In My Time of Dying

Chapter 15

                                                                       Chapter 15

                                                               "Lieutenant Lucca"

I woke up to the sound of… nothing. Sitting up in bed, I rubbed my eyes and tried to retrieve my memory of last night. It was on the edge of my brain—

“Get up sleeping beauty!”

My door burst open and Lucca stepped in, a smile dominating his face. What was on the edge of my brain was suddenly shoved in my face.

“No.” I groaned, pulling my blanket over my head. There were several reasons why I really didn’t want to get up; the first and foremost standing in my doorway. I didn’t even want to think about the mess I had managed to get myself into last night.

“Yes. C’mon, you made a deal with me yesterday so get changed. It’s time to get you in shape.” He yanked the cover off of me and I sat up as though I had been electrocuted.

I swore loudly at the sudden cold air and clawed my way to the foot of my bed. Lucca laughed quietly and dangled my blanket tauntingly in my face.

“You can have it back if you can catch me.” He promised, a cunning grin enveloping his face.

I made a face at him and got up as gracefully as I could manage. He threw the blanket over his shoulder and turned to leave.

A protest sprang to my lips but I kept them sealed as I reached out and grasped the end of my blanket. I pulled suddenly, forcing Lucca to come to a stop but not even stumble backwards.

“You want to play?” he asked, turning back to me. He lightly tugged on the blanket and sent me staggering forward a few steps.

While he may have been smiling, I was glaring blatantly at him. I jerked but only managed to lose my grip on it, my hands slipping back several inches.

He chuckled and with an effortless pull, he wrenched the blanket and me into him. He caught me easily and brushed my hair out of my face.

“Get dressed.” He murmured, letting me go and handing me my blanket.

I nodded silently and turned away from him, my mind in another place entirely as I laid my blanket on the bed and got changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. I had learned from when I was a little girl that when it was cold outside and if I was in a short-sleeved top, I worked harder.

Letting down my messy braid, I used my fingers to brush my hair in to a ponytail and tentatively smelled my breath. I wrinkled my nose at my morning breath and hurried to the bathroom in order to brush my teeth.

I had perked up by the time I made it down the stairs. I didn’t see Lucca anywhere in sight so I figured he was in the living room. When he wasn’t in there, I frowned and made my way to the front door. It wasn’t locked and I started to pull it open until I heard a sound in the kitchen.

“Hello?” I whisper-yelled; I wasn’t sure if either my sister or my mother was awake.

I was met with silence and irritably made my way toward the kitchen; I went to turn the corner and was suddenly grabbed, a hand clamping over my mouth.

I made several muffled squeaky sounds before I fell silent at a familiar voice.

“If this were a task on staying on guard, you failed.” Lucca whispered, and I was suddenly furious.

I gently but firmly bit down on his palm and he let go of me with a strangled yelp.

“Ow!” He exclaimed, a wounded expression washing over his features like a waterfall. I almost felt bad but…