Aftermath

Pirates were groups of looters. When they came across peaceful nomadic groups, they attacked violently and raped and killed. It seemed that they took out the anger they felt toward the ETs on other humans. “How many?” Albert asked. “Ten or fifteen,” said Harold. “Not a big group, fortunately.” Albert spoke with every person he saw in the house. “Fran,” said Albert, “look for Irene and begin the defense plan we practiced. Claire, get the kids and meet Fran where we agreed. Hey, where are the boys? Dammit, people, where’s Donald?” “Albert, there’s not enough time to run. We’ll have to defend ourselves,” said Harold seriously. “Yes, we’ll lead them to our key locations. There’s the hospital tower, the town hall, and the church tower. They’re good positions. The four of us can handle them.” “The six of us, Albert,” said Gerry in a grave tone. “What do you mean?” “We’ve been coaching Brent and Evan on how to handle guns for a while now. We think they’re ready.” Albert shouted, “What do you mean? They’re not old enough to handle guns! They’re only fourteen!” “Not now, Albert. Our enemies are arriving. Let’s go!” Harold exclaimed. As they were leaving the house, Albert saw Brent and Evan with guns in hand and with serious expressions. Albert’s heart pounded in his chest, and panic tightened his throat. He froze. Through the haze of his fear, he could hear Gerry taking command. “Donald: to the church.” Donald grimaced like someone who didn’t take orders, but it wasn’t the time to argue. “I’ll go to the school. I’ll handle who comes in on the right,” said Gerry. “Harold and Albert’ll go to the town hall building and from there cause a distraction. That way we’ll have the pirates in the crossfire.” They all moved out quickly. Evan took his mother toward the hotel. They all worked in silence and practically in synchronicity. Only Albert seemed out of place through it all. He had trained the whole group. There had been months of combat and defense simulations against the pirates, but how could he be sure it would go as planned? The plan was focused around a location cut off by an avenue that also served as access to a secondary road, which led to the state highway. On this street, among rows of abandoned houses, was the only hotel, four stories high, which used to accommodate sales representatives that came to do business with the furniture factories—the main product the town manufactured. Harold looked sternly at Albert. “Man, not now! The boys will only get into any action if we fail, so we can’t!” he scolded. Albert tore free from his trance, and he followed Harold to the town hall. The idea was to call attention there so the hotel would be ignored by the pirates. Dashing through the doorway of the town hall, Albert heard the pirate leader yell, “Look through everything! Don’t let anything or anyone escape! We’re going to leave our mark here!” His loud, booming voice echoed throughout the town. Albert became even more breathless and then saw the hoard approaching the town, with shouts and waving the flag that characterized them—the well-known Jolly Roger, which brought fear over centuries. With their weapons on display, they entered the town. Albert crouched by the window for half an hour before he saw one of the pirates return to the main road. Albert caught his breath as he heard the pirate shout, “Captain, it looks like there are people in this town!” “Go through the buildings! They must be hiding! If there are women, the youngest, hottest one is mine! The rest you can divvy up,” exclaimed the leader. With cries, the pirates started the search within the buildings, and Albert saw a few approaching the hotel, where the women and boys were hiding. They passed beyond his field of view, but then he heard a gunshot and a painful scream, amid groans and cries of “I’ve been hit!” “It’s here! It’s here! We’ve found it!” the leader cried out. Albert heard footsteps, slamming car doors, and then a burst of gunfire. Gerry and Donald must be trying to pin them down, keep them out of the hotel, he thought. The gunfire intensified; the pirates were shooting back. Albert left the town hall building. He realized that his position would be of no help, as the pirates knew how to get in. He ran across the street, heading along a parallel street toward a bar in front of the hotel. He was planning to use the back entrance. Harold followed close behind Albert at first but then peeled off, and Albert realized he was trying to find a position where he could put the pirates in the crossfire. When Albert arrived at his destination, he looked at the wooden door in front of him, fearing it would be locked or prevent his silent entrance. He tested the back door and opened it gently. He walked in and was pleased with the view he had; the great showcase of the bar allowed him to look straight to the hotel entrance. Outside, angry bullets flew in every direction. Tensions were high. He noticed a group sneaking up to the front hotel door, protected by the pirates’ continuous shooting. Out of pure reflex, Albert simply aimed and fired. The bullet shattered the large window in the bar and hit a pirate in the head. It gave away Albert’s position but impeded the group’s entrance to the hotel. Soon a salvo of bullets invaded the bar, and Albert felt heat in one of his legs and hot liquid running down. He had no doubt he had been hit. He swallowed a scream and saw a pirate jump through the already-shattered window. Cornered, Albert saw the pirate coming at him; his vision was blurred, but feeling the adrenaline surge, he concentrated and fired. A shout rang in his ears, and then he heard the thud of the pirate falling to the ground. He wasn’t alone, though, and another pirate leaped into the bar and onto Albert. They wrestled on the ground. Outside, more gunshots split the air; the pirates became more and more irate and thirsty for revenge over their fallen comrades. Albert was wounded and bleeding, and his disadvantage was evident. The pirate began strangling him, and his throat was being crushed. Albert began feeling that the end had arrived. He thought about Brent, and desperation set in. He tried to gather the strength to fight back, but it was in vain. He was too weak and too tired. “Die, you son of a bitch! Die!” shouted the pirate. That was when Albert heard the sound of bones snapping—and then nothing else but a weak groan. Albert felt the pressure on his throat give way and saw the light in his aggressor’s eyes die. His body fell away from Albert’s. A silhouette took shape, and it was Harold, removing his knife from the pirate’s nape. “Thank you,” moaned Albert. “Are you okay?” “Yes, I am. We need to protect the entrance to the hotel,” replied Albert. “Yes, we do. But before that I need to stop the bleeding in your leg,” said Harold, removing his belt and wrapping it around Albert’s leg. Albert tried to stand, but his leg buckled, and soon bullets were flying over his head. Albert thought about Brent and started crying convulsively. Harold fired back. “Not now, partner! We need to stop any more getting in the hotel!” Harold roared at Albert. Outside, the leader said to another pirate, “These assholes planned their defense well.” Another approached the car being used as a barricade by the leader. He said, “Captain, I had an idea! How about we go through the back? On these streets they know how to defend themselves. But maybe they didn’t think about guarding the back!” “Great! Get Carl and go round the back.” After getting Carl, he went around the back. They saw where the window had been smashed, which would make the entrance easier. They sniggered, and the first one climbed through the window, entering the hall. A few moments later, a bullet hit his shoulder. The shot had come from behind the reception counter. “There are people here! I’m hit!” he hollered, hugging the wall, looking for cover under the staircase, located next to where the shot came from.