Armistice Day

The machine beeped and twittered, lights flashing. Polygons swirled around the screen, rocketing back and forth to the beat of the ominous music. The boy operated the controls with abandon, nearly snapping the cheap plastic joystick.

BLEEP BLEEP B-D-DOW-DOW KSSSSHHHHHH

Suddenly, the screen went dark. The boy shoved the joystick one way, then the other. His ship moved about at the bottom of the screen, but nothing else appeared. The digital universe was ominously silent. He frowned.

“Well, that’s it,” said Mom. “Come along.”

“But… the Space Invaders…”

“You killed them, sweetie. You killed them all. There aren’t any more.”