1
The first ones came under the cloak of darkness, their arrival heralded by an eerie, melodious sound that was neither mechanical nor natural. It wasn't the roar of a jet engine or the hum of machinery, but rather a soft, musical note that seemed to permeate the very air, causing people to sit up in their beds, hearts pounding with a mixture of shock and wonder. The world was caught off guard as these visitors descended from the heavens in their sleek, otherworldly vessels, offering salutations of peace and friendship.
Mankind was woefully unprepared for their arrival. Our advanced satellites and powerful telescopes, which were supposed to be our guardians of the cosmos, had failed to detect their approach. Despite the initial chaos and the predictable "end of times" hysteria that gripped some corners of the globe, the overall response was one of awe and welcome. These beings, who bore a striking resemblance to humans and spoke flawless English, were disarmingly polite and exuded an aura of tranquillity.
Their visit lasted a mere 24 hours, during which they bestowed upon humanity advanced technology and signed a peace treaty with the world's leaders. The so-called "fat heads" and "gasbags" who considered themselves experts and authoritative figures were left scrambling to comprehend the magnitude of what had transpired.
Yet, in their haste to embrace these extraordinary visitors, humanity failed to foresee the consequences of this unprecedented encounter. The technology left behind, while groundbreaking, came with its own set of challenges and unforeseeable impacts on society. The peace treaty, though celebrated, was but a prelude to a series of events that would reshape the fabric of human existence.
If only they knew what was to come. The true ramifications of that fateful night were far beyond the understanding of those who signed the treaty and welcomed the visitors with open arms. It was a night that marked the beginning of a new era, one that would test the resilience, ingenuity, and adaptability of mankind in ways they had never imagined.
But… as always….
Man was a stupid fucktard.
.
.
"Ianto, come on love. Pick up your toys" Jennifer called out to her small son, the nine year old small for his age, even as his sister who was only three years older seemed twice the size.
"Mama, the anniversary thing is coming on the telly" Rhiannon called back as she knelt to help Ianto pick up his little toy cars, the television starting to play the familiar music of the anniversary show to celebrate the Visitors from That Night.
"Ten years" Ifan said as he settled on the sofa next to his wife, reaching for her hand even as his gaze fell not to the TV screen, but the little boy who was conceived that night.
The night the babies were Gifted.
.
.
Ianto was bored and ignoring everything now, lying in his back staring at the ceiling as the voice on the telly droned on and on about the Visitors and the phenomenon of births worldwide some nine months later, his own one of those.
He had been tested of course, they all had. Every child that was thought to have been conceived or 'Gifted' that night or around the month either side were tested annually and Ianto hated it. Standing there naked while strangers examined him looking for some sort of mutation or something. You see… some kids did exhibit things. The Visitors had created some of the babies considered Gifted and their gifts varied.
Ianto always got rejected, sent home. Those with 'Gifts' were kept, some never to see their families again as they entered a new world where they would be taught how to hone and use these gifts from the gods.
Ianto learned, he learned quickly because he was smart. He watched those ahead of him, calculated and reasoned in seconds what would take others days. Oh yes he was smart. Smarter than your average person and that was his gift. Er…. His Gift if ya get my meaning. Or at least… one of them. One the idiots never considered this ability to be a Gift, the ability to create the illusion of being normal.
But he wasn't.
And now as he sat on the tenth anniversary of That Night, he knew something the others in the room didn't. Something he had instinctively known would happen and was not the least bit interested in. Why he had hidden himself, kept small, quiet and… slow. But when that musical tone started to sound around the world everyone else was beyond excited to see what the Gods brought them this time. What Gifts were about to be bestowed.
What they could not guess… but of course Ianto did because he knew everything… was that this was not another gift giving exercise. Oh no. What goes up must come down. As there is light, so must darkness follow… and as one hand gives, the other takes away. What Ianto had worked out in his small but advanced brain was that this was not another sowing… it had to be the other.
The reaping.
They had come for what they had cultivated that decade before.
And that is why he had hidden so well, as had others who had felt the same fear, those who had hidden their children and fudged birth dates in order to avoid THAT conception date.
The idiots who rushed to greet and inform their great visitors of all they had learned, all those they had sectioned out like cattle from the herd… however… well … like I said already….
Man was a stupid fucktard.
