The Walks of Life

Chapter Sixteen

"Why are you crying so, child?" A soft, feminine voice asked gently. "It wasn't you he hit."

"Why is he so mean to you?" The child sobbed. "You didn't do anything wrong!"

"Hush, child. I'm alright. It's just a little bruise. That's all," the woman reached out for the child.

"It's that nasty drink he drinks," the child cries. "It makes him hit you."

"It is not for you to worry about," The woman hushed. "Go to sleep, Charlotte."

But Charlotte didn't go to sleep. She listened to him yell and scream far into the night.

Delilah shot up. Her heart beat quickly and she was breathing heavily. She even ignored the aching in her shoulder. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Her breathing began to slow and she shook her head. It was just a dream. It wasn't even that scary now. It was just scary then.

Delilah looked at the time. It was five thirty in the morning. She decided that she felt well enough to leave he room. She definitely wasn't going back to sleep.

Delilah opened the door quietly and looked both ways down the hall. All was quiet and no one was in sight.

It was quiet for only a brief moment. She heard a loud thump come from down the hall. She raised her eyebrow and stepped forward into the hall slowly. There was another really loud thud and she started to walk faster towards the sound.

"Ah! Dad! That hurt!"

Delilah rounded he corner to see a door slightly ajar. She walked up to it quietly and peeked inside. It was a large training room. Haden and his father were training inside.

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Haden kicked off the wall and kicked Lloyd in the face. Lloyd recoiled but came back with a high knee to the chest and a high kick to Haden's face. He got him right in the nose.

"Ah! Dad that hurt!" Haden recoiled and clutched at his nose.

Lloyd ignored him and spun round for a double kick while in the air. Haden blocked both kicks with his arms and jumped back. He did a front flip and brought Lloyd down with his right foot and used his left to pin him to the floor. He brought his fist back and punched him hard. Lloyd showed no sign of pain. Haden was about to punch him again but Lloyd grabbed his wrist. He pulled it to Haden's opposite side and kneed him in the stomach. He threw Haden off and kicked up to a standing position.

Haden scrambled up and repositioned his fists. Lloyd took the offensive this time. Lloyd jumped forward but down. His hand glided along the floor as he swept his legs underneath Haden's legs. Haden saw it coming and flipped upwards into a backflip. He grabbed Lloyd's wrist as he flipped over him and threw him into the nearby wall as he landed.

"Ah!" Lloyd showed the first signs of pain by clutching at his shoulder. Haden's eyes widened and he looked panicked.

"Dad! Are you okay? I didn't mean to-"

Haden was silenced by a sudden blow to the jaw. Lloyd swung round, kicked him full on in the chest, and sent him flying into the nearby punching bag.

"Never stop to see if your enemy is alright," Lloyd commanded sternly but evenly. "They won't do the same for you. You can't afford to be distracted."