Into The Flame

Chapter 9

I've been with the Children's League for a whole month now. It's definitely been better than my time in Thurmond. I wouldn't exactly call it ideal, but it's the best that I can get with the world being a total mess. In the past month I have definitely gotten stronger and I am a much better fighter than I was six years ago. I also look ten times healthier than I did when I first arrived. Occasionally Cate would check on me during lunch to see how things were going and I would always give her the same response: I was great and glad that I was part of the Children's League.

I didn't exactly have the heart to tell her the full truth. I know that she wanted me to be part of her team really bad and things changed on her. I wasn't going to tell her that things were a bit awkward between me and Cole. He'd talk to me during training and ignored me in our room. A part of me wished that some of the things that I experienced with him never happened. However, my heart skipped a beat when I thought about the small moments that we shared together.

I sat by myself today at lunch. Not because I wanted to but because nobody wanted to sit with me. The only reason I could come up with was because I was on Cole's team and people probably thought they should stay away from me. My only other explanation was because I was an orange and they knew what I could do. Other than Cole, I was the first most dangerous person in this building (Cole coming in second), even though nobody knew Cole was Psi. Was there a chance that nobody here knew about me? Nope, they did. They knew I was from Thurmond and that was reason enough to suspect that I was Psi. Cole wasn't sitting with me because he was away on a mission and probably wouldn't be back for another couple of days.

Just then a tray of food landed in front of me and I looked up, startled.

"Hey Em," Cole said beaming. "Are you ready to start a different part of your training today?"

This was totally weird. He was being weird. Cole being chipper was not something I was expecting. I kind of wanted him to go back to being dark and shady. I absolutely hated how unpredictable he was because that meant he could do just about anything and you would never see it coming.

"What are we doing differently today?" I asked. Going with the flow was probably my safest decision.

"I'm going to teach you how to shoot. Learning how to shoot is part two of your training. Once you got that down, you can then move on to part three. The third and final part of your training," he explained.

"There's a third part?" I questioned.

"Yes. It's learning how to use and control your ability. Once you have completed all three parts of your training it will be safe for me to take you on missions. I need you to be able to defend yourself out there. As soon as your finished follow me."

*************

I spent my entire afternoon up until dinner learning how to shoot a pistol with Cole. If my younger self could see me now, I don't know if she would be ashamed or impressed. When I was younger I had told myself that guns were dangerous and I would never touch one, let alone shoot one, in my entire life. Yet, here I am, learning to shoot a gun like my life depended on it because it did.

When Cole had handed me the pistol, I had instantly pulled away. It was out of fear and because I didn't want to touch it. I was too tired and out of it when Cate handed me a gun, but this time I was alert and wanted nothing to do with it. Cole, however, insisted that everything was fine and I needed to learn.

After I had let off a few shots, I had felt so exhilarated. It was the best feeling and it was great to feel in control. I liked being at this end of the gun instead of the other end.

"You've got a natural talent for this," Cole commented as we walked down to get dinner.

"Thanks," I responded, smiling.