The Survivor of the 27

Chapter one

  After about ten years of being in the Marine Corps, I finally get to go home. It's been too long since I've last slept in a real bed, and have had real food. The plane is about to land, and my "dad" is waiting for me. His name is Felix Denver, my adopted father. I haven't seen him or Sharon Denver, his wife, in ten years. They always made sure to keep in touch, but I only wrote back so often.

  Being in the Marine Corp makes it hard to keep in touch, not to mention how often you move from place to place. As I get off the plane I spot Felix. We look at each other and for a split second, the whole world froze. Just standing there keeping eye contact and taking in each other's looks. Me taking in his soft hazel eyes, and his graying hair. He was strong, but had a soft build. He was always wearing a nice suit. Either gray or blue.

  Then, time starts to back up. We both run to each other and embrace each other in a hug. As I'm hugging him I can hear him start to cry.

   "No need to get all emotional." I joke around with him. He pulls away and looks at me.

  "I've just missed you," he says. "Even though you're not my biological daughter, I love you like you're my own," he adds. He's right. Even though he's not my real dad, this is my family.

  "Let's head home. Everyone's waiting at the house," Felix says.

  Although I see him as my family, I've never called him dad. Something in me just didn't allow it. We grab my green duffle bag and make our way to the car. He had a Silverado 2500 Chevy. It was a blue color with all the fancy stuff.

As we're driving, I stare out the window and end up falling sleeping. I hate being jet lagged. Not only that but I haven't fully slept since my last mission.

  I'm on top of a roof, there's sand all around me. I'm in an abandoned city with the buildings being made out of limestone and cement. I'm laying on my stomach and looking through the scope of my twenty two rifle.

  As I readjust it for a closer look. I spot a little kid running out in the middle of the road. "What the hell is a kid doing out here?" I whisper underneath my breath. I take another look through my scope and my eyes go wide. I'm quick to my feet and run, roof to roof. There's a loud explosion. Sending me flying to the building adjacent to me.

  I sit up with a little jolt, and take in my surroundings. I'm in the truck. I'm fine, just another stupid dream.
 
  "We're home!" Felix exclaims, closing his door.
 
  I get up and grab my bags. The moment I step out of the truck, I look at the house and take it all in. I see the big stone house with the old windows. The windows were big and clean. The big wooden doors with slim glass windows on the side. I see all the flowers that Sharon had planted along the side. She always made sure that the house looked nice.

  As we walk into the house all the lights are turned off. I can make out a "Welcome Home" banner, then all of a sudden the lights come flick on and everyone pops out and yells, "Surprise!" I end up jumping back and putting my hand on my gun. Ready to pull it out and shoot whoever holds a threat.

   "Welcome home Mace!" They all yell. I should have seen this coming. I loosen up and remove my hand from my gun. I let out a sigh of relief and throw my shirt over my gun. Tom, my half brother, runs up and hugs me. He was the only one I was ever really close with.

  "Good to have you back, Major Mace," Tom whispers into my ear.  

  "Good to be back," I say, hugging him. Tom is the only one that really cared when I left for the Marines. I look over and see Monica, Jess, and Addison just standing there. They each have a boy with them. I was never close with my "sisters." Especially Addison. She was about a year older than me, and the rest are younger.