Spies In Disguise: The Skills and the Spies (#2)

Chapter 20: Spies Learn Self Defense

The first thing I see when I walk into the science lab is everyone in my class dancing to "Y.M.C.A.", and so is Mr. Steadman.

"YEAH! OH YEAH!" Mr. Steadman bellows as he does some rather stupid dance moves.

"Uhh...okay then," I mutter, as I quickly head over to my desk to put down my binders and pencilcases.

I go over and stand next to Norma and Natasha. I look more closely, and realize that there's a projector projecting a Y.M.C.A. Just Dance video on the screen ahead.

"So we're just dancing to Y.M.C.A.?" I say blankly.

"Yeah, that's right," Norma confirms. "Mr. Steadman said that if we dance well, then he might get us to dance to Y.M.C.A. for the school talent show."

"He's not serious about that, is he?" I ask fearfully.

"I don't think he is," shrugs Natasha. "He's never serious about anything."

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Later that week, on Saturday, we're learning self defense with Katrina.

"First of all, why is it important that we're learning self defense?" Katrina asks, and looks at both of us expectantly.

"Uh, because we want to defend ourselves?" I suggest.

"Not just that," Katrina says. "It's because you don't want a creeper to force you into the creeper van, leading to the creeper trailer, next to a creeper river!"

"Wow. Okay," I mutter.

"Do any of you walk home alone, or go anywhere alone?" Katrina asks us.

Maddie and I shake our heads in reply.

"Good. When you're travelling, it's always important to have one or two other people with you. A large group is better," Katrina nods in approval. "Remember, your voice is always your first line of defense. What's your first line of defense?"

"Your voice!" Maddie and I chorus.

"Good. Self defense is never about strength, it is about technique," Katrina says. "Just because you're stronger may not mean that you'll be able to get away quickly. So, when you're aiming a punch, a kick, or whatever, you always scream 'NO!' at the top of your lungs, and when you're free from the bad guy, you scream 'FIRE!'"

"But why do we scream 'Fire' if there's no fire?" Maddie frowns.

"People are more likely to help you if you say that instead of 'Help'," Katrina replies.

"Seriously?" I frown.

"That's right," nods Katrina. "Whenever you are defending yourself, you should always be in your defensive stance after you strike your punch, kick, whatever. Get into the defensive stance now."

Maddie and I get into the defensive stance, and we wait for Katrina to tell us what to do."

"On the count of three, I want you to jab your first punch - punch with your left hand first, then your right. As soon as you're done punching with your left hand, do it with your right hand. I'll tell you when to stop punching. And scream 'No' at the top of your lungs as you punch. One - two - three -" Katrina counts.

"N....o!" Maddie and I say rather quietly, but our punching is decent, and then we start laughing and get out of our defensive stances.

"Well, we still have time to improve on the shouting," Katrina sighs.

When we've somewhat improved on the voices and the punching, Katrina tells us where we should hit our attackers, and then she shows us the wrist grab. Well, more like what should we do if our attacker grabs us by the wrist.