The Webs We Weave

~prologue~

There's commonalities amongst most people that they cherish as beloved childhood memories. Whether it be laughing loudly in the car on a long road trip with their family, or maybe their first kiss.
Then there's the memories they are less fond of- like the awakening- but they remember them anyways. Such as the countless times they scraped their knees falling off their bike, or the yelling from upstairs that never seemed to end.
Yet, everyone likes to pretend that they don't remember. They pretend that they know nothing of what it felt like to live without fear of those things that lurk in the corners and control your every move. They pretend they don't miss simpler times of love instead of lust. Of a time where they could trust instead of trick each other. A time of chasing dreams instead of living in an endless nightmare.
Eventually we all have to face the truth, and the truth is that these are the times we live in. Life changed after the awakening.
When those things began popping up, the world began its descent into hell. Everybody was so scared. That's the thing about fear- it consumes you. It covers all of your other emotions and leaves you an empty shell of the human you used to be. I think that's what they want- to strip us of everything that makes us human in order to conquer us. There's a million theories as to what they'll do. Kill us all and take the planet. Spare us and make us into slaves.
I didn't understand it until the awakening.
They walk among us. They have for years. They've always been there- your neighbor, your classmate, your brother. They just weren't awake yet- they weren't in control. They were waiting until they had a better understanding. Until they found something that motivates them and gives them strength to fight, they couldn't wake up until they found that strength. They found that strength in our negativity. They see our hatred and our fear and it fuels them.
You probably know what they are already, but if you don't, you're lucky. They're demons essentially. They take residence inside of you and whisper in the back of your mind until suddenly they're awake and you're life becomes a movie from a first person point of view. They're like parasites, except they're completely in control. That's what the awakening was, them latching on completely. You would think they'd be inside the sickest, most evil people out there, but you'd be wrong. They're in the most innocent. The most pure. They enjoy destroying all of that.
They're like leeches- they latch on and they slowly kill your humanity until they take over completely- They've got a lot of this planet under their control now, but we- you can stop this. Gather food, weapons, soldiers, get anything you need to survive. This war will continue until one side wins, and for your sake- for humanity's sake- I hope it's you.
You're probably asking yourself how the hell I would know this. How I got such classified information. Here's the simplest, purest truth for you: I'm one of them. I'm one of the monsters that's invaded your people and it sickens me. Humanity is flawed, no doubts about that, but it's beautiful. I don't want to see it end. That's why I'm telling you this.
I don't have much time. I'm a traitor now. They'll want me dead. I know they're coming- I can hear them starting to storm my hideout already. They have a weakness. Every great villain does. The trick is finding it. For that you'll need a lot more help than I have time to give you. Find another, someone like me. Find the rebellion and-
They've made it in. I only have seconds left. I hope you can do this- save yourself and everyone else. You're humanity's last hope.
-Iris