The creature filled the doorway, its hunched frame scraping the metal edges as it sniffed the air with slow, deliberate breaths. Its skin was a bluish-gray, stretched tight over long limbs that twitched like it was constantly listening for something Jon and Jessica couldn't hear.
Jon barely breathed.
Jessica's fingers dug into his hoodie as she mouthed silently:
"Don't move."
The creature's glowing eyes scanned the concession stand — pale and unblinking like headlights cutting through fog. It stepped forward, the floor trembling under its weight.
Jon's heart slammed in his chest. He wasn't sure if he was more terrified of the alien or the idea of losing Jessica after finally finding her.
The creature leaned down over the counter.
It could smell them.
It knew they were there.
Jon risked a glance at Jessica.
Her face was streaked with dirt and fear, but her eyes — those soft brown eyes — were locked on him with one message:
Please don't let it take us.
Jon swallowed hard.
Then —
A sound echoed from outside.
CRACK!
Something shattered loudly across the baseball field.
The creature snapped its head toward the noise, every muscle tightening, its claws flexing.
Another sound followed.
A yell.
A human yell.
"HEY! HEY YOU UGLY FREAK! OVER HERE!"
Jon's eyes widened.
He knew that voice.
Jessica gasped, half in fear, half in relief.
"Mikey," she whispered.
The creature hissed — a horrible screech like metal bending — and bolted out of the concession stand, crashing through the doorway in a blur of claws and fury.
As soon as it was gone, Jon grabbed Jessica's hand.
"Come on!"
He pulled her up, and they sprinted outside.
Across the field stood Mikey Alvarez, waving a metal bat in the air like he was challenging the alien to a championship game.
"YOU WANT SOME? COME GET SOME!" he roared.
The alien charged toward him, kicking up dirt. Mikey bolted toward the dugout, sliding behind a fence post just as the creature smashed through the empty bleachers.
Jon shouted, "MIKEY! RUN!"
"WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M DOING?" Mikey yelled back, leaping over a bench.
The alien lunged.
Mikey swung the bat with everything he had.
CLANG!
The echo rang across the field — but the creature barely flinched. It stumbled a half-step, more surprised than hurt.
"Mikey!" Jessica screamed.
"GO! BOTH OF YOU!" Mikey yelled. "I'LL MEET YOU—AHHH!"
The alien's arm whipped out, catching Mikey by the leg. Mikey's body hit the ground hard, but he rolled and scrambled under the bleachers, kicking wildly.
The alien clawed at the metal supports, bending them like wire.
Jon didn't even think.
He grabbed Jessica's hand tighter.
"We're not leaving him."
Jessica nodded, breath shaky but determined. "How do we help?"
Jon scanned the field, brain racing.
Then he saw it — one of the tall metal light poles. Massive. Old. Rusting. Balanced by a thick cable at the base.
If they could knock it down…
"Jessica," he said, pointing, "help me get that cable loose."
She sprinted with him to the base of the pole. The support cable was padlocked, but the lock was ancient and brittle. Jon grabbed a nearby brick and slammed it down.
CRACK.
CRACK.
SNAP.
The lock broke.
The pole groaned.
Up above, the alien kept ripping at the bleachers, closer and closer to Mikey.
Jessica pushed with all her strength. "Jon — hurry!"
Jon shoved his shoulder against the cable drum.
"COME ON!" he yelled.
The pole leaned…
Tilted…
And then — BOOM — crashed down onto the field, slamming into the dirt just inches behind the alien.
The creature shrieked, recoiling from the crashing metal.
Mikey crawled out from under the bleachers, limping but alive. "HOLY CRAP — you two actually saved me!"
The alien regained balance, turning its glowing eyes toward the three kids.
Jon grabbed Mikey. "We have to go NOW!"
Jessica pointed to the maintenance tunnel at the edge of the field — a small metal door leading underground toward the equipment sheds.
"This way!" she shouted.
They sprinted.
The alien lunged.
Jon yanked the door open. "Get in!"
Jessica jumped into the tunnel first. Mikey followed, clutching his leg. Jon dove in last, grabbing the door and slamming it shut as the alien's claws scraped across the metal with a deafening screech.
Darkness swallowed them.
For a moment, all they could hear was their own breathing.
Then Mikey whispered, voice shaking but trying to sound brave:
"Well… guess we're officially in an alien invasion.
And I think it knows we're not going down easy."
Jon exhaled slowly, his heart finally slowing.
Jessica touched his shoulder.
"You saved us," she whispered.
Jon turned toward her — even in the dark, he could feel her eyes on him.
"No," he said softly. "We saved each other."
Outside, the alien slammed its fist on the metal door.
But the kids were already running deeper into the tunnel — toward answers, toward danger, and toward a future none of them could imagine yet.