Somewhat the Beginning (A Falling Skies Fanfiction)

Dear Journal

Just so you don't get confused this is a chapter mostly written in journal entries.
____________________________________________
Dear Journal,

I don't know why I'm writing this I could never keep up with these things. Well anyway, my suspicion for Clayton hasn't faltered and it got stronger after he detoured the group. Hal believed him, but, for me, trust must be earned and don't know (nor trust) this man who's leading us off to who know's where.

Dear Journal,

We get to a camp, a few kids here, and a girl who keeps trying to hit on Hal. I just hope he doesn't fall for it, this place isn't safe, I have a gut feeling. The only good thing about this place is the food. Gardens galore! I've always wanted to start a garden but never got a chance. I'm still keeping my eye on Clayton and I've told Hal of my suspicions but he thinks I'm overreacting (why does everyone think that? I've never been wrong before!). Matt seems to be enjoying this place a bit too much. He loves to play soccer with the kids here and he didn't have lots of time for stuff like that at the school (even though aliens invaded our planet kids still have got to go to classes to learn). Rick seems to be the only one as uncomfortable as me here, except he's uncomfortable because he's back around humans, not because they're potential liars like I fear. I don't even try to meet any of the other kids here, I just can't wait to reunite with the 2nd Mass., even Iain's seems to be enjoying the nature, though for some reason we can't go too far out of the camp (if that's not suspicious I don't know what is).

At least I've got Ben. He's just as homesick as I am, so we hang out and be homesick together. He is a really cool guy and I'm surprised I never realized it before. We actually have more in common than Hal and I. We both love books and movies, we're not much into sports, and we both seemed to have pretty boring social lives before the attacks (we're both genuine nerds it seems). Lourdes and I have also been kicking it more too. Not much to talk about in a world where nothing really changes for the better, so our conversations usually consisted of the weather and our old lives. Lourdes is very spiritual, and apparently she has some family down somewhere in Mexico that she hopes to see again, but in this new world hope's limited. Hal and I haven't talked much sense we arrived here, that girl's still got his mind in a spin.

Some unfortunate news. We haven't heard from the 2nd Mass. I hope they're all ok...god I hope their ok.

Dear Journal,

I knew this place was too good to be true. Lourdes found a backpack belonging to Eli, the kid whose parents tried to rob Anne, hidden in the house. Mike Thompson (Ricky's dad) thinks Clayton just picked it up if Eli dropped it before his family fled. I don't believe it and Hal agrees with me (finally, Hallelujah!) and we decided to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

Dear Journal,

Guess where we are? In a random abandoned house running from Crazy Clayton that's where! Mike found out about Clayton and his deal with the skitters (can you believe he brought us here just to trade us away for a few weeks of peace? And that girl says she was going to see if Hal could stay with her...Ugh!). Tragically, Mike didn't make it to the house with us. Rick is a statue, just staring off towards nowhere.

So here we are, waiting to be found. Ben left to go find help almost a half hour ago and I'm really worried. What if he got hurt and no one can help him? I should have gone with him but he said I would just slow him down, and he's right, which is why I let him go. Oh why did I let him go? It's my job to look after him and how would Tom react if Ben didn't...

___

A voice. Terry Clayton's voice. Right outside the house. My heart thuds and Hal whispers to me to wake up the other kids in the upstairs room. I run up the stairs, shake the kids awake, and tell them to be quiet and follow me downstairs. Good thing they trust me, with anyone else there would have been protest. I put the kids under the kitchen table and I helped Lourdes pack up the remaining bags with any food and water we could find. Gunshot. "Hal are you ok?" I whisper. He doesn't answer me but I heard his yelling towards Clayton. Lourdes gives the kids a bag as they wait under the table. We're surrounded, how are we going to get away from this one?

I look at Matt scared, confused, and tired under the table hanging on to one of its legs. How am I supposed to protect him from this? You'd think I've been used to it by now, but hope seems to keep resurrecting itself and dying over and over again.