Strength

Chapter Nine: Childhood

Four

One child at the age of 2 is hard to watch but add a 2 month old on top of that and I can only imagine what my mother went through.

These thoughts flood my mind distracting me from my 10 year old sister who is climbing a tree.

"Get down from there." I scold and she only laughs. "No come on it's fun!" She says and climbs higher. I sigh and swing my school bag off my shoulder setting it down on the dew covered ground. I start climbing after her but she only goes higher. Soon we reach near the top and she points at the ground. "We're so high up...." She says a nervous tone to her voice. I then notice her start to shake.

"Hey it's okay it's just high up here." I say setting a hand on her knee. I look down and feel as if the tree grew a thousand feet up. My breath hitches and I about lose my grip but she grabs my hands.

"Don't fall please!" She says shakily and I look back at her and see her cheeks wet with tears.

"I want to get down." She sniffs and I regain my grip on the branch. I nod, "come one let's go." I say and start climbing down keeping my eyes trained on the wood in front of me. I take a deep Shaky breath and soon my feet hit the ground causing me to let out a sigh of relief.

I look up and see her sitting on a lower branch with an unsure expression on her face. "Will you catch me?" She asks and I nod holding my arms out to catch her. "Promise?" "I promise." I say and with that she jumps down into my arms.

I set her down on her feet and let go of her. "I don't want to go home." She says and I nod. "I know but we have to." I say taking her hand and taking the long way home.

*******

Bella

We watch intently as a member starts throwing punches at another. A small prick of pain starts spreading to the area where the needle is being is drawing on my skin like a pencil on paper.

I cringe but continue to watch the fight going on outside.

"My bet is on the one with blue hair." She says from my side and I nod. Two girls decides to brawl it out after one chick caught the other practically sucking her boyfriend's face off.  

One has a body weight advantage but then again it's a disadvantage making them not as agile as the smaller frame girl.

"All done." Tori says and I look at the ink on my arm. I smile and stand up.

"Let's get to the dining hall before Uriah gets a hand on that bloody cake again." She says and we both walk out just as the girl with the blue hair knocks the other girl to the ground.

******

Natalie

We run across the chasm bridge back and forth to see who will fall on their hands and knees first. I end up tripping over my own feet and fall dangerously close to te edge. I look down and can't help but smile as adrenaline pumps through my body.

"Natalie!" A voice shouts and soon I'm knocked off the edge but I grip into the bright floor. "Help!" I shout at my friends as I feel my grip slipping from the water that drips on my hands.

Two sets of hands grab mine and soon I'm pulled up onto the bridge fully and helped to my feet. My eyes meet two pairs of blue eyes that look dangerously alike. "Watch where you play. Okay?" The male speaks and I nod. "I'm Ashley." The girl says and I look at her. She wears a black and white uniform.

Candor

But i only smile. "I'm Natalie."