[ WP ] Aliens came and declared war on Earth , but humanity defeated them . Twenty years later , we discover that our victory might not have been as complete as we thought .

*SLAM* 
 
 
 I shambled into my apartment and collapsed onto the couch. Ugh. Could it be more of a Monday? I rolled onto my side and stared mindlessly at a blank television. Now the eternal struggle began. Which would overcome the other, my body's overwhelming fatigue and need for sleep, or my duty to basic responsibilities and keeping this semblance of a life together? I flipped over, burying my face into the cushions. Ah, the sweet smell of years of neglect. Was I supposed to wash these things? With what? Do I get them dry cleaned or something? I suppose I could drive over to the place on the other side of town... ugh, how much would that cost? I have to get something to eat first, and write those two lab reports, and I've got work at the License Office at 10... 
 
 
 I sat up, putting my head in my hands. Stupid brain. Well, nothing'll get done on an empty stomach. Groaning loudly, I sidled on over to the fridge. An audible wince escaped me as I surveyed my options, or lack thereof. The shelves in there were as grimy as a New York Subway... I definitely need to do some cleaning up. Aside from a half-used stick of butter, the only thing I could call remotely edible was a leftover box of Chinese hastily wrapped in foil from a few days ago. Careful not to touch anything that may be poisonous, I reached in and snatched up the soggy cardboard box. That'll do for now. I'll stop by the grocery store before heading to work tonight. 
 
 
 Satisfied that I did n't need to cook anything, I dumped the contents of the box onto a plate and shoved it into the microwave. While my food was cooking, I took a seat at the kitchen counter and looked around the room. Considering how little time I spent cleaning up, the place looked pretty good. It helps that I do n't spend much time relaxing here. 
 
 
 I walked over to the window and gazed peacefully at the city skyline. What a sunset! I watched a plane roar overhead until it passed behind one of the taller skyscrapers. Slick cars rushed down the highways in and out of the city limits. It reminded me of a heart pumping blood. I stared, as if in a trance, for a few serene seconds, before turning back for -- 
 
 
 *WHAM* 
 
 
 `` Gah!'' 
 
 
 I massaged my head, recoiling from the impact with the wall. I smiled grimly. As much as I liked the big city, I did miss living somewhere with a little more breathing room. But, I thought to myself, at least I got my hands on any apartment at all. I should be thankful that I was n't staying at one of those *real* cheap places. They've got homes in the city the size of a broom closet. In a daze, I sat down on the thinly carpeted floor. The price of living here in Stonewall was absurd! This cramped apartment would've been dirt cheap back in my parents' days. To think the city had a mere four thousand people living in it less than thirty years ago. Who knew all it would take to bring this Nebraskan village into the public eye was some rock? 
 
 
 Well, maybe I was selling it a little short. The Stonewall Meteor was by far the largest of the Invasion. When it first crashed, it was the townsfolk of Stonewall who were the first significant victims. More humans were being drawn into the city every day. That was when the town first began expanding. And even when the invasion had finally been dealt with, Stonewall continued to grow and grow until it became the vast metropolis I call home. 
 
 
 *Beeeeep* 
 
 
 Ooh! My chicken! I popped open the microwave and took a deep breath of the pseudo-freshness of hot Kung Pao. My stomach rumbled deeply at the sight of it. Whoo, did I even eat lunch today? I guess I was a little preoccupied at the lab. I wasted no time and promptly flopped onto the couch with my plate. `` Good evening, sir,'' I spoke to myself in a goofy British facsimile of an accent, `` I believe your dish will go well with a fine pairing of Netflix.'' I stuffed my mouth with equal parts chicken and rice as my eyes scanned the room for the remote. Hmm... not on the couch from what I could see. I wrenched my neck backwards to check the kitchen counter... nope, not there either. I was plunging my hands between the couch cushions when my hunt was interrupted by a blunt rapping on the door. 
 
 
 `` One sec!'' I managed to shout through a mouthful of chicken. I put my dish down on the seat and went to peek through the peephole. The stout figure of my landlady, Mrs. Crockett, stared grimly back at me. I nearly choked on a mouthful of chicken and had to bend over hacking for a few seconds. I cleared my throat, took a deep breath, and unlatched the door.
