Afraid of the Dark

by Chris Hechtl

  He surveyed the group and nodded once more. “We're going to fight,” he said quietly, glaring. “We're going to keep fighting.”

  He waited for the rumble of discontent to wash through the group. It wasn't much, but it was there still. An undercurrent. The fear was still there, but muted in the tide of the current moment.

  “No running. We've got every reason in the world, the whole world to fight. This is our home, that's one. For some that's enough. Not me. Here is mine.” He pointed to his children. The crowd shifted to see Nick and the twins. Nick looked on, scared, but fierce and determined. He held on to his rifle, tightening his grip.

  “Many of you have the same reason to fight as I do. Kids. Kids alive now, or unborn; or kids to avenge. You know that. Take a good long look in their eyes. Animals don't care about their children, they can just make more. That's what makes us better. We're preparing for the next generation. Otherwise all we can do is run and keep running, and slowly slip away into extinction.”

  He looked around. “I don't want that. Neither do you. Somewhere, someone has to make a stand. I choose here,” he pointed down angrily. “So we're going to fight. They want to come to our city? We'll make them pay in blood. A toll they and we will never forget. We're good at that,” he growled. There was a cheer from the militia. He nodded and kept rolling, raising his voice over the cheers until they backed down.

  “Any one of you can tell how we've cleared this city. Block by block. We've done it once, we can do it again. House by house, block by block, mile by mile, we'll do it again, and again, and again, until the aliens are dead or hiding in the shadows. This is our city and we're taking it back! Today! Tomorrow! Every damn day, until hell freezes over!”

  There was a roar from the militia group. He'd expected it and nodded grimly. When they quieted he nodded once more.

  “We're taking it back. This is our world. We're fighting for the right reasons, the most basic of rights. The right to survive. To exist. This isn't about politics; this isn't about who's right and who's wrong. It’s our right as a civilization, as a species, as a planet to go on and survive.”

  “Most of you know my wife. You know how sick she is. She's dying. But she hasn't given up, and she won’t give up. She'll go down fighting. If she can do that, as bad as she is, then we can damn well live up to her example. We can fight on. We can live on. We damn well will live on. For her memory, for the memory of everyone who's died before us.”

  The entire mall was deathly still. He waited, looking left and right. “We aren't backing down. We know how to kill these things. We are going to kill these things. They aren't taking our world! Not on my watch!” he bellowed.

  The militia cheered. He was half afraid some twit would shoot into the air but fire discipline held. He felt the wave of determination, felt it break over the uncertain people in the crowd who were suddenly caught up in the moment. He let it rise and rise and then crest. Finally he motioned for calm.

  “You all know what we can do when we work together. I'm asking you to put aside your fear. Put aside your differences and focus on the task at hand like never before. We're going to kill them. By the dozens, by the hundreds. It doesn't matter. When dawn breaks we'll still be here and they will be slinking off to any hidey hole they can find. They have been trying and failing and tonight will be no different. And then it will be our turn. Our turn to dish it out.” he said grimly as he nodded to Hernandez who nodded grimly back. “While some of us are doing that, the rest of you are going to dig in here and rebuild what needs to be rebuilt, and make new weapons. We're not giving up and we're not giving in. This has only just started. Posts, people!”

  He nodded to Gabe who tapped at a tablet. The national anthem began to play. Many sang along. Others broke up, heading to their posts. He hugged the kids. The girls dashed their tears on their father's sleeves.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Jen listened to the broadcast and smiled tenderly. “That's my man,” she murmured and closed her eyes and sighed softly. She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes as she smiled but was too weak. She sighed and felt herself drift once more. She knew they were going to be all right now. Safe.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “We will, we will...” Hernandez said getting into the rhythm. Many people were clapping, stomping and banging on the rails in a familiar rhythm. Eddy Newman was all smiles, clapping and signing along.

  “Don't say it,” Shane said, hugging his girls. “Take care of them,” he ordered Jayne. She nodded.

  “I'm coming too dad,” Nick said, hefting his gun. He looked at the boy. “I'm thirteen now dad. I can handle it.”

  “It’s... It’s going to be bad kid,” Hernandez warned.

  “Its war, I've played war games,” the kid said shrugging. “I've been with dad and the harvesters. I'll be okay. You need everyone you've got on the line,” he said looking at his dad.

  Jayne bit her lip, looking at him in raw appeal. He sighed. He knew the intractable stubbornness in his son. “Okay,” he said quietly. Jayne gasped a little. He held up a finger. “You do as you're told. I tell you to run, you're gone. I tell you to fall back, do so. No argument. There is no time. You follow orders. Got me?”

  “Yeah dad. I mean sir,” the kid said grinning.

  “Shit,” Hernandez said shaking his head.

  “We will, we will...” Shane looked up. Gabe had caught on and was rocking the place with Queen's 'We will rock you'. “Now we're talking,” he said gruffly. “Let's move out!” he yelled chopping his hand to the exits.

  “Fighters, man your positions. Don't fire unless they are at the wall and in your engagement zone. Anyone who does gets an ass reaming from me!” Hernandez yelled, walking through the crowd. “Move it, move it, Make a hole here people!”

  “Bob,” Shane said turning to him. “Put half your people to bed right now. Get the other half into squads near the doors. We'll need them to shore up any defenses that fail.”

  “Why bed down?” Bob asked. He was pretty sure no one was going to sleep tonight.

  “I want someone to work in the day time,” Shane explained. Bob should know this; he'd been doing it now for a while. It must be a stupid fatigue question. He turned to Jayne. “Jayne...”

  “The kids, I know. Sheila's got volunteers. I'll get the girls to bed, then I'll get a crew to help Jerry and Bob. A blood drive is kicking off now.”

  “Good,” he said nodding. “We'll pull back wounded ASAP. Just like before. Rotate in fresh people to pick up where they left off.”

  “Good luck daddy,” Trina said. Tori nodded. Both girls were on the verge of tears. He mussed their hair and then kissed each of them on the forehead. “Get to bed both of you. Try to sleep. You've got a lot of work tomorrow, okay?” he asked.

  “Yes daddy,” Tori said face clouded in misery. She turned away. Jayne stroked her hair.

  “You coming?” Hernandez called. He waved and followed.

  Outside it was just getting dark. The sun had set twenty minutes ago. In a few more minutes it would be full dark. They could already hear the aliens outside the walls, assembling.

  “Hernandez, Wayne, guys, get your people down. Hunker down, one person looking. Gabe,” he turned to face the mall. He felt a swelter of pride at the sight of the flag. It was lit up with spotlights and flapping gloriously. A little battered, but still glorious.

  “Gabe!” he said keying the mike again.

  “Yeah boss?” the man yelled over the noise and music. The intercom was okay for the music but the speakers couldn't handle the deep base worth a damn. Pity.

  “Cut the sound and lights!” he yelled.

  “You want me to what?” Gabe asked. “You just told me to...”

  “Cut the lights and sound. Put me on PA!”

  He waited as first the sound cut off and then the lights dimmed. “You're hot boss,” Gabe's voice said.

  “Listen up people. Razzle Dazzle when the first wave get to the moat. Anyone with sunglasses keep
a watch. Otherwise hunker down and above all don't look. It’s going to be mighty bright in a minute,” he said. “Hopefully we'll catch them off guard. Remember that.”

  “Conserve your ammo. Don't fire unless they get to the wall or you've got a priority target. Communicate with your team folks, we don't need ten people shooting one animal while nine others are ignored.”

  He paused and took a breath. “We're going to light em up with fire, light, and sound in a bit. Take five, you'll need it,” he said. He double clicked to indicate he was done. The PA echoed the clicks and then cut off.

  “Razzle Dazzle huh?” Hernandez asked. He nodded to Nick, standing behind his dad. “Think it will work?” he asked.

  “Should screw up their timing for the first charge at least,” Shane said watching people laying out gear and getting set. “We've probably got about thirty minutes to an hour before they come. We might get some leakers to test the area but I doubt it. I'll take this end, you take the other,” he indicated the 60 side. “Meet on the Lowe's side and back.”

  “Right,” Hernandez said moving off. He took his truck, stopping to talk with a knot of people briefly before moving on.

  “Dad, think this will work?” Nick asked following at a trot.

  “Yeah, it'll work,” he said glancing at his son.

  “What the heck is it?” the kid asked.

  “Best damn fireworks you'll see for a while probably kid,” he said. “Come on, we're going to walk the perimeter then find a good place to watch the show,” he said. He moved off.

  He knew that morale was critical to the men and women on the wall. They all knew the stakes. They needed to know there was some hope at the end of it. He smiled at a few and nodded to others he knew. “Relax folks. Lights are off for a sec, no it’s not to conserve power. We're going to blind the fuckers and knock them over like dominoes soon enough,” he said grimly.

  “Dude, pizza sucked there,” a guy joked. “Pizza hut's better,” another said. He shook his head and moved on. Some people, he thought sourly. Everyone's got to be a comedian.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Jerrica Newman looked for her dad but didn't find him with his crew. She forced herself to stop looking, she had a duty to perform as a medic and litter bearer. Hell, what she really was was a gopher. Go for this or that, whether it was a person, urgently needed fuel or ammo, or to carry word about something or other.

  Everyone was tired, she felt for the guys and gals on the wall. She shook her head. Tired, but strangely, at peace she'd heard. Ready to keep fighting. They weren't giving up, not by a long shot. Finally, motion near a porta potty caught her eye. She saw her dad come out, pulling his stained and ripped pants up. He kicked away some TP that had clung to his foot and then stomped wearily back to his crew.

  “That's my dad,” she said softly, proudly.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Shane looked at the others. They were scared; he could see it in their eyes. He snorted softly. “I don't blame you if you want to pull up stakes and run. It’s a basic instinct. We've got a juggernaut bearing down on us, a hurricane of teeth and claws. It’s scary. I know. But we're in the eye of it now. There isn't any choice but to bear down and weather the storm.”

  “But its... I mean, we can't hold the entire perimeter!” a soldier said shaking his head.

  “We're not planning to,” Shane said smiling. He looked around. “Oh we are, but we're not going to fight till we drop. What we're going to do is bleed them. We're going to bleed them white. Make them pay to chase us off the outer walls. We're going to give ground only when we have to, when we're threatened with being overrun. It'll be close, and it'll be scary. But believe me when I say it’s going to work.”

  “How? There are millions out there!” a guy said waving his hands. “We're toast!”

  “So? You going to roll over and die? Crawl into a bottle? Me? I'm going to fight.” He hefted his gun. “I'm going to make them pay for every inch of ground. We'll retreat when we have to, into the forts and inner perimeter. When dawn breaks we'll come out and take back what is ours. That's been the plan all along and so far it’s working. I know you’re tired, we all are. We'll clean them out and fix the breaks in the wall. They'll have to do it all over again and again.” He looked at them as some of them caught on and looked at one another uncertainly.

  “We'll make them pay as often as it takes to retake the outer walls. Pay in blood. Three times? Four? Ten? I don't care. We'll make a wall of their dead. We'll break them. Wear them down until there is nothing left. Scorched earth, people, we bring our dead with us.” He looked around grimly and nodded. “I'm not leaving anyone to get eaten. That'll just breed more of them. No, we're going to leave them sorry and sore. We'll burn them with napalm, roast them and laugh while we break out the marshmallows.” More than one eye sparkled at that.

  “We've got some tricks up our sleeves. Some you know, some we're still working on. Some we haven't tested. We're also putting a call into the military. Don't expect any last minute Cavalry charges folks, but even a gunship or two would be welcome right about now.” He smiled as a few people cheered.

  “Now, posts people. We've got work to do and targets to service,” he said. The meeting broke up after that.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Razzle Dazzle had strobe lights and speakers going off from the wall. When the aliens turned away more popped up from the ground and went off. Rockets lit up the night, exploding in brilliant fireworks overhead. Some of the rockets sprayed out magnesium flares. The flares dangled from parachutes and drifted on the wind. The light perimeter was suddenly tripled, exposing the aliens, who thought they had been safe in the dark. Artillery began to thunder, raining napalm and shrapnel onto the biggest pockets.

  More fireworks were fired at ground level. These spun on the ground in random directions, buzzing angrily and shooting off sparks and bright lights. Some had poppers that spat loud flaming bits. The aliens in the way danced out of reach.

  Gabe tossed in a pair of boots on each front. These were bowling ball sized creations that rolled around like a hamster ball. The clear plastic shell hid a powerful battery, motor, and a strobe light. The things were remote controlled, allowing them to dance, each of them all over the place, confusing the aliens.

  Some aliens span in place in confusion. A few rampaged, attacking everything around them, including their own kind. Chaos erupted through the alien lines as many of the less intelligent aliens tried to run for the shadows. The Gremlins and Creeplings fell back, crawling out of the area in full retreat. Gabe shut the system down after a few minutes with a smug grin.

  Shane however knew it wouldn't work so well the next time. They had fewer rockets and the aliens would start to target the lights with what weapons they had. He'd actually expected it last night or the first night but the aliens hadn't tried. Oh a few rocks here and there, and a Creepling had tried to get at one, but the wire mesh had fried it. They were all protected. Already he could see on the night vision that the aliens were reforming.

  “I'd say that bought us another half hour to hour,” Ross said over the radio net.

  “Only that?” Bob asked.

  “Bob, get some downtime. That's an order,” Shane said over the net. “Tell your people to do the same.”

  “Like anyone can sleep with all this going on?” Bob demanded.

  “Bob, we're going to need you awake and alert more than ever come morning. You get to fix what gets broken and improve on what needs improving,” Shane said patiently.

  There was a double click and then nothing else. He sighed. He knew better than to try to give an order that he knew wouldn't be obeyed. He shook his head at the futility of trying to get anyone to sleep. This might not be a straight on battle; it might come down to attrition. Definitely a slug fest. He needed his people to be aware of that.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  The next wave came in nearly two precious hours later. The aliens were wary, some of the lesser animals had
blinders on and the Creeplings were constantly ducking or covering their eyes. He snorted softly.

  “Good, they are wary. Jumpy. We can use that. But I think... I think we're going to do something else. Time for a barbeque,” he said with a malicious hard grin.

  “Barbeque. Right,” Ross said. “Sprinklers?”

  “Let them get half way across and deeper into the box. Then just spray, don't light them up.”

  “Roger.”

  They used the sprinklers from the wall first. When the aliens shied away spitting, the pop ups in the kill zone come up and begin to spray and soak the aliens and the area around with gas and oil. Anything flammable was used, a nice mix of different fuel types that really soaked the area.

  The aliens milled around, uncertain. He watched as the lead Hellcat got a wet sheen and the follow on aliens slowed. He nodded to Gabe.

  “Let's light em up,” Gabe said, leaning forward eagerly. “Watch your eyes!” he said.

  Flares lit the night. The aliens flinched and ducked as the flares flew overhead.

  “We missed?” Gabe asked.

  “Nope,” Shane said just as the first flare hit the rising gas fumes. A fireball erupted into the air and then the fuel on the ground lit in a whoosh, right towards the moat. It spread like wildfire; anything with fuel on it was immediately alight.

  Fuel and fumes with a low smoke point lit first, then as the temperature rose it lit the higher smoke point fuels. Animals burst into flames in roars of fire and pain. Those that made their own fire turned into fireballs. A Tribble exploded, showering the area with spines, impaling aliens all around it. A ragged cheer erupted from the wall at the sight of aliens dancing and being consumed in the flames. He nodded, eyes cold.

  Some of the aliens dropped immediately, some of them tried to turn back but a wall of flame cut them off.