Any other world

Chapter 3

The training was fun, we learned how to use weapons and throw grenades, which should change my life forever, enough teasing now I tell you what happened.

So, it was the third day of training, again we trained throwing grenades in teams, I wasn't in Amoux's team, we were on the opposite side of the field. We waited for the signal for them to stop throwing, the explosions stopped, and we jumped out I was the first one who jumped on the field and started sneaking towards the other team.

"MIXXIE! WATCH OUT! RUN!", Amoux shouted.

"What?!", I stopped confused, looking around, my eyes hit a grenade a few meters away from me.

"Oh, f*ck.", and in the same moment it blew up, releasing a huge explosion, I tried to cover my face from the flames, I could just feel the pain in my body, when I hit the hard ground.

Everything was hot and aching, my head spinning, before everything went black.

The next thing I remembered was the hospital bed, it was weird, I couldn't feel my arm.

"Hello, dear, good to see you're awake, how are you?", my mom asked.

"My head hurts, my arm feels numb, and I feel like someone punched me in the face."

"At least you're alive."

"Yeah."

"Sadly they couldn't save all of you."

"What do you mean?", she just pointed at my arm.

I looked down and saw a white plastic robotic arm, reaching up to the first half of my upper arm.

"No....."

"I'm sorry, dear. But we thought you wouldn't wake up at all.", that's the best they could do.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"You were in a coma for two months."

"Two months?!"

"Yeah."

"Oh, shit.....can....can I take this thing off?"

"No, I'm sorry dear."

"Why?"

"The explosion hit you hard, you were badly injured."

"Couldn't they save it in any way?"

"There wasn't much to save, honey. It ripped you apart."

"I see."

"Want to try if you can move your arm?", she tried to sound happy.

"Okay."

I tried to move it and it worked like my real arm, it was connected to my muscles and nerves, I couldn't take it off, which was a bit scary, but I could move it that's the good thing.

"Works."

I looked around noticing someone is missing.

"Where's Amoux?"

"Well, he said he couldn't look at you like that."

"Why? It wasn't his fault."

"You better ask him yourself.", she sadly smiled.

I wondered why he didn't came over, well he was a bit over dramatic and worried all the time but it didn't make sense, so I showed up at his house when I left the hospital.

"Mixxie!", he opened the door in shock.

"Hey."

"What are you doing here?!", he looked scared.

"Visiting my friend? You don't seem happy to see me."

"I....am...just surprised.", he stuttered.

"Why didn't you visit me in hospital?", I tried to hug him, but he avoided me.

"I....was scared, I couldn't look at you, you looked so broken and hurt."

"I still am."

"I didn't had much time anyway."

"Why?", something was wrong with, I knew it.

"I had a trial and got kicked out of the special forces."

"Oh, shit. Why?"

"Because I was dumb and hurt you, it's all my fault.", he cried.

"You mean me? No, it wasn't your fault."

"It was, don't you understand?! I threw that goddamn grenade that hit you! I almost killed you!"

"What?! I lost my arm because of you?"

"Yes!"

"My best friend hurt me.you risked my life?", I was shocked, I expected it to be everyone else but him.

"I'm sorry. I felt guilty....that's why I didn't visit."

"Why? Why did you throw it?"

"I didn't want to hit you, I heard the signal too late and already pulled the pin, I panicked and threw it away, but you already jumped out."

"So, you blame me?"

"No."

"Yes, you do! Why else would you say that I jumped out too early?!"

"I didn't say you jumped too early."

"So, it's my fault that you are too dumb to use a grenade?!"

"No, Mixxie."

"I hate you.", I stormed off.

Did I overreact? You probably think so, but how would you react if you find out your best friend bombed your arm off?

I knew it, so, no overreaction. No, it doesn't count that he wanted to apologize, you wouldn't forgive him immediately either, shut up. And also no, I didn't jump out too early, let me continue telling the story now, we're still far away from the end.

Anyway, I avoided him at all costs, I didn't talk to him for weeks. I spend most of the time underwater, in my favourite lake, I could breathe underwater, so I could spend as much time there as I wanted.

I put my bathing clothes on in my room and looked in the mirror, my body was covered in scars and cuts, on my neck down to my chest and belly. Pretty much visible on the blue, yellow striped skin. I was already different, I had antennae with glowing ends and two different eye colours.and now a fake arm too. You probably think I must look weird, well, it's kind of true, but I'm also quite tall and trained, and in my opinion, my face isn't the worst, so yes, I think I'm pretty.

I grabbed my shirt and shorts and walked to the lake; it was only a few minutes away from my house.

I jumped in and laid down on a riff and held myself down with my tail, so I wouldn't drift off. I looked at the suns reflection, it was beautiful and calming, you should try that too, well only if you can breathe underwater of course.

I wanted to go out, but as soon as I reached the surface, I met Amoux's face.