I am broken ~ divergent eric

Chapter Seven

'Everyone, get next to a target. We're going to practice knives.' Eric shouts. Like last time, I get a place next to Jac, Ember and Red. Just as Eric's about to demonstrate how to throw knives, Four walks into the training room and comes towards us. He stops next to Eric, a little too close to him, and Eric takes a step away from him. 'Allow me.' Four says to Eric. Eric moves to the side, signalling Four to continue. He picks up one of the knives and twirls it in his throwing hand. Then, he grips it firmly, and focuses his eyes right in the centre of the target. He stays like that for a few seconds, then the knife flies through the air and hits the bulls eye. 'And just like that.' Four says more to himself than us. 'What are you waiting for? Go!' Eric calls out.

I grab a knife from the table behind me, and hold it like Four had. I get into my throwing stance, and grip the knife tightly. I inhale and exhale, closing my eyes for a few seconds, but opening them straight after. My eyes focus on the red dot in the centre of the target and I breathe in and out again, keeping my heartbeat steady. I take a firm hold of the knife, before throwing it and letting it cut through the air. It slots right in the centre of the target. One down, two to go. I take the second knife and get into my throwing stance again. I keep my heartbeat as steady as my hand as I inhale and exhale with closed eyes. I open them and focus in the middle of the target, but slightly to the right avoiding my last knife. I breathe in and out then throw the knife. It hits the target next to the first knife, but to the right. Right where I wanted it. While snatching the last knife I get into my throwing stance for a final time. My eyes lock with the spot to the left of my first knife. Breathe in, breathe out. After wrapping my fingers around the knife for the last time, I launch the knife at the target.

And, for the third time, the knife lands right where I want it to. I hear a grunt of approval behind me, and I turn towards its owner. Piercing, blue eyes? Check. Tatoos? Check. Serious expression on his face? Check. If you haven't guessed already - It's Eric. 'Would you please translate that to English? I don't speak 'Eric'.' I say. Eric stares at me, but doesn't answer. 'This is just me, but it sounded like the equivalent of 'pretty good'. Is that what it meant?' I ask. Eric continues staring. 'Do I have something on my face?' I question. 'No.' Eric says. 'It speaks.' I reply. He shakes his head then carries on pacing up and down behind everyone's backs. Well, okay then. I decide to just shake what happened off.

Eric walks out of the training room and Four tells us the gather around. 'We're going to practice shooting. Your targets with be old punching bags, and as for the guns, Eric's gone to get them.' So that's what he left for. Four takes us onto the roof, and we all stand in front of a punching bag. As Four explains the basics of how to hold a gun, Eric walks onto the roof carrying a duffel bag. He drops it on the floor and unzips it, showing all of the guns he must've gone to get. 'Pick a gun, stand at your target, practice shooting.' Eric orders. I'm first in line, and I pick an average weight assault rifle. After taking the gun, I go back to my target and hold it properly, looking at the target through the scope.

Once everyone's stood back in front of their target Eric shouts 'Go!' and the shooting begins. I look through the scope using my left eye, handling the gun in my right hand with my left hand to sturdy it. I aim for the heart, and a small hole appears to the left of the dummy's chest. Next, I aim for the hip, and successfully make another hole appear where I want it to. For the last shot, I aim for the eye, one - I want to see other people's reactions, and two - It's practice just in case I might actually need to shoot someone in the eye, for some odd reason. I shoot and the hole appears, just like the other two. This time, there's no grunt of approval, no. I get both instructors watching me, not just Eric.

'You can shoot.' Four says. 'Yeah, I practiced at home.' Four looks at me funny. He's thinking - where'd you get the guns from? 'I used a BB gun, I got it for my fifteenth birthday. Don't ask.' I say to them. Eric and Four nod. Four walks straight away, leaving Eric. Eric, also goes to walk away, but stops next to me. 'Good job. Keep it up and you'll be in first place. You better know how to fight.' He whispers into my ear. 'Oh, don't worry about me. You might need to worry about everyone else though, they'll be in the infirmary by the time that I'm done with them.' Eric chuckles as he walks away, leaving me alone again. Why does he do that?