Derek stood over Marie's shoulder, both of their gazes fixed on the ominous portals as Marie's breath caught in her throat.
Monster started spilling from the portals. They were a ghastly sight: short, with green, warty skin and disproportionate limbs that ended in sharp claws. Their faces were twisted into snarls, showcasing uneven rows of jagged teeth, and their beady, red eyes scanned their new surroundings with a predatory gaze.
They carried simple weapons: sticks whittled to points and rough shields. Their movements were erratic, a scuttle rather than a march. Their clothing was basic, just ragged loincloths and pieces of rusty metal worn as makeshift armor. Bone ornaments clinked around their necks, a jarring sound that broke the suburban silence, as they grunted to each other in their coarse language.
They came out of the portals in groups of four or five, covering the yard, driveway, road, and neighbors' houses. The green monsters were barely an arm's length apart, covering everything. Fortunately, the portals didn't open inside the house. Derek pulled the curtain shut, hiding them from view.
The sight of the creatures, so out-of-place in their suburban backyard, cemented a chilling fact for both Derek and Marie: their world had irrevocably changed. A silent wave of panic rose in Marie's chest as her gaze fixed on the chaotic scene outside. Her fingers gripped the curtain tighter, knuckles whitening—a stark contrast to the dark fabric. The rapid rise and fall of her chest betrayed her attempt at composure. Her eyes, wide and searching, flicked to Derek, silently pleading for an explanation, for reassurance—anything to make sense of the madness before them.
Derek felt the intensity of her stare, the unvoiced dread that clung to the air between them. Derek's eyes narrowed, a flicker of recognition crossing his features. "Portals," he murmured, the word heavy with disbelief. "Like the ones in fantasy, gateways between worlds." His gaze met Marie's, grounding her in the midst of the surreal nightmare. "And if I'm not mistaken, those are goblins."
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Derek's explanation hung in the air, a stark acknowledgment of the surreal invasion unfolding before them. He paused, his eyes scanning the room, locating the baseball bat they kept for home security. Moving with purpose, he placed it within arm's reach, a silent testament to his readiness to defend their home.
"We've got to be quick and smart about this," he said, turning back to Marie with a determined look. "But we need to get ready. Go get your gun and get the AR ammo from the addition. The boxes are labeled as 556 and 223. Be careful, they are heavy. Hurry! Go!"
Marie raced to the addition, found the stack of cans, and searched for the specific boxes. She grabbed the two boxes and headed back. Derek's voice echoed in her memory, grounding her with the recollection of his steady guidance. 'Each round is a decision and a commitment.'
Derek returned swiftly with his gun box, his hands steady as he unlocked it and armed himself. The swift click of the magazine into his AR was a familiar sound in the tense silence, a necessary step as he prepared to defend their home.
Marie burst back into the room, her arms laden with the weight of the ammunition boxes. She followed Derek's earlier directives with precision, her actions as reasonably calm as she could manage even as adrenaline surged through her veins. Placing the boxes down, the thud resonated with finality. Her fingers were unshaking as she flipped the lids open. Inhaling deeply, she centered herself.
As he collected the empty magazines and filled them from the boxes. Marie watched out the window between preparing her own magazines. She turned to him. "I'm scared, Derek. They are coming toward the house."
"I'll protect you, no matter what. I promise," Derek's voice softened, each word deliberate, as if he was etching them into the very air between them.
He grabbed his readied AR from the case with four magazines that he slid into his pockets. "Remember what I taught you about shooting? Don't recklessly fire and if they get into the house, you know where to go, right?"
Derek's words sliced through the turmoil, a beacon for Marie amidst the encroaching dread. With a firm nod, she anchored herself to the resolve in his gaze, her affirmation a whisper of shared strength. For a fleeting heartbeat, they found a haven in each other's promise, a singular focus against the chaos beyond their walls.