Adam Hadren sat against the pearl white wall of the subway's entrance tunnel, clenched the straps of his half full backpack tight over his knobby teenage shoulders, and did his best to ignore the sounds of his world ending above him.
It was louder than he thought.
The big automatic sliding doors that barred the way outside couldn't block out all the noises of what was happening out there.
Screams.
A lot of screaming; panicked and terrified screaming. Even if the doors had been wide open, Adam didn't think he'd be able to understand what was being said anyway. When a whole bunch of folks began screaming, especially in fear, it was all just a wall of gibberish. Not that it mattered really what they were saying. The intent was clear enough. They were all frightened out of their minds, to say the least.
Explosions.
It seems every few seconds, something was exploding, and detonating. Sometimes, the explosions sounded like they were close by, just outside the doors, loud enough to have Adam's ears ring and ache for a few moments after each one. Others, sounded like they were further away, producing noise that reminded Adam of thunderclaps. All of them, though, had the walls and floor around him vibrate, and the ceiling groaned, as shockwaves from the blasts rippled through the Arcadian soil.
Vehicles.
Pirth City was a good sized metropolis, and Adam was used to the echos of car and truck engines, as daily traffic flowed through the streets around his apartment building ( because, the countryside was too quiet ). But, right now, the heavy rumbling growl of what could only be tanks had replaced them, along with a steady chnk, chnk, chnk, of something big, built of metal, and on legs moving past. There's also been a strange whrrmm-ing sound as well, though Adam couldn't remember ever seeing or hearing about what could produce a sound like that.
In the end, though, the whole swirling vortex of noise, bedlam, and chaos out there, although it was pure confusion to him, Adam still knew one thing about it. One thing that he could be sure of:
The aliens were here. They'd come to kill everyone.
Well, the Covenant, as the official Colonial Emergency Broadcast news report had called them, issued years ago to warn the denizens of Arcadia of the existence of the Xeno alliance. Adam had been 10 at the time, just beginning another term of school at Fyerlend Elementary, when word that the colony world of Harvest had been attacked by actual, genuine aliens, who had attacked for seemingly to reason, arrived, falling on everyone with the weight of a freight train.
It all seemed so long ago. To the point, where it was like another lifetime, and he'd begun a new life, where the Covenant wouldn't leave him, or anyone else in the Human Race alone.
Adam knew he'd always remember the look on hos mother's face when she arrived to take him home early that day from school, as everyone was near-immediately dismissed for the day, out of fears that Arcadia might be attacked at any time. She'd rushed right there from her place of work- managing her own clothing store in uptown- and practically crushed Adam;s rib cage by hugging him when she found him patiently- and very confusedly, considering what kind of news had just been conveyed to them- outside the main school building, with all the other student and faculty, all still processing, as best they could, what they'd just heard.
" Adam ! Honey, I got here as soon as I could ", she confessed, voice heavy with emotion as she held him.
He hugged her back, taking the incomparable soothingness of one's mother holding you, and letting it temper the raging uncertainty, and borderline fear that was on his own mind.
" Its ok, Mother ", he insisted, hugging her back. " It wasn't that long, really. I knew you'd here. "
" Even so ! ". She held on a little longer, then slowly, almost reluctantly, pulled away, to look him in the face. " I all but paniced when the broadcast came through. They're saying so many are dead on Harvest. The aliens didn't spare anyone. It just, it, well, I thought they might be on their way here already. I thought only about you ".
Adam couldn't blame her. Nobody could be expected to take that kind of revelation, and be anything but more than a bit jolted by it. Adam himself felt a sense of numbness over everything else, even more than his fear. Like it was some manner of dream that that merged with reality somehow, and now the two of them were the same thing.
At least he wouldn't be navigating it alone.
" Come. Let's get you home "
She took his arm, and firmly, but gently as well, began to draw him alongside her as they headed for her car. Around them, other students, and their guardians/ parents, were also emotionally reuniting, and hustling out to their own vehicles, as a low hum of rapid fire, anxious chatter began to rise above the scattered crowd.
Adam stole a glance at the sky.
It was mostly cloudy, with the bright Arcadian sun shining boldly through the gaps. Typical, during this time of year, but as of right now, nothing was typical anymore.
Some part of Adam- that sense of fear, no doubt, that was still there, and inexorably growing stronger- had expected something different to be up there.
Nothing less, than the Covenant themselves.
6 years ago.
6 years. 2,172 days, from when the existence of the Covenant had become known to the citizens of Arcadia, to now.
Throughout those 2, 172 days, Adam and his mother had lived their life, in two kinds of ways.
On one hand, they'd gradually returned to their daily routines. After the initial panic of an imminent invasion didn't manifest, schools and businesses slowly began to reopen, and the colonists drifted- more or less- back into great reluctance, Adam's mother- Juliara- had let him return to school, though she insisted on driving him home every day, rather than using the bus. Aware that she was keen to keep her close to him now, Adam offered to help out at the store, or even to just to do his after school work there, which he suspected had been her intent all along.
It probably had been.
That was just the normal part of their existence, though. Well, as close to normal as they could be.
Because, there were always drills.
Every week, in Pirth City, sirens wailed as if a tornado was bearing down on them. Speakers everywhere, blasting out the warning to all who could hear it, that it was time to move. They weren't told each time if it was a drill, of course, but that just helped with the urgency of everyone's movements, at least with the first few ones. The colonial government wanted everyone to be ready at the drop of a hat- sensibly- to evacuate, the minute the Covenant did show their faces here. After the first few drills, even when nothing remotely alien was anywhere to be seen, nobody said anything. If there were aliens out there, and they were coming for Arcadia, then being even partially ready to run for their lives when the moment- when- came, just might save them.
Might.
It was a bizarre, and unsettling paradox, and Adam wished his father was here for it. But, Benjamin Hadren had been taken from them, years ago, when Adam was just 4 in a car accident downtown. That day had broken both Adam and Juliara, but it had also tied them even closer together, if that's what grief did. Benjamin, from what Adam could remember of him, had been a man who always aimed to do right be his family, no matter what his career as a city policeman demanded of him, and he'd talked to Adam much about how a man ( a " big boy ", as Adam had always remembered it at the time ) couldn't let his fear bully him.
Adam had always been a quiet, reserved child, and his mother had expressed concern that it would be difficult for him to fit in with other children. Benjamin, though, an outgoing and gregarious person, rather different from his wife ( which could explain how they'd been attracted to each other in the first place ) , and who was more like their son, had taken the point to spend time with Adam, gently instilling in him values that would do him good in the future.
" Its ok to be scared ", he'd once told him " But, its not ok to let being scared force you to do things. Always think, when you're scared. Think, and it can't do anything " .
One of the few things Adam could remember from the short years his father had been alive. He'd always remembered them.
Well, now at this point in time, they were essentially all he could think about, as he hunkered down in the subway's tunnel, listening to the Covenant destroying and killing everything and everyone outside.
This day, though, had begun so differently.
It was a Sunday ( which should've told him something, surprise attacks always happened on a Sunday. That was a cheap move, Japan ), and as school wasn't on today, Adam had decided to ride the subway downtown to spend a few hours with his classmates at the PearlCrest Mall, for some arcade time and food court cuisine- a teenager's vacation. He did have some projects for school to finish up, and Juliara reminded him that those needed to be dealt with first.
So, Adam had suggested- and gotten her to agree on- a deal. He'd take his books with him, stop at the Alexander library first, put the finishing touches on his work, then continue to the mall. It was a sort, easy plan, and it all offered perfect ways to keep his mind off how the Covenant were still out there, and in all likelihood, still coming for them.
As he stepped into the subway car at Thebes Station, he was reminded that they were, the way that nobody wanted.
Shreeee. Shreeeeee. Shreeeeeee !
The unmistakable trill of a public emergency broadcast had everyone jumping for a half second, drills or no drills. Adam, standing halfway between the two sets of doors at the front and back of the car, felt a bolt of adrenaline race up his spine, and his pulse increased.
It was happening, he thought reflexively. This wasn't a drill. He thought that every time there was one, but-
" Attention, all citizens , attention ! Covenant forces have arrived ! Repeat, Covenant forces have arrived ! Begin evacuation protocols ! "
In sync with the proclamation, the avatar of the city's transit system AI: Alisia, an attractive, dark haired woman dressed in a blouse and skirt, had appeared.
" Please, everyone ! Do not panic ", she implored them. " You have all trained for this. I know you're scared, but don't let it control you. Remember what you learned ! Please file off the train in an orderly and organized fashion. "
The crowd's reaction was an impressive cross between terror, and grim determination. Some began babbling and screaming, predictably, while others sought to quiet them down, and remind them that Alsia was right. This was what they'd been practicing for, and they had to keep their heads on straight if they were going to live.
As the train sped up, and accelerated toward the nearest stop- Sparta Station- Adam couldn't help but be fixated on how what the AI just said was similar to his father's advice.
Great minds think alike. Well, a mind and an AI, at least.
His palms got a clammy, and he bit his lower lip. More icy adrenaline flowed through him.
The Covenant was here.
The Covenant was here.
BMMMMM, BMMM, BMMM !
A trio of detonations shook the Arcadia, and the walls and floor thrummed in response.
Yes, they were here.
Adam sat alone, on the steps. Alone.
The rest of his fellow travelers had gone.
As soon as the train reached Sparta station, a curious sort of half mad stampede stampede, half forced march and shoving was matched by weaving and shouldering as everyone exited the train car. Alarms began to blare again, and Alsia's avatar reappeared, gesturing and calling for them to go through the exits that would lead to the surface.
They were all scared, of course. Terrified, even. No amount of training or drills could erase that. But, said training and drills did seem to have an effect. Rather that forming a mad mob, the crowd surged out as one, agitated and in full survival mode, but not giving in to panic.
Yet.
Adam was carried along with them, bumped and jostled, but holding his own. He could see the doors that led up and out of the station, just ahead, over everyone's heads. They were almost there-
The doors opened.
Adam could only get a glimpse of the sky from where he was, but it was speckled, littered, but bulbous, curved, purple craft descending from the sky. Other fliers, smaller, and more oblong, raced alongside them. They were low, close enough that their whiteish blue running lights glared like they were a few yards away.
" What the-! "
" Is that them ?! "
" The Covenant ?! "
Everyone's astonishment at finally seeing the Alien enemy for the very first time lasted a grand total of about 4 seconds.
Before the first plasma bolt struck them.
Bmm !
And then the next few ones.
Everyone at the front of the pack got a housewarming gift from the Covenant: white hot plasma.
Adam heard the leading folks die. He saw the flashes as they were vaporized by the boiling alien fire.
And then all bedlam was unleashed.
" RUN ! GO, GO, GO ! "
It was like stepping off the landing vessels during the Battle of Tarawa. Folks just pushed forward, racing, stumbling, sprinting even, out into the jaws of the Covenant's attack. It was the last thing you'd expect civilians to do in the event of, well, this. You'd expect them to run away from the gunfire, not toward it.
Well, technically, they weren't running at it. They were running past, and through it. They were letting their training and instincts take over, and both happened to say the same thing:
Get. Out. Of. Here.
They scattered as they left the subway. Some took off on their own, others formed ad hoc groups that careened along together. They ran down the walkway that led from the doors, over the well maintained grass that grew between it an the street beyond.
As plasma rained down, and killed them.
Adam wasn't among them.
He didn't freeze, when the first plasma began hitting. He didn't. He just, didn't do was everyone else was. Instead of running with them, he found himself turning around, seemingly on autopilot.
And went back the way he came.
The crowd nearly bowled him over, on its rapid departure from the station. They didn't slow down an iota, barrelling outside. All with a single minded purpose: find a way to reach the evacuation ships. It was the only way any of them could think they could survive this. And they were all determined to survive.
So was Adam, but he wasn't sure how.
Because, he'd stayed back. He'd all but crashed, literally, through the crowd, back toward the bottom of the stairs, amid all the knocks, jostles, and even shouts at him, of " Kid, where's you going ! ? ", and " Wrong way, boy ! ". There was no room for anyone to help him, though, and he suspected they wouldn't have anyway. They must've thought he was crazy, or too frightened to leave. Or both.
In any case, they'd left, and he hadn't.
Now, he was alone, just listening to everything being erased outside.
He sat there. For how long, he couldn't say. It could've been ours, or it could've been half of one. Adam didn't know. He just stayed there, in the emptiness of the tunnel. Alone.
Alsia wasn't anywhere to be heard or found. She must've been knocked out of action by the Covenant, which left Adam with nobody to talk to.
He just had himself. The solitude. And the battle- was it even a battle- outside.
And his thoughts, which were perhaps the greatest torment.
He thought of his mother. His only family, who'd raised him with such strength and diligence, and love, all these years. Through the pain of Benjamin's death, she's carried on, and molded her son to be the man her husband would've been proud of. She wouldn't admit it- she was too humble for that- but Adam thought she'd done a fine job.
Where was she ? Was she still-
No. No, she had to still be alive. She couldn't have followed Benjamin.
No !
And, speaking of Benjamin, the father Adam barely knew, had Adam truly followed that advice ? Had he let his fear control him ? Had turning back and staying put been the smart choice, or had that been the fearful call ?
He'd thought, right before he decided. He had, and now he found himself here. It was all a blur, now.
The Covenant. The plasma. How to survive it all.
Survive. That's what he'd thought about. He thought he couldn't, not out there. So, he'd followed his father's words, and it'd led him here.
To his salvation, or his death ? He wasn't sure.
Adam rested his head against the wall.
He was sure he'd find out soon.