The rain was soft and steady as the frogs began to drop from the sky.
It was two hours before dawn, and no-one was awake to see the parachutes open. Small chutes for the frogs and their tiny, cunningly made motorized wheelchairs; larger ones for the weapons, which were built to human scale.
The frogs landed undetected, retrieved their equipment, formed their lines. Since the machine-guns and mortars were much larger than the troops, it took many frogs to operate them; but the squads were well- trained, and extremely efficient.
The troops advanced on the town's police-station. They had the advantage of surprise, and superior fire-power. A brief shelling from the mortars, a general advance, and the station was theirs.
Having removed the town's only organized armed counter-force, the frogs proceeded against shops and homes. There was only scattered and ineffective resistance. Some people tried to flee in cars and trucks. The vehicles inflicted some damage on the frog formations, but were easily taken care of by bazookas.
The first light of dawn came from behind the rain-clouds. Survivors were trying to hide or escape the city, using the wreckage of the buildings for cover. The death-dealing amphibian force was mopping up. A squall-line rolled in from the West.
Seagulls. Thousands upon thousands of seagulls.
The vast flock wheeled and dove with perfect coordination. The frogs tried to meet the threat; but, because of their unwieldy weapons, few squads could react before they were devoured. Even those who did maneuver quickly were soon overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
In only a few minutes it was over. Tiny, empty wheelchairs, and heavy-caliber weapons were all that remained of the frog army.
Stunned and relieved, the surviving townspeople filled the streets, cheering the savior-gulls.
The sea-birds circled as the streets filled. Then they swooped down again. Each group of gulls seized a woman or a child, and flew away. They struck too swiftly to be stopped.
In the streets, men watched their families struggle in the gulls' grip. The flock faded into the distance. Neither the gulls nor their captives were ever seen again.
Copyright 1993 Edward Gaillard. All rights reserved.