Sinister Kid

I Get Wicked

"Will you explain me what is wrong?"

Gregory was standing next to me,watching me as I threw one knife after another at the targets.

"Nothing is wrong." I answered,as I was getting ready to throw another knife.

I fight for revenge,my earlier words echoed inside my head.Bullseye.Gregory was ecstatic with my small success but I didn't pay any attention to his hand that was patting my back in encouragement.My eyes remained fixated on Alex and Aidan,who were chatting a few meters away.Aidan was as friendly as ever but Alex's forced smile gave away the fact that either he didn't like Aidan or he just wasn't as skilled in socialising as he was with a sword.I decided to go with the second option since there wasn't anything about Aidan that could possibly make a person dislike him.That was when I remembered my little talk with Alex.He had been following our "plan".It is important that I do the same.

"Beginner's luck." I stated,shooting a quick glance at Gregory,as I walked towards Leon.He was getting better with his axe.Well,we have been training for 3 hours non stop.If he hadn't improved even a little bit,it would have been a worrying fact.He stopped hitting the dummies once he spotted me and greeted me with a warm smile.It was so hard imagining him in a battlefield.

"Hey." I waved at him shyly.I was never good at this.Never will be,I guess.

I crossed my arms in the awkward silence that followed.His trainer left us alone,walking over to my trainer.

"So...How's your axe?" was the only question that popped right away in my head.

"It's...okay,I guess.I'm getting better at it.How is your training going?"

"Good.I...Well I managed to hit the center of the target just now.Lucky coincidence I guess.But on the other hand,I always had good aim so..." I stopped talking when I realised how much I was giving away.Not that I was afraid Leon would use my little facts against me.The whole process of opening up to people is weird and complicated to me.It made me look weak.But then again the fact that I had good aim was true and it didn't make me look weak at all.If anything else,maybe it could guarantee my survival.I shook my head to clear my thoughts so faintly it seemed like I didn't even move at all.

Focus,I reminded myself,setting my eyes on Leon's bright green ones.

He looked at me like he was fighting an inner battle and it took him a couple of minutes before he spoke again.

"You know...It's just crazy."

"What is crazy?"

"All of this.What we're doing.A few days ago we were with our families and friends and now...They expect us to become soldiers.They didn't even ask us."

"Don't you want to fight?"

His eyes widened in horror as he left the axe down on the floor.

"No,Alaska.I am terrified.I don't want to die."

"Nobody does."

"This...this war we're being forced into...I don't want to kill them."

"They're monsters,Leon.You don't have a choice."

"They were people once."

"Once they come after you,you're going to change your mind." I let out a sarcastic chuckle as the memories of my last encounter with a mutant crept up on me.When it comes to your life or a stranger's...We know what most people choose.

 Leon finally let his axe down on the floor and then proceeded to blankly stare at the targets.

"How did it feel?" he whispered,his expression scared yet mixed with something that looked like awe.

"How did what feel?" I asked dumbly.

"You know...That one." 

That one.Some people would be confused.However,as soon as Leon said that one I knew what he was referring to.Blank white eyes were staring back at me,from far away.It seemed so...unnatural that these things happened just 2-3 days ago.

"It felt good." was the only sentence I could form and it was the truth.He didn't look scared.Just confused beyond words.

'You'll see what I'm talking about."

Oh,he would.Everyone would see when the time came.Once you shut that part of yourself that is called 'conscience' down,you can do everything.I do not feel guilty for killing a living being in such a cold-blooded manner.Guilt means you realise you did something wrong.

And I did absolutely nothing wrong.

As my mind wanders off,a loud thud brings me back to my senses and I immediately turn around.

Someone is training in hand-to-hand combat,apparently.I recognize the messy black hair.

Of course Alex wouldn't hesitate to beat the living shit out of somebody,even his own trainer,if given the chance.As I watch the two of them wrestle,attempting various headlocks and throwing each other down without anyone getting actually injured,a lump makes its way to my throat.I have started feeling uneasy.My eyes follow Alex's right hand which starts to form a fist.His fingers curl towards the center of his palm slowly,as if he holds an invisible object which he crushes slowly.

My eyes widen in shock as high school memories come rushing back to me and it dawned on me.

I have seen Alex before I arrived at Base Zero.

I know who he is.