Matt-038 (Halo Fanfiction)

Chapter 5: The Silent Type

Author's Note: If you have any tips writing tips, please feel free to comment.

Again, I gratefully accept constructive criticism as a means to help me develop my skills further as a writer.

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Chapter 5: The Silent Type

Location: Beta Antares system, Emerald Cove

December 9, 2520

1700 hours

Nine-year-old Matt-038 surveyed his team of 74 other nine-year-olds, scattered around the beach on the island they were hiding out on. He was sitting around a fire with his two best friends, Will-043 and Naomi-010. They had come to the island after ditching Chief Mendez. They were originally on an underwater training mission, but the Chief had sabotaged half their air tanks. In return, the Spartans had taken his tanks and they swam out to this island. Fred had gathered some clams from the bottom of the ocean and some fish he had killed using an improvised combat knife he made from one of the air tanks.

"When was the last time we relaxed like this?" Naomi asked as she pried open a clam she was holding.

"I think this is the first," said Will.

"Let's hope it isn't the last," said Matt. He took another look around his fellow Spartans, most were gathered around the other fires, but then Matt noticed someone sitting near the palm trees, alone. Matt instantly recognized it was Linda by her close-cropped, blood red hair. She always stood out in front of the others because of this feature. She was cradling in her arms an SRS99C-S2 that she had swiped from one of the crates at the Chief's staging area.

"Why is Linda all by herself?" Matt asked Will.

"She's been like that for a couple of weeks, ever since that last capture the flag exercise," Will replied.

"I'm going to talk to her," said Matt.

"Don't," warned Naomi. "I heard that Sam went to talk to her once and she got so mad she hit him."

Matt dismissed the rumors and promptly stood up and left the warmth of the fire. Even though she was on the same team with him and Will when they first met, Linda was still the one he knew the least. He always hung around Will and Naomi, but he didn't talk much. As he approached her Matt realized he didn't know what to say so he started with something simple.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" he asked.

"What does it look like?" Linda answered without even looking up at him.

"You can barely hold that thing you know," said Matt as he sat down next to her, "and I bet the scope fried and it's so waterlogged it won't even fire."

"Yes you're right, the scope is fried," said Linda confirming Matt's suspicions, "but the rest is perfectly airtight. It can still fire provided I had any ammo for it."

"So, I was wondering... why are you out here all by yourself?" Matt asked.

"I like being by myself," she replied. Matt knew her better than that. She was hiding something.

"I heard you've been by yourself since the last capture the flag game," said Matt. "Did something happen?"

"No," she answered harshly.

"Just tell me," he said. "Let me help you."

"No."

"Please?"

"Ugh, fine," she grumbled as she set the rifle down in front of her. "During the Fhajad and I were on the same team. He and I slipped past the line and Kelly saw us, you know how fast she is. She was about to get me so I pushed Fhajad into her and managed to grab the flag. Later when I was alone Fhajad confronted me. It got into a fight really quickly and he ended up pushing me into the side of one of the bunks, and that's how I got this," she pointed to a fresh scar on her left jawline. "As soon as I got cut he suddenly started playing nice, but I smacked him the stomach and ran off. I started crying and Doctor Halsey found me and stitched me up."

Matt noticed she started to cry a little so he went to put an arm around her shoulder, but Linda shoved him away.

"I don't need your pity," she said. "Déjà said we should put our feelings aside, and how am I supposed to be a Spartan if I cry like this?"

"It's just normal," Matt replied. "So if you cry a little, it shows that you're a person."

Linda finally met Matt's gaze and she smiled. "Thanks," she whispered.

"Your welcome. I'll look after you and make sure Fhajad or anyone else doesn't bother you," said Matt.

"Promise?" Linda asked.

"Promise," Matt replied.

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