Monsters were invading Earth. Thousands were dying, and humanity desperately needed help. Sixteen-year-old Xavier Warren was ready to step up. With his friends, he believed they had a chance at stopping the monsters, even though many people doubted them. The armed forces had tried to defeat these colossal creatures but had failed. Yet, Xavier had a plan. He, his friends, and his family were determined to help.

It was midafternoon when I returned from the junkyard. My friends Joe and Aniaka and I had been scavenging for parts to fix our car, all while evading the monsters. We didn’t find much, but it was enough to repair the engine. After dinner, we prepared for the night—the time when most monsters emerged.

On most nights, our “Base” was under relentless attack by monsters, but tonight was different. The air was eerily still. I ventured outside to investigate and spotted a horde of monsters hiding among the woods, bushes, and trees. As soon as they saw me, they sprang into action, chasing me around the Base. I was terrified but managed to evade them. My family and friends rushed out, wielding anything they could find to fend off the creatures.

The next day, my dad was reading a book when he told us he had discovered information about a large grenade capable of wiping out the monsters. He said it was nearby. We piled into the truck and drove through the forest, carefully avoiding the monsters busy devouring their prey. Eventually, we stumbled upon an abandoned base in the middle of nowhere. Inside, I found the colossal weapon that could save us. It was heavy, but we managed to get the grenade into the truck bed. “All we need to do now is hook it up to the transmitter in the middle of the city; then it will wipe out all the monsters.”

Our mission felt like a high-stakes treasure hunt as we searched for parts to build the transmitter. Driving through the city, we encountered monsters that tried to attack us. We fought back and scared them off, but they kept returning. Soon, thousands of monsters were pursuing us and many other people. It seemed they understood our plan and were determined to stop us. Mom found a large building perfect for setting up the transmitter.

We couldn’t simply throw the bomb to the top, so my friends and I had to ascend the tall building and place it on the roof. The building was infested with creatures that looked anything but friendly. We had to hurry. We finally got the bomb connected to the transmitter and were on the brink of saving the world! We dashed back to the truck and drove around, warning people about the impending explosion that would obliterate the monsters. We all took cover in the old base we had discovered and waited for the bomb to detonate.

BOOM! The loudest sound I had ever heard echoed in my ears. I heard the monsters’ cries as they died out. When silence fell once more, I wanted to go outside to check, but Dad insisted I stay inside until he ensured the monsters were truly gone. After about 15 minutes, Dad returned and declared the coast clear. We erupted in cheers, celebrating our victory.

Life slowly returned to normal, but the monsters were not entirely eradicated. One night, while playing basketball with my friends, I spotted a large egg. It cracked open, revealing a familiar creature. It was one of the monsters!