Silent Fog

Chapter 9 - Sunrise

That morning, Clara woke up earlier than usual. She had barely slept, whatever the reason was: the bad news Gaspar had given last night, Marisol's gaze or the dry heat that had not subsided. The fact was that she felt more tired that morning than the day before and seizing the opportunity that the day had not yet dawned, she picked up the bow from the floor and quietly left the bedroom.

Everyone was still asleep as she checked while crossing the corridors. In one of her rounds around the building, she'd found a room in the unused ward that had a good space to practice arrow shooting non-stop. She needed to do something she knew without hiding it. Maybe this could change her mood.

Working hard to control herself again, she was just about to leave as quietly as she arrived, when his voice stopped her.

"Sleepless night, hum?"

"I..." How did he know she was there? She was sure she had made no noise. "Do you have eyes behind your back?"

"I wanted to train a little in a quiet place, but I think this room already has an owner," she said, taking a step back, her hand on the doorknob.

"No!" There was a discreet anguish in his voice. For the first time, she saw him shaken briefly, then calming down: "Stay, please. There's room for both of us. It 'd worry me if you had a gun, but with that..." and he pointed his chin toward the bow she carried. "I think I can relax, right?" he finished, getting an involuntary laughter from Clara.

"I can't stand gunpowder's smell anymore" she replied, entering the room and closing the door behind.

With steady steps, she went to the other side and arranged what appeared to be an old door against the wall, then came back to the middle of the room. Clara took an arrow from the bag she had on her back and positioned to shoot. As she focused on the sight, she realized from the corner of her eye he had not returned to his training yet, looking at her with curiosity. Clara closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let go of the first arrow in the middle of the door.

"You're good at it," he said, moving closer. "Unusual... Where did you learn it?" Clara just shrugged, which made him look at the floor in embarrassment. "Excuse me. I thought you might have remembered something."

"No." she did not want to tell him she remembered a small fragment of the night he saved her.

Clara lowered her bow and stared at him. Under the torchlight, his eyes were even darker with small sparkling points. 'It looks like a starry night,' she thought as he looked back at her, unwinding the bands he wore tied around his fists. With a pang of concern, he continued:

"Could you teach me? It's useful to learn new forms of attack and defense with the imminent confrontation against the Government troops." Daniel stopped beside her. He really meant it. "If you've even taught the kids how to camouflage, I think you can teach me how to shoot with the bow, right?"

How did he know? Was he watching her? Then, understanding that Daniel was still waiting for her, she raised her bow, slowly making her movements as she explained:

"You must stand perpendicular to your target; the line of fire must pass between your legs. And then you must hold the bow like this" she showed him. Turning to Daniel, she handed the bow and stood beside him. "Here. Make the grip using your weaker hand." Clara took his hand, closing it over at in the bow. "The weakest hand always holds the bow while the stronger hand pulls. But the weaker hand makes no effort, it simply supports the arch in the correct position." Now she had positioned herself behind him. Holding an arrow, she leaned it on the rope taking Daniel's other hand and positioning it between the arrow and the rope.