House of the Unique

Chapter 9 (where everything begins)

         Something's wrong.

That was the first conscious thought I had in my sleeping state. I felt something weird in my gut. Then, all I felt was someone shaking me hard. "Wake up damnit! Something's wrong!" It was Kassie. I opened my eyes to see her grabbing my shoulders. Her face was pale. "Wh- what happened." I said in a grungy voice wiping my tired eyes. "Nova's gone. I can't find her anywhere!" Kassie starts to breathe heavy and hold her chest. "Relax Kassie, she might've taken Omega, her bike. She does that to cool off remember?" I said in a reasonable voice. Kassie shook her head and looked like she was about to burst into tears. "the bike is here. Plus, I haven't seen anyone leave this morning." I got up and started pulling on my jeans and a t-shirt. "Let's go check her room." I said. Kass just nodded and started following behind me, holding onto my arm. While we speed walked she mumbled things like. Of course I managed to piss off our only protector and she goes missing the next day. "Relax Kassie, we'll find her." I knock on her door, and when no one answers I open the door and walk in. Kassie tries to stop me by grabbing my shoulder but I brush her off. "She really doesn't let people in here.. I don't wanna go in." She stands in the doorway. I'm feeling different today, so I push on. "What do you think she's hiding in here? There must be some reason she dissapeared like the people in Jamestown. I wonder where the Roanoke carving is.. "really? You just made a history reference? Sometimes I just can't with you." Azzy smiles as she walks in. "So, what are you snooping Nova's room for?" She said looking over my shoulder as I search through drawers. "We're trying to find out where Nova may have gone. So instinctly I thought she may have hid something in her room." She nods and starts looking around herself. After awhile I find a book in her bottom drawer. I run my finger along it's leather spine. The front has a name printed on it. Nova it says. It looks old, but in good condition. I flip it open to read the first page:

    
     July first, 1634,

This is my first mission with my partner, Nebula. We've just left base and are going to arrive at our destination a hundred years from now, we will make frequent stops and feed on serian children. This will be my journal for the journey. Requested by officer Venus. We are making our first stop, will continue writing later.

"Holy shit.. she wasn't kidding." I stare at the page with shock. Kassie gave in and came by me to look. Azzy also does, standing on my right side, reading over. They both look at me when they're done. "She told you?" Azzy asked softly. I nod, still looking at it. Kassie holds her hand to her chin. "This answers where she went." Me and Azzy both look at Kassie with confused expressions. "Where do you think she went? She went back to space, despite that she healed." When Kassie finished, something fell out of the journal. A slip of paper that I picked up and began to read out loud:

    September 2nd, 2019,

   I'm planning on leaving this place. The next person I get into a fight with will be the cause of it. Yes, I love it here. I do want to protect this place.. but there is people I need to see out there. Comrades I haven't seen in ages. I wish the best of luck in this place, they know it'd do better without a dark force like me anyway.

               
                                    Signed,
                  
                                  Nova.

"Holy crap. She actually left to go see people that turned her into the monster she was?" Said Azzy with a surprised tone. Kassie smirked and said. "And I thought she was supposed to be the smart one. C'mon kiddos, let's go see Eretria about this. I'm sure she'll be delighted." Kassie was walking towards the door so me and Az started following her, while I put the journal and the note in my hoodie pocket.