¶My War To Fight·Eric Coulter¶ #Wattys2017

¶Chapter·10¶

Rosianna Matthews

We are all sitting at the table in silence. Just plain silence. Word has spread around about the remains of the body and I just can't stop getting that picture out of my head. It reminds me so much of her.

It was all so hazy after I saw the body splash into the current. I just felt someone dragging me to the Dining Hall and seating me down at a table. Then I realise that it was Quinn, she brought me to the Dining Hall in hopes she would fill my empty stomach. But honestly, the food is tasteless and I'm not sure if I'm even chewing it before I swallow it. Eating is hard right now because I can feel the bile rising up my throat but I still have to force it down. I will not screw up my initiation just because I saw a dead body. I will not become factionless just because I can't accept death.

Somehow, Quinn manages to make me finish my lunch and even hydrate my body with water. I feel a bit better now, I think.

"We still have to get to the training room Ro, training is until 6pm remember? And then you have that detention thingy Eric and Max came up with." Hums Quinn to me softly like a mother talking to a child who's on the verge of throwing a tantrum.

I just nod my head and proceed to the training room. Once there, Quinn and I see a table in the middle of the room and Four standing beside it. On the table are 10 guns, not including Four's. The number is just right for us initiates, we're going to practice shooting a gun today. I can't help but feel a chill run down my spine, but it's no ordinary chill. It's a chill of all the time in my 16 years of walking on this planet Earth, the moment I've been waiting for has finally arrive. I've been waiting for this lesson my whole life.

Four picks up the guns and distributes them to all of us respectively. I feel the coldness of the gun against the palm of my hand, the weight of it as I am carrying it. I can't wait to try it.

Four stands in the middle of the crowd and demonstrates to us the correct way of using the powerful weapon that I'm holding. Although I am quite positive there are many other equally powerful or more powerful weapons stashed safely somewhere around the compound, probably in the armoury. But right now, I feel as if this is the most powerful one. One that I can master. I'm not sure how to put this in words.

As soon as Four is done demonstrating, many initiates are rubbing their ears as the sound of the gunshot is quite loud. I simply smile at them, fools who don't know how much that gunshot sounds like music to my ears.

I take my place in front of one of the targets and stand with my feet apart just like how Four did just now in his demonstration. I then square my shoulders, rack the gun and pull the trigger. The shot sends my body coiling back but before I could hit anything, I felt a strong chest behind me holding me in place so that I don't fall down on my butt because of the impact.

When I turn around to face the person, my face slightly pales. My mouth hangs open, no words coming out until Eric pushes my mouth close with his pointer and middle finger while saying. "Watch it, you're going to catch flies if you keep it open any longer."

I quickly turn around, not wanting to face him because in my eyes (no matter how much I wanted that boy dead) he is the killer for that poor soul. I can feel goosebumps raising on my skin. I gulp and don't say a word.

He then grabs my hands in his and firmly grips the gun, with his hands on top of mine. I couldn't focus on shooting, I keep thinking back to how those hands are the reason a family just lost their treasure --- a son.

I close my eyes and let him take control of my hands and the shooting. He shoots the gun a number of times and from the beginning till the end, my eyes are completely shut. He must have noticed this and leans over to my ear to say, "Why are you closing your eyes?"

"I didn't want him dead, Eric." Is my only reply and I roughly remove my body from his. Suddenly not wanting him anywhere near me at all.

"But doesn't that make you closer to the rankings? Shouldn't you be happy?" He asks with a devilish smirk on his face.

"Oh, I'm very happy indeed. Can you see it in the smile Eric?" I fire back at him while putting on a smile that's mixed with hatred and so many other emotions all mangled up together.

"Remember Eric, anyone can fake a smile." I say to him and walk away from him, searching for another target that's not occupied to practice, without him breathing down my neck.

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¶Carrot·Pony¶