In between

Chapter sixteen : or Choke and Smile

A bird's call carried from the tree above.

I looked up; a black kite stared back at me.

It was slightly unnerving. It raffled its black and brown feathers, its sharp beak seemed to glisten dangerously in the little amount of light that made its way down on the small forest path through U.A.

It called again, almost as if mocking me as I stared dumbly at the medium-size bird of prey.

'I do not trust that bird...'

I heard a rustle a little to my left, on instinct I grabbed the closest hanging branch and pulled myself up. Crouching on the hanging branched I stood up and pulled myself up onto the next hanging branch above my head, trying to be as silent as possible.

Staying crouched, I watched as one of my students walked along the path below.

'Koda Koji,' my brain supplied.

He walked with an air of nervousness around his tall frame. His wide muscular form almost seemed to be shaking as he looked around, uncertainty masking his face.

I looked from Koda to the black kite, and realization dawned on me.

'Oh, that is clever.'

I stayed crouched as I watched him continue walking down the forest path, walking straight under me with a bag slung over his shoulder, I saw all seven orange paint balls nestled inside.

I watched as he continued walking, the black kite having stared at me through the whole thing was getting on my nerves.

A something dropped on the path, the noise making me swivel around to see Koda crouching down to pick something up.

It was a paint ball gun.

'Where the hell did, he get one of those!?' I screamed in my mind.

He picked up the small handgun and continued walking.

'If Koda has a paint ball gun then that likely means most if not all have a paint ball gun...'

'This game just got more interesting.' I muse to myself.

'And dangerous...' A voice replied in my head.

I stumbled from shock, successfully falling from my branch, but grabbing the next one underneath. Hanging from the branch I fall silently to the path below.

'I've finally lost my mind...' I think to myself.

'No, you just now have me talking in it.' The voice replied.

'Nope, there is not a voice in my head, there is not a voice in my head, I've just finally started going insane,' I think, trying not to speak out loud in case I give my spot away.

'I am hurt that you do not remember me.'

'I'm sorry I don't usually have a voice suddenly reply to my inner thoughts.' I reply.

I start moving again, because I need to get this game over with and whack my head against a wall, or a tree, whatever comes first.

'I know I'll give you a hint.' The voice replies, seemingly proud of thinking of the idea.

'Oh goody,' I think sarcastically, rolling my eyes for good measure.

'No need to get excited, here's my hint: I'm upholding my promise.'

I begin climbing a tree, trying to get a vantage point. I get halfway up when I realize who I'm talking to.

'You have got be kidding me, I thought you said you could become human, not suddenly start speaking in peoples minds!' I whisper yell at him.