Chain of Steel

Part 3

The mess hall was a madhouse when I opened the door. The guys were talking, yelling, sparing, gobbling food and belching. Yuck. I walk into the kitchen, grab my plate and scoop some breakfast on it. To get away from the hungry mob I climb up to my special spot atop the rafters. I see John and climb towards him. 

" Hey, Little Monkey." Little monkey was my nickname when I came here because I climbed almost everything.

" Oh come on, no one calls me that anymore." 

" Yeah, I know. But I just couldn't resist the urge." He answered in a smile.

We both laugh and start eating. John drops his knife. 

"Dammit!" he muttered under his breath. He started to climb down.

" Here, use mine." I offer.

"Thanks, Rachel."

After we finish eating we head to the training center through a small hole in the wall. John barely fit through so I had to pull him. 

" I'm getting too old for this." 

" Your only nineteen."

" Well, yeah. But saying I'm too old for it sounds better then I'm too big for it."

" Yeah, I guess it does." I give a thoughtful "hmm" and we continue on our way.  

Once at the training grounds we each pick a weapon and go through a few attack routines. I show John that bicycle kick and he falls over on me and we both topple over. We lie on the ground, laughing so hard that tears form in our eyes. Then we hear a door slamming. Timothy stomps out of the mess hall looking extremely pissed. Courreus probably said something stupid again, like he can do anything else. 

" I bet you an axe he's been drinking again," I told John.

" Most likely." 

" I'm gonna take a break, okay?"

" Okay."

I walk out of the training center and run into the fields behind the barracks. I stop in the middle of the field and plop down to the ground with a sigh. I look into the sky and start yelling. I hated that every day I had to deal with drunk men, creeps and mice. Ugh, how I hate mice. I wave my arms at the sky and yell for no particular reason.

I yell and yell and scream and swear until I start to lose my voice. My hands fall to my sides and my eyes close as I sob my hatred to the world. My thoughts slow down and I give in to the sleep tugging at my brain. 

                                                                                  ~*~                                                                                                                                                                                                      

" It's your fault!" My uncle screamed at me.

" Your parents died because of you, you miserable wretch! HA!" 

" No!! They didn't! Uncle, you're drunk, go to bed and sleep it off."

" Don't tell me what to do, girl!" He yelled, slapping me across the face. I stumbled backwards as my hand flew up to my stinging cheek. He held me against the wall and cursed loudly, his breath reeking of whisky. He swung his free arm towards me, bottle in hand. I ducked frantically as the battle drew near. With nothing to stop it, his arm flew past me and hit himself on the side of the forehead. He crumpled to the floor.

After pausing for a moment I scrambled to the other side of the room. When I turned back Courreus was standing in front of me holding my mask. I couldn't move. He came closer and pushed the mask into my face. Upon contact, the mask burned my face like fire. I tried to cry out but my voice had been silenced. Then I saw my parents. Our Caesar was torturing them, his face like the devil's and ablaze with evil fury. He was enormous! He opened his fiery mouth and swallowed my parents, then he captured John. I cried out for him to stop but he didn't. John looked at me. 

" Fight. For. Love." He whispered.

Then the beast engulfed him. The flames wrapped around me, pulling me into the abyss with them.

I sat straight up and screamed. I felt arms surrounding me. I tried to fight but they were too strong and wrestled me to the ground. I heard someone yelling my name, telling me to calm down.

"RACHEL!! Stop squirming! You're safe!! It was just a dream!! Rachel stop!"

I slowly calmed down and opened my clenched eyes. John was in front of me, not Courreus. I was still in the field. The stars were out and the sky was clear. I looked at John and sat up as he got off me. 

"Bad dream?"

I sighed and fell onto my back, John did the same.

" You have no idea."

" Was it the same one again?"

"Kinda. You were in it this time, telling me to 'fight for love'?"

" Huh. Weird." 

I nod my head and sigh again.  John gives me a comforting hug and tells me that he probably would say that in that circumstance.

"Sigh.... let's go home."

" Agreed."