George Wells/narrator POV:
as i was being shoved in the crowd, there was a group of metal hermit spiders coming right at us, then the crowd started to scatter around the building. the metal hermit spiders started snatching people and torchering them. but then three solders wearing gas masks and carrying guns, then they started fighting it with everything they got, but the machine started using it's tentacles and slicing them ripping them into pieces. i then looked behind me and I saw huge amounts of smoke spreading across all of new york, as i notice how people started running from it and being engulfed by it, i understood that the smoke is toxic I tried looking for something to protect myself from the smoke but remembered that the metal hermit spiders are still around and they can easily kill a person with its tentacles. but as i took a gas mask from the dead corpse of one of the three solders killed by the metal hermit spiders i notice two children crouching in a corner, i knew that i couldn't just leave them out here in the toxic smoke, which is spreading rapidly as if it were a pyroclastic flow from a sleeping volcano. i immediately grabbed the other two masks from the other two dead solders and quickly ran over to the two children, then i gave them both the gas masks and started putting the masks on their faces good and tight as i can. immediately put the gas mask on myself and got the children on their feet and we started searching for a place to hide but the smoke was getting faster. until we found the janitors closet but it was locked until we notice there was an unconscious man who appeared to have hit himself on his head but i checked his neck for a plus but nothing. then i notice he had a key ring on his belt, so i quickly took the keys from his belt and started tested each key if it fits the keyhole until finally the door is unlocked. me and the children immediately went inside and i quickly locked the door. last we hid ourselves in the janitors closet inside Whitehall terminal building in order to escape the black smoke and the metal hermit spiders. just in case i covered the crack under the door with a few towels that were left in here, but even though we were wearing gas masks there were muffling sound of screaming and shouting from outside, the sounds of panicking outside had started from screaming to coughing and then came collapsing noises. I then found a flashlight on the shelf and I turned the flashlight on, but it seemed to be a bit dim. I pointed the light around the room to see where the children are. I looked at their eyes and they seem to be afraid, but thankfully i saved their lives from the black smoke and the martian machines, i sat between them and rapped my arms around them both as they shivered in fear. but as i checked my watch to see what time it is, but it was hard to see. but as time passed by, i carefully removed my gas mask to test if the air is clean, i took a breath and it seems that the air is fine.i removed the gas masks from the faces of the tow children, i had to ask them where they came from and who are their parents "its alright, the air is fine and your both safe." i informed them as they nodded their heads in understanding. "I'm George wells, I'm a journalist from the ABC7 news , what about you two, what are your names?" i asked them as they just stared at me with worry, but i notice the boy stood up and spoke "my name is David and this is Emily, shes my sister." he said to me as he introduced himself and his sister. i smiled at them "anyway where are your parents?" i asked them in curious manner in order to get to know them better, but they just stared at me. then i suddenly notice the girl started to form a tear in her eyes the two of them looked sad after asking about their parents. I walked right to them to ask the boy if their parents were with them on the docks, but sadly shook his head "our dad went with the army while mom took care of us but then we heard mom had a car accident, but they insisted that we be brought to an orphanage, but we ran away and . . . " he said until he paused as he started to tear up in sadness. that's when I understood they were orphans with no family's at all, but was surprised that their father was in the army, then i remember what i saw at rabbit hill of what the machines were doing with the dead and wounded. but i knew that they weren't ready to know about their father, yet i was uncertain that he took part taking part of the attack at Grovers mill. however it will be dark soon and the martians scavenger machines will be here soon and be making terrible noises. i took my handkerchief from my pocket and wiping the tears from the young girl Emily's eyes. in edition i gave her a hug to comfort her "i know how hard it is to lose a relative, but its hard to understand things but still you can't run from home like that but since he's away in the army i might watch over you for a while. are you alright with that?" i asked them as they both nodded their heads in understanding. i sat in between the two siblings as they rested their heads on my time passed by in our hiding place, the siblings fell asleep on me as they slowly closed their eyes, yet i started to wonder what they were dreaming of? i was the only one still awake in fact it was hard for me to get some rest for a while. all i could think of was my beloved childhood friend and lover Carrie, i continued to hear sounds of thundering from the martian cylinders entering earths atmosphere, but its hard to tell if there were any windows yet there aren't any windows in the janitors closet. i sat there with two young siblings resting peacefully on my shoulders in their peaceful slumber, but i know that watching them is going to be a full responsibility, yet a memory came to me from high school that i was thinking on having children someday, even though I'm engaged with Carrie, it might be my chance. . . until the martians arrived on earth. it became very hard to sleep now . . . ever since the martians arrived and started harvesting us and killing us, yet i was unsure if that was the case so i await for midnight to approach and observe the martians and their works. but as time kept going on, the horror had arrived to do its work! the terrible sounds of machines had returned to harvest the dead again, the memory of what they did in rabbit hill started to haunt me. the shredding and screeching kept on growing louder as it got closer and i had to get a good look at them, but i remembered to keep the children safe from the black smoke outside the door. then i remembered that i gave them and myself gas masks to protect us from the black smoke. i as grabbed all three of the gas masks and i immediately put mine on and then i carefully put their gas masks on their faces. until their eyes started to open and i had to keep them calm, i lift my mask off and spoke to them "shh I'm going to check the outside if the martians are gone, I'll be right back okay?" i said to them as they nodded in understanding, i put my gas mask back on and carefully opened the door slowly and took a peek into the crack of the door, that's when i got a close glimpse of a the machine that was harvesting the dead and wounded . but there was a lot of them and it was hard to see the bodies under them, judging from the form, it does appeared to be some form of an insect, but they were unlike any i seen, they had the shape of a beetle but had the lower body of a grub, and it slithers on the corpses like a snake yet its grub-like lower body started to grow and i understood that's where they were keeping the corpses stored in, much like how honey pot ants store their water and sweet liquids they collected from rain and plants. then i notice the siblings were peeking though the door as well, but i immediately reacted as i shut the door as quietly i can and immediately locked the door. i knew this would cause a problem after what they just witnessed and then they just stared at me with curious and horrified eyes. but i had to wait till morning, that way there might be less martian activity in the area.
George Wells/narrator POV:
Aug 12, 2018
when morning arrived, i opened the door and was in a horrific surprise. . . everything was gone just like at rabbit hill. every weapon, every object, and everyone of our dead! many of new york city's population were taken from the docks and possibly the city, their bodies were stolen. as i opened the door carefully, me and the two siblings left the janitors closet and entered quiet and empty remains of the docks, the sky was a very dark grey morning. it seemed that the black smoke had cleared the city, but many of the dead that suffocated in the black smoke were taken by the martian harvester machines, but the martians fighting left a few burned corpses in the form of scorched skeletons as if they were firewood. then a metal hermit spider appeared and we hid behind a brick wall without being seen by the martian machine as it just passes by the street without harming us, after that moment the hermit spider was gone. as we wandered the streets the i then notice the cars which filled the city were gone as the corpses, this just got me curious. why would the martians take the corpses and vehicles from the city? are there any survivors left in new york? where are the survivors of the black smoke that spread across new york? As we walked down white-hall street Emily was very curious of what was really happening "what happened to everyone in the city sir?" Emily asked me as she looked up at me, she seemed to be worried that the martians would be after us too, but i have to keep them calm, but after what they saw, i felt that i couldn't keep this horrifying truth of the martians work here and what i learned. i took a deep breath preparing to speak "Emily, David sit down please? there something i have to tell you both!" i asked them as they sat on the side walk in the street, so I prepared myself for the most disturbing news that i had discovered at rabbit hill. "its about your father and even thought i might not know him or what he looks like, but i think i know what happened to him and the people in the city?" i said to them as their eyes widened and started leaning in close to hear more "I'm afraid your father and everyone else might have been kidnapped or killed by the martians?" i informed them as they just stared at me with confusion, David spoke "what do you mean that our dad's been kidnapped by the martians?" David asked me as i was about to explain what i meant "you see there's a thing called harvesting, harvesting is a thing when you catch or kill something for consumption use, it seems your father might have be harvested by the martians. he and others after him and what you saw last night was the exact machine that does just that." i informed them as they started to show a devastated look on their faces and their eyes filled with tears of sadness and sorrow. but i knew we had to find some shelter soon and fast before any martians appear so i got both siblings to their feet "i know it sounds very devastating, but we might not have the time to mourn for him right now. come on lets go find some shelter before any martians appear?" i told them as they nodded their heads as the stood by both side of me as we walked together. We went back to our road after that, as kept moving I started thinking about these children and their safety. I felt that they might be put in danger if i keep em by me any longer, but then I suddenly thought of finding them someone to watch after them for me. We turned left and went through water street then we turned north to broad street and turned left again to pearl street, but as we walked I spotted an inn nearby called the wall street inn, i felt that maybe we might take shelter there, until something caught my eye. A light was on in the wall street inn, where there is light, there's someone still alive. we walked right into the inn then heard something clicked, i turn to see there was a young woman, but she seemed to be wearing a gas mask and carrying a gun and pointing at us "freeze, raise your arms and put your hands on your head!" she demanded as i did what she said and i got on the ground, until she notices the children with me, she take off her mask and walks over to us with caution. she started checking them, including me, at last she finished searching us "okay your clear, i thought you were ... who are you, if your trying to find food but i hate to ruin it but there's only food for one, but if there's kids, i guess your welcome." she said to us as i got on my feet and i notice the siblings smiled and started hugging her "i guess you have them in good hands . . . right?" i asked her, she turned her face to me and started to get curious of me "you look familiar? who are you?" she asked me as i took time to reply "my name is George wells. . . I'm a journalist." i said to her as i introduced my self, the woman smiled "oh now i remember you, you were on the news a few days ago about the attack at rabbit hill." she said with amazement, i was surprised that she remembered me at that instant "so you know about that?" i asked her as she replied with a nod but then she spoke "would you like a room here for you and these children?" she asked me as i nodded "why of course but these aren't my children, but i saved their lives from the black smoke yesterday and I'm afraid their parents are dead." i informed her as she frowned with sadness "oh my, i think that i can adopt them as their foster mom? i can even get you a room where you can rest for the night." she requested as i smiled in agreement "you mean you want to adopt them, i guess that might be a good idea, but you got to keep them safe." i asked with a strict tone. she nodded in understanding "of course i can." she said to me with pride, afterwards she offered us rooms and i was given a single room while she given herself and the siblings a room for themselves.