Somewhere, West Virginia, USA.

Sheriff Steinberg marched into the council chambers at City Hall. The Mayor and councilmen were arguing and bickering. A common thing as of late. Everyday the town treasury was being depleted as they tried to stop the hemorrhaging as economic collapse of the town loomed ever closer.

Ideas were thrown around as possible solutions. Begging the Federal Government, looking for investors to set-up shop in town, tourism ads. But they were all taken out back and shot the second they were said. The Fed was dealing with its own issues and wasn't going to bailout some Podunk little town in the middle of Appalachia. Trying to convince investors was hard when anyone interested didn't even know where Somewhere was and most believed it was a scam. The town also didn't have anything that could convince a large stream of tourists to flock to the town.

That was what the Sheriff walked in on. The City Council yelling and screaming as the Mayor sat pulling at his graying tufts of hair.

"Mayor Roberts. We need help."

The Mayor didn't even look up and just groaned as he clamped his eyes shut in frustration.

"Tell us something we don't already know."

"Our town is bein' overrun by whatever the hell those things are! The economy is on life-support! At this point this town will be dead and gone by Thanksgiving!" The Sheriff snapped.

"And we are fixing it Sheriff!" The Mayor snapped back.

"Are we?!" The Sheriff yelled. The room went quiet. The Sheriff leaned onto the fine wood council table.

"We are overwhelmed. We need to call the Governor and have him send the National-"

"DONT YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE!" The Mayor roared.

"WE! NEED! AID!"

"If the National Guard shows up we can kiss our careers in politics goodbye Miles!"

"And that's if the townsfolk don't get their hands on us first." A councilman murmured.

"Or the hillfolk." Another added. An aura of fear filled the chambers as they recalled what happened to the last Mayor.

It was never confirmed it was the hillfolk that brutalized the former Mayor. But superstition runs deep in Appalachia and the current Mayor, and the sitting council, didn't want a possible repeat of history.

"I know that what happened last time was a tragedy."

"Tragedy? TRAGEDY?! IT WAS A GODDAMN MASSACRE!!!" The Mayor roared. His jowls shaking with rage as his face turned a beet red.

"If we call in the National Guard it's a good bet that we'll be either run out of town or dead before they even arrive. And that's IF the Governor sends them. No. We need to just hunker down and weather this storm for the time being." The Mayor continued.

"Weather it how?! It's just me and my two deputies against a horde of creatures that have infested the town! Morty and his private army is doing a better job of keepin' people safe then we are!"

"Then do something about it!"

"HOW?! It's three against who-knows-how-many!"

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

"What about the volunteers?"

"Six people? Half of them with guns older than the state? You're jokin' right?"

"Well then conscript some more!"

"HOW?! And with what?! Jerry the postman has more guns than our department does!"

"Figure it out Sheriff!"

Sheriff Steinberg threw his hands into the air in frustration.

"People care about 2 things Mr. Mayor. Prosperity, and safety. And right now we can't provide either of them. If we don't do somethin' soon then either Morty will walk right into City Hall with the blessin' of the people. Or we won't have a town to fight over!"

"How many times do I need to tell you to do your job Miles?! You focus on keeping the people safe and let us worry about actually governing!"

"Keep them safe how Gerald?! I! DONT! HAVE! THE! MEN!"

"SO! FIND! SOME!"

With that, the frustrated voice of the Sheriff joined the rest as shouts rang out in the Council Chamber. The Mayor and about half of the council wanting to "wait it out", while the Sheriff and the other half wanted to call for support from the Governor.

"You're just suggesting it because you want the Mayorship for yourself Miles!"

"Are you fuckin' jokin' Gerald?! You think I give a shit about that?! Especially now when we are on the verge of bein' a fuckin' ghost town?!"

"Wouldn't put it past you! You hated to lose even when we were in school!"

"That was 5th grade you fuckin' putz!"

"I won that debate fair and square! Then your parents bribed the judges!"

"Really motherfucker?! Tell me? How long have you held that in your fuckin' fat folds for?!"

"How dare you?!"

"Fuck you Gerald! Lign in drerd un bakn beygl!"

The Mayor tried, and failed, to jump across the table at the Sheriff. Though it amounted more with him flailing about and tumbling over the table, knocking papers and other stationary around. The Mayor rolled over the side of the table, the Sheriff easily avoiding the Mayor's outstretched arms as he tried to grab hold of him. Miles looked down at the Mayor with contempt.

"While you and these fat fucks have been in here runnin' around like headless chickens, me and my boys have been tryin' to keep this Goddamn town from fuckin' fallin' apart! So either you call the Governor or I will, you fuckin' shmuck!"

The Sheriff left the Council Chambers as the Mayor tried to stand up. He instead yelled as Miles left.

"Mark my words Miles! If you do, it will be the end of your career! Of all of ours!"

Miles wasn't listening though, he got into his old patrol car and sped back towards the station. His lights were flashing so he wouldn't have to deal with traffic. Not like there was much lately. People mostly walked during the day when attacks from the greyskinned creatures were rarer.

"Probably saving it incase they decide to leave town." Miles grumbled as he sped through the mostly empty streets. He only stopped at a stop sign to wait for some people to cross. As he waited he turned and looked up at a few figures hanging from a streetlight.

The recent casualties of Morty's private army doing what should be his job. The short statured creatures could be mistaken for children, or diseased men. But looking closer revealed that they weren't human. Glassy yellow eyes stared out into nothing as Miles drove off towards the station.

"What the hell is goin' on around here lately?" He asked himself. It seems like something weird happened and now all these strange creatures are calling Somewhere home. Those little people some time ago were weird but nothing too out there. Then came the creatures. Firefights in the hills. Talks of bigfeet!

Something was going on and he didn't like it. The Sheriff pulled up to the station and stormed in with a darkened brow and a string of curses. He was so distracted that he didn't even notice one of his deputies, nor the greeting he received.

The deputy watched the Sheriff slam his office door with a huff. He sat at his desk and listened to the multitude of curses as his co-worker walked in a few minutes later with a worried look on his face.

"Hey Mark. Where's the boss?"

"In his office."

"Doin' what?"

"I'm not sure. He came in cursin' in Yiddish then he went into his office."

"Well did he say anythin'?"

"How should I know? I don't speak Yiddish! All I could get was Gerald, and shmuck. And that was all I needed to hear."

The deputy shuffled a little nervously.

"Think it'll be alright if I go in?"

"Doubt you could make his day any worse... right?"

The look on his face said otherwise.

"What happened?!"

"Just somethin' that the Sheriff should know." The deputy said and inched closer to the door and hesitated. He looked to his co-worker for support before knocking.

The Yiddish curses stopped. Then the door opened to a worn looking Sheriff.

"What is it Davey?"

Deputy Davey shuffled a little and looked a bit unsure if he should speak or not. Sheriff Steinburg rolled his eyes and motioned for him to speak.

"Well, it's just that somethin' happened while you were off speakin' with the Mayor."

Miles' eye twitched slightly at the mention of the Mayor.

"What happened while I was gone?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure myself."

The Sheriff waited for a moment before Davey continued.

"So. Got a call from one of the ranchers that they saw some bright light to the west."

Miles waited as Davey paused once more.

"And?"

"And so I drive out to take a look. At first I figure it might be aliens or somthin' right?"

"Sure Davey. What was it?"

"Well, so I get there and I'm talkin' with the rancher. Doin' my job and investigatin' right?"

"Right."

"Right! So, I'm talkin' to him and he's tellin' me that he saw a bright flash of light to the west of his ranch."

"You said that already Davey."

"Well I'm just makin' sure I'm tellin' it straight!"

"Just get to the point numbnuts!" Marc yells from his desk.

"I'm gettin' there dipshit!"

"Shut up Marc! Davey? Get with the story already!"

"Right. So. He's tellin' me about the light and where it was. So I do my job and head out there to investigate. As is my job. So I'm drivin' out there, wonderin' if I should come back and get you or to maybe dress a lil nicer. Especially if I'm goin' to be meetin' aliens!" Davey paused, a little excited.

"And?!" Miles snapped the deputy out of his excitement.

"Oh, right. So I get out there and I run into some folks."

The Sheriff and Marc both pause and wait for Davey to continue.

"Well?!"

"Well, it was just some folks. A LOT of folks!"

"Who were they? What did they want?" The Sheriff asked.

"I'm not too sure who they are. But they said they were lookin' for Sanctuary, wherever that is."

"So where are they now?"

Davey shuffled a bit.

"Well..."