The Hunt for Freedom

Chapter Eight

Six Long Years Later

Only two more excruciating weeks and this year from hell will be over. Mentally scarred and physically exhausted I am looking forward to summer break with more relief than excitement. I have never minded the scholastic portion of my day, I still approach learning new subjects as a challenge that I must conquer. The day to day social aspects have worn my already fragile confidence into shreds, similar to the wrapping paper on the biggest box at Christmas. In just over three hundred hours I will have three months of much anticipated freedom from the torment that came packaged in the sturdy form of Dalya.

For six long years that heifer has been my downfall. I can scarcely remember happy times in my life at all. I have vague memories of laughter and cheer before Dalya came crashing into my life. Thank the goddesses she finally quit gymnastics. It still is the only place that I can escape all my troubles and just be me, thrilled to be able to defy gravity and challenge physics. For the last five years she had violated my territory here too.

Six years ago my Grandfather had sent her family here to teach me to fight and to keep me safe. One pint sized body guard, he had laughted. The only thing I need protection from,so far, was her.

Within weeks of living here she had made ten times more friends than I ever had. With her caramel colored skin and perfect ringlet curls that hung halfway down her back she had most of the student body ready to throw rose petals at her feet. Outgoing by nature, she laughed with them at my social awkwardness, often fanning the flames of my shame with childhood stories, with me as the loser in all of them.

She had wiggled her way into the teacher's hearts as well. She fed them lies of how cruel I was and they lapped it up like fine wine. Everyone fell for her act. She was kind and helpful and, of course, super smart. She was never late, turned in her homework, and even participated in class. What was there not to love?

"These American humans are so gullible!" She would say, mocking and laughing at their admiration. "Why aren't you better at this?"

She had fed the kids lies about me too, telling them I thought I was better than all of them. She even told them I would have moved to a better school, but I was forced to stay here at their lame school because of gymnastics. She would act scared of me, and have more than one kid coming to her rescue. My own brothers' loved her, I think Darius even had a small crush on her, and she made sure to keep them away from any drama I was involved in.

I don't know why she hated me or what I had done to incur her wrath but she had made it her life's passion to see me miserable. She was really good at it.

When we were on the training floor she would wait until no one was looking and then I would feel the sting of a deep pinch under my arms, or on my side. Purple bruises covered my sides, but of course, I never showed anyone. Occasionally she would, "accidentally" scratch me with her razor sharp nails. That was somehow my fault too. Mr. Kalb, her father, would look on me with pity. I'm sure he had doubts on who the goddesses had chosen to be the Princess.

Mr. Kalb was a wonderful teacher, patient and kind, he would repeat moves until every one of us had mastered it. We learned as a group, some quicker than others, with Dalya leading the girls and me hot on her tail. He was a thin older man with thick grey hair, and chocolate brown eyes. His movements were quick and lethal and he expected perfection from his students. I practiced relentlessly, confidently sparring with anyone who challenged me, except Dalya....

"Laziness in practice leads to death on the battlefield!" He would always yell.

I think she just might kill me in practice.