Apparently the lower decks of the ship weren't as bad as I thought they were. I was expecting people sleeping in the halls and drug addicts and drunks but apparently there wasn't much people they could save.
I had a bunk with a couple other women who were nice but not exactly the best roommates. They had given me a gray tank top and shorts that were sort of clean but I accepted them anyways.
When night came I was laying curled up under the sheets with my arm under my pillow staring at the wall. It was quiet except for the faint humming of the engine of the ship.
The women were asleep but I couldn't. Memories of nearly being killed and all those traumatic events were coming back to haunt me. At least Hero was asleep curled up right next to my stomach.
I sighed knowing I couldn't sleep so I got up without trying to awaken Hero but that dog seemed to have a mental connection with me to know when I was up or not.
I grabbed a gray hoodie and slipped it on before quietly leaving. I walked down the empty and silent halls with Hero who was a major ball of energy to be awake for so long.
I didn't know how far or how long I wandered but eventually I found Master Chief staring out a large window to view the deep recesses of space. He still had his armor on and it was probably past midnight.
I didn't know ether or not I should go talk to him since he wasn't much of a talker. I wasn't standing in the doorway for long before Chief said, "Come in (Name)."
I stiffened which alerted Hero who quickly picked up his head and looked around to see I wasn't being threatened. I walked over wincing as I heard my bare feet slap against the metal floor.
"Whatcha doing?" I asked nervously.
"Just watching outside." He replied.
"Oh...cool. How long have you been in space for?" I asked scooping up Hero who was whining wanting to see.
"A long time."
"Cool. This is my first time being in space. I wish my mom was here to see this. Ever since I was still her womb and even as a baby wether I was crying or still sleeping he used to take me out of my cradle and go out onto the porch to look at the sky. Didn't matter if it was raining or snowing or cold, she would do it almost every single night."
I looked at him expecting something and saw he had turned his head to listen to me so I continued on with my life story, "She later on gave me glow in the dark gel clings and we stuck them all to my room. Mom and I were giggling and laughing as we threw the clings so they would stick to the ceiling. Back at the house they still are there now...well possibly were there now."
"Every night we used to lay on the grass in the backyard and stare at the stars above."
My smile faded as I remembered, "On my 12th birthday she gave me a telescope.That was the best gift I ever got from her. It was a beautiful silver and she taught me how to clean and change the lenses and adjust the focus. Then a week after my birthday she was diagnosed with stage 3 liver cancer. A year later my 13th birthday was spent at the hospital with her last dying moments"
"I...did have a father but..." I gently ghosted my hand across scars on my arms and choked out, "I'd rather not talk about him."
"I... apologize for your loss." Chief said.
"It's fine. A week after we got the letter, apparently before she died she ordered a puppy for me." I said stroking Hero's back.
"Hero is my hero because he was able to cheer my mom and I up. I still miss her but I can see my mom inside of him. I was always asking her for a dog, especially a german Shepard since she reminded me of one. Despite how much pain she would go through she would always push dad away from me before things got bad."
"He was tough on me always like a drill sergeant, dad, and a professional coach in one. He was a soldier in a war before and then...he was sent home and got into alcohol. My dad...did terrible things to my mother and I and was hardly ever home. Yet when he was he used training as an excuse to abuse me."
"That would explain your military style training." Chief said.
"Yeah. If I wasn't looking up at the stars with mom or hiding in my room we'd be "training". He would be an entirely different person as we attacked each other like. I was an enemy and he was the soldier. Mom disapproved many times when she saw my bruises. Then she passed away and things got even worse until I finally said enough was enough and ran to my Aunt's home." I said lost in my words.
Then I realized I was pouring my heart and telling my life and even my abusive drunk of a father to a complete stranger I just learned their name's of hours ago. What was wrong with me?!
I shut my mouth wishing I had a needle and thread to shut my mouth before anything else personal escapes past my lips. I focused on outside watching as we passed only stars instead of planets and other things, yet it was still beautiful to my eyes.
"What are you doing awake?" Chief asked after a while of silence.
"Couldn't sleep. My whole world pretty much went belly up in less than a month." I sighed holding Hero closer, "What is war even good for? All it does is kill the innocent and make the ones who fight traumatized."
"War is harsh, but sometimes necessary."
"Yeah, necessary for evolution." I scoffed.
It was silent for another minute. I felt really tired by then and I wanted to drop down on the floor and pass out.
"Chief...do you ever sleep?" I asked.
"Rarely." He replied.
I could tell he didn't want to go any further and rubbed my eye, "I'm going to try to get some sleep. Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow."
He nodded and I walked off leaving him alone. I went back into bed and couldn't help but wonder why I felt so strange around him. By no means was I in love!
I just felt like there was a bond between us for some reason. The woman said they noticed my DNA was awfully similar to a spartan, but there was no way in hell it could be Chief.
Right?
The next morning I discovered the woman who I shared the bunk with was called Abby. She apparently had a daughter my age but she was killed during the attack.
Before she left she had grabbed a small suitcase of her daughters things including clothes. I chose an outfit and styled my hair before heading out for breakfast.
We all got protein packed slop that kind of looked like porridge but more...less appetizing. Hero was lucky and was able to get puppy feed which seemed a lot more better than this.
I was looking for Chief the whole time and was trying to hide from or avoid any doctors. As I was looking around I heard a shaking voice say, "Miss?"
I looked around until I saw a soldier was standing next to me looking nervous like I was an angry beast going to attack him. He probably heard of how I had possibly broke a bone or more of two soldiers.
"What is it?" I asked putting my plastic spoon down.
"Uh, I was sent to lead you to where your needed in the science sector." The man said, in his eyes he was begging me not to make him use force.
The porridge slop wasn't very good anyways so I got up and followed him with Hero walking next to me. He lead me down many corridors and every time I passed by a window I couldn't stop staring at the outside.
Space was just so beautiful to me as it was deadly. After what felt like several minutes we arrived to a laboratory room where scientists were doing stuff with all kinds of chemicals.
A woman came over and smiled at me, "Hello there, you must be (Name) correct?"
"Uh, yeah?" I replied awkwardly.
"Well I'm Kiley Rose. Dr. Halsey's assistant. Right now Dr. Halsey isn't here but we have noticed something strange in your DNA." The woman explained.
She took my arm and lead me off as she continued to talk like she had way too much coffee, "So, many many years ago over a decade ago perhaps Dr. Halsey decided to do a very strange experiment as she always does. Did you know she made Spartans? Anyways she took the sperm of a male spartan and used it to impregnate herself."
"Why do I need to know this?" I rudely asked.
"Right. Well, you need to know this because...your...sort of that baby." She said slowly.
She waited as it finally sunk into me. This Dr. Halsey...she took a spartan... and got impregnated. Why didn't my "mother" tell me this?
"Miss?" Hayley said.
"I gotta go." I mumbled.
She was about to say something but I grabbed Hero and rushed out of the room before she could. As I was running down the hall I passed by Fredric who was about to say something such as why I was running but I didn't stop to talk. I finally arrived to the room where Chief was that night where he was gazing at the stars.
I wasn't really expecting him to be there anyways. I sat down and held Hero close to me as I realized my adopted mother had gotten him. All this time I thought my mother that had shown me the stars and protected me from my "father" was my blood mother.
I was a mix between angry and upset and curious as I curled up and cried. All I thought I knew was a lie. She held me like her own child. She loved me like her own.
She would take me out at night and review the stars and planets with me till I had them all memorized. Hero whimpered and gently pawed at me his tail dropping. I sniffed as I picked my head up and gently scratched his head.
The only true thing was Hero. He was the only true thing in my life of a past life. I smiled for him and he wagged his tail but I couldn't hold it for long and curled back up.
He decided to lay down next to me seeming sad as well. After a while I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I looked up and wiped my teary face with my hands.
"Is everything alright?" Master Chief asked.
I shook my head sniffling and tried to wipe my face but the tears kept gushing.
The woman's words echoed in my head and I curled up tighter, "It was all a lie. Everything. Scientists found out that my parents aren't my true parents. My father. My mother. It was a lie!"
I wanted to throw something out of anger but at the same time I felt sadness sweep my emotions. Chief awkwardly pet my head and I accepted it as I continued to cry silently.
I wanted my adopted mother to rot in the pits of the deepest hell for not telling me. Why did this Dr. Halsey even give me up in the first place?
"(Name). What did the scientists tell you?" He asked.
"My real mother is a scientist who works here. Her name was Dr.Halsey or something like that. I thought my true parents were my adopted parents and every memory is just a lie."
Chief was quiet only petting my head. In a split second I wrapped my arms around his neck as I cried into his shoulder. Chief seemed surprised and stiffened up before wrapping his arms around my waist.
I nuzzled his armor shoulder and he just held me close unsure what to do.
Finally I calmed down enough when he let me go. Hero whined and clumsily climbed onto my lap so I scratched him behind his ear knowing he was trying to cheer me up.
Chief sat down beside me and we both sat in silence. Chief finally reached over and scratched Hero's chin making his tail wag. Who knows how long we sat there silently.
After sometime I had fallen asleep leaning against the wall since I was tired from staying up so late. Chief some time later noticed me sleeping and scooped me up before walking.
Hero trailed after him like the little bodyguard he was. Chief arrived to his quarters and carefully laid me down on his couch. He allowed Hero to climb on and my puppy curled up on my stomach content.
I was out for a few hours until I awoke to something licking my face. Scratch that—Hero licking my face. I opened my eyes and saw my puppy Hero was nudging me.
"Hero let me sleep." I groaned pushing him off me.
He continued to paw at me and I groaned and rolled over. Then I noticed I was laying on something padded. I quickly sat up and looked around confused but the whole place was clean and didn't have any pictures.
The walls were a plain metal and there was really nothing. Hero moved off of me and I swung my legs over the edge to sit. The room was overly clean and everything seemed to be placed perfectly straight and parallel to everything. I stood up and looked around deciding to explore to find out where the hell I was.
I wandered until I heard the sound of running water coming from behind an open door. I knew better but I peeked my head in anyways. There was a huge bed in the giant room that had plain black sheets and on that bed was armor. Master Chief's armor.
I went to turn back but I felt something furry slip past my leg and look at his new territory.
"Hero!" I hissed softly.
He innocently walked into the middle of the room and even though I didn't want to get in trouble I had to snatch Hero quick. He went into the middle of the room and sniffed around everywhere.
I tensed up watching him get closer and closer to the bathroom door. When he got to close to comfort to the bathroom door I stepped in and fell to my knees to snatch him.
I heard the water turn off and I stiffened realizing I was screwed if he stepped out of the shower door. I quickly scrambled out of the room not caring if I was heard or not.
I did not need enemies that are really my only friends alive on this ship, well I wouldn't even really call it friends. I don't know what to call Chief. I ran down into the living room and sat back down on the couch glaring at Hero for a few seconds but his puppy dog eyes got rid of any anger I had.
They always did. I sighed and laid back down on the couch on my stomach. Hero got onto my back and curled up into a ball. I was bored so drew invisible random things into the arm of the couch with my finger.
I heard the clunk of metal and saw Chief was walking down the hall wearing his armor. I stiffened again and avoided looking at him hoping and praying to whoever will listen to me in space.
"Is something wrong?" Chief asked.
He didn't see me or hear me thank god.
"No, but I am curious why you brought me to your private quarters." I replied.
"It would be rude to awaken you when you needed sleep or just leave you there." Chief replied before asking,"Are you hungry?"
I shook my head not really hungry after all the news.
"At least have something." He said.
I turned around confused before catching an apple that nearly hit my head and no doubt left a bruise in my hand. A shiny red apple that looked fresh despite us being on a ship in space.
I couldn't help but wonder if it was some how genetically altered or something. Either way I decided to eat it. Hero whimpered and pawed at me so I rolled my eyes and was able to get a small piece of apple off.
I sat up and crossed my legs tossing the apple and watching as he flopped back to catch it. For some reason Hero loved apples. Mom did too. She used to bake a lot and she especially loved to make apple pie with lots of brown sugar. I shook my head remembering that my mother wasn't my blood-mother.
"So what do you do with survivors of Earth?" I asked tossing Hero another piece, "Well we survived the battle... but what comes next?"
Chief seemed quiet for a while before he replied, "We go to a planet that takes in immigrants and drop them off there."
"Oh...how long until...I'm dropped off?" I choked out.
I felt like I was choking on the apple slices. I was truthfully getting attached to Chief. He was like a father figure but mysterious.
"The planet is 2 days away. It is very similar to Earth."
"Is it like a candy land world? Are the trees made of cotton candy and the rivers chocolate milk?" I joked.
"No..." Chief replied sounding confused.
"It was a joke. Ya know. Funny ha ha. Even though that would be wonderful to have my dream world in real life. Giant gum balls as apples, jaw breakers as boulders, the sky filled with blue and white cotton candy clouds and the rain is sugar water. Oh and the dirt is made of cocoa powder too. Best thing is you get no cavities and it's considered healthy food." I babbled.
I realized just how childish it sounded and that I revealed one of my embarrassing dreams I never talked out. My face heated up a thousand degrees and I wanted to slam my head into the table to get my point across to my brain to stop making me babble about things people don't need to know.
"That is an interesting dream world." Chief replied.
I was a little startled by his response expecting awkward silence or him saying how it was overly childish thinking of such a world.
"Th-thanks." I said scratching my head.
Awkward...(X~X)
I sighed and leaned back into the couch as I realized how over the course of a few days I had made friends with a spartan. I had heard rumors that Master Chief is apparently 50 years old and has survived many wars and is cold. I would truthfully miss him.
I miss everything really. My home. My world. My clothes. My bed. My friends. Hell, even my adopted parents. I was torn between wanting things to be reversed back to normal or just somehow causing a glitch in the system so I could stay with Chief.
I would have Hero but...god I don't know.
"Is something wrong?" Chief asked.
"Huh?" I looked up and realized I had dug my nails into my apple and was causing it to bleed it's juice down on my hand.
I cursed and placed it on the table shaking my hand.
"I just...I miss everything. I miss home. School. My friends. Everything..." I sighed pulling my knees to my chest.
"There is a minor possibility they are still alive."
I remembered my friend Hailey being killed right in front of me. Her eyes that were wide and blown as she watched her short life pass before her eyes.
"True. I'm going to go look for my friends. Hopefully they are still okay." I replied.
Hero followed me and I thanked Chief before leaving. He seemed to be disappointed and a little sad I had to leave so soon but I couldn't tell with the helmet covering his face.
After a while I eventually found my way to the lower decks. Apparently all the "survivors" were being ordered to a giant warehouse like space instead of bunks. I looked through all the people seeing familiar faces in my dreams or for a split second in public.
I had to stop occasionally for Hero to be petted and some kids asking to play with him. It was good to see the sparkle in their eyes as Hero played with them, even though it didn't last long their childish innocence was reawakened.
I continued to search the giant space and nearly gave up until I heard a familiar voice. I looked around frantically and finally I saw familiar wild green hair.
"Madi!" I shouted.
I ran over and was relieved to see indeed it was my friend Madi and Nya was with her too. Both were banged up a bit but I was more than relieved to see them. I rushed over and nearly tackled both into a tight hug.
Others smiled watching as all three of us squealed and talked. I listened to them talk about how Madi was in math when this small shark like thing fell through the roof and our teacher Mrs. Gallo had grabbed a bat she carried with her everywhere and beat the shit out of the thing.
Then things got serious and apparently Madi was the sole survivor of the same giant long necked alien that tried to kidnap me. She was eventually found by a spartan and taken to safety.
When she was done Nya began to talk about how she was in her study when the same thing happened and then suddenly everything went crashing down. Literally.
She followed a small group of kids to where there were rumors of people saving you and went in. A week after they both got into the ship they had found each other and were worrying about me.
I told them about my side of the story and how I had met what apparently they called "the" Master Chief. I even told them about my adopted parents. By the end of us talking and laughing and catching up it was dinner time.
We went into the cafeteria and once again got the protein porridge. I was starving and just choked the whole bowl down anyways not caring if it was disgusting or flavorless.
After the soldiers herded us back to the warehouse and we were told to stay there. They passed out pajamas and I realized just how small of a crowd of survivors there were.
There was at least 74 survivors out of the thousands of people that lived in my state alone. Soldiers passed out sleeping bags to everyone and Nya and Madi and I had laid ours close together.
We were probably the last of the people to go to sleep. None of us wanted to sleep in fear of nightmares or waking up to discover the covenant had infiltrated the ship or we were all being herded in one room to kill easier.
I couldn't help but wonder if Master Chief was there staring out the window. My heart sank remembering how much I would miss him. I was getting way too attached like I always do.
Find a friend you somehow bond with and then the distance between you and them is stretched until the bond painfully snaps. I rolled over on my side and just decided to get some sleep.
Tomorrow we'd be at the new world. The next day we got the news that we were arriving earlier than planned and by tonight we'd be on the planet. I didn't have enough time to look for Chief cuz we were being pulled this way and that having to answer questions and everything.
Apparently since our parents were dead we are going to be going to either foster homes or an orphanage that will accept us. However we were old enough to get jobs and take care of ourselves.
Despite what we said they told us to accept it or live on the streets. I heard living on the streets was better than a foster home. Most of us were excited, others were worried, and some missed home.
Hero and my friends were my home now. All day the whole warehouse was buzzing. Eventually the crowding was becoming too much and we decided to go for a walk around the ship.
Well we were walking I heard familiar clunking sound of metal armor. Hero barked and ran so I followed him hopping he would find Chief but instead I saw it was Fred.
He was Chief's close friend so I guess if I couldn't say goodbye to Chief he could at least pass on the message.
"Fred!" I called.
He turned around and smiled when he saw Hero and I running his way. He knelt down and carefully rubbed Hero's head, "Hey buddy."
He picked the squirming Hero up and smiled at me. Fred noticed the slight disappointment in my eyes and his smile faded as he understood.
"Oh, lemme guess you are leaving and you were trying to find Chief." The spartan said sadly.
I nodded and he sighed looking down at Hero, "Oh don't worry boy I'll never forget you."
Hero licked his face and he chuckled before handing Hero back to me. He noticed my friends waiting in a distance watching confused and shocked.
"You might wanna go back to your friends before they stop breathing." Fred teased.
I shook my head at them and felt my heart sink a little when I looked back at Fred. I didn't get to know him well but we both were friends kind of like close classmates.
You don't talk to them out of school much but you still see them almost everyday. I placed Hero down before hugging Fred to show my last thanks for saving Hero, and of course that I will miss him.
He seemed shocked for a few seconds before he patted my back, "I'll miss you too (Name)."
"Um, if you see Master Chief. Let him know I said I'll see him later and I hope he finds happiness." I said.
He nodded and rubbed my head making me squeal, "Don't worry, I will let him know."
I smiled and said goodbye to him before rushing back to my friends with Hero. We continued to wander and I even went to the window I found Master Chief at that one night but he wasn't there.
Madi and Nya were stunned looking outside since in the lower levels there weren't windows and they were mostly scared of getting lost. After I finally ripped them away from the windows like suction cups thrown on glass and continued to explore.
Still no legendary spartan. I looked just about everywhere so I figured he must've been hiding in his room. However when I knocked on his door several times he wasn't there either.
Finally we gave up and went back into the lower decks to get lunch. Once again they gave us the sloppy porridge which somehow seemed to taste a little better than usual.
Probably because it was our last day on the ship. Either way it didn't help the feeling my gut telling me I was going to miss everyone. That or either something was going to happen.
It was a mix of both; I had a sunken heart and a heavy leaded stomach.
"Hey (Name) you going to finish your slop?" Madi asked her cheeks bulging like a chipmunks and her bowl empty.
Madi was a small girl but she could eat A LOT of food. Once she ate a dozen cookies with a whole 6 pack of ice tea and 3 whole bags of popcorn in 5 minutes without throwing up.
It was pretty funny watching as my brother tried to also and ended up vomiting in the sink from over eating. I pushed my half eaten bowl over to her and she swallowed before starting to eat again.
I don't understand how she can eat so much and not be obese.
"So what do you think the new world looks like?" Nya asked pushing her mostly empty bowl away.
"Most likely like Earth. It has to have plants for us to survive and water source." I replied.
I remembered my failed joke with Chief about how the planet we were being dropped on was made entirely out of candy. My heart seemed to sink lower.
"Well no duh, we gotta survive." Madi replied after swallowing at least 3 spoonfuls of slop.
Truthfully one thing I wouldn't miss is the doctors and the slop. After a few more minutes the bells were wrung signaling it was time to go back to the warehouse.
By then they wouldn't let us out of the warehouse room and told us to triple check that we had all of our stuff. In a nicer way. I knew better than to start another fight and kept silent ignoring the soldiers.
Madi, Nya, and I sat in a corner of the warehouse watching as the others under went the process of questions we had to. I kept staring at the entrance praying that Chief would come and I could properly say goodbye.
For a couple hours we waited until we were all lead like cattle to giant ships that the soldiers called pelicans. I stepped on and took my seat near the end between Madi and Nya.
When I was busy daydreaming I felt someone nudge me and I looked to see it was Madi.
"Hey (Name) is that the spartan?" Madi asked pointing.
I leaned over and scanned the crowd until I saw it was indeed Chief.
"Keep my seat!" I ordered.
I ran out running through the lines of people and ignoring soldiers yelling at me.
"Chief!" I shouted.
He looked around until he saw me running over. I stopped when I was a few feet away and smiled at him.
"I was looking everywhere for you." I sighed.
"I apologize. I was busy." Chief replied.
Tears came to my eyes and I didn't care about personal space. I stepped up and wrapped my arms around Chief's waist. I didn't care. I would miss him. I admit it.
He seemed cold yet I got to see a glimpse of that shield put down. He seemed shocked like Fred stiffening up. After a few seconds when I was just about to pull away he hugged me back.
It was my turn to be shocked but I accepted it of course. Last calls were announced and we pulled away. I smiled and wiped my eyes knowing this was my last goodbye.
"I guess...this is goodbye..." "John..."
I sighed and took off the necklace I had on before the war hit the school. It was a silver necklace with my birthstone in a silver key that had my name engraved in the back.
I took Chief's hand and gently dropped it in his giant palm. He closed it around the necklace.
"So you'll remember me. I'll hopefully see you again sometime." I said.
I gave him one last hug before rushing over as the last of the people boarded the pelican. I ran to mine and took my seat my friends had indeed saved. I hopped in and pulled the restraint down that was kind of like those rollercoaster things.
A soldier went around checking the seats were locked before giving a thumbs up to the pilot. Well the back door was closing I smiled and waved goodbye to Chief.
Even under the mask I could tell he was sad I was going.