Wicked Game

Sixteen

"She tried to fix her broken pieces with all the things that broke her."

~

The sun reached its zenith, scorching rays spreading out into the summer sky, replacing its usual pastel azure hue with a blinding white. The cankerous heat beat down upon the land, barren save for a few scattered , contorted shrubs breaking the monotony of the bleak landscape. High up in the heavens, a vulture shrieked, its cry piercing through the deafening silence as it circled above the crippled wasteland.

She ran across the desert, feet sinking with each step into the arid sand, coarse as stone, scalding as a raging inferno. The sadistic sun shone down mercilessly on her figure as she trudged on, and even as the wind blew the stinging sand into her eyes, they did not tear up, for every last molecule of water had long abandoned her body.

Momentarily blinded, Athena stumbled, her knees giving way as she fell to the ground, gasping for air, every breath a necessary evil as the sand scraped against the back of her parched throat. She trembled feverishly as she raised her head, her hazy vision barely making out the figure kneeling in front of her. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that escaped was the weakest whisper.

"Water," she pleaded weakly. "Please."

The figure tilted its head gently. "I never told you to stop."

"I can't," she whispered. Every crevice of her mouth had dried out, as the fire burnt in her throat. "Please, Daniel."

"Did you think it would be easy?" he asked firmly. "If setting out to prove them wrong were an uncomplicated task, it would have been done by someone already." His eyes ran over her exhausted, curled up body. "You're weak. You speak of accomplishing things previously unheard of, but cannot even make it through a day of training without giving up."

"I-" she coughed. "I'm trying."

"That is not good enough," his voice was unyielding. "Do you think the enemy will wait for you to get up every time you fall?" Unsheathing his dagger, he pressed the blade against her throat, firmly enough to get her attention, but not enough to cut her. Her eyes fluttered as she groaned softly, feeling the cool metal against her burning skin. He leaned in, his lips ghosting over her ear. "One slip up, and you're dead. Do you understand?"

Too delirious to respond, Athena said nothing.

The sharp edge of the dagger pressed harder against her neck, threatening to break her delicate skin. Her eyes shot open in alarm.

"Do you understand?"

She nodded quickly. "Yes."

He let her go, and she felt him move away as he stood up, sheathing the dagger before rummaging through the contents of the sack in his hands. There was a thump as an object landed next to her head.

"Drink up."

Her eyes widened, hand shooting out to grab the flask. Groaning, she pulled herself to her knees, before unscrewing the cork with trembling hands and raising it to her lips.

As the first drop of water hit the back of her throat, she almost cried in relief. Every drop was sweet as the purest elixir, dousing the burning fire in her body. Gulping down the contents of the flask, she threw it away, pressing her hands against her face as she felt the palpitations fade. Opening her eyes, she squinted, her vision focussing on him as he offered her a helping hand.

"Up."

Athena's eyes shifted to his outstretched hand, before she turned away. Pressing her palms into the burning sand, she heaved herself up even as her body cried out in protest. Her knees trembled, threatening to give way, and she swayed, but curling her hands into fists, she planted her feet firmly into the sand. A harsh summer wind crept up, and she drew a deep breath, before raising her head to meet his eyes.

Daniel smiled at the girl before him. Every inch of her body shook with exhaustion, her disheveled hair lay all over her face, but in her eyes burnt a fire, untamed as the wildest of animals, stronger than the merciless sun, shining in all its glory over the vast, barren plain.

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