Halo: Reclamation

Chapter 1

-24 Hours Ago-

The screams coming from the people of New Mombasa filled the air as the covenant stormed the city streets. Families were attempting to escape, outrun the monsters that found the need to slaughter every person that stood in their way. No one was spared, no man, woman or child. Akito had witnessed the feral murders these alien invaders brought with them. He had watched his father fend off a couple of the smaller imp-like creatures before being overpowered by a furry simian looking beast, it having been far larger than the imps with masks. He hadn't stuck around long enough to see the full outcome of what had happened to his father, he focused on helping his mother and younger sister out of the city.

Running through the city streets seemed to be far more of a challenge than escaping their home. People pushed and shoved, trampling over those that had fallen to the ground in their attempts to keep up with ever moving crowd. If they weren't trampled to death by the swarm of New Mombasa citizens, the aliens coming after them would finish the job without a second thought. Hardly anyone on foot was able to escape the dark fate that rushed up to meet them in the back. No one stood a chance of survival, not with how they all scattered in every which way. It only made them an easier target for the creatures that chased and hunted them down like some sort of game.

However, Akito had other plans to help his mother and little sister escape their assailants.

While everyone else was trying to escape using the main roads and underground train system, Akito was hoping to use the roads less used and gain safe passage out of the city. He could only hope those streets weren't as clogged with the people escaping as the main roads had become.

"Where are we going?"

The panicked voice that slipped from Akito's mother hadn't gone unheard. In fact, Akito had heard her question and attempted to figure out where exactly to go, where the people weren't in such an abundance. Refusing to look over his shoulder, afraid of what he would see behind him, Akito continued to keep his eyes forward. His hand was tightly grasping hold of his sister's hand as he pulled her through the mass of people that all seemed to swarm in one direction.

"I. . . I don't know mother. I'm trying to figure that out."

Akito was trying to think as quickly as he possibly could knowing they didn't have much time before their assailants caught up with them. He needed to find a way to make time, even if it was only a couple of extra seconds to think without screaming or the sound of death echoing around him. He needed a moment of silence.

Which he was finding when he decided to duck out of the crowd and into a nearby building that could have been a clothing store at some point. Now it was just a mess of the deceased, clothing racks and their clothes scattered among the floor.

Ducking off to the side and out of view of the public, Akito gently tugged his younger sister an mother behind him to try and create some sort of shield out of himself. He peeked through the door -shattered glass laying everywhere- making sure they were momentarily safe from the beasts that were going after those trying to run. When he was certain did he turn to face his mother and sister, the two of them were wearing identical looks of fear and hopelessness upon their faces. It made Akito's chest ache, giving him more of a reason to get them out of the city.

"Aki, are we going to get out of here?"

Turning his full attention to his little sister, a forced reassuring smile slipped onto his lips. Akito reached up and gently stroked his younger sister's dark brown hair. His eyes meeting with her vibrant green ones while trying to figure out the right words to say. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and send both his mother and sister into an even bigger panic.