- Ric0chetSniper
- |
- Noble Member
July 24, 2552
Today was my 16th birthday and also one of the most terrifying days of my life.
I remember waking up feeling the warmth of Reach's sun as it slowly made its way over the mountaintops as it did everyday. I laid there looking at the ceiling for a while, thinking of the events that were about to unfold on this special day. I remember hearing a herd of Moa screeching like the roosters that grandma had told me about some while ago.
I heard a slight creek in the house and a door quietly moaning as it opened. I heard footsteps heading down the hallway to my room. By the heaviness of the footsteps I assumed it was mom going to wake me up and sing Happy Birthday to me as she did every year on this day. I watched as my knob slowly turned and I shut my eyes and pretended I was asleep.
I listened as the door opened and as light footsteps barely made a sound on their way to my bed. I smelt the wonderful smell of Joklus flowers, which was the smell of my mom's perfume she had always worn since as long as I can remember. I felt my body sink a little to the left as she sat on my bed. Even though my eyes were shut I knew she was smiling at me. I could feel it was well as I could feel the sun slowly warming my face. She gently stroked my hair a few times and paused for a few seconds before she began to speak.
"Wake up, my sweet boy." She said in the softest, most motherly way possible.
I acted like I had just begun to wake up due to her voice. I stretched out my arms and made a rather convincing yawning sound. I barely opened my eyes and held my arm up to shield my face from the light emitting from the sun.
"Good morning, Mother." I said back to her in the most convincing sleeping voice I could muster.
She smiled at me and stroked my hair once more.
"I know you were already awake." She said again in the loveliest tone.
I grinned back at her and laughed. I rose out of my bed and gave her a big hug. As my arms were around her I inhaled her wonderful perfume and I kissed her cheek.
"You know what today is, right?" I smiled.
"Oh course, honey! How would I ever forget? Now get ready and come downstairs. Dad has got a surprise for you!"
My heartbeat began to race with excitement! What was it the surprise? A car? A motorcycle? Maybe its that new holophone that everyone has been talking about! My mind was already racing with several possibilities before mom had even walked out the door. As soon as I heard the click of my door close I began getting ready.
It only took me a few minutes to take a shower and get dressed. I couldn't think of what I should wear for my birthday. I finally decided to wear my favorite, black button-up shirt with fancy black velvet designs, and a pair of faded black jeans. I never understood why I had liked this outfit so much. I just did. I neatly combed my hair and ran downstairs.
I found dad waiting for me at the door with a pair of keys in his hand that looked unfamiliar to what I was used to. He smiled his well-known smile when he saw me and jingled the keys. My heart jumped and I grinned from ear to ear. Dad tossed the keys toward me and I caught them and stared at them with awe.
"Are you coming or not, son?" Dad asked his is kind, but powerful tone.
"Of course!" I said, snapping back into reality.
I made my way outside and felt the full warmth of Reach's sun hit my skin. I breathed in the fresh air and looked around the yard. There were a few Moa grazing on some grass in a field nearby, and I caught a glimpse of a few unidentifiable birds that quickly flew off when they caught me looking at them. My mom's car was in the drive way, as well as my dad's military-grade Warthog. I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find any type of thing that seemed new. I looked back at dad and he simply shrugged.
I looked around the yard a little more and headed toward the back of the house. There I found my mom next to a brand new, red and black Harventen 730X, only the coolest sports car in the world! I laughed in astonishment and almost fell to my knees. Mom had the most radiant smile on her face. I walked up to the car and it automatically unlocked itself due to the sensors in the keys dad had given me.
I slowly opened the door in amazement and carefully made my way inside. The car had everything. A full speaker system, black leather interior, built-in holographic GPS navigator, the works! I pressed a the power button on my keys and the car roared to life. I laughed with joy and got out and gave mom the biggest hug I think I had ever given her.
"Happy birthday, Kyle." She whispered in my ear and we hugged.
"Thank you so much mom," I turned around. "and dad-"
The expression on my dad's face stopped me from finishing my sentence. He had the most worried look on his face, as if he had just gotten news that his parents where about to die. He was holding a phone in his hand. He looked at us, mom and I, for a few seconds and gulped.
"Jane, Kyle," He said in almost a whisper. "I have to go now. And you two need to get off-planet as fast as possible."
Mom and I stared back at him. He was dead serious, I could tell.
"What happened, dad?" I asked him.
"I can't tell you, son. ONI's orders. But I'm sure that you all will find out soon enough."
Just then a pair of Longsword fighters flew above us, their engines causing a load roar that echoed through the valley. Then there was a distant explosion that shook the ground for a split second.
I stared into my dad's eyes.
"What is going on?!" I said, in a loader tone.
"I can't tell you, Kyle." He replied, trying not to completely spill out everything he knew.
"Ben, what is happening?" My mom asked him.
"I can't tell you!" He almost yelled.
"Ben." My mom asked him in her sweet voice.
"No."
"Dad?" I said, getting more worried by the second.
"No!" He yelled.
"Ben, you tell me right now!" Mom yelled back.
"The Covenant are here, Jane! The aliens found Reach! Do you hear me? Now if we waste anymore time here, we are all going to die, do you understand?" My dad screamed back.
We all stopped and stood silent for a moment, absorbing the information that was just told to us.
"Kyle, pack your things." Mom said in a calm tone.
I did what I was told.