The Republic of Linae (Book 1)

Chapter 15: Allyson

Sweat sticks to my forehead while I concentrate on keeping the knife as far away from the cardboard box as possible. It hangs several feet in the air above the small brown box, floating up and down.

My dad stands behind the box, staring at me in earnest. He does not need to keep his entire focus on the knife in order to try and push it downward. In fact, I don't think he's using much of his energy at all.

I don't know what he put in the box. He did say that it was a gift for me if I can prevent the knife from being driven into it.

We have been at this for five minutes, and the knife has been slowly slipping downward. Dad is a lot stronger than me and has had a lot more time working with his ability.

"You're losing, Allyson," my father warns. The knife slips down another few inches while a headache begins to erupt at the front of my skull.

Cameron huffs in annoyance where he is on a log. He's somewhere to my right, probably angry that Dad forced him to join my training session today. Normally, Dad will only ask for Cameron if he wants me to try something new or if he needs Cameron for some type of duel. Today, Cameron has just been sitting around doing absolutely nothing.

The knife drops an entire foot while my head pulsates in pain. I've never dealt with someone using their gift against mine before. It's harder than I expected it to be.

Dad gives me a displeased look before letting up his pressure. I am not prepared for the pressure to randomly let up, so the knife shoots upward into the sky for only a second.

Grabbing the knife, Dad lets loose a breath. "Even though the knife got dangerously close to the box, you held out long enough." He gestures toward the cardboard box at his feet. "Come open it."

Without hesitation, I make my way over to the box. From where I was, I couldn't see the holes carved into the two shorter sides of the box. There's no other indication of what the present could potentially be.

I squat down and gently pull back one of the flaps to the box. A small flash of black and white catches my eye through the narrow gap. Another flap fully reveals exactly what I was at risk of losing.

A small black and white kitten sits in the box, nestled into the corner. As soon as the sunlight fully hits the small thing, the creature opens its eyes. They are the most gorgeous blue hue I have ever seen in my entire life.

Once we make eye contact, I am transported to another time.

I was in a small box-like room. There was nothing in the dark room besides me and a door with a small port that could transfer items. The room contained no light, no hope of escape, and no desire for anything other than crying.

Then, just when I thought I would be trapped in that room forever, the port opened. A small animal was shoved through the hole— a kitten if I could properly remember what I once saw in a book. The kitten was orange and playful. It didn't seem to mind the darkness, and neither did I.

Until Doctor Walcsh had walked in. He held a needle in his hand, sharp and full of an unusual liquid. Scooping the small cat, the doctor stared at me intensely. "Save the kitten," he had said plainly.

"The kitten came from the shelter, he is about seven weeks old and doesn't have a name yet," Dad says. His voice snaps me back to the present.

Right. He had gotten me a cat as a gift. "He's beautiful," I respond while carefully pulling the cat from the box. The creature immediately makes himself comfortable in my arms. I can feel its soft fur rub against my neck as it completely settles itself calmly into my arm. The embodiment of serenity.