Anchored Down

10. Origins

"And then Michael fell back and Jonathan's book went flying and hit some guard in the face!" Paris laughed.

"Yeah, thanks, Mike. It was a great experience cleaning the 2630-2632 bathrooms." Jonny replied with sarcasm.

Paris and the gang had come to visit me in the infirmary. I was almost healed, the pills worked well over night. Almost like magic i thought. My wrist was almost back to normal, it just needed some physiotherapy. But i needed to be kept untill they were sure i wouldn't have another heart attack. It was about 3 in the afternoon and my second day here. They told me stories from the past couple days and prior to my arrival. Paris had been here longest, 5 months, Mike was a close 4 months and 3 weeks, Jonathan 3 months and Dave 2.

Dave was a sweet kid, he was only 12 but he was an expert in anything technical. He was a huge gamer, his parents were both IT's for a huge company, his dad the boss and his mum the manager. His parents had to partake in the invasion and he was left with his grandma. But our extraterrestrial intruders took her life and brought him here after seriously contemplating killing him.

Mike was the ultimate athlete, he was 17 and had scholarships to many sporting collages across the country. He remembered a little sister, Maxine that he cared for, He was an orphan. I could tell they were close, he would watch cartoons with her, teach her how to play football and run around with her on his shoulders at his games when they won. They were separated when the aliens set out for war, He had to leave Maxine at a camp to fight for the humans but he was captured and brought here.

Paris was a fashionesta, being slightly older than me by 2 months (Annie is 17 in a month ~ Chapter 4). She would model at her mothers fashion shows and make accessories for the other models when she was younger. When the invasion came around her mother was sent to make troop uniforms and Paris was left in a camp, thinking her mum would come back like she said. But she didn't. Paris made dresses and clothes for the other refugees and brightened their lives in dark times. She spent 4 years at the camp before they were all captured by our invaders and wiped.

Jonathan wasn't so open, i took Paris's advice and let him be. His life before wasn't a good one, i could tell. He had a love for books and wanted to get into medicine or science, being the top of all his classes and skipping through highschool in a blink of an eye. When he was 8 he was already in 5th grade, by 12 he was is year 9 of highschool. He graduated at 15 and spent 2 years in collage studying medicine before the invasion came. He went off and worked as a paramedic in the army before their base was compromised and he escaped with 10 other doctors, taken here shortly after being found in amongst dead trees on Barron land that were once flourishing rain-forests.

"Ok visiting hours are over, clear out." A firm voice I recognised commanded.

"Cya Annie. We'll be back tomorrow." Paris waved as they all scattered out the door.

Valour took my breakfast tray, practically untouched. I hadn't felt hunger since I got here. He placed lunch in front of me. Salad, toast and juice.

"Why couldn't they stay? It's not like I'm gonna eat anyway." I ranted. Valour just turned his head that, damn helmet still on his head.

"You ask a lot of dumb questions. I don't make the rules. Now eat." He ordered.

I picked up the toast, taking small bites. It wasn't all that bad, usually, I was served something that looked 100 years old and artificial.

"Food looks better," I claimed. Maybe they had changed their standards on what they fed us.

Valour just lent against the wall, staring off into space. I got curious.

"Can I ask another dumb question?"

"You just did. What." He said with a sigh.

"Whats with the helmet?" I quizzed. I felt like I was stepping into dangerous territory.

He turned his head to me and a long, uncomfortable silence settled in.

"Just eat your food." He said coldly. Rude, I thought.

I did as I was told. I had eaten a little, just one piece of toast and a few leaves of lettuce and half my juice before pushing it away.

He picked it up and stared to walk out the door.

"Wait." I pleaded.

"Hmm?" He was slightly concerned.

"Can you stay? It's boring sitting here alone." mumbled. I felt dumb but it was true, as much of a bore he was it was better than sitting here alone staring at a TV screen.

"I have to do my job. I'm a sergeant. I'll come back with dinner." He assured with slight surprise and kicked open the door like he always did, leaving me on my own. Again.

I had spent 4 hours well in my room. I snooped around in the medical cabinets finding weird things like x-rays and tools, like a child i played around with them and accidently cut myself, which gave me an excuse to look in more drawers for a band-aid. I spent the other 3 hours watching random movies about plane crashes.

It was at the part when the pilot was boarding the plane something interesting happened. The world around me faded to white and then morphed into a plane cockpit, the night sky flooding the windows and a bunch of shiny buttons in my face. I sat in a seat near the back. I looked over at the pilot, who was my mother and a small girl sitting on the co-pilot seat wearing her hat. The small girl i recognised to be myself, a bit older than in my other flash backs.

"This is your co-captain speaking we are on a plane, in the sky, very fun. I don't know what I'm supposed to say. Yay." The girl said pressing a bunch of coloured buttons that did nothing, probably switched off so she didn't accidentally crash the plane. Laughter rippled through the cabin and my mother laughed as well.

"This is your captain speaking. We will be arriving at Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne, shortly. The current time is 9:57 P.M. and local temperature is 13 degrees, humidity at 10%. Thank you for flying with us. Goodnight." She spoke.

"When I grow up I want to fly like you mum."

"I thought you wanted to sail like your dad" Mum smiled.

"I want to be both. I am a flying-fish." little Annie replied, preoccupied with her button pressing.

"Flying-fish. I like that." Mum replied.

The memory faded. I knew now, the man in the cabin with the bracelet was my dad! I felt happiness greet me as the hospital room flooded back into my view.

The door kicked open. Valour. He walked over and placed the tray on my table.

"Dinner." He said gesturing to the tray, Spaghetti, Tea and a packet of almonds. I felt hungry for once and started eating.

"What a shock," Valour said, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards for a split second. I smiled back.

"How was 'work'?" I asked.

"'Work' was annoying. Some newbie shot himself accidently having the safety off a gun while it was loaded. Decided it would be a fun idea to play around with it. He had it pressed against his leg and his hand slipped on the trigger. Or atleast thats the story i got. He earned the nickname 'Backfire'. But I think Half-Witt suites better." He recounted, arms behind his back and pressed against the wall.

"Is that how you get those nicknames? You do something stupid on your first day and BAM! Embarrassing nickname to remind you of your flaws." I said with a mouth full of spaghetti, acting out the bam.

"Usually." He replied.

"How'd you get yours?"

He paused for a minute, "... The unusual way." He answered.

"Are you always this indecisive?" I said rolling my eyes.

"Are you always this inquisitive." He retorted.

I stared at him for a bit, "Touche" I replied.

I finished my dinner and pushed it forwards, Valour taking it and kicking the door open.

"Wait." I blurted out.

Valour sighed. "Annie, I can't just si-" He started but I cut him off.

"Please? It's 8 o'clock, I'm sure you don't have to train armies at this time of night. Please, I can't take the boredom." I pleaded. I was desperate.

He sighed and let the door close, "I'll see." He replied walking out with another kick.