The Battle for Abyssinia (COMPLETED)

Chapter 6 - The Meeting

Everybody came to the meeting the next day. Even Uthman. They went to a small room with a lot of chairs. It was near the Kitchen and was used for Adam and his sister's private education.

The General made everybody sit down in a chair, except Uthman. They all were facing at the piece of parchment on the wall. The General came to the board and said, "Welcome everybody. I recruited you all to come on a mission with me. You men are the youngest lads to come on these missions. So, I'll brief you on what we do and the safety rules."

Hassan groaned and said, "Why does everybody always make safety rules as if we're going to kill ourselves."

The General said, "These rules were made specifically for you, Hassan. And if you don't kill yourself..." Umar mouthed 'which is highly unlikely'. "...how about if somebody is trying to kill you?"

Hassan said, "Well if somebody is - and I know this from personal experience - you won't be thinking about safety rules."

The General shook his head and said, "Regardless, we're going over it. Number one. And this one is for you Hassan. No blowing stuff up."

He wrote that on the parchment with his quill. Hassan threw his hands up and said, "That's like saying that Zaid can't use the toilet! It's a physical need! Very essential to my body."

The General said, "How in the world is that essential to your – you know what? Forget I asked that question." Yasir went to Uthman and whispered to him, "Do something about Hassan. Scare him in to shutting up."

Hassan said, "Secrets, secrets are no fun, unless you tell everyone."

Umar said with a crazed expression, "Than it's not a secret."

Uthman put on his hood and took out his bow. He nocked an arrow onto his bow string and said coldly, "One more word out of your mouth and Hassan, you'll have an arrow in the left calf. That's where it hurts."

Everybody in the room straightened up in their chair. They were all frightened, except Khalid. Hassan was frightened, but not as much as the rest of the room. "Isn't that illegal or something?"

Uthman glared at Hassan. That was a frightening sight. All Hassan could see was mad eyes under the blackness of his hood. "It's forbidden to kill or murder. But, I can shoot you, take out the arrow and it'll look like a little scratch. I've done it before."

Hassan's eyes widened as he said, "To whom?!"

Khalid lazily put up his hand and said, "He did it to me twice. It's hard being The Make's apprentice."

The General raised his hand too and said, "The Make doesn't miss. Trust me, I still have pain."

Hassan said, "Well, I'll just make sure you're not walking behind my back. I'll need to see your weapon at all – OWWWWWWWW!" Uthman had shot an arrow in to Hassan's thigh. Everybody moved the chairs away from Hassan. Even Yusuf. They all stared at Uthman in horror. All except Yasir and Khalid.

The General yelled over Hassan's screams, "I SAID SCARE HIM INTO SHUTTING UP!"

Uthman nocked another arrow onto his string and said, "Hassan, are you going to talk?"

Hassan said between his cries of pain, "NO!"

The General yelled over Hassan's cries, "SCREAMING IS WORSE THAN TALKING!"

Khalid yelled, "UTHMAN! WE'RE IN A CASTLE AND YOU'RE CAUSING A HUGE SCENE!"

Uthman pointed his arrow at Hassan and said, "Be quiet, for you have another calf I can shoot."

Hassan tried to hold his breath, but let out a loud groan. Uthman shot his other thigh.

Hassan yelled, "OW! OUCH! OH! OH, NO! IT HURTS LIKE MAD!"