I don't own falling skies

Chapter 7

It's been 2 weeks since Jane's death and I've been trying to not think about it. So this was the first time since then that I was not scouting or on watch. Keeping myself busy was the only way to keep the thought of my friend away.

One day, Maggie, Hal, Ben and I were all in an old build that was the size of a small office that was right out of camp. We all had the day off and didn't know what to do. Maggie was sitting on the desk fiddling with her gun, and Hal was spinning in the chair. I had a jackknife and was craving a piece of wood, my feet resting on Ben's lap. Ben had the book he was reading on my legs. The only person that I told about Ben and I was Maggie. Hal doesn't know that Maggie knows...for now.

"I know what we should do." Hal said.

I looked up at him from my work. Ben peered over his book. Maggie said. "And what would that be?"

"Truth or Dare." He said.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Yes," He said. We all just looked at him. "What? You've never played before?"

"Oh I used to play it all the time at sleepovers and we'd paint our nails and talk about boys." I said sarcastically.

"Sometimes I think you enjoy mocking me." Hal said.

"You think?" I said. Hal gave me a dirty look and I just smiled.

"I'll play if Ali plays." Ben said.

"I'll play if Maggie plays." I said. We all looked at Maggie.

"Only because I have nothing else to do." She said.
"Yes." Hal said. I rolled my eyes and put my knife away. Ben put his book down. "So. Ali, truth or dare?"

"Truth." I said.

"Do you have any tattoos and if so, where and what?" He asked.

I stood up. "That not what I thought you were going to say, but whatever; I have 4." I lifted my left pant leg to show a skull with a snake wrapped around it, Then lifted my shirt to show a pentacle on my right side. Finally, I turned my back to them it show something written on my lower back.

"What does it say?" Ben asked.

"It says Mary Fireheart in latin." I tell them and sit back down. This time next to Ben.

"But that's only 3! You said you had 4." Hal said.

"And you will never see the fourth." I said. "Truth or Dare, Maggie?"

"Truth." She said.

"Are you an only child?" I asked.

"Yes." She said "Hal, truth or dare?"

"Truth." He said.

Maggie thought for a moment. "Do you like your life better before or after the invasion started?"

Hal thought for a moment. "Before, but there are somethings I like that happened after. Ok Benny-"

"Only Ali can call me Benny." Ben said.

"Whatever." Hal said.

"I think we should just ask truth for one question that everyone answers." I suggested.
"Sounds good," Maggie said, the boys agreeing.

"I think we should start with Maggie's question. So we know Hal's answer, so... Benny?" I said.

"I don't know...I like parts of both." Ben said. "What about you, Ali?"

"My life went decently after those damn things came. I hate them, but they made is so that my life is better." I said.

"I'm with Ali on this one." Maggie said.

"What was your life like before the invasion?" Hal asked..

"I was the bad girl. I stole things." Maggie said.

"I was the nerd." Ben said.

"The Jock." Hal said. "You know I think Ali knows more about us then we know about her."

"Then ask 10 questions and I'll answer them." I said.

"Really?" Hal said.

"Yea." I said.

"What's your birthday?" Ben asked.

"October 7th." I said

"Any siblings other than Jenn?" Hal asked.

"No." I said.

"Any stepparents?" Maggie asked.

"Yes, a stepmother." I said. "Jenn is my half sister."

"Play an instrument?" Hal asked.

"No." I said.
"Can you sing?" Ben asked.

"Yes." I said.

"Will you sing for us?" Maggie asked.

"No. 4 more." I said.

"Did you play any sports?" Hal asked.

"Yea. Soccer." I said.

"No you didn't." Hal said.

"Yes I did! That's why I always win." I said.

"You always win for two reasons; One Maggie's always on your time and Ben is always on mine." Hal said.

"I'm not that bad." Ben said.

"I didn't say you were, but you get distracted." Hal said.

"What did I get distracted by?" Ben asked.

"Are you really asking me that?" Hal said then looked at me. I started to laugh.

Ben's face turned beet red which made me laugh harder. I said. "Hal, I will play you one on one to see who is better. But as far as the question is concerned, I did stop Freshmen year."

"You're on." Hal said.

"Why did you have a stepmother?" Maggie asked.

"Because my mom died when 5. 1 year later my dad remarried. I was the only one who didn't move on." I said. "You have 2 more."

"How do you know who to hotwire a car?" Hal asked.

"My dad was big on the zombie apocalypse so she taught me how. Funny that it was Aliens and not zombies." I told them.

"What was your life like before?" Maggie asked.

"I stole for my family so that we could eat and have money. My dad didn't like it. He hated me for it and my sister would have nightmares that I wouldn't came back. It didn't help that when I was constantly locked out. If my dad wasn't locking me out, we were fighting, Jenn having to listen. If I was lucky Kate, my stepmother, would stop us." I said . They all looked at me. "That is why I don't talk about my past. Well, I think I'm going to go for a walk." I got up and left.

When I got outside.I could feel how cool it really was. I got a chill, but continued to walk. I saw Matt and Anne sitting at one of the tables, so I walked over.

"Everything Ok?" I asked. I looked at Matt. He looked like he just stopped crying. I sat next to him. "Hey, What's wrong?"

Matt looked up at me with his sad eyes. "When is my dad coming back.?"

"Soon." I said. Anne looked at me.

"How do you you know?" Matt asked.

"I know because there are people looking for him all the time. That and I know that he is looking for you and wants to get back to you." I said. That was when put his arms around me in a hug. II hugged him back, saying, "I'll make a deal with you When we find him I tell you first."

"Really?" He asked.

"Really." I said and started to tickle him. He laughed and tried to stop me.

"Stop Ali." He cried.

I did and said, "Go play."

"Thanks Ali." He said then ran to play.

"Thank you." Anne said. "I thought that he wasn't going to smile for awhile."

"Your welcome. Anne, we are going to find him." I said.

"I hope so..." She said.

2 months later

Ben, Hal, and I were on a supplies run at a grocery store and we were looking to see what was left. Hal was on watch and Ben was getting cans while I was looking for first aid. My bags were almost full when I heard something. I put a bag on my back and grabbed my pistol. I walked to the main aisle. There I saw a man with a gun to Ben's head. The man saw me and froze.

"Put your gun down and you can walk away." I said.

"Or, you can put your gun down and give me that bag so I won't have to shoot his brains out." The man said.

Dammit." I said, putting the gun down.

"And the raft." He said. I tossed the ralf. "Kick the gun away."

I kick the pistol a few feet in few of me. I took the bag and threw it at him, quickly grabbing the gun. We shot at the sametime.

"Ali!" Ben yelled.

Really long Chapter for you and you know more about Ali and Cliffhanger! What happened? You have to read to find out. Let me know that you think.