Gosh darn man its been a hot minute since I been on here to publish and I gotta say I'm a bit nervous haha, so this isn't my first story but this is my first AVP! There's not many out there and you know the saying if you don't like what you read do it yourself? Well here I am!

This is going to be a bit of a slow burn and maybe three chapters before the leading sexy Yautja arrives. If you ever read any of my older stories, my writing style change by a lot, gosh I hope so those things were back when I was young! (Stress the young!) So this flow might bit a different I wanting to try different things and different approach to this, I have yet to read anything Like what I'm planning so I hope everyone can enjoy this!

Ok, so no flames please but constructive criticism is welcome! If you want to help by giving a bit of advice on how something can work or flow better then by all means but if you're just going to be mean yeah please don't. If you don't like then just leave and write your own story m'kay?

Alrighty now I'm just wasting time, so without further ado!


Sins of the Stars

Light So Dim

"Am I just a lost soul blowing in the wind? Or a coward scared to look within? Or do I have a brave heart with a light so dim. Is that who I am?" ~Is That Who I Am, Chris Carmack


Ch.1

Running down the street, the man held back a sob. He wasn't prone to crying, but today was an exception. His heart was in his throat as he thrummed his feet faster on the pavement; they were on his trail only several yards behind him and gaining fast. Clenching his teeth, he yanked on the weight behind him.

"Keep up Clair, run faster!" A loud chocking cry came from behind him, his fifteen-year-old daughter running as fast as she could; he yanks her again to keep her from slowing down, he needed a place to hide her if only for a few hours.

"Please!" He yelled out to the surrounding area. "Help, anyone!" The streets were all deserted of life, cars stood abandon on the road with doors wide open, as if all the people left in a rush. Stores broken into, windows smashed, light poles and telephone wire laid sparking in the lawns of homes, that were just as empty as the streets, but he knew; Howard knew, people were there, hiding, too scare to come out or risk their safety of their loved ones to help.

"Anyone, please!" Howard finally let the tears fall as his continue to run through his exhaustion with his daughter. "Just take Clair please!" He yelled.

But it was too late.

A thin beam of pale blue light surrounded Clair, making the young girl scream as the small area the light surrounded suddenly lost gravity and began pulling her upwards.

"No please not my baby girl!" Howard cried holding onto his child with both hands as his heels dug into the pavement with little use to pull his daughter back.

"Daddy please don't let go!" She screamed as her tears floated upward from her cheeks while her nails bore into his skin.

A loud whirling sound echoed around them as a long mechanical tentacle seeming to come from thin air, clamped down on to Howards ankle pulling him downward, making his grip on his daughter slip.

It was as if time stopped as their hands were yanked apart, Howard looked into those terrified blue eyes that were filled with tears, but all he could see were big bright blue eyes of Clair when she was six-year-old and filled with so much happiness.

As Howard crashed to earth, it seemed like all he was able to do was cry with grief, as he stared up at the pale blue light that lifted up his baby girl into a large silver ship in the sky.

The blue light slowly dimmed, the silver air ship was lined red lights along its body as it pushed out steam, creating clouds while a shimmering shine glossed over the vessel, cloaking it from view from below.

In his distress, Howard missed the waving curtain of a window from the second story house, three doors away…


Easton slowly moved the curtain back in place as he sank back down under the window, sighing he looked to the two young women and a six-year-old boy sleeping on his lap. Swiping their hair from their faces, he smiled softly, they were his best friends, his only family; the only things that would ever matter…

….

"Shh stay down..." Easton hushed as he held his hand to stop the three behind him. Mercy pushed her wavy short black hair away from her chocolate brown eyes, her caramel skin tone was clammy and hot, her hair sticking to her skin but it was no use since her little brother, Andy, just put his tiny pale hands on her forehead pushing her hair back into her eyes.

"Do you see anyone?" She asked as she jostled Andy higher on her back.

"I don't but you know how they like to hide in plain sight…" Easton tossed his blonde hair from his green brown eyes, his cheek flushed from the heat.

"So what is the plan?" Patty asked putting her long silky brown hair into a high ponytail, her pale smooth skin free from the clammy, flush redness.

The three looked out into the grassy field, the only houses in sight were about two maybe four miles out in open free space. Open spaces were dangerous, being without cover you were an easy target, just a beam of light and then you're gone; that simple, that quick.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Mercedes looked around while pulling Andy closer to her back. "Is there any other way around?" She didn't want to go out there; she was the only family Andy had; she couldn't get caught.

Easton looked back behind them at the neighborhood; the stores were picked clean, the houses laying abandon but the worst were the mechanical tentacles. They were slithering into the houses and dragging females out, pulling them from their father, lovers and children's arms.

"It's not safe," He shook his head as he grabbed Andy placing him on his hip. "Better to stay few hours ahead then to be one step behind. They're beginning to be thorough; going through houses, shed and even the swearers, we can't go back or stay any longer."

"Yeah…" Patty nods slowly as she laces her shoes before nudging Mercy to do the same. "On my last run, I saw one of the tentacles dragging one girl from an attic, five streets over."

"Remember the goal." Easton reminded them, before taking a breath and walking out into the field.

"The country, yeah I know…" Mercy mutters as she laced up her shoes and pulling up her hood covering her features. Their goal was to make it to the far country, where the trees were closer together making it easier to hide but the main reason was there weren't many people, out there it would be far easier to survive than here.

"Don't worry Mercedes," Patty grabbed her friend shoulders making the girl look at her. "We don't have the luxury to worry, the moment we worry the moment we start making mistakes."

Nodding, she rubbed her face understanding what Patty was saying and she was right. She couldn't worry about the "what if", only the now and the now is getting across the field to the other side of the neighborhood.

"Right." Mercy looked to Patty then to Easton to see he was half away across the field, before giving quick signal of tossing his hair out of his eyes. Taking a calming breath, she and Patty walked out into the open.

Both girls slowly made their across; they were dressed in baggy clothes in hope to hide their outward appearances, enough to sneak around. Mercy's heart was beating so fast that she could feel each squeezing pump that robbed her of breath.

"Calm down Mercedes..." Patty mutters as she walked with a lazy swagger. Her hands were tossed behind her head, her brown eyes half lidded as if she was going to fall asleep. Mercy knew better then to take Patty's outer appearance as her current emotion; Patty was just as nervous and scared as she was; the girl couldn't stop running her tongue over her teeth.

Shoving her hands in her pockets, Mercy let her head roll back a bit, trying to copy the lazy swagger, hoping it would easy her mind as she chews her cheek. "I know, I know, I'm sorry…"

"What do you think they want?" Patty asked as she looked at the blue sky with nice white fluffy clouds that she was sure hid the large silver air ship with bright red lights.

"I can't even begin to think of what they would want…" She mutters as she pulled at the lining of her cheek with her left canines.

Patty looked to her friend as chewed her cheek with her eyes cast downward to the ground, her hands shoved deep into her pockets. Looking back at the sky above Patty was suddenly glad she didn't have any siblings; she wouldn't have to worry like Mercy about the "what if's", she didn't have to think about every action and what she could lose if it wasn't thought out thoroughly. She was glade that she wasn't Mercedes and that made her feel guilty.


"Easton…"

Keep going…

"Easton...!"

Get to safety…

"Are you listing...?"

Keep going…

"Hey!" His shoulder was yanked back grabbing his full attention, he whipped around with wide eyes to see that he really couldn't see the two girl in front of him.

Frowning he looked up to see the night sky and the over cast that seem never to go away since the aliens came. How long were they walking? His eyes were brought back to the girls, they looked tired and worn out, even little Andy was asleep and drooling on his sister's back. Mercy was hunched over from Andy's weight her eyes dull, while Patty was leaning heavily upon a wall her head rolled back eyes closed; Easton could assume she was fighting sleep, if not asleep already.

"Andy has been asleep at least for four hours, it's late into the night we haven't seen any humans, male or female, hell we haven't even heard anything…" Mercy sighs, her brother's weight was weighing on her, and all she wanted was a nice soft bed and fluffy covers.

"This town is small and seemed to be abandon early on, it looks like an old mill town." Patty mutters from her spot up against the wall. "We can find a barn or a shop and camp out for at least another four hours before the sun, but Easton, we're dead on our feet."

Nodding he sighed as he took in his surroundings before, spotting what looked like a well-used stone built barn. Drawing the girls' attention, they all headed to the barn quietly, staying low and to the shadows as they reached the stone walls. Easton held up his hand for the girls to stop.

Quickly going inside and scouting the area he gave a low whistle for safety and the girls rushed in closing the large doors softly.

Patty tossed of her bags and all but fell face first into a pile of old hay and didn't move. Smiling, Mercy pulled at the bags Easton had dropped with her free hand, struggling to get the black and red platted blanket to lay over the hay, while trying to keep Andy steady on her back was making the simple task hard.

"Here let me help." Easton chuckles as he jogged his way back from the other side of the barn. While he grabbed and freed the blanket laying it out on the hay, Mercy gently twisted and pulled her brother into her arms and cradled him close to her chest, before laying him on the blanket covered hay.

"He's getting taller." Mercy rolled her eyes at Easton's words.

"More like he's getting heavier," She smiled sweeping her brother's messy ink black hair away from his face. "He eats less ironically …"

Hearing her worried tone Easton placed a hand on her shoulder. "As long as he not losing weight, kept him hydrated and he should just fine."

She didn't say anything to the comment and just laid down curling her body around her brother, closing her eyes.


The sun was shining brightly, the warm breeze feeling good against her skin, the lovely feeling of the tall grass tickling her knees made Mercy smile as she looked at the blue cloudless sky.

She was dreaming, she knew this but she didn't mind, it was one of her favorite dreams…

"Mercedes," A voiced called to her, and it made her heart soar as she looked behind her across the grassy glade to see her mother waving to her. Rushing to her, Mercy was sixteen and energized like she remembered as she hugged her mother. "My sweet girl." Her mother kissed her head hugging her tightly.

"Do you remember your promise?" She chuckles as her daughter nuzzled into her chest.

"Yes of course I do." Looking up her mother before looking down at her belly. "To always take care of Andy." Mercy smiled looking at her mother's swollen belly.

"Then wake up…"

"W-What?" This wasn't how the dream went…The young girl was startled as her mother gripped her arms tightly almost painfully. "Mom, you're hurting me!"

"Then wake up!" Her mother shook her, her face etched in worry and fear. "Wake up Mercedes!" she snapped shaking her daughter.

Jolting as the feeling of being slammed back into her body, Mercy's eyes widely snapped open. Sitting up quickly with alert, she felt her heart pumping and squeezing to push the adrenaline throughout her body. Everything was still and quite, even the chirping crickets that lulled her to sleep were gone, the only sounds were the breathing of Andy, Patty and Easton.

Trying to calm her breathing she slowly stood, her gut was screaming but her mind was trying to say it was just a dream. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she grasped her hands tightly to keep them from shaking.

"It was only a dream." She spoke softly as she convinced herself that it was her minds way of reminding her of her promise.

But she wasn't expecting the silence to answer her back, with sharp clicks, low purrs and growls.

Mercy could feel the fear chock her as it filled her body, clamping her hands over her mouth to keep the scream inside. Standing there shaking with wide eyes locked on the ground, she forced her ears to listen for the sound again, hoping that it was just her anxiety and not…

There was a soft thud on the wooden roof, making her head snap up to see dust slowly falling as more of the clicking and purrs were heard, followed by three more thuds.

Mercy fell back into the hay with a silent cry of panic, the thuds were so soft and quiet that if she wasn't already awake and having seen the dust falling she wouldn't have woken up!

Her heart raced but she couldn't move, she felt paralyzed with fear so strong that she could only shake.

"Momma?" a soft tired voice whispered softly enough for Mercy to blink.

Remember your promise.

"Sis…" Andy yawns rubbing his eyes.

Her heart squeezed to a stop, before increasing as her adrenaline pumped harder. Looking at her sleepy brother rubbing his eyes, she bit her lip, no matter how many time she tried to explain to him she was his sister and not his Momma but he seemed to like switching between the two.

Slowly she lifted a shaking finger to her lips, those sleepy eyes frowned but like a big boy he nodded and he cover his mouth. She pointed to his bag before she looked to him.

Nodding again the six-year-old went to get his things quietly as she quickly rushed to Patty shaking her awake.

"Humm?" Patty groans before snapping. "Huh Wh…" Mercy slammed her hand over her friend's mouth shaking her head placing her finger over her lips.

The pale girl glared before the clicking was heard again, then soon her eyes grew in fear. Mercy pointed up with her hand still over her Patty's mouth, following the motion she looked up to see the dust falling from the ceiling followed by soft well place footsteps.

The two girls looked to the other before nodding and swiftly went about gathering their things. Mercy snatched her pack and reached to shake Easton awake, when the metal latch on the barn door slowly and softly became undone.

Both women stilled like deer in headlights, quickly the young women dash into the shadows before the door pushed open without a sound. Mercy jerked her brother up into her arms as she dove behind the large hay stack, pulling him tightly to her chest.

Covering her mouth and his to keep their heavy breathing silent, the clicks were louder, more pronounced, the growls and purrs reverberating all around them. She hated how the sounds seem to calm her yet keeping her heart racing, it was an odd feeling, all most like feeling safe but excited.

Looking over to Patty to see her frowning as she rubbed her chest, she feels it too, making eye contact with a nod both girls peeked around the hay. There was nothing there, it was only Easton still fast asleep on the pile of hay, with the barn doors wide open; squinting her eyes Mercy glared as she saw a quick shimmer before nothing. Shifting in her spot she pushed Andy behind her moving to the balls of her feet, her stomach dropping as two mechanical tentacles slowly snaked their way into the barn while sounds of static quickly revealed four large humanoid silhouettes.

It was too dark to see any details besides just basic outlines but that was enough for her. Moving back, she glanced to Easton who was still sleep, then back to the four humanoid; seeing they were gradually moving in, looking to be scooting the area.

Easton was a guy and base on what they seen, he should be left alone; her and Patty had to move, they'll regroup in the morning. Easing back behind the hay she glanced over to Patty to find her gone, panicking slightly she looked around wildly only to have Andy tug at her hand and point to a hole in the barn wall to see Patty waving from the other side.

Not wasting time Mercy pushed Andy forward, making him crawl through the hole, her heart racing the entire time. Once Patty pulled him through, Mercy slid to her belly and wiggled her way in only to get stuck half the way.

"Oh no…!" She hissed as she strained to pull herself through. "I-I'm stuck!"

Patty shook her head dropping down and grabbing her friends hand and trying to pull. "No, Mercy come on!" She hissed back.

"It's my hips they won't go through!" Mercy panicked. Patty was slim and thin bodied, built like a runner, slipping through the hole was no problem but Mercy had a set of hips on her.

"Are you sure it's not your fat ass?" Mercy gave a fearful chuckle at her friend's joke, she never did like her hips or ass, she much rather be like Patty slim and tiny, rather than curvy.

Hearing the purring clicks, the girls froze, Andy tensed besides Patty. Looking around they couldn't see anything, there was no lights, not that would help them since the aliens has some type of cloaking device.

"Patty take Andy and run, we'll met at the edge of the woods!" Mercy pulled her hands from Patty's as they young woman shook her head, in disbelief.

"No, Mercy come on, I... I don't want to leave you," she hissed looking to Andy as he clung to her. "I can't take care of him, he needs you!"

"Pat, Andy is six now there no reason to be scared" Mercy chuckles, knowing that children terrified her friend. Patty grew up the only child, never having to share or being responsible for someone…that and some kid bit her when she was trying to help them, ever since then Patty swore off children.

"I promise, I'll be there." She looked to Andy as she said this then back to Patty before she slid back into the hole once she saw Patty running towards the tree lines with Andy.

Taking a breath and pushing back the fear that always seem to choke her, placing a hand over her heart she turned around; coming face to face with Easton when he appeared from the dark scaring the living hell out of her.

Clamping his hand over her mouth to keep her scream at bay, he pushed her into a dark corner behind, what looked like a small water tank, just as a brush of wind passed by them.

There just in front of them was a large humanoid silhouette, its back was to them but was close enough for Mercy could see the thick board shoulder of pebbly skin. Almost reptile like, its hands were large with long talon like claws, now Mercy was a tall young woman coming in a 5'8, not very many guys could truly tower over her and make her feel intimidated, but seeing an alien that was built like a freight train, with her face only coming up to the mid of his back!? Yeah this fucker topped her list of fears.

Huddling back closer to Easton, Mercy cupped her hands over his that covered her mouth as the large humanoid suddenly whipped around in their direction. Long black tube like appendages seem to slap his chest as he whirled around in time to catch a human man brawling into him from the side, followed about an explosion of sounds.

Where in the hell did the man come from, Easton and Mercedes didn't know. All they could do was stare in shocked as the man wrestled with the being as he shouted, "Get her out of here!"

Blinking, Easton jerked and yanked Mercy out from behind the water tank and rushed out into the open barn; he didn't need to be told twice.

As they ran out they skid to a halt, staring into what look a mini war, human men against these alien humanoids. A glowing yellowish green, -or was it greenish yellow- was splattered over one of the men as he stabbed the creature in the upper back shoulder. Mercy eyes didn't stay there long as her and Easton met a wall of tan reptile color chest.

In much of a female fashion, Mercedes let out a loud high pitch scream that had been building since she woke up. That cold expressionless mask seemed to glare down at her through black lenses fueled her continuous scream until it was drowned out by a gunshot that splashed neon yellowish green blood onto her clothes.

The creature roared before it rushed toward the human male that shot at him, as shoulder like canon clicking online…until her vision was blocked by a figure.

A young man snarled as he reached for Easton yanking him up while he faltered forward in shock. Being dragged along with Easton the man yelled to an even younger boy he called Jean.

"Take these two to the group up by the edge of the woods" He rushed pushing them in Jean's direction. "You're safe with us we have a small group waiting that's willing to help, and I believe your brother is waiting."

Easton was just about to argue but at the mention of Andy, Mercy all but ran in the direction of edge of the woods, leaving him to run after her.

The sound of each breathed filled her ears, as she pushed her body as fast as she could go. The open space from between the barn and the edge was at least 600 yards away, that's like from one end of the street to another in a neighborhood, but it might just have well felt like 600 miles away.

Eyes solely trained on the edges of the woods, she missed the large rock covered in moss. Tumbling to the ground, the wind knocked out of her lungs, leaving her gasping as she crashed. Crying out Mercy winced as she pulled herself up enough to roll on her back, in time to see a bright flash of light beamed down in the spot she was in.

Easton and the young boy were yelling at her to get up, but the ringing in her ears left her dazed and confused, all she could do in that moment was stare. If she hadn't tripped that beam of light would have had her. She would have been taken up into the ship and never see Andy again, Patty or Easton either!

Watching the rock float upward, Mercy blinked in time to see the rock become still in midair before dropping back to earth with a loud thud. The thud knocked her back into action as she frantically scrabbled backward, slipping on the dewy grass, her shoes unable to get a good grip to pick herself up as the beam of light moved closer to her.

The light was moving too fast for her to be able to turn around and get up, leaving her to awkwardly crawl backwards as quick as she could. Wither it be luck or misfortune on her side, a body crashed into her, snatching her up by the arm; yanking her to her feet and tossing her forward in enough time before the light could snatch her.

The scream that ripped Mercedes throat, surprised even herself, the shear amount of the fear and shock filled the shrill. Scrabbling forward to the beam of light reaching for Patty.

"No! No Patty!" Finally catching up Easton yanked Mercedes back form the light, as the young boy Jean ran to try and snatch Patty back. But they all knew once the light had you there was no getting out of it...Patty wasn't coming back…

"Shit Patty! Why didn't you stay put!?" Easton yelled.

Patty Daniels, had always been there from the very beginning, she was there dragging a shy and blushing Mercedes behind her as she waved excitedly with her long brown pig-tails and demanding personality, telling him they were friends wither he liked it or not. The three of them were always together from pre-K through college, they were a team…

"Tsh come on, we all know Mercy can't leave Andy…" She smiled sadly as she held onto the young boy she didn't know, but she knew if they hung on any longer the tentacles will come and then what?

So, she let go and pushed away from the boy, letting the gravity pull her up as she shouts. "And I better not see your ass anytime soon you hear me!"

Nodding through her tears Mercy stood with Easton as she looked back at Patty before pushing out of Easton's arms shouting back.

"Give them hell!"

Slowly Mercy turned away unable to keep watching; with clenched fist she ran back to the edge of the woods Patty's loud booming laughter echoing on the wind.

She wouldn't look back….

She couldn't look back…

Patty wouldn't want her to look back, she would want her to keep running, to continue to live and stay with Andy, because even when she was afraid Patty laughed like it was nothing.

This was life now…and no matter how much it hurts; you keep running…


Ok Well that's ch1. I hope it was good Plz let me know in a wondrous review!