by Jae Choguk
anything, and you didn’t even try and get rid of the weapon, you just stood there holding your arm. You know by now that our bodies don’t matter, but theirs do.”
“Why?” I burst out “Why in the hell do we have to sacrifice ourselves, when if anything we are superior!”
“Because that’s not how it works unfortunately.” He said in a slightly softer voice. He sat down in the armchair next to mine and ran his hands through his black hair, grey eyes sad as ever.
“When did we start becoming slaves for humans?” I ask in almost a whisper, not wanting to know the answer.
“We are not slaves, but who would accept us? This is the only way we can be out in the world, unless you would prefer to stay here?” He asked lifting an eyebrow. “After the White War, this was our only option to be in public.”
“The White War…I know I learned about that in history, but all they said was that it was the slaughter of Animas. Just like in Salem, we were seen as evil, and still are apparently.”
“It goes a little deeper than that-”
“Doesn’t it always…” I muttered.
“Kind of,” He agreed with a slight smile, “Either way it’s that’s how things are, and the way they have to be to have as much peace as possible.”
“I don’t think that’s a good enough explanation, things should change.” I said standing up, getting defensive for the race that I had only just learned existed.
“Well if you come up with a solution, let me know.” He said dismissing me as he stood up, holding the door open for me.
Trying to sleep was pointless, so I did what every other cat did, and went to look for food. Walking downstairs, I decided that our kitchen was too close, so I walked out the front door. The wind was blowing a soft summer breeze, and I realized spring was over, and I had spent most of it here. It seemed like I was just talking with my mother about what to have for supper after practice. I felt walls closing in, threatening to crush me, and suck the breath out of me at the thought that I didn’t know if I would ever even see her again. Everything that’s happened so far seems like a waste if I can’t be with my only family left.
I thought about my dad, who wasn’t even around when I was born, the same guy who probably didn’t even know I was alive. He must have done something horrible for my mom to have to run away in the middle of the night, escaping a place that wasn’t supposed to be escaped from. So I started running, to break free of the walls, the people, the air itself. I needed to escape it, so I did it the only way I knew how, which was to run; as fast as my legs would take me, as fast as my mind could keep up with it. I kept going, until my lungs couldn’t take anymore. I looked up panting, realizing that I ended up running to the boys’ dorm. Or more specifically the forest path behind it, and I started walking, called by the pool at the end of it.
I reached the other side in the blink of an eye, I didn’t even know how I got here, and not even being aware that I was being followed either. I jumped into the nearest tree and kept climbing until I had a good advantage point. Then he walked into view, the one who I needed to beat at any cost.
“Come out kitty, kitty!” Jeremy called softly, and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to get away without him noticing. I at least had the element of surprise and jumped soundlessly from my hiding spot and landed on his back, knocking him to the ground.
“Oof, I didn’t realize cats could be this heavy.” He said from under me.
“My bad, I seemed to have gained weight since meeting you.” I said rolling my eyes, standing up and dusting of leaves and dirt from my sweaty clothes.
“If anything, that means I should be working you harder, because you should be skin and bones by the time I’m done with you.” He stood up and stretched, shaking his hair, dislodging the twigs and dirt from his hair. I swatted at his hair knocking the leaves, and more dirt out. He caught my hand and glared at me, but there was more than annoyance in his eyes. One of his walls was up again, and I had no idea why, but his hand was shaking slightly.
“What? You had crap in your hair.” I said snatching my hand from his grasp.
“And whose fault is that I wonder?” He replied dryly, wall slipping slightly.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sorry okay?” I said putting my hands together like I was praying. He rolled his eyes and gestured to the pool.
“Aren’t you goin’ in? He asked, starting to take off his shirt. I looked away and was tempted, but I wasn’t going to let myself have any fun until nobody could top me. Until I can beat him, and protect anyone I have to, until I am on S class missions and the best there is. I felt my resolution set in, and he must have sensed it, because he just shrugged and turned towards the pool. I also turned around with fire in my eyes, and a smile making its way on my face.
I ran back down the path, feeling better than ever. So much happened in such a short period of time and almost none of it was good. I still missed my home, my mom, and my old life, but at least I had a purpose here.
I made it back to the girls’ dorm, covered in double the amount of sweat from when I left, but also more refreshed than I had been before. Climbing up the stairs to my room, I felt my smile slowly disappear, and a firm goal take its place. If anyone was going to beat Jeremy, it may as well be the one that he trained.
After I took my shower, toweled my hair dry, and put shorts and a t-shirt on, I found myself in the deepest sleep I’ve had since I got here, and all I could think of was the smile Jeremy had on his face before he turned around towards the pool. His smile fueled my determination.
Seven
All day, I would have the same routine, all my classes, plus training with Jeremy, then straight to my personal training after that. I went to bed around 3 A.M. and woke up again around 7A.M. I didn’t need sleep though, I needed more experience, but seeing how they don’t trust my ‘instinct’ I didn’t think I would be going on a mission again for a while. It’s not like instinct is something you can really improve, but that didn’t stop me from trying.
“Harder!” Jeremy yelled as I kicked the punching bag, during our training session.
I jumped and swung my leg around, giving it a good roundhouse kick, knocking Jeremy back a little.
“Better?” I asked with a smirk, but he just shook his head, igniting my temper which was getting easier and easier to lose control of.
“Not even close. If that were a real hunter, they would’ve been able to counter it.”
“How would they be able to counter that?” I exclaimed feeling that I had to know everything about them.
“Try it on me.” He said slapping his chest. I shrugged and went at it. I jumped, swinging my leg as hard and fast as I could, so he wouldn’t be able to simply block it. Unfortunately I forgot that he taught me, meaning he already knew how to defend every move he used. He grabbed my leg, twisted in and made me eat mat. I groaned at the bruise I knew was coming on, and quick. Funny thing was that even with my healing abilities, bruises went away slower, and broken bones, we haven’t figured out what happens with that yet. Mr. Z was using me as a test subject by making me show him wounds, and how fast they healed. I did have a scar from the bullet wound, but even the scars go away after a while, the worse the injury, the longer the scar lasted. Bruises I guess my body didn’t find important enough, so they healed only about a little faster than normal. The ‘normal’ standards here are a little higher than usual though.
“Alright, so why did I learn this, if they can just counter it?” I asked getting up again.
“It’s a good move to know, especially if you want to disarm someone.” He said giving me a meaningful look and I averted my eyes. “It’s also a good move if you learn how to use it in combos, making it so that they don’t know what comes next. For example…” He jumped, doing the same move to me. I blocked it just as he did, but as I tried to twist leg behind him, he tucked into a ball and summersaulted. It caused me to lose my grip on his leg and made me jerk forward making me fall on top of him. He laughed and I was too startled b
y the sound of his laugh, that I couldn’t make my body move.
“That’s one way to try and stop a hunter from killing you.” He said still crouched, in perfect form under my not so perfect-formed body. When I still didn’t move, he knocked me sideways, snapping me back into reality.
“Well it was worth a try.” I said wryly, and expected him to laugh again but once was all I was going to get as I looked in his icy eyes. They were once again clouded with a stonewall that refused to move. “We’re done today.” He said as cold as when he first met me. I was so proud that I’d knocked down a wall, but didn’t seem to realize that one step forward could mean 3 steps back.
“Aren’t you going to eat supper Lydia?” Alice asked snatching the plate that was meant for me from Mai, who was ready to stab her fork into. You can’t keep her away from fish ironically.
“I’m good! I’ll eat after practice.” I said over my shoulder, running out the door. I didn’t miss the worried glances all the girls gave each other, but I ignored it. Running to the training hall, gym bag in hand I was determined to knock Jeremy flat on his ass.
“You’re late, hurry up.” He said throwing me pads.
“What’s this for? My body is one big block of padding, why do I need these?” he glared at that comment, and I knew I said something wrong, but didn’t know why. I knew I was in for a