Ender

Explosions

Seven Years Earlier

Alexia Storm sat on her front porch looking up at the diamond like stars that sparkled in the black void of the sky. The night was so clear and the wind must have decided to be somewhere else tonight because not even an single leaf on a tree moved.

The sound of a few crickets that played their tune to whomever would listen was the only sound that could be heard. Alexia's blonde hair, short just barely reaching the bottom of her lightly tanned ear, covered her beautiful green eyes that resembled emeralds. Her skin seemed to glow with the light of the still moon.

She wore a warn green hoodie with black jeans and shoes that were one size too small. She seemed to always have things that were second hand. She held a small firecracker that she had saved from the previous July. She loved watching the fireworks and hearing the loud thunderous booms that would light up the sky. Something about how out of control the fireworks were when she saw them, exploding in the sky, erupting with emotion.

Money was tight and her parents barely got along so she never got her own firecrackers from the store. She loved them so much that by age Six she had already made her own firecracker. It blew up in her hand and blood sprinkled the ground but she was content. Her first creation was a success. Now at eight years old her knowledge of how the little bombs worked grew. She couldn't afford to buy them so she would make them, just like the one in her small hand. Just like she had to get everything for herself.

A loud crash erupted from inside the house and she jumped from astonishment. A plate? Os some sort of glass object. It was only a matter of time, she thought to herself.

"All you do is work, drink and sleep!" She heard her mother screaming. "you're never around and now I know why!"

Alexia tightened the hoodie around her head to try and muffle the sounds of the domestic dispute that was going on only a few feet away from her, inside her own home.

That was the reason why she loved the firecrackers. Somehow they would drowned out the sound of her arguing parents, even if just for a moment. Every night, every day, it seemed like all they did was fight.

"Don't you yell at me!" Her father boomed. The sounds of struggle could be heard. "Of course I slept with Jenna! At least she lets me touch her!"

The sounds of her mother crying and screaming were getting louder, Alexia turned slowly to look through the window. Her father stood there eyes glazed over from the bourbon he had ingested. His hand rose faster than the thought registered. It crashed into her mother's face sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again! Do you understand?" His voice was deep and sounded like an earthquake. "I pay for everything here, everything you have is because of me!" Another blow to the poor mother's head.

Quickly Alexia jumped up and ran to the door, she swung it open.

"Stop!" She yelled.

Her mother sat on the dirty floor stained with drops of red blood and dirt. She was shaking her head at Alexia, willing her to go away and not get in the middle of this.

Her father looked at her menacingly, his chest rising and dropping from his heavy alcohol filled breathing.

"Go...to your room...Alex," he spoke calmly, recovering his breath.

Eight year old Alex stood motionless glaring at her father, every night, this was her reality.

Suddenly a flash of light consumed the sky outside, followed by an ear splitting explosion. Then the house shook but only for a moment. A crash was heard out side and suddenly it sounded like it was raining.