Mechanic's Choice

Chapter 3

               The day had started out normally, I had gone down to the scrape pile to get a few gears and parts that I need to finish my latest project. My older Brother Mat was at the market square picking up some more food because dad was holed up in the garage again. I found the piece I needed and headed out to the square looking for my brother, but I hadn’t seen him so I sat down on a bench and pulled out a few of mine and Mat’s sketches just to be sure I had all the pieces. Suddenly I heard a huge blast and when I turned to look it had hit our house! I ran back as fast as I could, when I got there the fire was like a raging inferno. I heard my father’s yells coming from inside and without any hesitation I jumped in through a window that had not yet caught fire. I could barely see through all the smoke and the flames were scorching my skin. I grabbed a few of my sketch journals then headed to where I had heard my father last. I ran to the kitchen and found him unconscious under a pile of burning debris, I tried to push it off but I just couldn’t. The smoke was becoming too thick and I couldn’t breathe. I continued to try to help my father but eventually I to fell unconscious.

I woke up outside and I couldn’t remember how I had gotten there. Then Mat came up to me he was covered in soot. I looked up at him hoping that he had saved our dad but he just shook his head. “Sorry Aria but I couldn’t the debris was to heavy I couldn’t move it.” He said sadly.

I just couldn’t believe this was happening I got so angry and I just shouted at him, “This isn’t fair Mat! It’s not first we lose mom in the ship wreck and… and now dads… dads gone.” He sat down and held me while the tears poured down my face.

“Shh I know… I know it hurts Ari shh,” he continued to hug me. Suddenly the ground shook as another blast went off somewhere in the distance.

“Mat what’s going on?” He stood up and pulled me up with him. He didn’t say a word just grabbed my arm and dragged me after him as he ran towards the path to the ships. “Big brother! What’s going on why are we running? I’m scared Mat!” He didn’t stop running but tossed my bag and bow to me. “No… pirates… Why aren’t the Marines doing anything to stop them?”

“Aria they tried the pirates bombed their headquarters there are only a few left, and they are currently fighting the main group out in the square. I’m getting us to safety down at the docks get on the first ship you see and let the rope go I'll hop on when you’re done and we'll head to the next island to ask for help,” He said.

“I don’t believe you Mat, you would never just leave this island,” I said sullenly. He didn’t reply so I knew I was right but there was no fighting him on this one. We had finally made it to the docks and I ran towards our small sail boat but before I could even get close someone came and knocked me to the side. I could hear a bone snap and knew I had just broken my wrist.

“Aria!” I heard Mat shout. I stood up and looked over he had begun to fight that pirate that had bashed me into the ground. I took out my bow and arrows, I set the arrow and shot down the pirate but this cuased my wrist to ache, I then ran over to the boat and untied it. Before I could get in though the pirate I had shot grabbed my wings and yanked me back. Mat jumped on his back and tried to stab him, but before he could the pirate threw me in the way and Mat stab right through my wings. The boat was slowly moving away and I could no longer fly after it so my brother did the one thing I had hoped he wouldn’t, He came over and threw me out to the boat. I pulled myself up onto it and turned just in time to see the damn pirate stab Mat and beat him cruelly. That was one of the last things I saw before another bomb was shot and hit the side of my boat. I jumped into the dingy that was slung on the side, grabbed the oars and began to row myself out to safety.

“The reason you guys found me stranded was because a rather large lighting storm started up and tossed me over board,” I said wiping my eyes glad that the tears had finally stopped but the heartache of losing my older brother and father on the same day was still there sitting heavily on me.