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&039;Get it through your head, Clare,&039; I sighed, &039;it&039;s too late The ti aliens first arrived here&039;

Another wave of brilliant light distractedominously low

&039;Shit,&039; I hissed

&039;What?&039;

&039;That thing,&039; I said, glancing up at the massive black machine

&039;We&039;ve seen a hundred of them What&039;s different about this one&039; She was silenced when her question was unexpectedly answered The ship suddenly stopped dead It hovered low in the sky just a short distance away

&039;I think we should get out of here,&039; I mumbled nervously

&039;Which way?&039;

&039;Back&039;

We turned and ran in the opposite direction, retracing the route of the bodies in reverse We sprinted for all orth until we couldn&039;t go any further and then stopped The road had clihtly and from our elevated position the alien ship didn&039;t see to catch her breath She retched with exhaustion, fear andpanic Doubled-up with pain, she dropped to her knees

&039;You okay?&039; I asked, crouching down next to her

&039;Sorry,&039; she wheezed &039;Can&039;t go any further&039;

I stood and turned back to look towards the ship I could see the part of the road we&039;d just run along and, further in the distance, I could see the tight corner and the stretch of straight road beyond that I could also see the bodies Clare dragged herself back onto her feet and stood next tonow?&039; I heard her ask although I did not answer

As atched the crowd of figures left the road and entered a large square field through a single narrow gate Bizarrely, they then forht lines across the width of the field With equal distance between the bodies on all sides, the people stood motionless Many of them were half dressed, and all of them were soaked to the skin But still they didn&039;t ht and impassive In just a couple of minutes the field was full I quickly counted thirty-ts of thirty-two people

The alien ship was hovering directly above the centre of the field A single opening appeared towards the front of the vessel and fro, dark stem This ship was identical to the one I&039;d seen in the skies over Thatcham hours earlier &039;What&039;s that?&039; Clare asked nervously, grabbing hold ofsimilar when it happened In a fraction of a second the field (and just the field - not any of the surrounding countryside) was filled with a precise square of intense blue-white light Far brighter than the light froines of any of the alien machines, it scorched our skin We turned away instinctively Another fraction of a second and it was over The world was suddenly drenched in a deeper darkness than before

Alain The alien ship was already on its way, soaring effortlessly above the countryside

The field was empty

Clare and I walked back down the road and cautiously approached the entrance to the field As alked I tried to explain to her the little I understood of what had just happened

&039;It&039;s a cull,&039; I said sie of the field and stared at the e minutes earlier

&039;I said it&039;s a cull,&039; I repeated &039;I found out about it thisyou&039;

&039;You didn&039;t think you should tell et rid of us all? You didn&039;t think that Ito happen to&039;

&039;I didn&039;t tell you because there&039;s fuck all you or me or anyone can do about it The aliens need the planet but they don&039;t need us It&039;s as simple as that&039;

&039;But they can&039;t They just can&039;t&039;

&039;They already have&039;

Too tired to argue I dropped the heavy sports bag and leant against a atepost

&039;But those people were&039;

&039;Save your breath,&039; I sighed I pointed up into the sky &039;Go and tell the if you want to, but it won&039;t do you any good You do well if you e to find one of those cowardly bastards&039;

I picked up the bag and started to walk again

&039;We&039;ll be okay if we keep out of their way We&039;ll keep our heads down and keep out of their way&039;

I took one last look at the field as we carried on down the road It looked perfectly normal - untouched and unspoilt as if no-one had ever been there One thing was certain, there were no hidden escape routes and no alternative explanations

Over a thousand people had been destroyed in seconds