Crossed

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Everything in the world seemed to just slow right down in my mind at that point, the tip of the silver sword diving towards my side at a snail's pace. Yet, I didn't move at a slow pace. I lurched to the right and wondered to god how I managed to actually dodge that. But I didn't really, Kalix must know Rhea very well and just of known what she was about to do, so he grabbed her shoulders hard and slammed her back against the ground, also forcing the sword out of her fierce grip at the same time.

God, I do hate that bitch.

I caught my breath back and looked to my side, my eyes landing on Tiger whom was quietly talking to Rick and comforting him a bit. I honestly feel as if I am stuck in a sinking sand pit, trying to get out of the mess yet I can't and it keeps dragging me under.

"Pull yourself together Ray, this ginger can help us, she must know shit,"

"What if she tells her dad?"

Kalix scoffs and glares at Rhea. "That's highly unlikely," He says and runs his long grimy fingers through his toned hair. Kalix's hair is all different shades of colours; dark ashen brown in places and then sun bleached blond in others whereas mine is the same matted, dull ginger colour throughout.

I thought back to how it was glistening in the dream I had, how it seemed slightly damp, possibly from sweat or maybe he was in the river, or I'm not sure. But he did look very ha- wait no, don't think that.

A yawn emerges from Tiger's mouth and it makes me realise how late it must be now, as well as it distracts my mind from the dream. Twilight has set upon us and the vivid stars are coating the night's horizon. I look up into the sky and sigh. It's starting to get a little chilly. I rub my bare arms and move my hands closer to the fire, my fingertips seeking warmth.

"Right, Flo- Oh, I mean uh, Ren, come here in two nights time and we will initiate you," Kalix says and I'm slightly taken aback. What does he mean.

"Huh?" I manage confusedly and I purse my lips out a bit.

"Ha, you don't think that we just let people in? You have to be strong enough to, and we'll test you on that,"

Surprisingly, this was all new news to me, but it didn't change my opinion on wanting in on the Rebels. Being in their gang like cult thing would just... Mean a lot to me, I guess. I would feel like someone I want to be instead of who I really am - the future Mayoress. All I have ever wanted is to fit in. No one wanted to be friends with me when I was a child, unless they wanted something like money out of me.

"Okay," I say after a lengthy pause.

And just as I expected, Tiger disagrees and speaks up. "Ren, it could be really dangerous, in fact it is, you don't even know what it is," He says in that stern tone which I used to hear when he would be telling Ashianna to be careful when bathing in the lake without him or her mother or someone she knows well.

"You're not my mother," I mutter quietly and cross my arms.

"Well, what would she say about this?" He counteracts.

I groan and glare at him. "Now you're sounding like my Dad,"

"Yeah, we don't want that," Kalix mocks and rolls his eyes. He's a real pain, that Kalix Grehart. Why exactly did I have that dream?

I quickly forget about the dream once again for a moment because Tiger has grabbed my attention. "Well then, I'll join the Rebels with you,"

"Don't say that," Kalix groans. "Dude, you ain't joining,"

"Well, I am if Ren is," He says in a stubborn voice.

I groan and feel my jaw tighten until it was aching. It's basically blackmail saying that he'll join if I do because he knows that I don't want him to join, but he doesn't wants me to join. It's dangerous of course and he would be putting himself in a bigger risk than I am by joining because he'll be protecting me and not himself as well as Kalix would be around him all the time.

"C'mon I should join, I can get you all plenty weapons from the blacksmiths, and I'm pretty good with my sword," I can't help but scoff. I've never ever seen Tiger fighting or practising with a sword or any weapon. He's always been quite anti-weapons and complains daily that he has to make them.

Was I starting to regret this? I'm not entirely sure, but my plans are bouncing back on me and driving a nail into me. Sometimes I just wish that I was born as someone else, live a different life... Live a different lie. Things would be simpler though.

I see Maverick open his mouth in order to speak, but nothing emerges from his lips for a brief moment, but a second later he does say. "I think that you should give them both a chance to prove themselves in the initiation, then you decide who's in and who's not," He suggests to his leader. I do believe that Maverick has a fair point, but I have no idea what the initiation is and I have no idea whether I will be able or unable to complete it.

Kalix sighs heavily after all and picks at his scummy fingernails. "I guess, sure, whatever," He mutters and leaves, goes off away from the clearing.

Tiger scoffs and slumps down nearer me just as Rhea goes away after him. "Weakling," He says to me under his breath.

I can't help but chuckle quietly in response and sprinkle a few crushed brown leaves over the fire, allowing gravity to plummet them down into the rising bed of orange, letting the fire take the flakes into a strong, fiery embrace which completes and conceals them; forming them into tiny sparks as if they're a caterpillar evolving into a butterfly.

Merzey shakes her head and sighs. "Kalix isn't weak, he's just been through a lot and it-"

"You think he's been through a lot? God, I went through what he did - and more!" Tiger abounded and I bite my flaking lip. True. They both suffered the same problem, but Tiger was younger and he got a nasty scar from when he got hurt, so I think Tiger did have it worse.

I looked at Rick and bit my lip. "I need to keep him safe," I say and sigh, rubbing my hands over the smoky heat to warm them.

"He can't be a Rebel, he's too young, but he can stay here at our camp,"

"We'll make sure that he's safe and Kalix stays off his back." Maverick adds to his sister's remark.

"Thanks, means a lot," I say and pull my legs up to my chest, resting my chin onto my bony knees. I actually felt vulnerable and weak, yet I never usually do. I hate feeling small and like that everyone is better than me. I like to think that I don't have any weaknesses, but I must have weaknesses; I just need to figure out what they are.

"What exactly is the initiation then? Any tips on anything?" I ask slowly and I can just sense the silence which will occur from what I said. A few of them shook their heads, a few just stayed looking blank and glum. Tiger knows something about it, I know that he does. Why didn't he tell me over the years? He could of easily, but he didn't.

Oh god, what's it gonna be?

"We can't reveal much of it, but there's several stages so it'll take a whole night and day. Kalix decided when, since he's the leader of course. You'll come in two nights time and then stay with us for the next day as well," Maverick says and I nod, but I didn't reply with anything because I know he's not finished yet. "It's tough Ren, don't think lightly before you come, be prepared for anything,"

"And what is that anything?" I ask, a slight scowl on my face.

He exhales briskly and nibbles on his chapped lip. "Well... You'll need to bring a weapon, a good one, the one that you're best with. Since you will... Uh," I can see him look at his sister as if he's checking with her whether he can tell me this or not. When Merzey nods, immediately he says. "You'll be killing someone, most likely your father,"