The day started like any other. My alarm went off as I awoke in my one bedroom apartment. Once again I heard the bustling city below and the loud angry, honking of aggravated drivers. Something was different about this morning though, it was even in the air and in the way the sun had risen just over the mountains as though a sinister force were holding it down. Suddenly, as though someone had pulled a plug all the lights went out. All was quiet, but soon hysteria kicked in. First came the screams, then the honking, then the shouting.

But then, all of a sudden a deep thundering voice seeming to materialize out of the very air itself shouted menacingly, “ I am Kran. And I believe that this planet does not deserve to be run by you humans,” each word dripped with disgust. As I listened, the voice began to feel familiar, but I was too paralyzed with fear to recognize it. Later, I would realize just how fatal that mistake had been. As the voice droned on, the fear began to wear off and was replaced with angry shouts filled with hatred toward Kran.

Eventually, I regained my composure and joined in the shouting. If only I had paid attention to what was happening around me, so many things could have been changed. But I didn’t so instead I continued to shout and rant along with everyone else. In a flash I was off my feet and flying through the air, everyone had gone quiet. I looked around in a panic and saw that Kran was tossing me around in the air.

“This, humans, is how I treat those who disobey me,” he said calmly as though giving a speech and with a flourish, he dropped me down his throat. The minute I reached his mouth my head connected with something hard and I blacked out. When I awoke, I found myself in a room about the size of a closet. There was a bed in one corner, and a tin platter with some bread and water in front of me. I stumbled to my feet and half-walked, half-dragged myself to the bed. I reached my arm out for a newspaper on the corner of the mattress. The front headline almost made me fall, I reached for the bedpost and steadied myself. The front headline read loud and clear, “ The Reign Of Kran Has Begun.”