Into the Darkness of Hell (Halo Fan Fiction)

Chapter one

Chapter one

16:00-Stronghold-2545

Nickolas Hayes sits in the metal stall, his shirt dampened with sweat. The dank smelling liquid practically drips off of him as he sits. The Private's throat burns due to the constant symptoms straining his chest and entire body. He lifts the bottom of his dark grey marine corps shirt upwards, pressing it under his neck as he looks down at his chest. Still, bruise looking markings cover his torso and his veins emphasized with a purplish comor looks like metal wires under his skin. They were in fact darker than when he had showered the day before. The tender purple ring located directly above his heart throbs, his veins small pulsing streams leading away from the pool of bruised flesh and tissue. His muscles contract with pain as he reaches down to touch the tender area. Hayes's mouth begins to water and a sudden nauseous sensation overcomes him.

Leaning over the cold surface of the metallic toilet next to him, he vomites into it the last of his lunch. He doesn’t mind to flush the toilet as he chokes out the last of the stomach bile inside. He knew hed throw up again and it wouldnt be long.

Footsteps fill the thought to be empty restroom, and stop before the open stall Hayes has collapsed in. A small creak sounds as a body leans against the metal sheeting of the restroom stall.

“I thought you were in bed, Private Hayes.” The male voice is familiar to Private Hayes. It was someone Hayes knew. He doesn’t ponder the thought though, thinking about it would be useless and time consuming.

Private Hayes turns to see his friend standing in the entrance of the stall. One of the only people he could trust, and someone who trusts him. He remembers the man well from their time served together.

They had been positioned within the same squad with a mission on a planet named Lilex. Lilex was the home of all fire fights, a place where mercenaries were thick and the split organizations of the Covenant desilated the small colonies the government had set up bound for destruction. The two soldiers' squad had lost a member in combat and Hayes's friend, Private Wyatt Stones, didn’t take the casualty very advisably.

The man's dark hair was muddled from the tossing and turning of a restless sleep. His brown eyes are underscored with dark rings as well emphasizing how unrelated he is. Wyatt would always push himself harder than most dumb training, forcing himself beyond his own limit often times. He would be wearing a smirk wherever he walked as well, almost stating clearly without words that he is better than everyone else. He has a strong foundation of strength to hold his ego high, though.

He would be laughing in excitement as the training battles began in full swing. But now those days were over. He was tainted by the brutal death of his comrade, now. Even though he was a little shattered he  was still Hayes's closest friend.

Hayes turned and spat in the silver bowl, the slight taste of vomit still rotting inside his mouth. He flushed the toilet and slightly cocked his head as he spoke. "What are you doing here, Wyatt?" He sounded tired and tendious. A tired and exhausted look was on both of their faces as Wyatt leaned against the stall's metallic walls.

Private Stones sighed at the sound of his first name. It made him feel like a child. He was always called that by Private Nickolas Hayes, but it was informal and immature for the U.N.S.C. They were trained to be men, not kids, unlike some squads were. Their squad leader had sometimes thrown them into a fire-fight simulation, with out their tactical armor. The practice rounds sent a hard jolt into your muscles, even when you wore armor, but when you didn’t, they knocked you hard on your ass.

“You’re lucky I’m not one of the Tyrant squad members.” Stones sighed and turned an empty bullet shell in his fingers. He continued, “They would have just loved to report you. As for me,” Stones helps his friend to his feet, “I know a beat up, tired soldier when I see one.” He kneels down and holds his hand out to Hayes. He accepts it and they walk out of the stall out to one of the three sinks in the restroom.