A little girl lay silently under her bed; she stuffed the paw of her stuff bunny in her mouth to keep from screaming. She heard the screams of her mother in the hallway and then a loud thump. Curling up into a defensive position, the girl shut her eyes tightly. The sound of menacing footsteps running through her home made the child sick to her stomach. Splinter of woods shatter all over her pink carpet as four pairs of feet appeared in her room. Shoving her face into the carpet, the little girl wished desperately for her family.
John checked under the bed, he searched in the closet twice but found no monster. He crossed over to a large pink and white wardrobe and pulled it open.
"There are no monsters in your room Serah, not in the closet, wardrobe or under your bed." John reassured the little girl sitting on the bed.
Serah sat on the bed with the covers pulled up to her chin, she was certain that she saw a four eyed monster in her room. Not just one but multiples monsters with weapons like the one in their father's study room. John sighed heavily, since his parents were away for the night. His responsibility was to take care of Serah, his baby sister. He found it unusual for her to act in such a manner. Lately, she had been having terrible nightmares that would wake half the house. His step-mother insisted that they take Serah to see a doctor but their father was against it.
"But they were real John, you have to believe me. I saw them." Serah whined to him, she really felt terrified. "I'm scared."
John came to sit on the edge of her bed. "How about I stay here with you until you fall asleep and watch out for the monsters."
"But John…what if I wake up and you are gone?" Her puppy eyes got wet, she clutched the blanket tightly. "What if I they get you too?"
"Don't worry Serah, they won't get me. I won't let them get you either." John motioned for Serah to lie back down. "I won't leave you, go to sleep."
The next morning, John woke up at the crack of dawn. His parent would be back soon and he needed to feed the animals. Getting up from Serah's tiny little pink couch, John stretched his arms and yawn loudly. Serah stir in her sleep but did not wake, John stoke her hair and pulled her blanket over her shoulders. At sixteen, he was eight years older than his little sister Serah. Even though they were only half siblings, he still considered her his full sibling. His parent divorced when he was seven. His mother stayed in the military and his father retired to Mindoir, where he met a researcher, his step-mother Rea Hyun. He liked Rea; she showed a lot of interest in his growth and took the time to get to know him.
Serah and John didn't go to school; they were homeschooled for the time being. It didn't bother John; he found it to be more convenient to work on the farm. Showering and dressing quickly, he made breakfast for Serah and left her a note before picking up his gun and leaving for the work. John came from a family of soldiers and farmers; it began from his great-great grandfather from Kansas and continued onto his father and himself.
The Shephards owned a maska farm, everything on Mindoir either ran on maska, water or the sun. Maska was a type of vegetable that was similar to the earth's corn, the oil from it made a good source of energy and power that did not pollute the planet. On Mindoir, nothing that could cause the planet harm was allowed on it, such as fossil fuel or anything of that nature. For visitors and native alike, the punishment could range from fines to imprisonment. Not only that but Mindoir imported many eco-friendly products to other planets, giving it a healthy economy. The tourists that come to Mindoir also boost the planet's popularity and economy.
The day started out like any other day, he fed the koros, large cow like creature that produce ten times more milk than a regular cow. They had five in all; they were more efficient and gave healthier milk than cows. As he surveyed the fields on his tractor, John heard a rustle in the stalks. At first he didn't think much of it but as time wore on, he heard it a second time. Frowning, John stopped the tractor. Reaching for his gun, John debated with himself whither or not he should take it. Better safe than sorry, he told himself as he grabbed for it.
John hopped off the machine; he took a stepped toward the fields. This time, he saw the movement in the maskas.
"Who's there?" He called out firmly, feeling a sense of dread build up inside of him. Suddenly Serah came to mind, her words about the four eyed monster made John nervous. "You have five seconds to show yourself or I put a bullet in you."
Silenced filled the air, no one appeared. John decided to go into the stalks to see what had made the movements. As soon as he step foot in, the thing began to run from him. John could see the maska parting as the creature or person took off in the opposite direction from him. Without hesitation, John ran after it. Jumping over fallen stalk, he ploughed through the field at an amazing feat. He heard the scream of a girl, coming to a halting stop, John tripped over a fallen body.
Blindly, he reached for the fallen body. The other person pushed him back and climb on top of him.
"Morning John." A beautiful blonde straddled him; she smiled down playfully to him.
"Alice! I nearly shot you a while ago." John sat up and gripped her hips tightly. He pressed his face against hers. "You shouldn't tease a man with a gun."
"A boy with a gun, you mean." She kissed him on the lips sensually. "You just left me hanging last night, didn't even call back."
"Sorry, my kid sister had a night mare." He apologized sheepishly. "I had to check her closet for monsters."
"Awww, that so sweet." Alice wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Why don't you make it up to me?"
"What do you have in mind?" John set his eyes on hers intensely. She only laughed and unzipped the front of her suit.
Serah was in the middle of finishing her breakfast when her parents came home.
"Daddy!" She screamed as she got up from her seat and ran toward him. "I missed you."
James Shepard was a stoic type of man but he turn to butter for his little girl. He swept her up with one arm. "Bumpkin! I missed you too."
"Where is John?" her mother asked as she planted a kiss on the girl's cheek. "Did he give you your medicine?"
"He's out in the field." Serah held onto her dad's hip and nodded at her mother. "Yes, I had my medicine."
John walked in to see his family at the breakfast table, his little sister sitting on his father's knee and his step-mother making coffee. He couldn't wish for anything better, he had a good life, a great family, good friends and a gorgeous girlfriend.
"Everything good John?" His father asked him as he made his presence notice.
"Yeah, everything is good dad." John joined his family for the last time in the kitchen.
That night he made his routine checkup of Serah's room.
"No monsters." John came over and tucked her into the bed snuggly. "You are going to be alright tonight?"
Serah nodded her head; John kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I love you John."
"I love you too." John gave her once last look before turning off the lights. "Sleep tight, I will be next door if you need me."
John passed by his step-mother study, he could see her working away on a new project. His father was in the study room reading, walking lightly passed his door; John grabbed for his coat and went outside. He promised to meet Alice by their secret place. He didn't know that it would be the last time he saw his parents alive, he didn't know that Alice wasn't the only ones in the field that morning.
Serah closed her eyes and opened them again, she was certain that her stuff animals came to life when she slept during the night. Reaching for her favorite bunny, Serah clutched it to her heart. An hour later, a loud noise woke her up. At first she was unsure it she was dreaming or not but the sounds were too real. She heard her dad's voice echoing through the hallways, covering her ears, she stumbled out of bed. Another explosion and the sound of glass shattering sent Serah under the bed in fear.
Serah lay silently under her bed; she stuffed the paw of her stuff bunny in her mouth to keep from screaming. She heard the screams of her mother in the hallway and then a loud thump. Curling up into a defensive position, the girl shut her eyes tightly. The sound of menacing footsteps running through her home made the child sick to her stomach. Splinter of woods shatter all over her pink carpet as four pairs of feet appeared in her room. Shoving her face into the carpet, the little girl wished desperately for her family. Four pairs of feet appeared in her room, they were large and pointy. The intruders spoke in a language that she did not understand; the feet came closer to Serah. She saw blood on them, Serah turn away to hide her face again. She did not want to think about whose blood they belonged to.
A hand gripped her arms tightly before she realized it, her skin burned as her body dragged across the carpet. A scream tore through her lips, six eyes stared at her.
Fifteen years later….
Few people knew that Shepard had a sister; he didn't talk about her much because she disappeared on Mindoir. If the raiders took her, she might have likely died not long afterward. Serah had a heart condition; she needed to take her medication regularly. So many people were killed or taken that day; secretly he wished that Serah had died that day. It made it easier for him to go on with his life, he rather she died than suffer at the hands of the raiders. They searched for her for years after the raids but nothing came up about her or her captors. He finally convinced himself to let her.
Shepard kept a picture of the two of them together hidden in a secret compartment in his room; he took it out on her birthday each year to remind himself that she lived at one time. They were playing outside with the Betsy, the mother koros. There were tears in her eyes because she was afraid and he was laughing yet at the same time trying to sooth her.
A smile cross Shepard's face, the memory seemed like a dream…Mindoir seemed like a dream. Suddenly, his phone ranged. Shepard put the picture away, he picked up his phone.
"Shepard." He spoke, not recognizing the number. The person on the other line said nothing and then hung up abruptly. Puzzled, he put the phone on his desk and flicked on his computer. A new message caught his eyes in his mail; he clicked on it and stared at the image that came up in horror. An emancipated girl stared back at him; she looked about twelve years of age or younger. Her eyes were hollow and slightly sunken in, Shepard could see her collarbones. The once long silky dark locks on her head were shorn close to her scalp.
An oily voice came on. "What's your name child?"
The girl stared into the camera vacantly for a long moment. "9527…"
"No child, your real name?" He asked her again, the camera began to lose focus a little.
The girl frowned as if unsure of his question. "I…have no name, just a number."
"Do you have any family?" The unknown speaker asked another question. "Where were you born?"
"I don't know…I am only a number…I am no one." The girl replied to him quietly. "I am no one."
The video cut off, Shepard stared at the screen. He replayed it again to see confirm what he just saw. She no longer looked like herself but he knew her voice. " My god…Serah…you're alive…"