Sickly, Sweet - Book One

Ch. 29 - Typical

Lest we forget that these creatures are killers - they swarm like bugs and they attack.

***

I exhale a short breath and the stray wisps of hair around my face sweep away, clearing my view. I can't focus and can't think. I grunt as I exert effort in dodging another arrow that was aimed right at my face.

It's dark around me with no other company but the holographic display of artificial bodies serving as my opponents. Blue lasers streamed through the pitch black room, not doing anything to light it.

My head floated in the air and I thought nothing but the night before. Did it really happen? I remember every detail vividly and can even still feel his hot breath against my neck. I remember holding onto him so tight that I wished we were one.

An arrow whizzed past my head again and I curse at how close it was to impaling me. Although it's just strobes of light and compressed air, it sure as hell feels solid.

I guess fantasies just never last forever, even if Prince charming was as perfect as Valentine. To me, last night was the turning point of our relationship. I haven't seen him and it's been hours. What it all just casual sex for him, to get me off of my bloodlust? I don't even know if it was real.

I am caked in more dirt and grime than a toddler in a sandbox and my hair is everywhere. I'm grateful I was able to find this gem in the castle. Heaven knows that I need this physical activity to keep mind off of the irrational. I absolutely hate that it's doing anything to help.

I'm not alone down here; there are others, just not in this section. The training room is hidden underneath the castle, right beside the dungeons. I was lucky to find an enclosed cubicle to practice my defense strategy and at the same time, my archery.

I have music blasting through the buds in my ears - electrifying my neurons and making my body move to the beat. I decide I've had enough of the emotional and really need to get this off of my chest. I go to the switch board and turn the settings to its maximum - the brutality of ten archers against one. Sure, it's not the same as a real fight but anything will help as long as I'm active.

Normally, I don't get nervous went I get attacked - I've trained myself to be impervious to shock - but I'm shaking right now. I don't know why, but my hands are coating in sweat and my heart is pounding harder than ever - it must be my nerves, I'm not used to any of this.

The simulation starts and I immediately duck due to an arrow almost shooting its way between my eyes. I roll and pick myself up only to dodge another aimed at my abdomen.

"Shit," I almost scream as I fail to evade an arrow of light and air that shot through my shoulder. It didn't hurt at all but the strain to get out of its way was agonizing. I'm out of shape and it's killing me, if this ever happened in battle, I'd be nothing but battered meat on a roaster.

A buzz courses through my body as the arrows synchronizes with the bass from my earphones. It helps me to concentrate and aids in my endeavours to actually get better at dodging these lethal weapons. Despite the hours I've dedicated to training, I think I'm getting worse.

With my heightened senses, I try to sense all of the simulated arrows on their way to me. While in my crouched position, I breathe in deeply and close my eyes, trying to also synchronize my own body with both the song in my ear and the training at play. A few seconds and I allow my determination to overtake my reality and blind my doubts.

"Agh," I yell as an arrow shoots past my shoulder, actually cutting into my flesh, making it bleed. "What the f-" I am cut off by another one that slices through my hair grazing my ear, cutting through the cartilage. My hand flies to my ear and I rip the earphones from my head. I look around the room, trying to figure out where those real arrows originated from.