A Girl Named Arrow

Chapter 2

I charge through the door, gasping for air. My sister stops behind me and waits for my reaction. "I'm sorry I'm late, sir. I-I was down at the fields, an-and--" I explain but pause in confusion. The leader of our tribe cuts me of by putting his hand up in front of me. He told me to calm myself with his hand signal, the one everyone knows what he means. "This is your fifteenth tardy Arrow Black. Fifteenth." He shuffles through 8 tall guards I've never seen in this tribe before. Along with them the other fourteen archery are gathered at a wooden table, staring down at a large sheet. "I know. I'll try harder next time. I can get here earlier, I promise." His face is motionless, and I don't know if he's mad or accepting me. "You better. Or else the next time I will have to send you." I gulp down my guilt inside of me. Sending me away means to fire me, and I can't afford that. I look back at Hailey. He face is glum, and I can tell she feels bad for me. The leader nudges a guard forward who opens the doors and shoves me out. I fall the the drenched, wood ground. Hailey already starts walking towards our cabin, her face staring down at the floor boards of our bridges. I quickly get up and run after her, but hesitate before I grab her shoulder. Instead I begin back to walking behind her.

The rest of the walk to our cabin is silent. The rain brushed against my already soaked hair. And now I'm here; Our family's cabin we keep 6 kids in, including two parents. My father is here, his face in total confusion. "Why are you home early, the meeting?" He asks. I just stare at him for a second, and the sulk up the stairs in disappointment. I get to my room upstairs and slouch onto my bed. A single quilt has been neatly patted down. I rub my fingers through the grooves. My mother had sewed me the quilt when I was 5. String pictures of arrows and bows were printed on it. I grab it and throw it on myself. I'm wrapped in fabric from head to toe, with my feet covered in wolf hair slippers and my legs in usual wrecked grey jeans. I sit there and think. The storm screams harder and I do t move. I've never been scared of these things. And I never will.

I awake in the morning with my whole self covered by the quilt like a burrito. My dog Mexville is at the bottom of my bed, shivering. I slowly get up and lean towards him. He wakes up and I kiss his forehead. His fur is wet. My father must have let him outside last night. I get out of bed, throw on my jacket, a T-shirt, and rusty pants from my bureau. (*drawer*) "Breakfast! Get it while Ya can!" A hear voice tell from downstairs. "Coming!" I tell back, along with 5 other voices. I run downstairs with my pack. I usually bring it everywhere with me, since it carries everything I need in it. Some things I've stashed in it are a notebook, two pencils, a flashlight, a rope, power potion (which refreshes our powers so we don't go bonkers,) energy drinks, and of course a pair of brown, leather gloves that I always use for climbing. When I get downstairs into the kitchen, my brother Hatcher is down there, already munching down some pancakes. "Hey Hatch. How was your 'really fun' winter games?" I ask him along with chuckles. The winter games are several tournaments that the popular boys at Hatcher's school play that involves using your powers in matches and compete against each other. It does get pretty interesting though. Last yet I saw a kid go to the hospital for a wind blast right up his nose from his competitor. "Ha ha." Hatcher rolls his eyes at me. "They were fine. Oh! And I saved you a marsh icicle!" He waves a frozen marshmallow in my face. As he said, it's a marsh icicle. My favorite. I prick it out of his hand and gulp it down. The flavor sinks into my tongue as the ice around it melts. Awwww.

An hour later I'm at the training center for archers training. When I get there I'm surrounded by a bunch of kids that look a lot younger than me. "Arrow! Arrow! Can you sign my shirt?" A squeaky voice yells from the crowd. Aw, yes. Today was the day kindergarten classes were coming to the training center for lessons. Apparently I'm the one they all want to get an autograph from. I shove through them apologizing for my having the time ( even though I do,) and sprint over to join my other fellow archers. But something's not right. I turn to my left when I notice a man in a black jacket appears out of a shadow. I know his face. Suddenly the lights flicker. Sparks fly as the lights break and fall to the floor. Everyone is screaming, besides us archers. The man disappears and we hear laughter from his deep voice echoing all around the room. I know what we're in for. It was an Outlander. But not only that, he was the Darkness leader.