Animosity

1

"Mam! We're surrounded!"

"Excellent! We can attack in any d-direction!"

It was true, they are completely surrounded from all directions.

It had happened all at once, the village was just waking up, while the hunters were just returning from their daily hunt. That was when it all went to hell, it started with one of the younger hunters hearing a snap of a twig in the bushes. The young hunter had gone to check on the sound, whitout alerting the others first, when a loud bang echoed through the forest. All manner of birds and creatures had fled at that, when given the option of fight or flight, they chose flight. This had caused the village to go defensive and collect the children in the center, the farthest from harms grasp. That's when they all started to appear, surrounding the village. There was no escape. Everyone ready to fight.

The children are hidden in the middle, protected by a larger circle of adults. The outsiders carrying weapons unseen by the village before, they looked blunt and weak. The bright morning sun reflects off of the material the weapons seamed to be made of. Where ever the group have come from their technology was alien and bazaar.

"W-we need to st-stand together!" The woman steps forward leaning down slightly preparing to attack. Her long black hair shrouds her face in darkness, effectively it gave her an aura of darkness and made her look terrifying.

Smirks can be seen from some of the invaders, her stutter shows weakness in their eyes. Others looked uneasy, they doubted the strength of their own army, which is the first mistake anyone can make. They point their weapons towards the villagers, "boss wants some alive!" One of the attackers shouts to the others, that single phrase sent chills down the spines of the villagers. If only some were wanted the others would be killed and the survivors... well who knows what would have happened to them.

There was a tense silence that shortly followed. The two groups staring each other down. Waiting for the other to make the first move. The birds had stopped singing. The deer herd bolted. Every breath lasted a lifetime. Time slowed.

"Get the leader!" They charged towards the group. The woman dashed towards them, she jumped on them and started clawing and biting. Loud bangs echoed through the dense forest as the two groups collided, natural materials against alien metals. The outsiders weapons were ferocious. They were silent as they sent thin metal rods towards victims. Anyone in the line of fire fell. The villagers were outnumbered. The mechanisms picking them off. One by one. They fell.

They were surrounded. There was no way out.

"Perry look out!"

The woman, Perry, looked up from her defeated foe. The base of the weapon hit her head. Her vision started to fill with black spots as she tried to lunge for the attacker. Being hit again stopped her. She fell limp. The assailant ran to the others. He continued to attack.

Liz quickly rushed to Perry. He slung her over his shoulder and tried to get out. They were losing. He darted behind a hut as the outsiders rushed past. Hurriedly he stumbled into the forest. Shouting could be heard behind them. He was losing stamina. His head was pounding from the fight. Blood racing, adrenaline high. The muscles in his legs gave way as he fell. He collided with the ground with a tremendous crash as Perry landed on top of him. Seeing a ditch under a tree Liz quickly dragged his unconscious ally into the ditch.

The screaming didn't stop, he covered his ears trying to drown out what was happening. The incessant need to discover this was a dream, drumming in his skull.

Hours pasted.

Slowly the noise died.

The dead increasing in number.