“So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.”
by William Blake, from, SONGS OF INNOCENCE (1789)
“Mars Attacks!,” images of glittery spheres encompassing Earth’s atmosphere arrayed themselves on every screen. Suddenly the petty grievances between individuals and nations disintegrated. A thrum of voices registered on the Richter scale.
Fear rippled through most, and many fell to their knees. They’d seen the pictographs in caves.
A car-sized pod landed on The White House lawn; a door opened, with an arrow pointing inside. A military volunteer was sought and found. Cameras trained on Corporal Hicks’ face as she exited revealed wide eyes and trembling lips.
She was taken to quarantine and asked, “What happened!?”
“The machine kept repeating, ‘One pint of blood each week from every human – no exceptions — will save your species. Collection pods will be landing soon. Let’s be clear: zero tolerance for violations. So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.’ “
[144 words]
Ingrid is today’s host for dVerse’ Prosery. Ingrid says:
Simply take the given line and incorporate it into a flash fiction or creative non-fiction of 144 words or fewer.
Tao Talk 
Brilliant sci-fi weaving of the prompt, Lisa: I love this! It’s just the sort of thing I could imagine aliens doing to us if they got the chance. Who knows, perhaps they might even save us? Great choice of music too!
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Thank you very very much, Ingrid. If you haven’t seen, “Mars Attacks!” I highly recommend it. It’s funny as heck but scary also. One of Tim Burton’s finest creations.
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Seen it? I LOVE it! Especially Tom Jones at the end!
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Awesome!!!!!!!!! It’s wicked good.
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One pint per week… that’s a lot of blood, I think it sucks to do your duty, but I assume the alternative is worse.
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Love your comment, Bjorn. I agree with your assumption.
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What a shame they didn’t ask for one corrupt politician a day instead!
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LMAO. Jane, you know if that was the rule, the worst would be last and we need to get rid of the worst first.
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They could always stipulate they have to start with the most corrupt. There might be a fight for the privilege though.
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Wonderful sci-fi tale Jane!
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Thank you, Linda 🙂
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Good lord! I wrote Jane- I know it’s you. I wonder if something is going on with WP because Ingrid called me Lisa!🤣🤣🤣
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LOL. The ghost in the machine! I really wonder sometimes as I often know I typed one thing but something else shows up.
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Luv that “thrum of voices”
Happy Monday
much❤love
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Thank you, Gillena. Wishing you good health and a wonderful Monday as well.
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Oh, I love this, Lisa! It fits in with so many sci-fi classics. Great fun!
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Merril, thank you. I watched Mars Attacks! again last week and had it fresh in my mind.
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You’re welcome.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen that one or not. I know my husband would love it. 😀
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This is absolutely stellar writing, Lisa 😀 I so enjoyed your prose piece 💝💝
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Thank you, Sanaa. Glad you enjoyed it ❤
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Great sci-fi stuff! It occurred to me the blood-takers might want to be a bit discriminating. Some blood lines are best not continued…….
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Thank you, Beverly. Those will be the ones who refuse to give and will end up costing us all of our lives, I fear.
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You batted this one over the fences; outstanding. I agree with Bjorn. It takes a while to regenerate a pint of blood. The Martians won’t be dumb, and will have done their homework. A pint a month, and all survive.
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Thanks, Glenn. Maybe we can reason with them about the quantities? Or maybe Corporal Hicks misheard? We’ll have to wait and see…
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brilliant! ❤ ❤
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Thank you 🙂
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Oh. I love sci-fi (and fantasy) so fully enjoyed this one. I could just imagine the “thrum of voices registered on the Richter scale”.
Also it was way too long ago since i watched Mars Attacks!
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Thank you so much, Helene and glad you enjoyed the story and have seen Mars Attacks!
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“Zero tolerance for violations” Hmm. Nope, we are doomed, the government will screw that one up and a few pints of blood will be devoured by the vampiric politicians before they enter the collection pods! 😅
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Love your comment, Tricia!
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Awesome! Love sci-fi. That zero tolerance policy is a kicker! Well done, Lisa. 👍
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MW, thank you very much!
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Doomed again. All the details are perfect. (K)
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I know. It’s like the dice keep rolling and turning up snake eyes. Thank you, K.
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Very interesting story Li.
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Thank you, Sadje.
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My pleasure
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Scary story, Lisa. I thought of War of the Worlds. Were the Martians in “Mars Attacks” also blood-thirsty? While I watched that movie as well, it’s been a very long time, so I can’t recall!
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Christian they wanted nothing less than total annihilation of humans but it took awhile to convince the humans of it.
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Literally perfect. I love where you took this – I’m kinda jealous, actually 🙂 I wish this had been my idea!
❤
David
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haha! Thanks, David.
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Marvelous prosery and perfect song, Lisa. Love the ending. A pint a day keeps the cyborgs away!
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Thank you very much, Karen, I love your comment.
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“Fear rippled through most”…that line stood out to me. The fearless minority must have believed the martians were “fake”. Sorry, couldn’t resist.
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LMAO, Mish!
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What great fun, Lisa. One pint is not too bad if it means we are left alone after….
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Dale, I have bad news….
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Sigh…
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This one gave me chills …. great write as I could see it all! { Tim Burton is a genius }
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Thanks, Helen. The show was a comedy but scary too.
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