"𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞" - 𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐖

- chapter 9 -

DELILAH POV 

As we're nearing the town on our bikes I notice Gabriel has been really quiet during the whole ride down, makes me wonder what's going on in his head.

Suddenly we all come to a halt when we see... CARS!!

"Whoa!"

"Hey! Hey!"

"Help!"

"Stop!"

"Stay where you are, do not move!" Some soldier yells at us while we all put our hands up in defense.

"Same side. Same side. Same side!" Alex yells for them to put their weapons down.

They notice we're just kids and tell us we were supposed to evacuate hours ago. We had to explain that we were in the mountains while the attacks started so there wasn't much we could do. He starts rushing us onto to the bus but before we could even think about doing so he needs to get the key.

"You need to take this key to Pasadena."

"Where'd you get this?"

"An astronaut from the space station gave it to us." It's hard to believe but it's the truth.

"You need to get that to JPL in Pasadena to a Dr. Fielding." Alex speaks up.

"We've been receiving Morse code from a Dr. Fielding at JPL all day. Finding this key has been
the primary objective. Thanks, kid. You may have just saved the world. We'll take it from here."

Hearing those words filled each and every single one of us with all the joy in the world, we cheered all the way until we were sat in the bus.

But of course, I didn't even get to sit for three seconds before those damned aliens were back. 

Can't a kid catch a break around here? 

They were shooting at all the military tanks, there were people screaming, glass shattering everywhere, there was just too much going on and I felt my fight or flight kick in. 

I felt Gabriel grab my hand and we just started running out of there, he kicked the emergency exit door and helped me out. 

As we're running, all the noise was overwhelming, my breathing started to get heavy, I didn't even notice we had gotten the key back from the soldier. We just kept running. 

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We didn't stop until we reached a lonesome street in the suburbs, away from the city. 

"I told you that was a stupid idea. You idiots almost got me killed. I don't even wanna be at summer camp. I should be in Cabo taking jelly shots off someone's ass cheeks!" God Dariush should be the last one talking right now I swear I'm going to strangle him.

We all stop running, we were out of breath and by this point any ounce of adrenaline we had was gone. 

"What do you think these things are after?" ZhenZhen asks what we're all thinking.

"Food maybe? Resources? It's possible their planet went dry and the came to raid ours."

"What gives you that idea?"

"Nothing! It's the most common invasion movie plot." He's not wrong.

As they're teasing Dariush about his erotic moment with the alien, I noticed Gabe never let go of my hand. It was warm and probably the only thing keeping me sane in this moment in time. 

I look up to him, ignoring the conversation, he has an anguished look on his face and his eyes are glossy, as if he were about to cry. I mean I completely understand considering we are in fact in the middle of an alien invasion, but his feelings definitely have some deeper meaning.