Fighter { Book 3 }

Chapter 9 - Katerina

I open my eyes to find my vision blurry, I close and reopen my eyes. I feel oddly okay, considering yesterday's day. As I focus on my surrounding I realize I'm in a forest. What the hell? Did Lexi and the others leave me here? I sigh standing up. I look around a minute before choosing to go right. I start walking hoping to find where in the world I am. Suddenly I hear giggling. It's a little farther from where I am so I pick up my pace. I reach the end of the forest and see a town ahead. A giggle rings out again and I back away. There is not a single person that the giggle could belong to. The whole area was empty, it looks practically abandoned. There's a rush of wind behind me and I turn around to see a little girl. She looked barely six, her hair was matted with blood just like the rest of her body. There were several stab wounds in her chest and I hold in a gasp as blood still seems to be flowing through it.

She tilts her head to the side and giggles. She starts to walk towards me and I back away, she stops seeing my movement and pouts before disintegrating. I gasp as she turns to dust and turns around towards the town again. This time the town is filled with people. What the hell? Is this a dream? Please be a dream. The people seem happy and several children are playing nearby. A few people are practicing with weapons. A few are reading amongst other things. The oddest thing about them is the clothes they're wearing. They're all dressed in medieval clothes. The women are wearing long and fluffy gowns and men are wearing suits? I think. Suddenly it's as though the air changes. Everyone seems to be on alert and the children that were playing run towards the houses. All the adults have weapons and get into a formation of sorts.

For a few minutes, nothing happens. But then everything becomes a blur and the town people are surrounded by a few hundred people. They seem to be talking but I can't hear a word and in the next minute, everyone is attacking. The whole place is filled with screams and cries of women, men and children alike. I turn towards the forest not wanting to see that and not having the courage to go help or knowing how to help. As soon as I turn a woman is standing in front of me. She's holding a bronze dagger across her chest as though to protect herself. She mumbles something but it's too low for me to hear. She says something again this time louder but it's in a foreign language. She says it again this time practically a shout. Then she looks me dead in the eye and repeats herself before raising the dagger.

My eyes widen and I step back to turn and run but she's faster and the dagger goes straight through my throat. I can feel the pain radiating and my eyes close before I gasp. I open my eyes to see I'm in my bedroom. I can still feel the pain in my throat and my hands go directly towards my neck. I don't feel any pain as I touch my neck. I sigh and look around, I'm thankfully in my bed and Jeremy is sleeping next to me. I am so thankful that was a dream, though it doesn't last long as I feel my sickness returning. I rush to my bathroom and empty my stomach. After I'm sure that's the end of it, I sit up before flushing the toilet and standing up. I brush my teeth and rinse properly to get out the horrid taste before looking for a pain killer.

I find Ibuprofen and decide to eat something before taking it. I take the pill bottle with me to the kitchen. I look out to see it's still dark, I look towards the clock and see it's only five in the morning. Great. I make some coffee and pancakes before sitting down and eating. I've never appreciated food so much before. After cleaning up I take a pill and go back to my room. I lie down on the bed and close my eyes trying to get some sleep. I feel my exhaustion returning.

I wake up to hearing voices and open my eyes to see that I'm thankfully still in my room and not the creepy forest again. I sit up to see who's talking and find Caroline, Matt, and Tyler standing facing the door and arguing with someone. "What the hell are you guys doing? People are trying to sleep here." I tell them and they all turn around in sync. Creepy. "Ari." Care exclaims and the next moment I'm wrapped in her arms. "You scared us." Care says, her voice muffled as she has her head buried in my neck. I wrap my arms around her and hug her back tightly. "Sorry Care." I whisper and she pulls back. "How do you feel?" Care asks. "Fine. Better than earlier this morning and last night?" I say confused about the amount of time that passed.