Preface Note – This is a work of fiction; blame everything on ChatGPT Plus, version 4; Grammarly, which I highly recommend, made over 13 suggested changes and other corrections, but these were not enacted.  Royalty-Free image from my Envato Elements Subscription.

by Rodrigo Souza

May 24, 2023

In an eerie echo of the ancient stories of celestial battles, the sky above the Falkland Islands is lit with a ceaseless storm of ethereal energy. The alien armada, once an invincible force, is showing signs of attrition, their falling wreckage laying waste to vast swathes of South America’s countryside.

“Each night, the sky is alight with flashes that outshine the stars. But when dawn breaks, we see the price,” says Lieutenant Rafael Garcia, a Chilean military officer who spoke off the record. “Our once green fields are marred by blackened craters and twisted metal.”

As debris from the increasingly desperate conflict rains down, farmers are reporting catastrophic losses. Huge, alien fragments litter the farmlands, their otherworldly composition proving resistant to removal efforts.

“Half of my livestock is gone, crushed under the wreckage or gone mad with fear,” says Eduardo Mendoza, an Argentinian cattle farmer, a note of despair in his voice. “Our land, our livelihood… it’s being destroyed.”

The aftermath of these devastating impacts is transforming vast tracts of fertile land into strange, uninhabitable zones. Reports speak of unusual radiation emissions, unpredictable energy surges, and in some cases, bizarre shifts in local gravity.

“Ground zero isn’t safe,” states an anonymous Brazilian physicist, whose team has been studying the fallout. “There are physics at work here we’ve never encountered before. It’s both fascinating and terrifying.”

Even as their homes become warzones, local communities rally together, showing a remarkable spirit of resilience. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with civilians and military personnel working side by side to locate and help those affected.

“Every day is a struggle,” admits Luisa Fernandes, a volunteer in a local rescue effort. “But we are united in this. We have to be.”

As humanity battles demons, sea monsters, and now, a violent cosmic war overhead, the people of South America endure. The alien invasion has brought destruction to their doorstep, but in the midst of devastation, there is a resilience, a collective strength that is perhaps humanity’s greatest weapon.

For the survivors watching the celestial battleground from beneath, one thing is certain: the fight is far from over. Their stories, of loss and resilience, serve as a sobering reminder of the stakes at play in this unprecedented global crisis.