elias from Math class, Roxanne the snobby cheerleader, Charles the student counselor and a teacher who teaches physics, Mr. Rhodes.

Those things catch them and there is nothing we can do to save them.

"Run!" Leo's frantic voice jolts me from my shock. His hand grips my wrist almost painfully. "Run!"

He drags Avery and me out of the building as we struggle to regain our bearings. Together, we dash towards his car and narrowly avoid the monsters that have already invaded our school grounds. They are everywhere around us; on the roof of cars, the buildings, the compound. They are attacking and feeding on every living person they can get their claws on.

We throw ourselves into the backseat of the car and Leo activates the lock function. As he starts the engine with shaking hands, I watch the mayhem through the window in horror. Colors drain from my face quickly at the ghastly scene. Bodies are strewn everywhere. Aquatic creatures of all shapes and sizes seize the rest of the living humans like they are simply food and rob them of their lives.