SINAH- Skill Is Not A Hierarchy

Head West

Of course, as Jonsin walked home from school that night, he was completely oblivious to the action involving him on the faraway rooftops. He was worn out from his afternoon workout, but more so from the stress involving school beforehand. The whole year, he had not passed a single simulation whereas the other students seemed to blow through the daily test with ease. If this kept going, he would never make it into the guardian's branch. Everything he did to get into the school would have been for nothing.

He tried not to remember such things as he unlocked the door to his house, but the memories barged into his mind anyway.

Jonsin could hear the loud voices of his parents as he opened the door to his home. He was used to this by now. His parents had often argued, mostly about things along the lines of financial issues and their jobs. But this time, Jonsin was surprised to hear his own name being mentioned. He had never heard them argue about him before, as he was left out of most of their quarrels. 

He inched closer to the kitchen where they were having their words without making a sound. Listening in, he was able to catch the major gist of their conversation.

" He isn't ready for something like that yet," came the voice of his mother, "he wouldn't be able to handle it."

"That's what the academy is for!" came his father. "To teach him how to handle it. He has a Trace, Sarin! What are the odds of  our child having a Trace?" 

"Sending him to that academy will ruin his chances of having a normal childhood and a normal education. And for what? The chance to fight monsters that have left us alone for decades?"

"Honey, you know we don't have a choice anyway. They've more than likely found us already. SINAH is full of people that will protect him. It's the only safe place for him now"

Jonsin's heart skipped a beat as he realized what they were talking about.

They were talking about sending him to SINAH Academy- the most successful academy in the world for training kids with the Trace. He could grow up to be a Guardian!

But... what did his father mean by "the only safe place"? Was someone after him?

He heard his father shuffling out of the kitchen and he ran to his room and shut the door. 

He took off his shoes and slumped down with his back against the door. All the worries about danger drained from his mind to be replaced by a single question.

Could I really go to SINAH Academy?

It had been his one dream since he was little to go to that academy. To become a guardian and fight monsters would have been the coolest thing ever. But from what he heard, SINAH was in a lost town that no one could reach unless the bus came to them personally. So how did his father plan to "send" him there? He decided he would sleep on it

The next morning, a large quake sent him flying out of his bed against his will. He hit the floor hard, unable to tell if he injured himself in the process. A loud scream rang throughout the house that he recognized immediately. His mom. Jonsin got up and opened his door, only to fall forward as the house shook violently. Once again he got to his feet, disoriented, and stumbled to the kitchen. He could hear the ceiling crashing down behind him, and he could feel the ground quaking beneath his feet. What the hell was going on?

It wasn't until he reached the kitchen that he saw it.

A woman, crumbled in a ball on the floor with her back to him. His house was falling apart. He knew he had to get this lady out of there. He reluctantly grabbed her shoulder and immediately regretted it. Anguish washed over him as he finally came to terms with who this person was. 

"No..."

Suddenly, he felt himself being lifted off of the ground and carried away from the house at a run. He felt fresh air but they kept running until the neighborhood was far behind them. Eventually, they reached a bus stop and his father set him down on his feet and looked him in the eye.

"Listen to me carefully, son." He said, clearly hiding the grief in his voice. "I promise to explain everything to you someday but right now you need to do exactly as I tell you."

Jonsin nodded and his dad grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him around. 

"Head west. Run, and don't you dare stop running no matter what happens, no matter how exhausted you get. Not until you see a green school bus. Understand?"

Jonsin didn't understand at all.

"But why-" he started to ask only to be interrupted by his father raising his voice.

"Just do it! Go! There's no time-"

He heard a sickening thud and felt a warm splatter on the back of his neck. He bit his lip, and tears streamed down his face as he tried with all his willpower not to turn around and see why his dad just went silent. 

And then he ran. He ran in the direction his father had told him. He ran until his feet bled and then kept running. He ran away from the corpses of his mother in the kitchen and his father at-

No.

He wouldn't allow himself to believe it yet. So he just kept running, clearing his mind of everything but what his father told him to wait for. The green bus.