Deep in space an alien civilization feeds off a dying planet, their large mother ship dematerializing the withered world. It absorbs its matter and converts its resources into fuel for its eternal voyage. Pods the size of large asteroids eject from this ship and land on nearby planets, beginning the terraforming process. The ground ruptures as the pods burrow into the planet’s surface and fluorescent alien vegetation spreads rapidly upon it. These pods travel for light years trying to find more planets to harvest.
One of these pods lands far away on the surface of one of these planets, and the terraforming process begins. The pod has a thick fleshy exterior, a biologically constructed organism, pulsating as it feeds and burrows into the planet, purple mist jets from porous vents filling the air and saturating the soil beneath. Inside numerous alien species hibernate in incubation pods waiting to be released.
Cities crumble as buildings are overgrown with unnatural flora that consume and reconstruct organic and inorganic matter. People rush toward a titanic spacecraft built on the site of a military base. The ship’s four massive thrusters create dense clouds of smoke that engulf the chaos below. Civilians crowd inside in a desperate attempt to escape. Military aircrafts rain down bullets and explosions from above just beyond the perimeter of the loading zone. The barrage falls upon the encroaching feral aliens.
Massive swarms approach the evacuation site like an immune system attacking a foreign body. A mass of diverse alien species, their figures are so unnatural that they can only be described as abominations. Gigantic amalgamations resembling insects, reptiles, and mammals flood toward the escape carriers.
With limited capacity, only a select few are permitted across the military checkpoint. The rest are left behind. Priority going to the wealthy and powerful. Desperate people cross the barrier only to be shot down by the military blockade. They are caught between the checkpoint and the monstrous alien wave collapsing onto them. A desperate struggle occurs as people, and families try to board what is their last chance to escape a doomed planet.
In his family’s small dingy home, Asher sits on a faded carpet watching the events occurring on the screen in front of him. He is still a child clutching his colorful plastic mecha figurine in his hand, as the ships leave the planet’s surface. Though he understands what is happening, he tries his best to stay calm, leaving him with an uneasy expression. His mother sobs softly behind him, his father trying to comfort her. He, his family, and many others would be left behind as their world is slowly consumed by the swarm.
Current day: Past the ravenous alien forestation lies the remnant of civilization, slowly being choked out by the impending alien forest.
Cuts to Asher lying in his dark room, older now: 19.
Asher lies in his bed looking at the alarm clock atop his messy desk. Its display reads 11:17pm in a weak green glow. A picture of his older brother in a fighter pilot uniform is next to the clock. Beside the photo is the same toy he had been holding when he was younger, barely visible in the darkness. He abruptly gets to his feet; throwing on the slightly oversized olive green bomber jacket his brother is wearing in the photo.
He slips through his bedroom door, closing it softly behind him. Carefully he makes his way down the hallway toward the stairs, trying his best not to make a sound. He stops when he hears the sound of the T.V. Inching toward the rail, he peeks down in the direction of the noise making sure to conceal himself behind the lip of the second floor. Blue light fills the living room, but Asher’s mother is already fast asleep on the couch.
On the large CRT television, a news channel plays. Images and videos of destroyed cities and alien attacks flash on the grainy screen. A male newscaster appears in the bottom left-hand corner, “This marks the 12th year since the invasion. Despite our best efforts to halt the terraforming process, scientists predict the planet will be completely terraformed within the next decade. With limited resources and research, the chances of geographic preservation are dwindling. Back to you Karie–” As he speaks, footage captured from a helicopter shows a city engulfed in flames as the alien beasts ravage the remnants.
Asher grabs the controller waiting for a moment before clicking it off. He tries to ignore the message. Hearing the same report for the past 12 years, the helplessness of the situation never truly goes away. He’d seen enough cities ravaged by the swarm to accept it as a natural cycle of the new world.
Which allows him and most people to function properly on a daily basis. Though, the thought of annihilation remains ever present looming above everyone’s head. The idea that at any moment, the same threat would be knocking at their door, is enough to keep many on edge at all times. At least the ones who haven’t already given up.
He silently passes the couch reaching for the door. As he is slipping on his worn-out work boots, he hears a small clink of a spoon against a bowl behind him. He looks back, and in the dim yellow light of the rundown kitchen, a little girl sits on the floor at a small wooden table, eating a bowl of cereal. She stares blankly at Asher, mouth slightly agape with one piece of cereal stuck to her cheek.
They look at each other for a moment, and Asher silently tries to communicate his thoughts. He puts his finger over his lips, pointing to his sleeping mom. He points to himself and gestures his hand over his neck in a slicing motion. Finally putting a thumbs up, he hopes his sister will understand his convoluted charade. The little girl with her messy hair and pajamas, takes a moment to ponder before ultimately giving up. She returns an absentminded thumbs up, and her attention quickly turns back to the cereal. She goes in for another bite, without sparing Asher any more attention. He smiles relieved, and steps outside.
The dim warmth of his home fades away as the darkness of the overcrowded industrial city surrounds him. The rain falls heavily on the metal pipes above him before hitting the concrete below; the air is damp and filled with smog. As he exits the small alley from his house. The gray cityscape is darker when the concrete buildings are saturated with rain, only contrasted by the artificially colored lights and neon signs of the street markets surrounding him. Everything is saturated under a tinted red glow. These lights seem to be the only thing adding color to the otherwise desolate city. Despite all this, a small smile comes across Asher’s face, as he takes in the bustling night, excited to reach his destination.
Along the crowded main road, and all through the branching alleyways, there are vendors at every corner selling food like tteokbokki(떡볶이), gomtang(곰탕), and kimbap. Others sell fresh cuts of meat, fish, or produce. The familiar smell of bungeoppang(붕어빵) and hotteok(호떡) fills the air, creating a pleasant aroma of dough and frying oil. Seeing the bustling crowd of people was comforting in a way, at least enough to take his mind off of what was happening outside the city walls.
Yet, reality is never far. Drunks stumble through the streets, countless homeless beggars sit along the road with downturn heads, and daily reports of people missing and dying, all due to knowing the fate that awaits them. Somehow still, life goes on, whether by necessity or denial. Most are barely able to scrape by, living just to see tomorrow, and the grim future that lies beyond it. The bustle and life of the city street slowly fade away, and he continues in the dark, with only an occasional metal clang heard in the distance.