When Lightning Strikes

Chapter 6 part 1

Chapter 6- Do I Have Time For Love?



Every single day every single person was preparing for a battle that by now seemed inevitable. We didn't just prepare our shelters and things; we went through long tiring hours of training.

Brianna and Aaron worked together to construct a training course that was very stressful and demanding. All of us that would be fighting on the frontlines would run laps around the clearing that now seemed crowded with people that had pledged to help the three of us and particularly me. Afterward we would practice our hand-to-hand combat, this is highly important without accessible weapons besides small handy pocket knives. Everyone who had a pocket knife kept it close at hand as the days grew colder as well as filled with tension.

A few weeks into training the weather turned bitter cold and several of our recruits fell very ill. Sarah was so worried about them.

"Lightning, what if they die under our protection," she asks me pulling blankets around a young girl named Courtney who had heard about us through an older girl from school. Courtney was about my age with medium dirty blonde hair and blue eyes.

Up until now she had been one of our most promising fighters. If she died out here in the bitter winter the hope we have been kindling for so long would seem to go out like a light.

"I'll fetch Emily and see what she can do," I tell Sarah not bothering to give her a sideways glance out of fear of what I might see.

Everyone was beginning to grow hungry now that we couldn't find food in the freezing conditions. Once in a while Garrett was able to make trips into town to buy food and occasionally other materials we might need.

Sarah's bright blue eyes that were always filled with love and compassion were now dim and lifeless, and her always present smile was no where to be found.

We had limited the amount of outings to town because we had suffered a few more attacks from my father and his mob of strong men, my sister along with a few of her best friends, and even once I had caught a glance of my mother fighting alongside them.

' Since then Brianna has organized a guard watch that included everybody but Emily and people who were to sick to function properly. I quietly ducked outside of the shelter that Sarah, Courtney, and I now shared I silently made my way to Emily's tent. On watch duty were Sabrina and a young man Garrett had recruited named William. I nodded to them so they new I was out of my shelter so they know I hadn't gone missing.

Emily had brought a sturdy tent with her when Brianna had recruited her to help us. It had thick fabric and could fit almost six people in it at one time.

"Emily?" I said like I was asking to come in. In reply she stuck her head outside the flap and greeted me with a shaky smile.

"Hello Lightning I'm not too terribly busy at the moment so if there's anything wrong I'd be happy to help," she could probably see the look of worry and doubt in my eyes.

"That's why I'm here actually, the girl who has been sharing our shelter with Sarah and I, well her fever has gotten much worse," I inform Emily with a look of helplessness.

"I'm so sorry about that. Would you like to come inside?" she asks me gesturing toward the large tent.

I agree thankful to get out of the cold, but instead of feeling relief from the cozy tent I find only horror. Several people around my age and older were splayed out on mats of all kinds. Two of them, boys Garrett knew were on regular store bought sleeping mats. Another girl was on a mat that looked as if it was made of woven grass, her dark brown hair was matted and caked with sweat as she lay there only half contuse to the world and her eyes were half closed.

I had to hold back a gasp of fear as I tried to make my self comfortable in the tent that smelled like vomit.

"Is there anything you can do for Courtney or the others?" I whisper to Emily so as not to wake the others who were trying to heal.

Her face clouded with worry, "Well we could take them all into town and get them professional medical help," she suggested eyeing the two young men who were stripped of clothing from the top half of their bodies.

"No!" I almost shout before I catch myself. "If we take them to the hospital in town the police we question them about where they've been and about all the teenagers and adults disappearing or running away," I explain to Emily even though my heart was telling me they did need real health treatment.

"Okay," Emily agreed with a solemn sigh. "I'll just have to ration the fever medicine and hope they pull through."

I force myself to nod in agreement, and then wrench my terrified eyes off of the unconscious victims who were still trying to help me. I hate it when people sacrifice things for me. You would think because of my past I'd adore people trying to help me, but at this point it's gone too far.

I clench my hands into freezing cold fists as I duck back outside the tent and head toward the other side of the clearing where Garrett's and Aaron's tent was. I'd had an idea for numerous days but everyone's been so busy I had no time to tell anybody about it.

I almost ran head-on into Garrett as he burst through the opening of his tent. I flew back startled at his fastness, he greeted me with a hug and slightly shy smile.

"I saw you coming and I just couldn't wait to see you," he gushed wrapping his arms around my neck "we've had so little time to spend together."

"Actually I'm not off training duty for the less experienced fighters," I say with a frown. "I do have a great idea that would hopefully benefit everyone though."

"Let's hear it then, Light," Garrett says a little too cheerfully, "I could use some good news at the moment." he adds grabbing my hand and pulling me inside his warmer tent.

"I was thinking that maybe... once a week our entire group could hold a meeting to discuss our progress on battle preparations," I let out all in one breath.

"That's great! Should I tell Brianna so she can spread the word to everyone else?" Garrett offers as the hard expression on his face seems to soften.

"That would be really helpful, but tell them to meet all around the old stump just after sunset when the group C trainees are done for the day," I quickly say before Garrett races off to find Brianna in the unorganized maze of tents and shelters.

Brianna and I intelligently classified our recruits into different groups. The fighters in group A were most experienced fighters, while the fighters in group C were least skilled and least experienced. None of us were very experienced as it is, so everything anyone has learned so far was mostly self taught.

Until a few days ago I had been training intensively along with the rest of group A, but I had the idea to make the better skilled fighters help those more in need of education.

I arrived at the sandy ground part of the clearing where most of the recruits went through their training. I wasn't the only member of group A helping out with the recruits in group C to my relief when I met up with the group C trainees I found Aaron waiting there as well.

I wave slightly to him in greeting, and then turn to see the group C beginners. There were for of them not including Aaron or me. Among them were Nicole the shy girl Brianna had brought here and another girl who was introduced as Ashlyn, Nicole's best friend. There were also two young boys with the as well. The first was Trevor, he decided to fight for us because his parents use to be abusive before his father left him and his mother alone. The other boy's name was Eric; he was tall and strong with dark black curly hair. He wouldn't be in group C if he wasn't so uncoordinated.

I stood in the middle of the group that clustered around Aaron and I waiting for further instructing Aaron and I both exchange glances that confirms were ready. I nod signaling that I'll start.

"Today I hope I will see definite improvement in all of us," I began my heart pounding in so much fear of being in control of something for the first time. "You all know both some defensive moves and attack moves, but now here's where the real work begins," I inform them their eyes still glued to the spot.

"I want all of you to pair up, doesn't matter who as long as we all have partners, and put on a mock fight far enough away from the other groups," this was the best idea I had since both groups B and A were already working on this for over two weeks.

"Our goal here is to get use to applying defense and attack moves together," I scanned the small crowd to see if everyone was ready and luckily nobody had questions. "When your opponent has been on the ground for ten seconds or more that means the other partner has lost. When you are done you may stay with your partner and discuss your fighting techniques, after all when we fight we'll be fighting together not as individuals," I add just before turning to Aaron.

Since me and Aaron were the only group A trainees we decided to be partners, otherwise it wouldn't be a fair fight. It occurred to me that when were on the battlefield it wouldn't be a fair fight, so what did it matter anyway? I abruptly threw that thought out of my mind. Even if we lost the battle we still had to try, right?

Aaron's stern voice shakes me back out of my thoughts "ready?" he asks just before our pretend battle.

I was the first to lunge with me being smaller and faster. I avoided a powerful blow from his right arm by ducking underneath then swerving to the side. I swiftly whirl around so that my back was turned away from Aaron for no more than a split second. He slams his left shoulder into my chest. It catches me off balance and it knocks me backwards, but I still stay on my feet.

He's slowly pushing me backwards as I desperately try to remember what I had learned in the past weeks of training. I manage to land a hit to the left side of his head. You never did anything hard in training unless you had to. Again I leap at him trying to make a move toward his gut, but instead I catch a glimpse of Aaron's foot shoot forward and trip me. I tumble to the sandy earth.

In an instant I instinctively roll to the side to steer clear of Aaron's attempt to hold me on the ground. I heave myself back onto my feet and hope the fight is not lost.

Aaron informs to my delight I was only on the ground for four seconds. I had to be careful, if he knocked me on the ground again for six more seconds I'd be out.

He made the first move this time. He grasped my right arm wrapped his left leg around mine, and then he almost succeeded in flipping me over onto my back. Instead, I used my right leg to trip him. I was almost impressed he was on the ground for three seconds.

The fight went on like this for what seemed like ages. We seemed to be tied until Aaron had forced me up against a small tree at the edge of the clearing. From there he shoved me down to the ground and I lost. I glanced up to see Aaron's exhausted but relieved face.

"Nice job!" he remarks offering me his hand to help me up. I take it and brush the frozen frosty earth from my tattered clothing. I raise my head to see the sun so I could tell what time of the day it was, and to my amazement the sun had just started to disappear behind the treetops.

I took a quick look of the clearing around us to know weather the group C trainees were done or not. I never imagined that Aaron and I could have fought so well as to attract a crowd. The group C trainees who had been training with us lined up to watch what must have been a very impressive battle.

In the crowd I also saw Sarah and a friend she had made from group B. Sarah was a good fighter and a fast learner, but she wasn't very out going and she liked to help others. I also didn't want her to get hurt, so if she was in group B, then she would have less of a chance of getting wounded.

I waved nervously to the undersized crowd and Sarah waved back. Several of the people cheered Aaron and I on which made an actual smile cross my face. I raised my voice over the quiet murmurs from the astonished group.

"I'm sure all of you have done well today," I begin my voice proud and sturdy. "Now I think there is room for even more improvement, so we will now take ideas and suggestions from everyone," I add as I notice some of the people in the crowd start to nod in agreement.

"In just a few minuets we will hold a war meeting discussing different strategies and ideas." "Tell everyone about the meeting, but if you don't want to go you don't have to, however you are recommended to come along and see what you can help with or offer," I finish my speech and then stroll over the area by the stump where the meeting will be held.

Unexpectedly almost everyone who could come showed up. Brianna, Garrett all sat on the stump together. My hand was lovingly intertwined with Garrett's just as we were about to begin. Everyone crouched nervously on the crisp cold evening grass around the ancient stump.

Fortunately Garrett told me he would start of the war meeting. I always hated being the center of attention, because if I simply blended into my surroundings my father would never have a reason to beat me. He always found a way around this anyway.

"We are all here to be united against an evil force ant to fight for what's right!" Garrett started off his voice powerful and strong as ever. "Tonight we won't just take suggestions from the top fighters and guards, no we will work together as one to create a well ordered plan that could never fail us in our hour of need!" Garrett's last few words were met with a few electrified cheers.

"Who would like to start us all off on our plan making?" Brianna asked raising her head up to pear through the darkness at the crowd of young able bodied people.

"I would," came a tough tone of voice of a young man from the front of the crowd. I was glad to see it was Aaron rather then someone I didn't know.

"How do you suppose we can go into battle with confidence without any weapons?" Aaron demands glancing at the people around him who seem to agree.

"I think we do need weapons, but we can't just go out and buy guns or anything," I put in staring at Garrett hopeful he would have an idea.

Aaron nods understandingly then suggests optimistically, "Yes, I know, but if we can't buy them maybe we can make them."

I recalled Garrett's words about his friend; he's good with his hands. I nod then ask him more details about his ideas, "What might you be able to make?"

"I can make spears, and possibly bows if I can find the right kind of wood," Aaron response, uneasiness in his manly tone.

"After you have bettered your spear making skills I would like you to pick a few group A recruits and have them train with you on how to use them," I add just before he nods and sits down again.

At the meeting I felt as if our amazing little army broke lots of new ground and made many new improvements. I had Nicole the shy group C trainee approach me and ask for some training advice. I told her one simple thing. When you're out there defending your own life, just remember one thing, one thing you love most could be at risk and you have to fight with everything you've got to protect it.

After the meeting everyone started too retreat to their shelters and I was about to do the same when Garrett pulled me aside. "Lightning I love you so much and I'm just beginning to realize it, so I would like to take you somewhere where you can just leave your past for a moment and gain a fresh start," he whispers his voice cracking with emotion.

I agree whole heartedly and let him take me by the hand and lead me through the peaceful quiet woods.