Halo: Contact Harvest Prequel
By Ryan Schoebel
Halo: Contact harvest is a book based the game Halo 1and this piece is based off of that that book. This is set as a prequel to the book and is meant to help anyone who has questions about Sergeant Avery Johnsons (the main character) past or his origins. (This is completely my idea and is not affiliated with Bungie in any way.)
Chapter 1
Avery looked up from his work in the fields to the sound of his mother's angry voice. "Avery, you get yourself over here right now".
"Coming mama" he called back in a scared, cautious tone.
"Did you do something wrong boy?" his mother snapped when he was close enough. Avery looked over at the sleek fancy car sitting in the drive way. Then he noticed the two people sitting on the front porch with his mom. They were both white and dressed in nice fancy suits. He instantly had a bad feeling about the two. "No mama I didn't do nothin' that I don't normally do, Honest I swear. " Mama quickly came back with "Then why did the two fine people come all the way out here just lookin' for you?"
"We are just here to talk to your son about the Marine's ma'am, He didn't know we were coming" said the woman in the suit. Avery looked at them dumbfounded. "But I'm only 13" he cried indignantly. The man gave him a long silent look as if to say 'You are never too young to be a soldier'. Avery was struck with the raging feeling to punch him. He was ashamed and yet satisfied at the same time. He blurted out for no apparent reason "I got to go to the john" and was gone in a flash.
Sitting in the bathroom he thought to himself 'why me, I'm not even old enough to go into the Marines!' He thought for a while brooding in his own dark thoughts. 'Maybe they want me because I'm the one that everyone looks to for athletic help'. "Yea that has to be it'. Avery stood up and pushed open the bathroom door. He could hear his mom and the 'people' as he had come to think of them, out on the front porch talking. Silently he made up his way out the back door and up onto the landing. He eyed the two and walked over to sit next to his mama.
"So what was this talk about Marines? " His mom said in a quiet still tone to break the awkward silence. The woman who apparently was the voice for the group said "Exactly what it says". The man showed an ounce of movement and rolled his eyes. Avery almost exploded with anger" But why did you pick me?" The woman said in a cold hard voice" It will make sense when the time comes." Then the man put his hand on the woman shoulder. She looked back at him and nodded. "We thank you for your time and hospitality, but we must be going now." With that note, she spun on her heel and walked back to the car. "I will be in touch "she called back casually. Avery got shivers down his spine thinking about having to talk to her again. He didn't look forward to the day.
Later on that night sitting in his bed, Avery was astounded by the way his own mind was running rampant around all of the possibilities. He wondered if it had something to do with his 'wild bull of an imagination' as his mama called it. He was considering the fact that he might just have no other choice than to join the army if he didn't start doing something with his life. This thought scared him almost as much as the silent creepy man from the marines. As he drifted into sleep filled with dreams of war and soldiers, his last thoughts were of what his mama would think of his decision, whatever that might be.
Chapter 2
"You have got to be kidding me" Avery was sitting at school with his best friend Jimmy. No Marine recruiters are going to show up lookin' for you, man" Jimmy continued. "You are just pulling my leg". 'No honest they did after school today, you come on down to my house and ask my mama. See what she says." Avery cried. He couldn't get anyone to believe him today. His friend just slowly shook his head like a parent does when they are disappointed in their child. "And I can't I have to go to soccer practice after school". Avery, enraged that even his best friend of all people didn't believe him, Just got up and stormed off into the hallway. He blasted out the front doors of school not even caring if they marked him truant. He ran into the forest across the road and didn't stop. But what he saw next brought him to a dead stop, reeling for purchase on the moss filled ground.
Avery crawled forward on his stomach to try and get a better view of the clearing. He peeked around a tree at the thing that was in the clearing. 'What is that thing' He thought to himself. The little creature with a tank on his back waddled through. He turned around and let out a high pitched bark. Avery sat in stunned silence as a tall, golden armored alien materialized out of mid-air. Avery let out a gasp then slapped his hand over his mouth and dove to the ground as the tall alien whipped around. He heard an instructional bark and the shuffling of tiny feet as the short stocky alien came over to investigate his position. Avery held his breath, hunkered down behind a fallen log and hoped for the best.
The alien was right on top of him. He was so close that he could feel the rustling of leaves as the alien moved around next to him. As it moved not even a foot away, Avery felt the urge to sneeze coming on. "Oh gosh this is like a frikin' movie' He thought to himself. He slowly reached up and put his hand over his mouth and nose. He felt like is head was going to explode with all the built up pressure from his captured sneeze.
Finally after what felt like an eternity the small alien waddled away squeaking at the tall one. The tall thing let lose a triumphant bark and 2 more tall aliens along with another small alien with some sort of weird looking pistol and a glowing shield on his arm. Avery got up as quietly as was able and started crawling back out of the forest. He heard a frightened squeak and a enraged bark. He broke into a sprint, running for what he thought might be his life. Some sort of bullet whizzed past him and hit the tree not even 8 inches away from him. It splashed back and what he took to be molten wood landed on his arm. He let out a terrified yell and slapped at his arm trying to get it off of him. He felt his arm burning, glanced down and almost fainted when he saw the blisters rising. He forged on and finally broke into the road tripped and collapsed. The only thing he remembered from was seeing a pair of tires rolling up, and then the world faded into blackness.
Chapter 3
Avery woke up to a searing pain in his right arm. He saw a large black body looming over him. He screamed at the top of his lungs, as his mind screamed 'oh gosh the aliens have me'. He used his legs to push back until his back slammed against a wall. 'Whoa there buddy, just calm down now, whatever you saw in the woods it isn't here now". Avery relaxed knowing that it was a human with him. He looked down at his arm and realized that it hurt because the man was wrapping it in bandages. Ashamed he held his arm back up for the man to finish wrapping it. Silently the man picked back up the roll of gauze that he was using and finished the job. He spoke in a quiet calming voice "you get back up on the bad and I'll be back in a little while. Avery crawled up onto the bed and instantly fell asleep.
Avery started when a gentle hand touched his shoulder. "Hey, here is some food to help you feel better" the man said handing him a tray heaping with food. Avery ravenously tore into it, forgetting how hungry he was. He looked up at the man, ashamed of himself. He held out the tray and murmured" Would you like some?" The man gave a deep throaty chuckle and said "No you just keep on eating; I got something in the kitchen for me". Avery dug back in to the tray, just at a more moderate pace this time. The man let out another laugh, and said" I never did get your name son". Avery managed to say "Avery, Sir" past a mouthful of food. "No no not the sir part, just call me Thomas' the man quickly came back with. Avery hesitantly said"So sir, I mean Thomas, did you see them?" "See what m'boy?" Thomas whispered. Avery just sadly shook his head knowing he wouldn't be able to convince anyone of this either.
20 minutes later Avery was lounging in the cab of Thomas's old 1975 ford. "Next left please" Avery called over the wind coming in from the open windows. Thomas nodded and slowed to take the turn. Thomas screamed at the top of his lungs as a golden shape blurred out of tall cotton fields lining the road. The truck lurched as the thing slammed into the back and grabbed hold onto the top of the cab. Avery screamed as a blade of white hot something stabbed into the top and pulled back. Avery was amazed at how it cut through the metal like warm butter. He didn't want to imagine what it could do to human flesh. Avery was brought back t the present as Thomas screamed again as the white blade sliced into his shoulder as cut of a piece of skin. Avery screamed and took a crowbar from the floor and tried to snap the blade off. He Swung with all of his strength at it. The blade melted right through the crowbar cutting it in half. Avery stabbed upward through the cut made by the blade with the now very pointy tip to the bar.
