The Fighter

Chapter 5

The next day General Logan does one on one with me. He was more personable alone then he is when he is in a group.

"You can't let them get into your head. Make sure you take them out every chance you get. Now start up again."

I get into my fighting position again and go over the moves as he judges me. Each time, he pointed out fatal mistakes. He started to get harder and angrier each time.

"Come on!" He begins to yell as I push past my limit. He is over the top tough. Every move I do, I start to ache and feel myself giving out. At the end of my lesson he schedules to meet with me again tomorrow. Henry waits for me outside of the room so that we can go to the mess hall for dinner. I strongly walk out of the room with my head held high, but once I the door closed I crumpled to the floor. Henry caught me before I could fully demolish into a pile of dust on the ground.

"Thank you, Henry." I lay crippled in his arms until he helps me stand right again.

"General Hugh told us something today," he says quietly as we walk to dinner.

"Him and General Logan are the only survivors from this war that are from Summerton."

"How? This war has been going on for half a decade. There has to be more than two survivors from Summerton."

The fact boggles my mind as it loops around my throat and chokes me.

"It's highly unlikely that we will be coming back," I fathom to myself as Henry agrees quietly.

Once we make it to the mess hall, my head is pounding. I grab my food and quickly start eating. My stomach craves for more, but I have to limit my self.

Henry and I don't say another word as we walk to the barracks after dinner. Usually I at least had one thing to say, but tonight my voice was stolen by a fear of probability. When Jax added in his snide comment, I didn't strike back as snappily, but with a more annoyed tone.

"Kiss a copperhead," was all I had to say to him. I lay my head on the pillow as my eyes slowly flutter close and the paranoia of death had finally reached one of my many dreams. It included nothing too bad this time, but in the future, I knew this would be one of my fatal flaws. I would not be able to control this, unlike some of my fears.

Henry seemed to be swallowed by the idea of death that night too. He told me about it the next morning. I reminded myself that everybody feels this way. Repeating this helped it get off of my back for a while, but now I know after battle I will rest in peace.