One
Ashley
Las Vegas, May 4th, Morning:
“We’re celebrating Alien Appreciation Day in Sin City. The streets are bustling with cosplayers, events, and parties. There isn’t a single person in sight who isn’t wearing something interstellar to celebrate.”
“May the fourth be with you!”
“Beam me up!”
“Aliens! Aliens! We must save the aliens!”
“Give us aliens! Reclaim Area 51!”
Ashley grabbed the remote and muted the television.
“Of course they want out. Who wants to be trapped underneath some dirt pile for the rest of their lives? I know I want out of this piece of shit hellhole,” she grumbled as she shoved a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
Today was the big day.
It had all started as a social media event. Some joke about rescuing the aliens the U.S. Government had been hiding from the world. It was a global phenomenon. People from all over the world had traveled to Las Vegas to celebrate Alien Appreciation Day, May the Fourth Be With You, or the day enthusiasts wanted to free the rumored aliens who were captured and hidden beneath Area 51.
Now Vegas was filled with alien lovers, people curious about the shit show that would happen, and locals who just wanted everything to go away. Sure, business increased due to the rage, but the believers were becoming too much for those who weren’t used to the freaky.
Ashley chuckled as she glanced at her UFO digital clock, surrounded by the alien posters plastered all over her wall. It read 06:00, the end of the event’s gathering stage.
“Alien dick is the best dick. They don’t know what they’re missing.” She giggled to herself as her eyes roamed over all the nude alien glamor shots posted on the wall.
“Damn straight,” Dia agreed, walking into the room holding two bubble teas. “I hope the mob floods the place and gives us what we all have been looking for,” she said, placing the colorful pearled tea next to Ashley’s hunched form. “Are you sure you don’t want to go bar crawling? Lots of single hot guys lookin’ for a good time. Plus, all the cosplayers! Have you seen how realistic some of them are?”
“Yeah, I’m planning on fucking one tonight.” Ashley smirked as she lifted the bowl to her mouth, drinking the leftover milk.
Dia shoved Ashley’s shoulder. “That’s right. You’re havin’ that hot cosplayer over. The one you met while you were workin’ at the casino, right?”
“Yep, that’s the one,” Ashley said as she placed the bowl into the dishwasher.
“Damn, I’m jealous. I wish I had worked my shift instead of having you cover me. It could be me getting lucky with a guaranteed hottie.” Dia jumped onto the counter and took a large sip of her bubble tea, kicking her feet lazily. “What if he’stheone?”
Ashley rolled her eyes.
It had taken her some time to get used to her best friend’s personality. While Ashley refused to settle for another male, Dia was a hopeless romantic. She always saw the potential in every person she met, hoping they could be the one.
Ashley’s history proved it didn’t matter if an attractive person had an amazing personality; while living in the Sin City, there was always a high pool of singles—or soon to be hitched—only wanting a one-night stand, not a serious relationship. Being thirty-five, surrounded by the young and the talented, made finding any type of stable companionship hard unless she counted the creepers and desperate.
That was why Ashley had given up on them. She would rather keep close friendships with the friends she had and just enjoy herself whenever she met someone decent. If he was a decent guy and called back, she would entertain him for a while but make sure they always made the first move and protected herself from falling in love.
What was love in the City of Sin?
“You know how I feel about finding love. I just want to stay inside and celebrate today, my own way.” Ashley grabbed her bubble tea as she made her way around the counter into the living room. “It’s about time to watch the fuck fest at Area 51,” she said as she plopped down onto the couch.
“You really think the government will do something?” Dia asked, sitting down next to her. “I mean, there are one million going and another two million interested. Every city and town within a five-hour radius of Area 51 has been flooded with people coming for the celebration and the raid. Between the party goers and the truth seekers demanding evidence, no matter what, this area is fucked.” Dia gasped and smacked Ashley’s shoulder. “Ash, look! Look! What the fuck is that!”
The TV showed a helicopter view of the huge cluster of raiders gathered a short distance from the base’s border. The sky darkened, causing the crowd to lower their signs and objects as they looked up. The helicopter jerked suddenly as the cameraman tried to point the camera at the commotion.
The sky was filled with locusts as they flew in from all directions.
People screamed as they dropped their signs, taking off toward the thousands of parked cars and buses, hoping to get shelter. Others stood stunned, frozen in wonder as the swarm made its way to the base.
