Over the Moon

Chapter 8: The Attack

Seren's POV

I woke up just after sunrise and heard rustling in the bushes. Something flew past my body and next to Mason's arm. A bomb. I grabbed his arm and quickly dragged him away. I wasn't quick enough. The bomb exploded and Mason cried out.

"Oh my God! What the-" he winced.

"Your shoulder!" I exclaimed. It was bleeding heavily.

"It's fine," he said. "We have to get out of here."

"Come on, Hal!" I yelled as we got up and ran. Instantly, there were guns shooting and people were running after us. I saw a clearing and we ran toward it.

"The ship!" Mason exclaimed as we broke though the thick brush. I got to the keypad by the door and typed in the password. The ramp came down and I climbed on it before it came all the way down.

"Hurry up," I said as I was closing the ramp and Mason and Hal were climbing on. Suddenly, I spotted a guard behind Mason. "Look out!" I jumped down and tackled the guard. I took a knee to the gut before knocking her out with a hard punch. By then, the guards had us surrounded, but I always have a few tricks up my sleeve.

"Drop your weapons!" One guard shouted.

I raised my hands up, but then grabbed my gun and started shooting. Three guards went down and Mason joined in. I heard him curse, and I glanced over to see Hal collapsed on the ground and Mason's hand over his mouth.

"What the... What did you do?!" I ran over and started dragging Hal on the ship.

"It was an accident!"

"Just get on the ship," That idiot. I placed Hal next to the repair room door and headed toward the cockpit. Mason was already sitting in the copilot's seat. "Alright, let's see if there's enough ammo in these guns." I used the touchscreen control pad and selected the guns. They had plenty of ammo. I clicked the shoot button and started steering to control where I was aiming.

"Where are we going?" Mason asked.

"Just shut up and let me drive." I snapped. I started piloting the ship toward the other side of the island.

~

"Ugh!" I groaned. I was trying to fix Hal, but it was pretty much impossible! His motherboard was fried and the sensors in his face were broken. I threw the wrench back in the toolbox furiously and ripped open the door. Mason was sitting shirtless on the bunks tending his wounds.

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

"Don't!" I was so mad, but I didn't know if it was at him or if I was just mad in general.

"What did I-"

"Don't talk to me! This is your fault!" I stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. I ran my hands down my face, forcing back the tears. I just sat there, hating everything for a while. Hating those guards for fighting us. Hating Mason for shooting Hal. Hating myself for being such a jerk all the time.

I thought of my parents. How they were always there for me when I was upset. If only...

There was a knock on the door, interrupting my thoughts. I sighed. "Come in."

Mason peeked in, now with a shirt on, looking concerned. "You alright?"

I sighed again. "The truth is, no. He- he was my only friend."

"It was an accident, I promise," he sounded afraid more than he did sorry, which was fine. "I turned too quickly and then... Yeah."

"Never mind that. It's not your fault."

"But-"

"I know what I said earlier," I paused. "Did I ever tell you how I got into this organization?"

"No. Tell me."

"I was twelve. I was at my town's market one afternoon, and the enemy ships flew overhead. They bombed the village. There was chaos, but I found an underground storm cellar. I went in it and when the coast was clear, I came out and instantly went for my house," I was choking back tears. "There was nothing left. Just smoke and ashes. My- my parents were in there. I had nothing left," a single tear rolled down my cheek and I wiped it away. "I slept on the streets and occasionally helping people with chores for money or food. I was a wreck. One day, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and Alastair was there. He asked me if I wanted to join the spy organization. That it would give me a place to sleep, stuff to eat. Of course I said yes." I paused. "I came, and everyone wondered why I was so emotional. Nobody said anything about it at first, but then, I was being bullied for it. I was the 'crybaby'. I wanted that to stop, so I decided not to be emotional all the time. I cut off all my hair and dyed it. I trained as hard as I could so no one would mess with me. And eventually, I was the person to stay away from. After I found Hal, I didn't care what anyone thought. I had a friend, and that was good enough. I wish I could go back in time and fix everything. I wouldn't be this mess I've become. I would still be at home with my parents." I thought of the picture I had of them. "Come with me."

~

Mason's POV

We walked into the repair room and Seren pried open Hal's storage compartment. She pulled out a box, opened it and pulled out a picture of a girl and a boy. "This was taken long before I was born."

The boy, who I assumed was Seren's dad, had bleach blonde hair and pale skin with blue eyes. The girl, who must have been her mom, had dark, chestnut brown hair with hazel eyes and tan skin and freckles. They looked so happy, so in love. Her dad had a dopey smile and her mom was in mid-laugh.

She pulled something else out. A silver locket. She popped it open and inside was the same people, but with a girl, about ten years old, with dirty blonde hair, tan skin, freckles, and bright, electric blue eyes.

"No one will ever truly understand-"

"I do." I interrupted.

"I thought your mom was still alive." She sounded confused.

I shook my head. "I got the message that she died last night. I have no one to go back to. We're both in the same situation."

"I wouldn't change anything, though." She added.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I never would have met you." She said as she placed a soft kiss on my lips.