It is lunch once more and everyone is buzzing with excitement. They all look at me when I enter the room, a hush falling on them. I want nothing more than to curl up in a ball and hide-for I know why they are like this. Because I went from comrade and friend to leader and superior in a matter of minutes.
I don't understand what I will be doing as one of them, but the Five told me that they would explain.
So instead of school and training, I now have lessons in leadership. Becoming a One. Being able to stand alone, but knowing it is better to stand together. Learning that admitting your greatest weaknesses is showing the greatest strength.
I can still hear Kimberly after I was announced. "Remember, Ara. Admitting your greatest weakness to yourself, and not being afraid to conquer it is showing the greatest strength."
I did not understand her then, but I do now.
To admit your weakness, you must be strong.
~~~
I no longer see my classmates or friends very often. We still share the same bedrooms, so Cora and Orla and Layla alone do I see.
I head to the room of the Four-or Five, rather, thought I do not consider myself to be One of them yet.
"Today's lesson is in our history," KImberly coaches as I slip into my seat. And I ready myself to be rather bored.
~~~
The only class we all share is Combat. It does not matter what our new position is, we all take Combat. Even the Five have it, thought of course Eval and Darren to not, for they are the teachers. That is not to say that they do not learn, for every act in life is a choice that you learn from; whether you will or not.
My combat training has intensified, in so much as to where I can barely move at the end of the night.
I walk to training, sighing, for I know what comes next.
Eval and I train together, and he never fails to point out my mistakes.
"You are not watching your back!" he yells, as he spins around and holds a sword to my throat when I move my hands to protect my back. I freeze.
"Again I win, Ara! When will this stop? I know you have more in you! I've seen it!! Use everything you have!!! Ara! Get you head in the moment-I don't have all day to teach you. I didn't step down just to teach imbeciles!"
My thoughts are elsewhere, focusing on one ever-silent, golden-haired, seven-year-old child.
"ARA SHAY STONEHEART!!"
"What, Eval?" I ask, springing to a... state... of attention.
"Focus. F-o-c-u-s. You are being sloppy, you no longer care if I win, and you don't block my moves. If you go Outside, you will die. Simple as that. They will not show the mercy I show you. Direct your thoughts here, please."
My thoughts.
I have always struggled greatly with my thoughts. They persist in waging war with me, and I struggle to control them.
"Ara is doing great at directing her thoughts!" Orla says, eyes wide in false amazement. "Just look at that amazing focus!! She's not drifting away in the slightest."
Eval makes a choked sound that might have been a laugh, but it is quickly swallowed up in this new seriousness of his.
"Ara. Please. I don't want to hurt you," he begs.
Hurt me? Why-what-why, no, how would he hurt me? Why?
My thoughts shatter into a million fragments. They spin around, each one its own complicated world of confusion and question.
Drew nods to Eval, and Eval sighs, wincing, but he draws back his fist and lets it collide with all his force on my cheekbone.
Instantly, I feel a bruise and the pain is so intense I cannot breathe, cannot move, cannot think.
My head snaps back, whipping into nothing as my equilibrium falters, and then fails me; and I topple into nothing.
YAYAYAYAYAY!!! GUESS WHO UPDATED?? THIS GIRL!!! I really shouldn't be that excited, should I. No. BUT I AM!!! I haven't updated in ages so whohoo.
T.Y.S.M.!! 322 views?? #AWESOMESAUCE !!!
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Fire
General FictionAra lives underground. She has for seven years, since she was nine. Evil has entered the world and has overthrown it; killing Ara's parents. She is a fighter in the underground resistance, but fire has scarred her memory. She is haunted by the death...
