Hey everyone. Let me start of by saying that I'm a movie fanatic; I've seen hundreds, and love all sorts of genres - especially sci-fi. I personally thought the intersection scene was one of the best sequences I've ever seen in a movie. I rarely feel like I'm 'part of the experience' when in a movie theater, but this time, I felt like I was there, in New Jersey, watching all of this happen. I've studied this scene repeatedly, and finally decided to write a little fic about Ray's experience through this event which only lasts a few minutes. This would fit in pretty well for a modernized WotW novel, I'd think.
No original characters here, Spielberg is the full owner of this WotW sniplet.
Ray stared on in a morbid curiosity, unsure and fearful of how the hulking giant would react to the denizens - his neighbors and friends below. He didn't know what to think at the moment. What had he just witnessed? He couldn't quite grasp it. He may of had been a fan of science fiction; he may have always been interested in mechanics, and robots, and advanced technology... but even this combination couldn't offer any advice or knowledge on what to do or think.
What was this thing? It had all seemed like a flash - a flicker of time, from when he had been yelling once more at Robbie. Arguing with him, dealing with Rachel's demands, glaring once more at Tim. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just another weekend with the kids which would leave the house a mess.
He wanted to leave, feeling fearful for his children, but his feet stuck to the ground. Just moments ago, he was nearly smashed by an SUV, only seconds later to nearly be crushed by three, gigantic tendrils; heavy machinery which groaned with a dull roar, raising in the air by several stories, and coming back down, bending the street light under it before smashing the car he was using as a shield to bits.
It had risen from the very ground of the intersection Ray knew by heart, an intersection which he practically grew up on. The church he had stopped going to when he was thirteen lay in ruins, it's magnificent spire was now a heap of rubble with the other debris that the hole had consumed.
And then it raised up, as if it were breathing, and fell back to the earth.
Should've listened to the news. I hear things about these lightning occurrences, and never care to watch the reports. God damn, what is this thing? Is this happening anywhere else? It's connected with the lightning, that's obvious.
The police were simply following routine by getting everyone back and trying to keep control of the situation, but what did they know? Nothing like this has ever happened, right? And when it - that machine rose from the ground, it's engines blaring and it's 'face' lighting up like a jet engine on fire - all one could do was get further back.
Run. Just run.
But Ray just couldn't help himself. It was human instinct. He had to look at the towering beast which loomed proudly over the suburban neighborhood.
"Oh my God..." Julio, one of Ray's friends whined.
Ray breathed heavily, clung himself to the wall of the building he was hiding behind, and peaked over - determined to keep his distance but see what the creature was at the same time.
"Ray, no - stay, man," Julio babbled, while Vincent also got a look.
A calm now lingered in the air as dozens of people took individual positions, some taking pictures, still cautious, but as curious as Ray was. The police were no longer law enforcers, but simply clueless civilians like everyone else. Everyday people. Democrats, Republicans; White or Black; Religious or otherwise - all normal people deep down, the same faults as anyone else.
Was this man made? Some sort of tunneling device? No - that's stupid. What did it want? Is it even from this planet? Why does it have three legs?
The creature gazed at it's onlookers, then suddenly bucked up and blasted the air with an ear-piercing horn so loud that Ray could feel the vibrations throughout. It then sent out bursts of steam or something from it's body, and a second later, a serpent-like arm on either side of it's 'head' uncurled itself as the dirt clouds around it evaporated.
A buzzing, revving up sound commenced from the creature, slowly growing louder. Ray noticed that a guy with a video camera was now filming the giant as the oddly alluring sound grew louder.
What is that?
Ray stood erect, puzzled at the creature's intentions. A feeling of dread was creeping up, slowly consuming him. He had to get out of there. He had to run. This was not right.
The buzzing came to a stop as the creature seemingly aimed it's glowing arms downwards. Then, Ray knew. People were going to die. He wanted to move, but his body wouldn't allow it. He fought with himself, ready to jolt at a split second notice.
He tried to comprehend his reasoning for even coming down here. After the freak lightning storm, he merely wanted to know if everyone was okay - and if he could find his car. But was that really more important right now than making sure young Rachel was safe?
As soon as the first beam of energy came down - a bright purple ray of light
accompanied by a soft 'zap' sound, Ray's feet finally did what he wanted them to. The man holding the video camera had simply vanished, and Ray wasn't sure at the moment why.
He became a droplet of water in the rushing river that was the crowd of now terrified onlookers. Another beam of energy hit two people in front of him. For a moment, they stopped moving, as if frozen in the air. Then they exploded into a cloud of dark dust right before his eyes. Their clothes, other than a burn hole where the beam had hit, flew into the air. Vincent was nowhere to be seen, but Julio was scrambling for cover just a few feet from Ray.
Ray couldn't think, or breath, or turn away. All he could do was run, shoving others out of the way, doing whatever it took to get home.
Please... let me get home. Rachel...
The simple thought continued to reverberate as the death ray vaporized anything it touched. He watched as a person tried to drive off in a car, only to be hit by a beam which also sent the car flying backwards. Ray felt dust hit his face, absorbing the sweat there before it. Another beam, and another.. Some how, each missed him.
He didn't know how many people were behind him, or around him. He didn't know where the police had gone, or if the machine was chasing him. All he wanted was to get home - but so did everyone else, he realized. Nothing made him special, or more important than anyone else.
Julio was hit, but Ray could only keep running, right through the area that his friend had just occupied. Another blast, killing a few people right in front of him. Death could come without warning in an instant before Ray even knew what had happened.
I have to get off this road. I have to get off this road.
Ray ducked into a clothing shop, pushing his way past the petrified occupants. This is where Ray couldn't tell who was a person and who wasn't, as the beam penetrated the building, turning human and mannequin alike into dust vapors.
Like a rampaging animal, he threw aside racks of clothes, pushed away objects, tore through the people - anything to get away. A car was thrown, breaking the window and smashing everything in it's way.
I'm a survivor. All I have to do is try harder than anyone else.
He stormed out of the shop, finding himself clear of the beast's eye - but he knew he was still in great danger, and quickened his pace down the empty road. Beams of heat filled the skies, crisscrossing as quickly as lightning, tearing apart the roofs of the houses he ran by.
Several buildings exploded, setting everything nearby on fire, filling the streets with carnage and rubble in a matter of seconds. Not even the people who were in the homes, not even the ones who weren't at the intersection were safe as more rays hit just a few feet above, turning the neighborhood into molten steel and burnt cinder.
When he turned another corner, he at last felt safe enough to rest for a moment. He leaned against the brick wall of a building and shot a glance out at the road. It was if a fire-spewing tornado had torn through it. The faint sound of giant footsteps grew louder until Ray saw the monstrosity that had relentlessly killed without reason, casually striding down main street.
A man holding a child appeared and ran past Ray after the area was all clear.
Those can't be the only survivors.
But Ray didn't know what to think. He was overwhelmed with complete shock and disbelief on what he had just witnessed. He made his way back home as if on automatic.
Only once did he see the eyes of his young daughter peering at him through his screen door did he come to his full senses once more.
How am I going to explain this... What am I going to do?
The words 'take care of our kids' echoed through his mind, answering his own question. And without another moment's hesitation, he calmly walked up to his house where Rachel and Robbie were waiting.
It was a cold autumn morning like no other.