[url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/246624086/0/0]Table of Contents[/url] [i]Hayden opened his eyes. Something had woken him. A loud noise maybe. He lay still for a few seconds, staring into the dark shadows of his room, but heard nothing. Dismissing it, he rolled over onto his side and pulled his blanket close to fight off the chill of night. He closed his eyes and began to drift back to sleep. [/i]THUNK[i] The sound of the front door slamming open startled Hayden back to the waking world. There were heavy footsteps, then a voice. “WAKE UP! ALEXEI! GWEN!” Hayden bolted upright, recognizing the voice as Doctor Markos’. His door swung open, revealing the silhouette of the old doctor as he rushed through the dark hall. “IT’S THE ALIENS!” He hollered. Hayden sat paralyzed in his bed. Gwen rushed into the room, hurriedly pulling on her coat, “Get up, Hayden! Put your shoes on!” She came to the bedside and tugged on his arm, spurring him into motion. He kicked off his blankets, then scurried out to the entryway. His eyes were still adjusting to the low light as he grabbed his little boots. Markos was standing at the door, making sure it was locked. He had something that looked like a saw in one of his hands. “Shoes, Hayden!” Gwen urged, pulling the curtains closed. Alexei came into the living room, carefully holding two large cooking knives in one hand, and a pistol in the other. He held the gun out to his wife, “Take it.” Gwen hesitated before taking the weapon. Her nervous hands fumbled with it for a moment, but she eventually gripped it properly and popped out the cylinder with well-practiced ease. She hardly took the time to glance into the chambers before carefully closing it again, and her eyes darted back to the drawn curtains. Hayden was still working on his boots, the laces slipping through his fingers in the darkness. “I…I went to Ru’s first,” Markos informed them, visibly trembling and fighting back a stammer, “I heard the ship. Saw. Saw it. West -no no- North side o’ town.” “What do we do?” Gwen asked, holding back her own panic. Hayden was still struggling with his laces. He’d heard the stories about the aliens, and he was terrified. His eyes began to water as he imagined horrible, bloodthirsty creatures with ten thousand arms and monstrous fangs rampaging through the town. Gwen sunk to her knees, setting the pistol down and tying her sobbing child’s shoes. When she was finished, she locked eyes with him and put her hands on his cheeks. Hayden sniffled, and she forced a weak smile to comfort him. She gave him a long, silent hug while the men spoke. “I’m goin’ back to Ru’s,” Markos declared, “You should, too.” “We shouldn’t go outside,” Alexei argued. “We’re safer with numbers,” Markos countered, “An’ I’m stayin’ with Nat.” “Okay, okay,” Alexei yielded, not wanting to draw out the argument. The doctor had a point. Markos unlocked the door and gripped the handle, “I’m goin’ first. If anythin’ goes wrong, lock this door an’ hide.” Alexei nodded, and Markos threw open the door. He leaned out, checking the street, then stumbled forward. Gwen grabbed Hayden’s arms, lifting him to his feet and holding him tight. Looking through the doorway, they watched Markos cross the dirt road. When he reached the blue door, he scanned the street again then waved to the Yegorovs. “You first,” Alexei directed, pulling his family closer. Gwen leaned over Alexei, kissing him on the lips. They were still for only a second, then Alexei gently pushed his wife away. Not wasting another moment, Gwen took Hayden’s hand, “Run Hayden.” She pulled him out the door, towing him along like a doll behind a child. He ran behind his mother, his heart pounding in his ears as he whipped his head around to look for the aliens. The pair went straight through the open space of the road, breathing hard and getting closer to the waiting doctor. Hayden could hear sounds -some far away, others much closer. Cries and shouts from the other inhabitants of Flats. Some were beginning to understand what was happening, while for others it may have already been too late. Two people ran by the end of the street, fleeing or seeking shelter, but nothing else moved. Gwen and Hayden slowed to a halt beside Markos, who whispered encouragement and knocked on the Durow’s door. Gwen and Hayden turned to look for Alexei, who was closing their own door. He checked the street before dashing out. Nothing else moved, and Alexei got to them safely. Markos knocked again and called, “Ru! Ru!” The door opened and Ru hissed, “Get in!” Markos and the Yegorovs crowded in. Ru shut the door behind them, locking it. “My room!” He whispered, brandishing his gun. They all filed down the hall and into Ru’s bedroom, and he closed the door behind them, too. “Hayden,” Ru ordered, “Put ‘im under the bed with Nat.” Gwen whispered to Alexei, handing him her pistol, then herded Hayden to the bedside. The bed was nestled in the corner, promising shelter from the terrors lurking through the night. Hayden dropped to the floor and looked under. Natalia was there, motionless. Her eyes were wide, capturing the small amount of light that filtered in through the window and filled with silent fear. Hayden wriggled under the bed frame, keeping his head down, until he was side-by-side with her. He turned his head to watch the shadows of the adults’ boots moving through the room. There was heated whispering, then one of the pairs walked to the bed. Gwen lowered herself to the floor. She slowly dragged herself in front of Hayden, pushing him back. Natalia pressed herself against the wall, then Hayden against her, then Gwen against him. Gwen was like a shield between them and the outside world, with her back to them. “It’s okay,” she assured, “It’s okay. We’re safe.” “Gwen,” Alexei whispered. He bent over and slid Gwen’s gun to her on the floor. She grabbed it, holding it close and pointing it out across the room, ready for use. “Don’t make any noise,” Ru commanded, moving to the back corner, “Markos, get by the window. Alexei, the door.” Hayden watched their shoes as they positioned themselves to guard the room. Markos by the door, Alexei by the window, and Ru in the corner, where he could shoot anything that came in. Then they were all still. Sounds reached their ears from outside, hinting at what was happening on the other side of town. Occasionally there would be something louder, something closer. The kids would squeak in terror and Gwen would hush them. Hayden wrapped his arm over his mother’s back, embracing her even when his arm began to get numb. He couldn’t see Natalia behind him, but she pressed her face and arms against his back. Sometimes he thought he heard her sobbing, but he couldn’t tell. He was cold, and his body began to ache from lying on the hard floor, but still he didn’t move. Nothing happened. Not for the rest of the night. The sounds of the raid eventually faded and disappeared, but no one dared check to see if the invaders had left. They remained where they were for the rest of the night; quiet and scared. Hayden thought he was too terrified to fall asleep, but his eyelids became heavy as time passed. Slowly, they slid shut and he slipped away from the waking world, away from the nightmares outside.[/i]