Loving Warfare

Chapter 6: Heck of a First Day

        As Casey wakes up she wonders if what happened to her was real. She and Zach went to go see a movie, which she cannot remember- all she remembers is a slight soft peck on the lips from him. She wishes he would have done more, and not just left her like that, she wanted more, another kiss, anything, but alas he left her standing at her door with her half-sister Amii already inside. She sees Amii outside staring at Dylan when he walks over to her with a shield made of celestial bronze. The shield had designs of all the things she loved on it, from Pegasus all the way to the lake and forest.

        "That is amazing Dylan! How did you make that?" Amii asks taking it and holding it.

        "It is light and well fortified, and I really don't know how, I just did," Dylan replies.

        Amii says with a huge smile on her face, "Well thank you, I love it." She then proceeds to kiss his cheek as a token of her gratitude. Zach walks up from behind them in ancient Egyptian clothes, from his linen kilt like loincloth to his necklace of jewels, he had no shirt, which did not bother Casey at all. His chiseled chest and deadly khopesh were able to see by anyone walkng by, he walked with grace and composure, he looked a lot better than he did yeserday.

        "Hello everyone," Zach said in a deeper and rougher voice than he had had last night. He was drowning in sorrow secretly, he had so many questions, and so many things to say but no one here would believe him. They would mock him for being so idiotic. He was torn between the ones that he cared for all of them secretly he wished he was stronger, better, faster, more everything that people should be. He wished he could see himself in a better way, all he saw in himself was a helpless child who was afraid of everything, and everyone. He wants to protect but is to weak to do it. He wants to show people that he can be strong but he is always weak unless his friends are in danger. Zach thinks all this to himself as his friends stare at him with unsure eyes. They all look into his eyes and see the pain inside, tearing at his soul, ripping away his hopes and dreams. It is then that he decides to say something.

        "This place is amazing. They have everything that we could possibly need. Have any of you seen the whole camp?" Zach asks praying that it worked.

        They all answer simultaneously, "No."

      Zach answers immediately, "Well let's all go exploring then, the cliffs over there actually are wonderful if y'all want to go." He then points to the cliffs he is talking about, which are about five hundred feet above the ground and slope up easily on one side, but are very rigged and steep on the other. "Ok," his friends say worried about him. Zach goes to his bunk and packs a quick picnic and some rope then leaves excited. As they all walk to the cliff Zach lets them in on some interesting stories he has heard while at the camp, "They say the gently sloping side has monsters all over it and the other  side is hard to climb, not impossible, which side do all of you want to try to do?" Dylan says, lets go up the side that is more vertical, I don't want to fight monsters." They all shake their heads in agreement and egin to climb. Zach leads followed by Casey, then Amii, after her there is Becca, and finally Dylan, they tied the rope to each other so it would be safer and begin to climb at a steady and carefully. As they are about three quaters of the way up a rock comes loose and causes Casey to fall and her rope slips and she begins to fall. Amii catches her but let go of the rocks and is now hanging down on the side of a mountain. When she did this she accidently kicked Becca in the head and knocked her out, she hangs by her rope which slowly is coming undone unable to fix it as Dylan tries to help Zach hangs on trying to keep his grip.

        He feels his strength being sapped away from him, but knows he cannot let go so he starts to climb extrememly slow. He looks up not daring to look down as he grabs another hand hold. Zach thinks to himself, "I can't let them fall, I have to hurry, don't focus on the pain look past it go forward, fo up faster faster, be stronger, help them they need you now more than ever" He reaches up but slips and slides down fast causing his fingers to start to bleed. He grabs a hand hold as blood pours down Dyaln asks, "Zach are you ok?" Zach replies, "Yeah just wonderful you?" He begins to climb again faster than before blood pouring from his fingers and hands. "Yeah just please hurry Rebecca is bleeding from a spot on her head," Dylan says and Zach can hear the strain in his voice as he tries to not worry. "OK, got it, Zach says as he knows he must hurry he forgets the pain and climbs faster and thinks to himself , "This blood is making the rocks slippery, I got to keep going, I have to, I 'won't stop I can't they are all counting on me!" He puts one hand over the other and keeps going step after step up inch by inch he gets closer he sees the peek and won't stop. "Higher higher," he says "faster faster, don't stop you can't, not yet, protect them remember your promise to Casey!" 

        He thinks back to when they were all kids and some guys were bullying her after they had gone to the movies. "Oh look it is little Crook Casey the girl that says she doesn't steal but people give stuff to her," the boys tease her as Zach gets her some coke from the drink machine. Zach turns around when he hears a loud smack and sees Casey on the floor crying with a man's hands around her neck. Zach drops the drinks as he walks over to the man and taps his shoulder. When the man turns Zach punches him in the nose and breaks it as blood gets everywhere the man gets off of her as he and his friends run off. Zach helps Casey up and hugs her to try to get her to stop crying, she cries in his shoulder harshly as the sound is muffled. He says to her, "Casey it is ok, I promise you I want let anything happen to you, I will protect you, I am here for you don't worry it is all over now, you are alright." He hugs her and does not let go until she stops crying. Casey says to him, "Thank you Zach you truly are amazing." "I just can't stand to see you hurt Casey, I swear Casey I will keep you safe until I die, lets get you home before they come back," he replies whole heartedly as he blushes. "Ok, and Zach I want you to know i truly appreciate everything you do for me," Casey says as she kisses his cheek and they walk off.

        They all lay on the top of the mountain looking at Rebecca hoping she is ok, as she starts to move around and wake up everyone cheers. They all ask if she is ok and she replies, "Yeah just a major headache, what about all of you?" Dylan says, "Yeah Zach is a lil hurt though he lost a lot of blood on the climb." "I am fine, You are the one that got hurt Rebecca you being ok is all that matters," Zach says worried.They all look at the sunset on the lake and are relieved that everyone is ok. "Heck of a first day hugh guys," Zach says and they all laugh.