War of the Worlds (Jabbawockeez)

7. Invaders arrive

Later that night, it was really quiet. The tripods had moved on to other areas to search for anyone who may be trying to run or hide from them. The five boys were all talking and making jokes with each other like they always did. Jordan was in one of the back rooms either cleaning or reorganizing anything that was out of place. Phi fixed his hat and laughed as Kevin made a joke in the funniest voice he could muster. The others laughed too, having a good time like many times before. In other times the boys shared memories they all had together. Like the fun they had competing on ABDC, then soon getting their own show in Vegas and the cool, inspiring ideas they participated in with multiple charities. 

Everyone heard a tripod walking nearby, and they grew silent until it passed. Then suddenly stopped and there was nothing but silence. ¨It stopped.¨ Joe whispered to the others, then gazed back up at the ceiling where the nose was last heard. 

The boys nearly jumped as they heard a piece of wood fall into the water which was on the basement floor. Jordan motioned for the boys to get out of view and to hide within the basement. Phil and Joe and Kevin went in the room Jordan was in. Phi, Rynan and Jordan couldn't fit in with the others because the room was too small to fit all six of them. The room was only big enough to fit three people. Jordan hid behind a brick pillar while Phi hid behind a open door and Rynan ducked behind the couch. A large snake like probe slowly made its way into the basement through the hole that the tripod made. The probe slowly lifted up halfway and the cover opened up and the lights powered on to illuminate the basement.

Rynan backed up very slowly as the probe slowly moved forward to inspect the basement. When the probe turned the corner and Rynan slowly backed behind the couch for cover from being caught. Where Phil, Joe and Kevin were, the door was cracked just enough so the three of them could see what's going on. Before the probe can turn the corner by the couch, a mouse scurried across the main area of the basement grabbing the probes attention.

As the probe was distracted, Rynan quickly and quietly moved behind a wooden wall just across from Phi. Both boys looked at one another for a moment then looked back at the probe with fear rushing through the both of them. Rynan saw that the probe was moving in Phi's direction and his eyes widened slightly. He gestured to Phi in slight panic to get his attention. Phi noticed Rynan's gestures and went over to him and they both hid behind another wooden pillar behind them. The two both ducked down as the probe lifted up to look at the wall in front of them. They both quietly move around the wall behind the probe but moved back as the probe then backed out of the room it was searching then moved a bit further down and went into another room to look around.

Jordan was across the hallway from Phi and Rynan. He looked carefully at the probe then looked at both boys. Phi glanced at the probe then looked over at Jordan and gestured for him to sneak over to him and Rynan. After getting the signal, Jordan quietly and sneakily made his way over to the two boys, while keeping an eye on the probe.

When he was just a few inches from the boys, Jordan nearly tripped but he caught himself on the table but he moved it against the wall making noise. The three boys panicked and ran around the corner looking for a place to hide. Phi found a mirror and placed it against the brick pillar as he, Rynan and Jordan hid behind it as the probe backed out of the room and moved towards were the noise was. Once the probe reached the area where the noises were coming from, it got distracted by its own reflection in the mirror. Phi, Rynan and Jordan were right behind the mirror, breathing quietly, yet a bit fast, fearing that they will be caught. The probe lifted up once again to take a look in the back of the room, then upon finding nothing it slowly pulled back and slowly turned away.

As the probe was halfway turned out of the room Rynan's foot accidentally slipped across the ground, making a scratching sound from behind the mirror. Before the probe turned around, Rynan quickly retracted his foot back behind the mirror just as the probe spotted the top part of his shoe. The probe drew closer as the camera on the probe zoomed in on his shoe.

Rynan then got a quick idea and swiftly took his shoe off and left it sitting behind the mirror as Phi led him and Jordan around the corner away from the probe. Then the probe stared into the mirror for a few seconds before moving around the mirror and looked behind it, expecting to find someone, but instead found Rynan's shoe. Phi, Rynan and Jordan snuck underneath the probe and quietly made their way behind the couch and underneath the stairway. The probe found nothing and slowly backed out of the room and moved its way back out into the main room of the basement and past the boys' hiding spot. Just as it was halfway back, the probes lights and camera shut off and the  cover was put back on and the probe disappeared up through the ceiling and back to the the tripod where it came from.

Upon noticing that the probe was finally gone, Phi Rynan and Jordan all let out a sigh of relief and looked at the room where Phil, Joe and Kevin were in and told them that it was okay for them to come out. Hearing the signal of clearance, the three other boys moved out of the room into the clearing to join the others. Just as they thought it was clear, another crash was heard from where the probe has been a few moments prior and knew they had to hide fast.