The Next Generation (A TMI Story) COMPLETED- But May Be Revised

A Shadow at the door

Lydia POV: The rain was coming down in great pours, the institute silent from within... all in a room, cooped up somewhere; Except for me. I'm still in the training room.

367....368.... over and over... the feeling was no longer painful. Only leaving a few scars, but I'm fine.

Why does everyone worry so much about my need to punch something? isn't training part of our everyday routine?

you know why we worry

I roll my eyes before responding

yeah yeah... but you shouldn't. I'm fine, ok

No your not

I shake my head before continuing; 372....373....

I'm not worried about your injured hand, Lydia

376....

I'm worried about what's inside... you know that. you always have sis

380... I stop punching, not because of anything she said... but because I needed to flex my muscles. they were getting kind of sore.

I'm training; you can come down if you like to

I smile, as she makes a face in her room.

I wouldn't be caught dead in that training room.

Oh come on Jade it will be fun

I say trying to convince her

Never!!

She yells in my head

Owe, Jade! Don't scream please

We laugh at this. I love the sound of my sisters laugh. It is beautiful to hear..

Lydia I mean it though. . . please stop for me

She says becoming more serious

Jade I can't sleep you know this-

I do, but please just read a book or something instead of hurting yourself... it hurts me too you know. Physically and emotionally....

Let's compromise I will train with my bow and arrow and throwing knifes instead of the punching bag.

I say hoping that she will agree because she will drag me out of this training room, I know that for a fact.

Fine.

She gives in. That's good enough for me. I don't want to hurt her... I don't want to make her feel as though I'm gone completely; She still needs me. And I still need her.

I move over to the other part of the training room, where the bows are held up by boards inside the hard plastic. Opening the small door, I take out my favorite bow, before moving over to the arrows, and place them in the holder that stands before the targets in front of me.

WIth quick movements, I decamp myself across the hard ground, placing each arrow in the red, juicy center. Thank you Simon... and Alec. But mostly Simon.

Stopping by one of the targets, I use what Simon called, the 'stop, breath, pull back, mark and shoot' strategy; from his experience, it always works.

Staying completely still, I take a deep breath, pull back the string, find my mark, then let go.

Bullz eye.

With a smile, I walk over and pluck out the arrow, along with the others from before.

The training room has always been a home for me.. A place where I can keep to myself. A place where I can focus on my fighting skills, and less on.... other things.