Living in a shadow, part 1
I know, it's been forever since I actually wrote a story, more over a QUALITY story. I hope that this one doesn't disappoint anybody like my last few did- at least I was disappointed with them. I started playing Halo again- friends have me hooked AGAIN, and this idea just kinda came into my head. I'm already working on a second one that actually contains sex- for all you naughty people out there. Anyway, read, and enjoy.
• NOTE I AM NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR INVENTING SOME OF THESE EVENTS, AND HALO IS A TRADEMARK OF THE BUNGIE CORPORATION
He looked down the sight of his rifle, could feel his heart beat quicken, felt the cool morning air against his unprotected face, but he could also feel the cold lingering eyes of the man he admired most, his father. He blocked that from his mind and tried again to focus, he slowly exhaled and squeezed. The calm stillness of morning was changed by the thunderous bang of his rifle. As soon as he fired he slowly placed his rifle on the ground and picked up his binoculars, he had hit the man shaped target just above the heart. "That's not right," came the thunderous voice of his father, "here we go again", he thought, "another lecture from the retired Marine." As if on cue, his father berated him with everything he had done wrong, his posture, his breathing, and then proceeded into other things, like how his son was 17 years old and had no idea what he wanted to do in life.
After his father had vented, he picked up his rifle, brass casing, and removed the bolt with practiced hands and they walked up to their house where he would proceed to clean the rifle meticulously. Life always proceeded this way, they lived in a little mountain town, and his father had purposely bought this house and the surrounding area for the purpose of firing his rifles. "Dad, after I'm done cleaning my rifle can I go hang out with my friends?" His father looked at his as they walked up to the porch, he was an imposing figure for a man of 5" 9' tall. He had broad shoulders, and skinny yet muscular arms, a shaved head, and over the years his form had been plagued with a beer belly- Thomas knew from experience that it was hard as a rock- and then there were his eyes. They were very blue, and the way he looked at you made it feel as though he was staring into your soul. He simply nodded and proceeded into the house.
As Jeff entered his room he sighed in relief and proceeded to clean his rifle. After taking it apart, checking it over, cleaning it, and re-assembling it, he grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom. As he entered the bathroom he gradually stripped down to his boxers and looked at himself in the mirror. He wasn't an un-attractive guy, but he was no Adonis. He had a lean/ muscular build- thanks to his dad insisting he work out every day- and couldn't help smiling at the results. He was 5" 7' tall, had short messy blonde hair, long arms and legs that were well defined, a muscular chest thanks to swimming, and the start of a six-pack. As he was looking himself over he heard his brother starting to move in his room.
After cleaning up in the shower Tom looked at his watch, it was around 7 o'clock. As he entered his room he passed his 19 year old brother John. John and Tom looked like identical twins, except John had long hair- to his shoulders- was a little over weight, and had the same piercing blue eyes their father did- Tom had the same green eyes of their late mother. "Hey dude, what're you gonna do today?" said John. Tom immediately felt his temper flare up but kept it under control as he passed his brother, he couldn't stand him. Throughout all of Tom's life his father had pushed him to be the best, to never quit, while he let John do what he wanted. Tom couldn't help thinking that it was because John had no motivation, he had no dream, he was content to stagnate.
Tom left his house dressed in a white t-shirt, a pair of blue jeans, a pair of work boots, and a black coat. He left without saying goodbye, and started walking to the garage. Once he got inside he went to the fridge, and making sure nobody was around, opened it and took three beers that he immediately put in his waist band- the perk to being a size 28 who wears size 30's with a belt. He pulled out his phone and called his friends, because it was summer break they had time to kill, and it was only 7:30. As he was hanging up he saw the familiar black car pull up the drive way, he waved to his best friend Jack and quickly got in the car.
They drove for a little while, until they reached the edge of the town, where they parked the car and proceeded on foot into the trees, "How are ya doin' man?" Tom looked back at Jack and smiled, that was all that needed to be said. They reached a clearing where their other friends were waiting for them. "Hey Tom, throw me a beer!" Tom smiled as his friend David said this, David was a skinny kid with no real muscle to him, but the kind of guy everyone liked, only about an inch taller than Tom, and he too had short hair- though his was black instead of blonde. As Tom handed him one of the beers he saw Matt roll his eyes, Matt was his other friend who disapproved of alcohol. Matt was, by far, the tallest, he was 6" 3' tall, and the same build as Tom, with light blue eyes.
As Tom turned to hand Jack a beer Jack's phone went off, "Fuck, it's my mom." As Jack turned and walked away a bit David downed the beer. Jack hung up and walked back towards them, he was shorter than Matt by 2 inches, but was fat. He was the jolly fat man of the group, thinking this made Tom laugh. As they all talked about random things, mostly women, Tom kept zoning out, thinking about what his dad had said, how had no idea what he should do in life.
The year was 2519; the Covenant had not already shown themselves to be capable enemies. Tom had lived a rigid life, cold and devoid of too much emotion, his only outreach was his friends. David wanted to become a pilot an AC-22- Vulture Gunship, Matt was not picky about what he wanted to do, he wanted infantry. Jack was the odd-man-out; he wanted to be a Corpsman. Tom however, had no clue what he wanted to do, his father had different ideas.
He decided to stop worrying so much about it, and decided to have fun, this would be the last time they were able to hang out, David and Matt were both 18, they had already enlisted into the programs of their choice, and Jack was not that far from 18. They hung out for a bit, told old stories, but Tom felt different, he felt alienated by his own friends. That's when he smiled and said, "Hey, Matt, David, and even you Jack, I have something for you." He reached into his pocket and took out three whistles, "If there's a war, and you're in trouble, blow this and I'll come help yo-" He was immediately cut off by Matt hitting him in the arm, they all laughed. It was meant as a joke, and it was taken that way. Tom then stood up, "I think I'm gonna walk back home, you know, clear my head a bit." Matt and Jack immediately made eye contact, they knew something was wrong, but decided not to press it. Matt and David then got up and shook his hand, "Next time you see me I'm gonna be a fuckin' AWESOME pilot!" Tom smiled at him, then Matt pulled him close, "Relax, don't take it so seriously. I know you'll make the right choice for yourself in the end." Tom smiled up at his friend and waved to them as he walked away.
He looked at his watch, it was 1pm already. Tom started walking home- the other end of town- when he thought, "Maybe I will join up." He contemplated this on the walk home, and decided he would shoot for Special Operations, it felt like it would be the best fit, now how would he tell his dad?
It was a day until his birthday; he had already been in contact with a recruiter and had filled out the necessary paper work, now all that was left was for Thomas Miller, aka Tom, to turn 18. He looked around his room and smiled; his dad had taken the news well, and in fact was beaming with pride. Whenever he talked to anyone around town- or in school because he was a teacher- he would proudly state his son was enlisting, but aspired to do more. Tom couldn't help notice the change in his attitude, his father was now more calm and relaxed around him, and had even split a few beers with him.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" It was John; they hadn't talked much in the past few weeks, "You know you don't have to do this for dad right?" Tom glared at his older brother, "John, I don't get it. You sit around all day and piss your life away. DO SOMETHING with it! I want to do this for ME, not dad, or mom, or you." As he walked past his brother he felt an arm embrace him, it was John. He felt his brother's body pressed up against him and then he felt the tears on his shoulder. "Just be safe, okay? Come back safe." With that, he let go and quickly went into his room. Tom felt extremely guilty now, and wanted to go apologize but didn't know what to say.
The next day Tom didn't celebrate, he picked up his bag and walked out of his room towards the door. "Wait." He turned and saw his father and brother behind him, and his dad walked up to him, hugged him, and handed him a lighter, it had been his great-grandfather's lighter. His brother simply stood there, so Tom approached him, smiled, reached up, and got him in a head lock, "I'll be fine shit head, don't worry about me!" They both laughed, and Tom walked outside to a waiting car- they had arranged for his birthday to be the day he left for training.
When Tom got out of the car he was greeted with the sight of a drop ship, it was loading new recruits. As Tom approached the ship he felt himself get excited for what was to come.