Another loud deafening sound rippled through the air. BOOM! The sound happened two more times. This time everyone was on their feet running in different directions trying to figure out what was happening.

“Oh, my God, we’re being attacked! What else could it be?”

Panicked people began screaming and running for the exits.

“Let’s get out of here before it explodes, too!” The man bolted for the door and many patrons followed. Stefan did, too.

Another explosion happened. A bright red light flashed in Stefan’s eyes, blinding him, and a sound so loud his eardrums could have burst. His body lifted off the ground on impact and landed in a thud across the room. It felt like an out-of-body experience. Faint, piercing screams came from the people outside, but it was the agonizing screams of those inside that bothered him most.

“Oh, my God, I can’t feel my legs!”

“Help me, please, help!”

“I’m trapped, someone help me! I can’t move!”

The screams were heartbreaking. The wails stabbed the air. People were coughing and gasping for air. Stefan knew he would die, but he didn’t want to die like this. He wondered if this meant the absolute end of his life. He thought about his family and how they would feel knowing this was how he died. Anger filled him. He tried to open his eyes, but couldn’t. His cataleptic state wouldn’t let him, but he could still hear what was going on around him.

He imagined the pain of his family. Was it a terrorist attack like people seem to think? Or, was it something less sinister like a gas leak that ended tragically?

He pictured the news that moment as the explosions were going off: Terrorists attack Louisville, Kentucky. No survivors. Stefan Morris among the dead. He pictured his mother’s and sister’s lifeless screams as they found out. Just watching the news would make them assume the worse. He then imagined the news 30 days from now: The explosions in Louisville, Kentucky were the result of a natural gas leak. An employee of the restaurant smoking on the job ignited the explosions when no smoking was allowed. All dead, including Stefan Morris. The news would be just as devastating to his family, and even harder to take because it could have been avoided had someone just followed the guidelines and law.


“Heeelp! Please, someone get me out of here!”

The woman’s squeal jolted Stefan out of unconsciousness and he opened his eyes. It was dark, but several feet away he could see a light shining through the cracks of the partially collapsed building. His eyes tried to adjust to the darkness. He gasped for air and millions of particles of dust filled his lungs. He needed clean air.

Sirens blasted and people yelled outside, but he could not keep his attention from those screams coming just a few feet away. He moved his arms and legs. They were working well. A tinge of pain shot through his body from being thrown across the room. He eased himself out of the rubble, stray pieces of wood, glass, and brick dropping from his body to the ground. He held back the urge to scream in pain as it shot up his spine.

Distant sounds of more explosions echoed in the background and he feared for his life that he might be caught in another explosion. He could hear rumbling sounds as more buildings started collapsing.
It's alien abduction. This is just a small sample. It's set on modern day earth and not another planet or galaxy or anything; no inter-space travel or space ships. I was inspired to come back to this project after reading Touched by an Alien (lol). I need opinions on the writing though. I wanted to sink this project because I though the writing was plain ol' bad. But, now after reading "Touched" I think I might want to try to salvage it.