Winter's Academy

Chapter Seven: Fight for Life

Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it with use.

- Ruth Gordon

"I mean that you can't write for peanuts!" Alec – that's why Max was yelling.

"Excuse me?! Why do you even care what my writing looks like? I'm just taking notes!"

"Notes that no one will ever be able to read."

"So what?! I can read it!"

"And what about the rest of us?"

"Us? There is no us!"

"Are all women this pathetic?" Sniped Alec.

"At least we can use both sides of our brains!"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Quiet!" Lucida shouted, "Or take it outside!"

"What's with all the yelling?" A voice entered the room,

"Angelo right?" Asked Max, "Maybe you can show your friend respect to women!" That made Alec angry,

"Bite me bi-"

"Hey! You even attempt calling my friend that and you will need someone else to wipe your rear for the rest of your life!" I don't know where that came from, but insulting my friends goes beyond the limit. I was ready to rip his head off – among other things.

I had a sudden outburst of energy,

"Shut your mouth and don't open it until I say so!" He didn't reply to me, but the frustration on his face, it was like he wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Um, Eva?" Lucida began, "I think you did something to him."

"No I didn't. He's fine." But that's when he started waving his arms around.

"Eva, what did you say your gift was again?" Max questioned, didn't she already know? That's when I remembered –

"I didn't." I looked at him as he fell to the floor like a child and started bashing the ground like he was having a fit. "You can talk." I said,

"Like that's going to work- Hey! I can talk!" Alec stood up and went beside Angelo, "What the hell did you do to me anyway?"

"I didn't do anything!" I said defensively. Did I do something though? This was concerning.

"Hell yeah you did! You said 'shut you mouth' and I couldn't open it!" The suddenly burst of energy that overcame me, is that what happened?

"Eva," Max began, "What is your gift?" I couldn't speak right away, what was my power? My gift. I couldn't understand it at all. I can talk to my reflection – that's all. But I could also make people do what I wanted? That was crazy! "Eva, did you hear me?"

"I don't know." I answered truthfully before leaving the library.

This was way over the top. All those students – each of them I hated so much. Did I kill them? No. Not possible – I was always angry with them, but nothing like what happened just then in the library. I had to think this through. What was my power exactly? I was still walking down the hall when,

"Hey, Eva." Vivian? What did she want? "Interesting tournament you set up, what's the occasion?" Why did she always have to ask so many questions?! She was really starting to annoy me

"There isn't one." I said, pushing past her. That's right – I almost forgot the fight was starting tomorrow.

I arrived at my door minutes after my encounter with Vivian. When I opened my door I saw I note on the ground – must have been slipped under the door frame. It read: Many students have signed up for the fight tomorrow – I hope you know what you are doing. – Your father. The Chairman, I wrote on the poster that all entries were to sign their names to the Chairman. I guess my idea is a hit – literally. I felt anger building up in me again – time to take some meds.