I could hear the screams from a mile away. It sounded like a terrorist attack. The waves were crashing onto the sand, the sky looked as dark as night with brooding clouds. The town was ghost-like, the ground caved in like an earthquake had struck.

This thing came out of the cracks in the earth, not human, not animal, something not of this earth. Something I had never seen before. My stomach turned to ice. My breath caught in my throat, it made a noise that I hadn’t heard before, somewhere between a croak and a scream. I was not happy, excited or scared. I didn't have any emotion at the time I was in too much shock.

As it stepped its slimy feet on the golden sand, I jumped back. Its gruesome face appeared from beneath the rock. I gasped and I thought I was going to faint right there on the spot as its putrid, dripping hands reached out to me. Its toxic breath consumed my lungs, making me struggle for air. I gagged trying to expel the rotten mess my lungs drew in. Its teeth were shiny golden, sharp as blades as it opened its mouth, smiling a malevolent grin.

The sand beneath my feet started to blacken, I withdrew into a small ball, trembling with fear, adrenaline coursing through my veins, heightening all my senses, do I run? do I fight? I had to make a decision in a split second, live or die.

Its prehistoric frame had an exoskeleton and an enlarged head. It looked like something from a horror movie. My only escape route was the ocean. I dived in. As I came up for air, I realised the alien was staring at me, smiling at me like I was insignificant, a little snack maybe, but not worth a fight.

The townspeople arrived at the beach, torches and pitchforks at the ready. They were led by Chief Loki, the dark one. He was the most evil man in town. Most people were scared of him. There were no lengths to which he would go, if something rattled his cage. The townspeople marched along with him out of fear. The scar which slashed his cheek in two, glistened in the sun, evidence of a previous battle.

As they surrounded the alien, they closed ranks, pitchforks turned inwards towards the centre of the circle. The alien had nowhere to go. It sank its weight into the sand and gave up, admitting defeat. Descending slowly, resigned to its fate. To hibernate once more for another 10 years.

The townspeople cheered and raised their glasses, the sun set, turning the sky into beautiful ombre tones of red, orange and yellow. They gazed upon each other with a mixture of joy and relief. I came out of the sea and everyone looked at me.

Nobody said much about this incident for a few weeks. I think they were all trying to forget, it was hard to explain, so it was better to not say anything. We all knew it would come back some day and when that day came, we would be ready to fight.