The grass was charred and black, fires and embers smoldering everywhere, and smack-dab in the center lay a massive alien fighter. Its long, ovoid fuselage was connected to two enormous wings stretching nearly from where I assumed a cockpit would be, to fifty feet behind it, tipped with wickedly curved spikes giving it an almost predatory visage. A peculiar green flame vented from the end of one of the spikes, but rather than heat, it seemed to actually suck the warmth from the air. The closer I got, the colder it was.

Its main body was easily a hundred feet long and twenty feet wide, lacking any recognizable propulsion system – the back end where one would expect to find jets was nothing but smooth metal. Could it be contained within the spikes?

But most striking of all was the huge gash spanning ten by twenty feet along its side - evidence that whatever battle this craft fought, it had been defeated soundly. With each step closer to the wrecked fighter I felt my apprehension grow.
I edged closer to the breach in the ship's hull, my heart pounding in my chest. There, slumped over a control console, was a figure so alien, so monstrous, it defied all my understanding of life forms. It was a hulking, terrifying mass, entirely unrecognizable as anything remotely human. Its mere presence exuded power, danger, and an unmistakable aura of death.

My curiosity, always a driving force, reined over the primal urge to flee. I stood there, just outside the vehicle, my gaze locked onto this creature. A morbid fascination swelled within me as I took in its bizarre form: six arms, four legs, and where one might expect fingers, there were tentacles - seven, to be exact. The creature's body was a tapestry of corded muscles, towering over fifteen feet tall. It seemed to be a creature of pure fluidity, devoid of joints or bones. Its limbs and tentacles twisted and sprawled in all directions, spikes protruding every few inches.

Above an array of tentacles that I assumed to be its mouth, I saw a collection of eyes, eerily reminiscent of a spider's gaze. Its skin was bare, perhaps scorched off, and a pool of cold, blue blood slowly spread around it, while shards of metal debris impaled its torso.

On an absolutely insane impulse, I stepped through the breach. Maybe there was a weapon inside, something I could use. I paused, scanning the cockpit. It was filled with an odd assortment of blinking lights, levers, buttons, and knobs. No screens were in sight; they probably used holographic displays. A disappointment - a sample of their language might have offered some insights. To my right, a narrow hallway beckoned.

I took another step and noticed two more bodies, previously hidden from view. One was crushed beneath the first, only a clawed foot visible. It was also gray, but the presence of a foot suggested a different species. On the other side of the cockpit, another creature lay slumped and bleeding. This one was slender, muscled, with a familiar arrangement of two arms and legs, but it lacked a discernible head. Its form suggested it might be more comfortable on all fours. Its body was coated in blue blood, a massive gash along its back revealing a startling anatomy of blue-streaked bones, greenish muscle fibers, and bright red tendons.

A flash of light caught my eye. Beside me on a console lay a small, silver pyramid. I reached out, half-expecting a shock, but nothing happened. In a fit of defiance, I hurled it at the massive creature. It struck with a dull thud and clattered to the ground. No reaction. It was dead.

With a kick, I dislodged it from the chair, and it landed on its back. Where I expected to find a chest, there was its face - a single, white eye without a pupil and a circular mouth lined with spiraling rows of teeth. I recoiled in horror, my mind racing. This was no mere invasion; this was a conglomerate of alien species, a cosmic nightmare unfolding before me. Despite the gravity of my situation, I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all, remembering a line: "Regrettably, your planet is one of those scheduled for demolition..."

The bizarre anatomy of these creatures defied any logic I knew. Their physiology was so wildly divergent; it was impossible to imagine they evolved on the same planet. They had to be either species from different worlds or, more likely, genetically engineered monstrosities. The matching hues of their skin and blood seemed too coincidental. It hinted at a sinister commonality in their design.

I turned my back on the genetic horror show I'd stumbled upon, my mind racing to find something I could use as a weapon. I scoured the cabin, driven by a equal parts desperation and determination. Finally, in a room towards the back, I struck gold - or so I thought. There were weapons, yes, but they were forged from the same heavy blue metal as the ship, demanding the use of both hands. A luxury I couldn't afford with my broken wrist.

In a burst of frustration, I yelled out loud, tipping the container of unwieldy armaments to the floor. I was about to stomp out in defeat when a small white object amidst the sea of blue caught my eye. It wasn't weapon-like in appearance, but I grabbed it nonetheless.

It was egg-shaped, with a curious indentation on one side. It fit comfortably in my hand, and instinctively, my thumb found its place in the indent. The narrow end of the object pointed outward, an unassuming yet intriguing design.

Curiosity piqued, I pressed the indent.

And blew a hole in the side of the ship.

There I stood, utterly astounded by the sheer power clenched in my fist. The object had unleashed its force without a hint of recoil, no projectile, not even a flash of light. Yet, the solid wall before me, once a formidable barrier of dense, alien metal, pipes, and optics, had been reduced to mere fragments scattered across the college grounds.

I swayed slightly, my voice finally breaking the stunned silence. "Holy... Fucking... Shit." The destruction was precise, almost artistic in its execution, the remnants of the wall forming a near-perfect circle, save for the jagged edges where the metal had torn under the force.

Staring down at the diminutive object, I realized its potential and danger. It wasn't something to be taken lightly. About to pocket it, I hesitated – the last thing I needed was to accidentally shoot my own dick off. The thought of carelessly ending my own existence was grimly humorous. Instead, I secured it in my shirt pocket; if catastrophe struck, I'd be none the wiser. Kablam, done, gone, my problems would be no more.

For the first time, I took stock of my appearance. My once-decent dress shirt was now a canvas of blood and grime, the white fabric a distant memory. My right sleeve was torn away below the elbow – how and when, I couldn't recall. My pants were similarly ruined, with rips and burns that exposed angry, reddened skin beneath. My sneakers were caked in dirt, their laces in disarray. "Ugh."

But my tattered state didn't deter me. Stepping through the hole I had created, I felt a renewed sense of purpose, an alien weapon in my grasp. Emotions clawed at the fringes of my mind, but I pushed them aside. There would be time for grief later, or perhaps no time at all if death found me first.

Surveying the campus, I noted the fires dwindling in several buildings, the untouched structures amidst the ruins, and the mess hall standing tall. It could be a sanctuary for survivors... or a lair for monsters. Every step was fraught with danger now.

A part of me wanted to find a safe place, to hide and wait out the invasion. I reasoned they were here for Earth's resources, not humanity. I could escape to the Appalachian forests, survive there. I started planning – water purifiers, survival gear, finding weapons in unlikely places. My scouting experience kicked in, mapping out a strategy for survival.

But then, a jolt of realization hit me. I couldn't just abandon everyone, my friends, my family. My family! Panic set in. I had to find them. Michael could wait, but my family was my priority. I had no idea what had befallen them since the invasion started. My resolve hardened; survival was not just about enduring, but about protecting what mattered most.

The journey to my family's home along the coast loomed in my mind. It was a five-hour drive in normal times, but now, it would be a trek spanning days. I envisioned using cars sporadically, sticking to back roads to avoid the congested interstate. I estimated, optimistically, two days there, two days back, and another five to reach the mountains. Nine days in a hostile world, filled with endless walking. The thought was daunting.

Exhausted, I longed for a drink to ease my mind. How peaceful it would be just to drink myself into oblivion right then and there...