Into the Fire

Prologue

 I snatched my satchel quickly before heading out the door. Upon leaving, the familiar hint of smoke in the air was comforting, and the sight of the junkyard even more pleasing. To anyone else it might seem off-putting, but the clinks of old metal was like soft music to me. The glowing necklace jingled on my chest. I skipped and hummed a soft melody, grabbing a select few parts I needed to complete my new friend. Only friend, actually.

After wandering to almost the center of the garbage lot, I had everything. I sprinted back to my "house" as quickly as possible, even more enthused than before. I didn't even bother closing the door behind me. Rather, I simply slammed my bag on my table, grabbed the tools I required, and began working.

Much to my annoyance, the scraps on my make-shift desk distracted me from my nearly perfected project. I pushed them to the furthest end of my work space, giving myself more space to work. After a long wait, I was putting the finishing touches on my newest creation: Nova. I'd began building him a while ago, collecting different parts from the junkyard over a span of a few months. Now knowing that I was putting the last screw in made me proud. I picked him up and set him on the ground, where he barely reached my knee. I took a deep breathe before switching him on.

His eyes flickered a few times, and the miniature pipes on his back puffed and screeched. Much to my disappointment, it stopped and he powered down. I frowned as I flicked his head, and he started up fully. I jumped and clapped in excitement, with my burgundy-red side ponytail flailing around.

My mechanical creation blinked a few times, looked around, and soon looked up at me, tilting his head. I crouch a bit to be closer to his height.

"Hey little guy!"

He blinked several times once more, then responded. "Hello, Creator. I am Nova, Model SQ1816. My purpose is to assist and bring joy. Battery level, one hundred percent. Function level, eighty-seven percent."

"Haha, yes! Oh, you're just perfect."

Tiny clinks were barely audible as he took miniature steps toward me.

"Definition of perfect: having all of the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be. A word hardly to be used as a description for me, but if it pleases you to think so, you are more than welcome to say so."

"Well, that's what you are. Although..." I tweaked a small screw on the back of his metallic and rusted head. "There, that should do. A bit less formal now."

It wasn't exactly possible for him to smile, so instead he expressed his excitement with a loud whistling of his pipes, and brighter eyes. A sigh of satisfaction escaped my lips as I stood up to re-organize my tools. Nova climbed up a stack of boxes and watched me, helping to the extent that he could. It was adorable, and the best--correction, only--company I've ever had.

After finishing my clean-up, I decided to write in my journal. It'd been awhile since I had, and I was bored... so I figured, why not? I sat down and grabbed my lucky pen, along with the leather journal that once belonged to my father.

Dearest Journal,

I've finally done it. Nova, Model SQ1816, is done and perfected to a T. I think Father would be proud of me. When I first woke up here, in what's now my home, all I had was my father's journal and pen... and the mysterious fiery necklace I never dare to take off. Tony Tremaine was his name. He wrote about me sometimes. That's the only real reason I know my name. I have not a single memory from before then. But from everything I've read about my father, I think I'm a lot like him. His dream was to invent magnificent things... he was frustrated in his last entries. Too many failed creation. I won't give up, though. I share his dream, and for him, I will become the most well-known inventor to exist! Maxine Tremain, daughter of Tony and Carrie Tremaine, lost at a young age. Reunited after brilliant discoveries were made by the young lass.

Oh, what a dream it would be. I wonder if I look more like Mother than Father. I wish with all my heart and soul that I remembered them. Perhaps though, it was for the best.

Sincerely, your most favored writer,

Max

One day... one day I will know what happened. I promise it.

But not quite tonight, I thought. For tonight I sleep.

It was dark out, and exhaustion hit me like a brick. I switched Nova's switch off, huddled into my patched bed, and... slept.

A/N: Welcome! To my first novel on Wattpad, second novel in total. My name is Val :3
I do appreciate criticism. I'm a young author  (only 13, 8th grade) and would love to fine ways I can improve my writing. 

And thank you so much for reading this! Please do vote or comment if you enjoyed it c:

                                                                                                                   ~ Val :3