The Bubblegum Plot

Julie pops a piece of bubblegum in her mouth before she slips through the door leading to the vendor corridor of the mall. At the end of the corridor is the compactor, but her goal is the grate in the floor behind the compactor.

Blowing a bubble before she raises the grate, Julie shimmies into the cramped access tunnel. After pushing the grate into place she heads down the tunnel using her small flashlight. She takes the fourth opening to the left, followed by the third one to the right.

At the end of the tunnel she climbs the short ladder, pushes the grate open finding an electrical box marked authorized personnel only. The bastards authorized her when they killed Amelia.

Memories of Amelia fill Julie’s mind, the joy of shopping in the mall. Memories of cutting class to go to a park to write poetry and be goofy with each other. Memories of their wedding. Remembering that horrible night when the world was taken over by the bastards, all the chaos and pandemonium as the bastards randomly started hunting down people, the memory of Amelia dying in Julie’s arms. Oh they authorized this all right.

Shaking her head, Julie removes her backpack and takes out the old laptop. Julie expertly picks the lock of the electrical box. Standing to the side Julie puts her gum on the lens of the camera in the box.

Julie connects the laptop to the equipment in the electrical box with a LAN cable, and executes the hijack program that Jimmy wrote to rouse the people. Julie pops another piece of her bubble gum in her mouth as the program takes control of the propaganda monitors spread throughout the city.

Jimmy’s video imploring the citizens to rise up and fight back against the bastards is broadcast. Julie sets the video to loop, drops back into the tunnel, pulls the grate closed and retraces her steps to where she came in.

Julie comes around the trash compactor where one of the black clad bastards applauds her. “Well done Miss, we were wondering how long it would take for one of you fools to attempt to subvert our video system. Tell us the names of you compatriots and we will go easy on you.”

Julie responds by spitting at him.

The purple skinned bastard backhands Julie with his three fingered hand. “Our many years of research from the other side of your moon tells me that is a sign of contempt, very well, we do have ways to get the truth from you.”

The alien motions to his two companions, “Bring her.” as he strides off towards the door that accesses the mall’s loading docks. Outside the mall the alien approaches his armoured ground vehicle, his two soldiers dragging a struggling Julie.

In the vehicle one of the aliens points to the screen and rattles something off in squeaks and hisses. The lead alien replies in kind and turns to Julie. “Your friend is going to help sort your people for me. The ones who come out armed are going to be the strong ones. They will be breeding stock. The rest will be food.”

The lead alien motions towards the rear of the vehicle, the soldiers take Julie to the back, and secure her with a pair of shackles in a standing position. The lead alien addresses Julie again, “Name your friends?”

Julie spits at him again. “I will join my Amelia before I tell you one single name you bastard!”

The alien punches her in the face and leaves her hanging there with blood running from her nose and mouth.

Alien soldiers watch the screens in the vehicle as humans start appearing outside, and begin shooting ineffectually at alien land vehicles. Alien sky vehicles swoop down and scoop up the shooters. Jimmy’s video flickers out after several hours as the laptop’s battery finally dies.

Propaganda resumes playing on the screens, telling the people to remain calm and carry on with their lives. The aliens set up two video cameras in the leader’s land vehicle. One camera is pointed at Julie, one is pointed at the leader.

The leader starts with an announcement, “Attention humans, I have one of your people who caused the trouble earlier, we want her friends to surrender, if they surrender we will set her free.” The leader nods, and Julie’s battered face appears on the screens throughout the city.

He continues, “If you do not surrender within one of your hours you can watch as I execute your friend. That is all.” The feed of Julie’s face remains on the screens. Julie looks directly at the camera, “Don’t listen to that alien bastard, fight for our planet, never surrender!”

Jimmy watches the screen with tears streaming down his cheeks, there has to be some way to destroy these bastards who are infesting his world like vermin. He wants to give himself up for Julie, but can the bastards even be trusted?

The hour ticks away, the city is quiet as the people wait, hope, and pray for a miracle to save the brave young lady with the bloodied face. Julie looks up at the camera again. “Amelia, I will be with you soon.”

The lead alien steps into the camera’s view, “Humans, the hour is almost over, those who have caused me this trouble have not stepped forth, I have no choice but to execute this human.” Julie starts reciting the twenty third Psalm, finishing right before the alien brutally tears her head from her body.

This is all filler to hit the one thousand word minimum. There is nothing exciting down here. Don’t bother reading it, it’s all boring stuff. Seriously, stop reading this, nothing happens. Why are you so stubborn? Seriously! STAHP READING THIS! Nobody pays attention to me. Fine ignore me, but don’t blame me for YOUR boredom. I got bored writing this nonsense on the second word. Shoe, leave, go away! You know what? Just keep reading.