A small pop and burning aluminum.

An amber craft, the size of a hummingbird’s egg, on wings of vibrating silk, flitted seamlessly through the iron rich air.

The craft did a 3d CT scan of Bobby and Jean’s entire home.

“How many alive, you have ten seconds…10, 9, 8

“One.”

one what, you have ten seconds …10, 9

“One man?”

no woman detected, you have ten seconds…10

Where’s that fucking flyswatter!

9, 8, 7

“One husband! One brother! One Asshole!”

6, 5, 4, 3,

“ONE HU-MAN!?”

sample collecting mode, remain still."

The collection process took 1 minute, tops. Bobby could feel the whirring wings and booming of his neighbor’s exploding house as a long blond needle took a core sample of his brain.

“Profession, you have ten seconds…10, 9

“Bio-engineer!”

you have value. Preparing excavation."

A camera’s flash and his home exploded around him. Bobby screamed as he watched his wife peel away.

As the smoke settled, he floated alone, safe in a peerless cocoon, gently coated in Jean’s bony ash.