Tiva stared through the glass.
She activated her microphone and spoke. “Orem! It’s nice to hear from you this morning! What’s going on in the world?”
“Good morning Tiva. Your mom sends her regards. Would you like me to play her video message?“
“No thank, Or. What else is happening?”
“I’m getting conflicting reports, but it looks like you’ve got another month or so to wait out the invasion.“
Tiva rolled her eyes while Orem continued, “Some say things will quickly go back to normal by spring, others are saying this is the end of the world. I don’t know who’s right, but I do know your safest if you stay right where you are.“
“I get it Or, I get it.”
Tiva stared through the glass, empty world crumbling before her. “What about my friends Or?”
“Christine and her children played some fun games yesterday.“
“Christine?”
“Christine your friend from college.“
“Oh, right. I miss her. I should send her a mess…”
“Andy just posted a fun recipe. Would you like to try it?“
Tiva sighed, and walked to her inner facing wall. “Or, lower my privacy screen.”
“Sure thing.“
The inner wall drained its pristine white pigment, revealing the empty hallway.
“Anybody there?” Tiva called out.
Across the hall a neighbor revealed herself.
“Hey, how ya doin’?”
“Amy! How you coping?”
“You know, I’m doing alright. I just finally got my last paycheck. I don’t know what I’ll do come next month.”
“Yeah, I’m lucky that my job hasn’t been effected.” Tiva didn’t know what else to say.
Time passed.
Tiva chimed in, “Anyway, I’ve gotta be going. I’ve got stuff to do.”
Orem mercifully raised the privacy screen again.
Tiva slammed herself into her chair and pulled up her work files. She stared through the document.
*Knock, Knock, Knock*
Tiva wrested herself awake. “Or! Privacy screen!
Dirty clothes and skin concealed a slender muscular frame, desperation radiating from his face. “You gotta help me! They’re coming!”
Orem chimed in, “I must recommend against this, Tiva. You know the rules.“
“No shit, Or. Hey, dude, you should be inside your home. You know they’re out there. Hell, for all I know you could be one of them. Or! raise the privacy screen.”
*Knock, Knock, Knock*
The stranger pleaded, “They kicked me out. I only have a moment. They’re com–“
Before he could finish, the edges of the clean white room began to pulsate red.
I forceful but comforting female voice began, “Alert. Invading forces detected. Building will lock down in 20 seconds… 19… 18…”
“Please,” the sob came from outside the room.
“Or. What am I supposed to do? I can’t just leave him out there.”
Orem responded. “I must recommend against this, Tiva. You know the rules.“
“Fat lot of use you are,” Tiva barbed.
The voice counted down, “5… 4… 3…”
On one Tiva pulled the mystery man in the door and slammed it shut.
The feminine voice chimed in again. “Building locked down, Privacy screens locked into view-only mode.”
Tiva caught of whiff of her new friend. “Ugh. Shower’s in the corner buddy.”
Then her heart stopped. She saw them.
Bryan Appley 