The Collision (Sequel to The Division)

Chapter 9 (River)

Above is Dalton
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Autumn is gone.

Oh look, some more lemons.

And just when I thought life wouldn't throw, *cough* catapult *cough*, anymore lemons at me.

I take a deep breath. Calm down, River. You need to clear your head.

I glance at the clock. I had approximately two hours until a meeting with the other generals. I grab my old school backpack and stuff a few knives, an extra hand gun, and an few snacks in it. I slip into the hallway and glide out one of the back doors of the castle.

I trek into the vast woods, situated on the border of the Emerald and Ruby nations. As a child, I would conduct simple training in the woods near my home town. The woods were my only safe place, even now I feel drawn to them.

I set up in a small clearing surrounded by tall oak trees when an idea pops in my head. I grab my communicator and call my mother.

Her face appears on the tiny screen immediately. "Hey, River!" she says with obvious strained enthusiasm.

"How are you doing?" I study her.

Her eyes have bags underneath them from lack of sleep, new wrinkles have appeared on her face, her usually upbeat gaze is now unfocused and hidden sadness lies beneath.

"Well, I'm just trying to do my best," she replies. Those words are eerily similar to the ones she used when that pathetic excuse of a father left us. She took it really hard. I can't even begin to imagine how she's feeling.

Of course I haven't completely forgotten about my sisters, in fact quite the opposite. I was their protector and I failed them. I beat myself up every day for it

"We've just got to stick through it." I attempt to cheer her up. I'm not really good at it. That was always Amber's job.

She senses my vain attempt, "I know, honey, I know."

I glance at the clock on the communicator's screen. "I better go. I have to be in a general's meeting soon."

"Alright. I appreciate you checking up on me. But I don't want to keep you from your job." She says.

"Okay, Mom. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

I click off the communicator and sigh. Mom needs some comforting and I'm stuck here.

That's when I hear it, a faint rustling in the bushes behind me. My mind reels at the possibilities of the threat, but I know better than to let it go. I discreetly take out one of the knives from my pack.

The rustling is closer now, a few meters away. I grab my knife sharpener and begin sharpening the knife.

Two meters.

One meter.

Half a meter.

Only centimeters.

I whirl around pointing my knife at my attacker and widen my eyes in shock.

"Dagger?" I ask.

"Well nice to see you again." He stands with his hands in the air in surrender. He wears simple blue jeans and a green shirt.

"What do you want?" I ask, not moving my knife. What? You think all those years training were a joke? Hell no.

"I would tell you, but currently I fear for my life. So would be so kind as to put that really sharp knife down?" He glances down at my knife.