The Primark Invasion

I have been staring into your eyes for longer than I ever had before. I am wishing now that I had at least proposed to you, finalised things, in case of a situation like this. I want to do it now as I study the anatomy of your brown eyes for perhaps the last time, but the proximity of certain death prevents me. I can only hope you’ve learnt to read minds.

‘Look at this,’ a voice hisses, barely audible, but enough to make hearts leap in fright. It is Dave, by the peep-hole. You shuffle over a take a look. I get the next view.

I see three of the robot bug aliens. They are silently aligning mannequins into regimented lines. As I watch, one of the aliens raises a leg and knocks most of them back down. They pause, expecting retaliation, evidently confused when they don’t get one.

‘What are they doing?’ You and others have created fresh peep holes. I wonder about our new found sense of safety.

The aliens have picked the mannequins back up and, with smooth efficiency, have repositioned them as before.

‘They seem confused,’ I mutter.

A fourth alien arrives and shoots one of the mannequins in the head. The laser shot is silent but the mannequin erupts in a loud crack of plastic. Once again, they wait for a response. The mannequins, scared stiff, stand their ground.

I turn to look at you, wondering if there is any significance in this new development and your slightly furrowed brow suggests there could be, but I can’t see it. I turn back to my peephole and find the aliens’ actions have become even more curious.

One of the mannequins has a necklace hanging around its outstretched arm, which is being scrutinised by the mono-eye of the foremost robot bug. It is a cheap, chunky, plastic thing of little value but the alien seems to be fascinated.

‘He likes shiny things,’ mutters Tim.

With an extended metal feeler, the robot bug alien slides the necklace down the length of the mannequin’s arm and over the hand. With its new claimed possession assimilated into an unseen stomach hatch, it begins to look for more. The others, who had been watching their lead plunderer, also begin to hunt, examining every inch of every upstanding figure. Eventually, they turn to the mannequins that they had not yet disturbed; including the ones that formed our roof.

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