The Slime People

The subterranean reptile-men, driven from their homes by underground atomic tests, surface and unleash a strange organic machine. They use it to generate a wall of solidified fog around Los Angeles, setting the stage for an invasion. The city becomes a fragile battlefield as the barrier isolates and tests human resolve.

The slime barrier envelops the city, cutting it off from the outside world. The fog slows movement, masks the invaders' approach, and makes communication nearly impossible. The creatures rely on the fog to regulate temperature so they can operate at all hours.

A pilot lands in Los Angeles after flight difficulties and finds the city almost deserted. He wanders through empty streets as utilities fail and signs of panic linger. His arrival marks the entry point for outside help against the invasion.

He encounters other survivors, including a Marine separated from his unit, and a scientist with his two daughters. Together they form a makeshift band to resist the invasion and search for a way to break the fog.

The slime people's bodies quickly seal wounds, making conventional weapons largely ineffective. The trait makes direct combat extremely risky for the survivors. They realize they must find a vulnerability to exploit rather than rely on brute force.

They uncover that the slime creatures are vulnerable to their own hollow spear weapons, since the wounds inflicted do not close. This vulnerability becomes the key tactical insight for any future defense. The group begins planning how to deploy such weapons, even under pressure.

A scientist explains that the plane's landing was possible because the fog's chemical interacts with sea salt, preventing solidification near the coast. This observation reveals a way to manipulate the fog's reach and heighten the odds of escape or attack. The survivors realize they can model a coastal weakness to exploit.

Desperate to breach the fog, they pour buckets of saltwater solution toward the barrier, hoping to punch a hole through. They fail to make a significant opening because they do not have enough liquid or reach. The moment shows both ingenuity and the limits of their resource.

With the saltwater plan failing, they decide to destroy the fog-generating machine itself. The choice embodies a willingness to sacrifice the barrier to end the siege and give the city a chance to recover. They prepare an assault on the device amid continuous danger.

Once the machine is toppled, the fog disperses rapidly and the outside world floods back into Los Angeles. The military moves in to secure the city while the slime creatures die off as the surface temperature spikes. The victory arrives at a high cost, but survival becomes possible again.

Military forces secure the city and begin cleanup as civilians slowly reemerge and rebuild. The survivors reflect on the unlikely alliance that kept them alive and the fragile calm after the siege. The city looks toward recovery with uneasy gratitude.

The invasion ends as the fog disappears and the slime threats die. The group contemplates the narrow escape and the persistence of humanity against bizarre threats. This chapter closes with a cautious optimism for Los Angeles' future.