Witch Hunt #Wattys2018

Chapter 8

My training, at first didn't change much. Seraphina pushed me a little harder. But I accounted that to her just being a worried friend. Then, as the days went on, and the weather began to get colder, she began to push me harder and harder. I had begun to think something was up, but my suspicions were confirmed when Michael attended one of our training sessions.

The first day, he said nothing, he only stood on the edge. Directly across from the oak tree I threw my knife at for months. There were still days Seraphina would have me throw. "To make sure you don't forget how too." She would say when I asked why.

Every time Seraphina knocked me down, I would see Michael shaking his head out of the corner of my eye. It made me want to succeed even more. For the first time, I knocked her down that day. With a blow to the side of her ribs, I knocked the air out of her, giving me the ability to kick her feet out from under her.

Michael gave no reaction.

The next day, he gave me small tips. When to duck. When to hit. What to look for. This went on for a week. Then one day, Seraphina didn't come. Just me and Michael in the clearing. By then the ground was nearly completely covered in leaves, and the grass had died.

"Where's Seraphina?" I asked, when she didn't follow him into the clearing.

"Today it will just be you and me." He answered. I gulped

While I had never fought him, I had seen him fight off Mira, I knew he was very skilled.

"Punch me." He said, without further instructions.

My feet took their spots in the stance Seraphina had taught me. I pulled my fist back to punch him, and before I had the chance to punch him, he had grabbed my other arm. He yanked my arm to the ground, pulling the rest of my body with it. I rolled onto my back, with Michael above me.

I was brought to another time I was in such a situation. It was night then, and it wasn't Michael above me. It was Thomas.

A part, in the very back of my mind knew that it wasn't real. It couldn't be real, but it was. I felt the warm summer night air. The wood under me felt just as rough as it did the first time.

Thomas was on top of me. I felt his hand creeping up my leg, his other one clasped roughly above my mouth. All I felt was an overwhelming sense of fear. I couldn't process anything else.

Then Thomas's hand wasn't on leg and over my mouth. They both clutched my shoulders. "Rose?" He yelled, but Michael's voice came out.

I wasn't on the dock, I was in the clearing. It was the middle of the day, the sun peaked through the gaps between leaves. I felt frozen to the bone, I wasn't sure if I could move. Michael still had hold of my shoulders, "Rose?" He asked, "Rose are you ok?"

I pulled myself out of his grasped and asked, "What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me." He answered giving me a concerned look, "You froze, and started screaming."

I had been screaming. That I knew. I didn't know why I was suddenly on the dock, with Thomas on top of me.

Michael stood up, "I think I need to take you to Eliana." He said offering me his hand

I didn't take the hand, instead shakily standing up myself, "No. I'm fine-"

"No your not." He said, "That wasn't a suggestion either."

I followed him back to the village and to the small cabin that the nurses worked in. We found Elisana in the same room she was in the last time I had been in that building.

"Michael" She greeted with a smile as he walked in, the smile vanishing when she caught sight of me, "Rose!" She cried, "You're as pale as death!"

She ushered me to the stiff cot, and pressed her hand against my forehead. Michel explained what had happened as she cleaned off the dried sweat from my face.