Writing Sample for Blood_Gulch
Keiko looked at the mission assignment she gingerly held, then stuck her tongue out at the slip of paper in her left hand in defiance. Apparently, there was a Red Army base that needed reinforcements. She tapped her booted foot on the tiled floor of the Red Army command station. Her heel clicked softly against the floor in a staccato rhythm. The whole thing annoyed her. Now she’d have to leave the comfort of her home and contact with her family behind in order to serve the greater cause. She didn’t regret signing up, but she had wished they hadn’t stationed her so far away.
"Blood Gulch?" She raised an eyebrow, but other than that her expression was blank. "Where the heck is that? Sounds like the setting for a cheap horror movie." She waved her hands in the air in mock fear. “The Ghost Rider of Blood Gulch! Oh no! He’s gonna chop my head off!” She cracked up at her own thoughts as she pulled a camera phone out of her pocket and flipped it open. She pressed a number on the keypad, the one that had her parent’s number on one touch dial and hit call.
As soon as she put the device to her ear, a deep voice greeted her. “Hrnk Keiko. What is it?”
“Hi dad.” The sound of her adoptive parent’s voice made her grin. Think you could get everybody over to the base for a farewell? I just got my assignment. Apparently I’m getting shipped out in a half hour, and I want to say goodbye to everyone.”
“Okay Keiko. We shall be there shortly. See you in a bit.” He waved to her, and she smiled and waved back. She hung up, then skipped down the hallway humming. Her wild, bi-colored ponytail bounced and swished behind her.
“I’ll just go grab my stuff and change into my armor before the gang shows up.” Reaching the hall that led to the barracks, she turned swiftly and bolted down the hall. She flew past several other red-clad Spartans in full armor, who were chatting about something. She figured that they too were getting shipped out today. Some of them yelled in surprise as she ran past them at full speed.
She hoofed it into her room and came to a screeching halt. She whipped two duffel bags out from under her bed, flung open the closet door and dresser drawers, and started cramming all her clothes and gear into them. After cleaning out her drawers, she started carefully packing the sentimental items she’d be bringing, including a little stuffed unicorn with a biker jacket. She carefully placed her custom laptop into a carrying case and dumped it on the bed. The last to go in was a pair of framed pictures, one of her squad and the other of her weird family. She smiled at the picture and zipped up the bag.
Then she grabbed the only thing left in her room, her pink armor and the suit liner. She undid the laces on her boots and kicked them off, then reached down to remove her socks. Next to go were the BDU slacks she was wearing, which she slipped off her lean hips and stepped out of. She unbuttoned the shirt quickly and threw it on the floor next to her slacks. Now clad only in a bra and panties, she slipped into the black suit liner and then slowly assembled her armor onto her body. Then she packed her BDU and picked up all her bags. With her packing done, there was still fifteen minutes to spare. She dashed back out, leaving the room bare and spotless.
Twenty seconds later, she and the rest of her unit were all outside looking for their families. “By the Flag! There’s gotta be a hundred people out here! Sheesh! How am I supposed to find my…” her question was promptly cut off by a loud yell from the middle of the crowd. The culprit was a young elite who was jumping up and down and waving. “…That’s how.” She covered her visor with her hand and laughed.
The bouncy elite came running over to her, and practically knocked her down when he glomped her. “Sister!” After he let go, the other two boys and her parents made their way over there. “I heard from father that you are leaving. Can we get some pictures with you before you leave?”
“Of course, silly!” She grinned at her younger brother, removing her helmet. “I was hoping you’d say that!” Their mother finished setting up the tripod with the Polaroid camera, and everybody crowded in front of it. Naturally the four siblings elbowed, nudged and noogied each other right as the camera went off while their father looked exasperated and their mother laughed. The other four photos went similarly. Shoving, laughing, and affectionate teases punctuated the flashing bulb of the camera.
Afterwards, Keiko straightened up. "Well, I guess this is it..." She looked forlornly at the floor. "I'm really gonna miss you guys," she said, reaching over to pull her siblings into a group hug.
"Make sure to write to us." Her oldest brother, Shane said as he mussed her hair. "I want to hear some interesting news." He was the first to pull away.
The second eldest, Rex, pulled away and gave her a thumbs-up. "Go give 'em hell, sis." She flashed an innocent look to him. "I mean the ENEMY."
Her younger brother, Slash, was the last to pull away. After hugging her once more, he patted her heartily on the back. "Take care of yourself, sister. I hope to see you again when this is all over."
Her mother ran up and hugged her, surpressing tears. "Be careful dear. Come home to us." She squeezed Keiko tightly, then pulled away to dry her eyes. "My baby girl's off to war...." Then she handed one of the photos to Keiko.
Then her step-father strode forward and put his left hand on her right shoulder. His mandibles formed a gentle smile. "I have a gift for you, Keiko. It served me well in battle, and felled many foes. Now let it do for you what it once did for me." His right hand dropped a plasma rifle into her cupped hands. On it were many marks from use in battle, but the battery was freshly charged. The blue metal gleamed in the light as she admired the weapon. She turned it to the side and noted the names inscribed on it. One was that of her step-father, and the one below that was her own. He stepped back, looking proudly at her. "Hold your head high, and return to us victorious." He told her.
Keiko smiled broadly. "Don't worry. I'll come home in one piece. It's a promise." She waved to her family as she headed for the dropship, then sighed to herself. She looked once at the photo before putting it away and getting on the pelican. She didn't see her family wave a final goodbye, but she knew they had. She sat down in one of the seats and strapped herself in. "I'm gonna miss them," she said as the dropship took off and carried her away.
"Blood Gulch?" She raised an eyebrow, but other than that her expression was blank. "Where the heck is that? Sounds like the setting for a cheap horror movie." She waved her hands in the air in mock fear. “The Ghost Rider of Blood Gulch! Oh no! He’s gonna chop my head off!” She cracked up at her own thoughts as she pulled a camera phone out of her pocket and flipped it open. She pressed a number on the keypad, the one that had her parent’s number on one touch dial and hit call.
As soon as she put the device to her ear, a deep voice greeted her. “Hrnk Keiko. What is it?”
“Hi dad.” The sound of her adoptive parent’s voice made her grin. Think you could get everybody over to the base for a farewell? I just got my assignment. Apparently I’m getting shipped out in a half hour, and I want to say goodbye to everyone.”
“Okay Keiko. We shall be there shortly. See you in a bit.” He waved to her, and she smiled and waved back. She hung up, then skipped down the hallway humming. Her wild, bi-colored ponytail bounced and swished behind her.
“I’ll just go grab my stuff and change into my armor before the gang shows up.” Reaching the hall that led to the barracks, she turned swiftly and bolted down the hall. She flew past several other red-clad Spartans in full armor, who were chatting about something. She figured that they too were getting shipped out today. Some of them yelled in surprise as she ran past them at full speed.
She hoofed it into her room and came to a screeching halt. She whipped two duffel bags out from under her bed, flung open the closet door and dresser drawers, and started cramming all her clothes and gear into them. After cleaning out her drawers, she started carefully packing the sentimental items she’d be bringing, including a little stuffed unicorn with a biker jacket. She carefully placed her custom laptop into a carrying case and dumped it on the bed. The last to go in was a pair of framed pictures, one of her squad and the other of her weird family. She smiled at the picture and zipped up the bag.
Then she grabbed the only thing left in her room, her pink armor and the suit liner. She undid the laces on her boots and kicked them off, then reached down to remove her socks. Next to go were the BDU slacks she was wearing, which she slipped off her lean hips and stepped out of. She unbuttoned the shirt quickly and threw it on the floor next to her slacks. Now clad only in a bra and panties, she slipped into the black suit liner and then slowly assembled her armor onto her body. Then she packed her BDU and picked up all her bags. With her packing done, there was still fifteen minutes to spare. She dashed back out, leaving the room bare and spotless.
Twenty seconds later, she and the rest of her unit were all outside looking for their families. “By the Flag! There’s gotta be a hundred people out here! Sheesh! How am I supposed to find my…” her question was promptly cut off by a loud yell from the middle of the crowd. The culprit was a young elite who was jumping up and down and waving. “…That’s how.” She covered her visor with her hand and laughed.
The bouncy elite came running over to her, and practically knocked her down when he glomped her. “Sister!” After he let go, the other two boys and her parents made their way over there. “I heard from father that you are leaving. Can we get some pictures with you before you leave?”
“Of course, silly!” She grinned at her younger brother, removing her helmet. “I was hoping you’d say that!” Their mother finished setting up the tripod with the Polaroid camera, and everybody crowded in front of it. Naturally the four siblings elbowed, nudged and noogied each other right as the camera went off while their father looked exasperated and their mother laughed. The other four photos went similarly. Shoving, laughing, and affectionate teases punctuated the flashing bulb of the camera.
Afterwards, Keiko straightened up. "Well, I guess this is it..." She looked forlornly at the floor. "I'm really gonna miss you guys," she said, reaching over to pull her siblings into a group hug.
"Make sure to write to us." Her oldest brother, Shane said as he mussed her hair. "I want to hear some interesting news." He was the first to pull away.
The second eldest, Rex, pulled away and gave her a thumbs-up. "Go give 'em hell, sis." She flashed an innocent look to him. "I mean the ENEMY."
Her younger brother, Slash, was the last to pull away. After hugging her once more, he patted her heartily on the back. "Take care of yourself, sister. I hope to see you again when this is all over."
Her mother ran up and hugged her, surpressing tears. "Be careful dear. Come home to us." She squeezed Keiko tightly, then pulled away to dry her eyes. "My baby girl's off to war...." Then she handed one of the photos to Keiko.
Then her step-father strode forward and put his left hand on her right shoulder. His mandibles formed a gentle smile. "I have a gift for you, Keiko. It served me well in battle, and felled many foes. Now let it do for you what it once did for me." His right hand dropped a plasma rifle into her cupped hands. On it were many marks from use in battle, but the battery was freshly charged. The blue metal gleamed in the light as she admired the weapon. She turned it to the side and noted the names inscribed on it. One was that of her step-father, and the one below that was her own. He stepped back, looking proudly at her. "Hold your head high, and return to us victorious." He told her.
Keiko smiled broadly. "Don't worry. I'll come home in one piece. It's a promise." She waved to her family as she headed for the dropship, then sighed to herself. She looked once at the photo before putting it away and getting on the pelican. She didn't see her family wave a final goodbye, but she knew they had. She sat down in one of the seats and strapped herself in. "I'm gonna miss them," she said as the dropship took off and carried her away.