The doorbell rang. Me and the others quickly, and quietly, went to our hiding places. I listened as the footsteps faded until nothing after a distance. I then shoot for the door and swing it open. I find another human package. 'Free Range Whole Human' the tag says. I turn around and yell, "We got another one!"

James, a brown haired and brown eyed 20-year-old, runs out the house and to my side with his pocket knife, the one his father gave him. He cut the wrap and pulled it off. The man inside gasped for air, coughing out any small debris particles that would've been left in his system from packaging. I kneel to his side and take his arm.

"Are you alright?" I say.

He nodded slowly as he bent over and rested his head on his fists. He was a white male with dirty blonde, nearly brown, hair. I had caught a glimpse of his ocean blue-green eyes and the dark lines under them from lack of sleep. He seemed to be in his mid to late twenties and was pretty fit compared to the others that we got.

"C'mon. Let's get you inside," James said while grabbing his other arm. We both pulled him up and brought him into the house. Marci, a 6-year-old blonde and green eyed girl, pulled out one of the dining chairs. We set the male down and in came Parcila, another brown hair and eyed girl with 23 years of age, our 'medic' of the community. She carried a bowl full of the usual supplies needed for new 'arrivals'.

I grab James' arm and make him follow me into the kitchen. "We need a way to fight back. We can't just keep letting Them do this to us," I say with plead in my tone.

James sighs and rubs a hand over his face. "I know we do Meagan but we'll need to think it through. We don't have enough weapons to even come close to comparing with Them and we most definitely don't have enough people willing to fight with us. It would be a waste of time and drop of the human race."

"James, we made it this far. 20,576 years, exactly, from the very beginning that humans have started keeping track of the years, so it's even longer than that. The human race has dominated this world with bare hands and rocks and sticks in the beginning-"

"And now we have guns, houses, air issues, unknow diseases, and a whole bunch of other stuff in a list that would create another planet for hell's sake. But every time we came across a problem, we took them on one by one. Every other time we took them all on, it ended in disaster. So right now, we need to deal with how to keep our population alive, then we can fight back with whatever we got."

I growled and turned my head the other way, turning to the newbie. His eyes were glazed over as he looked at Parcila. I remember that feeling. Where she had to talk slow and soft so my ears could pick up the sound of her voice. I felt so weak then. Like I was going to pass out and die at any moment from what those... monsters did. The dark circles around his eyes were darker in the house lights. I could make out more of the bruises and scars that were left on his body. There would be even more on his private regions from Them 'fixing' him. Both from the inside and out. Just like what humans would do to pets. As revenge...

I remember going through that torture. They make sure to keep you awake for it. Every part. They don't numb you. They just slice you open and get to work. The memory made me want to cringe in disgust and pain. I would listen to others scream until they lost their voice. Waiting in my own cell for Them to come and drag me to the torture room. Waiting for the day that They slaughter me and serve me as their food... Everyone has nightmares and still sleeps with an eye open.

"Meg?" James calls.

His fingertips graze my arm when he reaches for me when I turn on my heels and walk out the sliding door to the patio. I lean on the brick rail and look out to the small patch of trees on the other side of the yard. A few kids were playing. Some on the cement driveway drawing with chalk, some throwing a ball in a game of catch, and others doing other things. They were so young and just had an image of what the enemies looked like. They know to hide from Them. They know not to engage with Them in any way. They know that They are dangerous. But they don't know the whole picture and the damage They can do.

I sigh and look down at the cement top of the railing. A small, dark gray spot appears on it, right next to the shadow of my head. I look at it confused. But then more small spots start to appear. Something landed on my neck and I finally realize that it's raining. I look up to call to the children only to see that they had noticed and started walking to their own homes. I do the same and walk back inside, greeted by James. He glanced up at me and motioned to the stairs before walking to them. I follow as he leads us into our shared room.

"What?" I say.

"Parcila got him to talk. He was still a bit shaky but we were able to make out what he said. He talked about the usual things but mentioned another. He said that he had overheard Them talking about a plan. A plan to attack the communities. All of them."

I stared at him dumbfounded. I let out a airry breath and slide a hand through my hair. This can't be happening. "Did he say when?"

"In a month or so. But who knows how long it took for Them to get him here. The package doesn't say where it came from. Plus with how long he was still in the factory before being shipped. So we have no idea when They will come."

"Ugh. Then we have to do whatever we can to be ready for it. That's all I can think of."

"I know. But... What if They meant for him to hear that? What if They're going to mess with us and not attack? What if They want us to think that, not attack until we think They're not going to, then actually attack and kill us all? There are so many possibilities with what could happen with this. We can't just take it like it's nothing Meagan. What are we going to do?"

I sigh. James is right. There are many ways this could start and end. It's just which one is right is the question. I sigh again and walk over to the window, looking through the boards to the rain pouring outside. That's when I see one. A brown and white and black spotted male cow hiding in the bushes. One of Them.

"James," I whisper.

"Yeah?"

I wave my hand he walks over, looking out and seeing what I do. He gasps before growling. Then running to the other wall and taking out his pistol. He rushes down and out the door. I watch him make a beeline to the animal, becoming soaked. He pulled the unaware monster out the brush, it letting out a yelp. I looked at it confused. It's too small to be one of the guards, I know that for sure. It's way too frail as well. I don't think it's one of the slaughterers either. Too small to be a processor, to weak to be able to do anything. I don't think it does anything. From the looks of it, it resembles a child.

I heard it yell and whimper from James' anger. Then I watch blood splatter the air and James fell to the ground, letting go of the thing. Four guards rush over to his dead body. One picks up the calf, one blocks their view of James, and the other two both take another shot at James. They all scowl in disgust and walk away from my friend. I can only stand there shocked. James was shot and there was a calf in our community. Something is definitely not right...