Alright I know everyone was waiting on pins and needles for the chapter. I finally got the next few chapters ready, I got minor writers block for chapters 15 and 16. Though Sowelo and I finally got it together.
For those who dont know Sowelo is basically my Beta reader. She proofreads all of the chapters and if she finds nessacary, or has a good idea, adds a little bit in. Trust me this story would be garbage without her.
If you guys like my story of a futuristic America and A new Personification of America, Go read her Fanfic. "The New America," Its really good and she has already got a REALLY good sequel. "Tales of a Feather"
Anyway here is the next part you guys have been waiting for.
Warnings: Major feels trips, possible uncontrolled sobbing, heart pain, and angst feels
Samuel James wasn't a man to show much emotion, there was only a select few he dared show his feelings towards, years of serving in the military hardened his shell to any he didn't allow in. So for him to be seen, scurrying around like a chicken without his head, well the earth may as well have stopped.
"Where did I put that passport," he hissed angrily throwing open drawers and searching through cupboards. His mind didn't register that the front door had opened until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Samuel drew his pistol he had strapped onto his waist, clicked off the safety, and aimed at the perpetrator's head, all in one swift movement.
"Daddy?" The terrified squeak broke through his adrenaline muffled hearing.
"Alexa?" He breathed a sigh of relief throwing the gun onto the couch next to him, quickly embracing his daughter tightly, and patting down every part of her, as if to reassure himself that it was her. "Thank god you made it here safely," he whispered, choking up a bit. Alexa leaned heavily into his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
A few seconds passed by as the two stood in the living room, just enjoying the comfort of the one another. Samuel was the first to pull back, wiping his little girl's tear stained cheeks with his big calloused hands. Alexa too, wiped her father's tears with her much smaller hand.
"Dad t-the school-"
"I know sweetie," Samuel interrupted, finally breaking the embrace. He returned to his search for the passports. "I heard about it on the emergency broadcasting system," he gave a gasp of triumph as he found the small blue folders he had been looking for. "Now Al I need you to listen to me," he hobbled back over to Alexa who hadn't moved from her spot in the middle of the entry way. "I need you to go to your room and throw some of your clothes into a bag, leave your phone and anything else they can track us on."
"But Dad-"
"Don't argue with me Alexa!" Samuel snapped angrily, this outburst caused his daughter to flinch at the volume. Her face seemed frightened for a brief moment before it turned to one of anger and annoyance.
"No, you listen Dad!" she shrieked.
Samuel blanched at the emotion in her voice. "I have just witnessed my friends be killed, the boy I liked just used me as some kind of entertainment. A strange British dude wants to take me away from you, and the dumb voice in my head can now, for some reason, take control of my body. I want to know why all of this is happening. I have a hunch you know, and I won't listen to you unless you tell me WHY MY FRIENDS JUST DIED FOR ME!" The house seemed to shake at the intensity of her voice. The stillness and silence was even more frightening after her shout.
Samuel stood rigid, as did Alexa, both staring each other down, waiting for the other to cave. Finally Samuel gave a sigh of defeat, and fell onto the couch, like a man twice his age. Lord knows he felt that old at that moment. "Alexa sit down," his daughter, being the ever stubborn one, remained standing still glaring at him. When she didn't move Samuel merely sighed again, rubbing his face tiredly.
"It started in 2014, when I was only a few years older than you. I was out of high school, though I already had a family. Her name was Hannah Lindsay, we dated all through high school," he laughed a little at the memory. "And things got wild on prom night senior year; Hannah told me she was pregnant only a week after. Both of our parents kicked us out so I managed to get a job at a high end business building in Washington DC as a janitor. A few months after I started work we had a son, we named him Zeke." Tears swam at the edges of his eyes as he reminisced. By now Alexa was tired of standing though she sat in an arm chair farthest away from him.
"I worked there for two years, I became good friends with a man who worked there, one of the nicest men I ever had the pleasure of meeting. He came over to our small apartment sometimes he loved playing with Zeke; we were even going to ask him to be the god father of our second child who was on the way." His first clenched in anger, nails biting into his skin.
"Though one day in early August, when I was out with some friends at a bar watching a football game, I got a call from an unknown number. A man told me he was holding Hannah and Zeke hostage and he would kill them if I didn't do exactly what I was told. I drove to an abandoned construction site and there I found a case, exactly where he said it would be. Inside was your everyday 9mm pistol, with the bullets already locked and loaded. From there I was instructed to go to where I worked, and go to the office with the light on." Samuel was almost sobbing at this point. Alexa was torn to either remain where she sat and stick with her stubbornness, or go and comfort her father. She eventually went and sat next to her dad, hugging him close as he continued.
"I thought it would be one of the owners of the building, though as I headed in the direction of the light, I could tell what office I was going into. I remember thinking, hoping, that someone else would answer after." He racked his hand through his hair, "I guess it wasn't meant to be, because Alfred Jones, a man I counted as a close friend, family even, answered the door with the same goofy grin he always wore." He laughed remembering his old friend, while Alexa looked horrified, for a reason Samuel could only guess.
"What sickens me is that I didn't even hesitate. I could only think of my wife, son, and the baby back home, probably scared for their lives. I shot him, and then I dropped the gun and booked it out of there racing for home." He paused for a moment, "Though when I got there, Hannah and Zeke were all dead. Shot point blank." He covered his mouth with his hand, trying to restrain his whimpers. "They even shot Hannah in the stomach, causing our unborn child to bleed out." Alexa gripped her father like a lifeline as she too cried. The two sat there for a few minutes allowing the tears to fall.
"The police merely wrote it down as a robbery gone horribly wrong, even though I told them nothing was taken. I couldn't tell them about the dead man in his office, I was too busy grieving for my family. After the funerals a few weeks later, I noticed that there was nothing in the news about Alfred's death, nothing on the major network sites or the papers. I stayed in the apartment waiting for the police to knock down my door for the murder of an innocent man. Months passed and the isolation started; still nothing."
"A year passed and I was drafted into the army during the second civil war. I flew up the ranks and soon became commander; though a few days before the war was over my troops and I stumbled into an abandoned town in the countryside of New Jersey. The citizens must have left in a hurry, the houses were stripped clear of any valuables and clothing, the lawns and gardens were overgrown, and a couple houses were burned to the ground. We were ready to move on when I felt a weird pull towards one of the houses; I tried to ignore it, but something was calling me to that house. So I made an excuse to my second in command and head towards the house, there I found the smallest little girl." Samuel smiled fondly at Alexa wrapping an arm around her, "Only two feet tall," he poked her in the stomach, making her giggle. "The messiest mop of blond hair I've ever seen," Samuel shook Alexa's hair making her giggle again. "And the most vibrant bluest eyes in existence," he bopped Alexa's nose with a chuckle.
"That was the day you found me, right Dad?" Alexa laughed smiling lightly.
"That's right kiddo," he laughed. "I took you with me, and dropped you off at a group home; I lost my legs a little while after that, though I gained something better." The two embraced each other happily before Samuel continued speaking softly into her hair.
"Alexa I can't help but feel responsible for, everything that has happened."
"What do you mean Dad?" Alexa was very confused separating them both.
"I want you to listen and to not interrupt me," Alexa nodded hesitantly clearly scared of what he would tell her. "Now everything that the 'Crazy British dude' may have told you is true." He inhaled through his nose, "I was the one who killed the first America. The same feeling I felt when I found you, was the same feeling he gave off. I guess deep down I felt that if I raised you it would make up for what I did. Don't think I love you any less," He told Alexa seeing her crushed expression. "The greatest gift and honor I have ever had, is having you for a daughter," Samuel held his arms open, allowing Alexa the choice of coming to him or not.
Alexa looked torn for a few minutes, going from being angry to wanting to believe her father. After a few seconds of deliberating, Alexa dove into her father's arms tears slipping out. She relaxed into his embrace, squeezing him slightly. Samuel finally allowed himself a moment of relief. He was terrified that Alexa would leave him, hate him even, but there she was; holding him and loving him, like nothing changed.
"Now I want you to go pack, we wasted enough time," Samuel playfully ordered her, Alexa smiled gently before sprinting up the stairs, though she stopped with at the foot of the stairs.
"Dad?" She called out softly.
"Yeah Kiddo?" Samuel replied just as quietly.
"Your the best thing that's happened to me too," Alexa grinned brightly, the room shown a little brighter at her smile, Samuel himself looked as if a giant load had been taken off his shoulders, he stood a little straighter smiling back. Neither needed words, the love between the father and daughter clear with the smiles they gave each other. Alexa looked at her father one more time before running up the stairs two at a time, Moose trotting after slowly.
A few minutes passed as the two zipped around the house throwing stuff into bags. Soon the two were checking last minute items when a loud bang from the door echoed through the house. "Crap," Samuel hissed pushing Alexa down behind the couch. Moose started growling at the door. "They weren't supposed to be here yet"
"Dad?" Alexa whispered clearly very frightened.
"Quiet sweetheart," he said with a nervous smile. He peeked over the couch and could see big bulkly shadows, standing outside the window. "Alexa, honey, you need to listen to me very carefully," Alexa nodded quickly. "I'm going to answer the door and I need you to sneak out through the back door and make a break for the alley. Run as far and as fast as you can."
"But, what about you?" Alexa hissed gripping her father's hand.
"I will be right behind you, OK," Samuel assured her grasping her much smaller and delicate hands in his rough calloused pair. "Once I get these guys to leave we are going to go and find some people to look after you, help you deal with what you are okay?"
"Okay Dad," Alexa nodded reluctantly.
Samuel groaned, popping his back as he stood. He watched out of the corner of his eyes as Alexa crawled to the back door. When he reached the door he cast one last glance to his daughter, who slipped silently out the door, closing it without the slightest click to be heard.
'I love you Alexa, more than any father could love his daughter,' Samuel took a deep breath watching as Moose waddled over sitting loyally by his master's side. 'I just wish I could tell you that one more time.'
Personally I feel like it could have better. Like I have said in before chapters I may rewrite this one day. At least when this is completed.
ATTENTION READERS: As I have pointed out in previous chapters I would like you guys to review what YOU feel makes an American. You dont have to be American, just what you feel like sets Americans apart from other countries.
What makes us unique per say.
I wanted to keep this on the down low but if it gets you guys to review then I will say it.
If I like what you review you will have the chance to send me a small oc (just what they look like and their name) who will teach Alexa what you reviewed. If you also have an idea of how you would like her to learn this we can talk and discuss this.
Anyway Please Follow, Fave, Review, or all of the above.