Battle Scars

Chapter one; Nova

   The smell of burnt eggs wafted through the air and into my mess of a room. For the past three weeks I have been waiting for another signal saying that it was time to head out of hiding but there was nothing. So I get up and walk through the rubble and to my door. When I get down stairs to the kitchen it is no surprise that there is a small fire going up on the stove. My dad had never been one to cook and you would think that he would learn something, seeing as he had to cook for himself for the past four years, but nope.

"Morning dad, I can see that we are having yet another dish of burnt eggs and filtered water for breakfast." I say as I sit down at the island with my communicator device. My dad scoops the eggs up and places them on my plate and hands me a fork.

"Morning sweet heart, glad you made it through the night," he responds and goes to the other room to get ready for another day of scavenging for food and supplies. My dad for the past 3 years has been telling me he's glad I'm alive when he sees me, partly because it's a silly saying since I sleep in late, but also  Arizona is know to have lots of random bombings from other countries in the night.

"Today is the day dad I know it, I will see her!" I shout to my dad in the other room.

"Bud you know you say that every day right?" he responds

"Yup," I answer quickly as usual, "but today is different, she said she will be here in four days a week ago and I have a feeling in my gut today is the day." My dad walks in and shakes his head in disbelief and laughs slightly before he hugs me and goes out the door for the day.

It's only been 2 hours since my dad left and I'm already wishing he didn't. I am now hiding in my closet with a shot gun next to me while I fear for my life. Only half an hour after my dad's left and a small gun fight down the street begins. It was normal to hear small fights going on around the area, but I'm still scared. To most of my friends I'm this grunge girl who is tough enough to kill a guy, but I'm not. I'm still a scared little girl inside.
I closed my eyes and right when I did I heard what sounded like the final gun shot. Now all I had to do was wait 2 hours before I began to come out of hiding.

"Nova you can do this, don't cry because dad will be home soon" I whisper to myself in self motivation while I mess with the necklace my brothers gave to me when I was 7 years old. I really miss both my brothers. They could be anywhere right now, they could be dead right now.

Right then in to my horror, I hear the door downstairs open and slam closed. Someone is here and I am alone. I hear the footsteps walk around a bit down stairs before they come up. By now I'm shaking like you do when you come out of the pool on a cool day, and I began to cry a bit. The closer he gets the louder my heart beats, and now I am terrified he can hear my heart and find me. My door opens and I hear him walk closer and closer to my closet. My gun is aimed for what I hope is where his head should be.  Slowly my closet door slides open and I get up.

"Oh my god don't shoot, I-I mean absolutely no harm," the man says as he raises his hands and gets down. I know he is scared of me, and in the same boat as Spencer.

"Put your weapons on the ground!" I yell, and he slowly removes his backpack and pulls a gun and knife out of his back pockets. I then usher him to the guest room where I tie him up. I have to admit I am terrified, but in the past year I have learnt not to let the enemy know how scared you are.

"Please don't kill me," he begges "I had no clue you lived here I was just looking around to find some food, you can take what you want just don't kill me!" I lower my gun, for I know this was just pathetic for him to beg for his life and I know it is wrong to hurt him if he hasn't tried to hurt me. Yet.

"Wait till my father gets home and then I will decide what happens to you, but for now I will be down stairs. I swear to god if you dare try to escape I will blow your head off." I say through clenched teeth. He nodded and I run down to the kitchen where I grabbed my communication device and leave a note for dad about the boy upstairs. And with that I was on my way to the diner.

  
It felt like hours I was there, just sitting and waiting for Spencer to arrive. My stomach growled and I saw the sun was setting, and that's when I knew she wasn't coming. I picked up my stuff and looked around one last time before starting home.

"NOVA!!!!!" Someone had just screamed my name from down the street, and I knew exactly who it was.

"SPENCER!" I yelled as I turned into a dead sprint towards the girl I missed so much. I had tears streaming down my face and I couldn't believe that she was here. The street was barren with no people other than I and the girl limping to me with surrounding buildings that where torn down to almost rubble. I had dreamed of the day for the past 4 years and I was astounded that it was finally real. We finally collided into a hug that I had waited for, for far to long. While weeping in her arms I asked

"Are you ok?" I had asked this for the reason that she had limped to me and that she had a bandage on her arm. She simply replied,

"Wait till we get home," and with that we were on our way to my house. She was holding onto my shoulder for support, and I was now Looking at her with a smile I had not shown in years.
Spencer was finally home.