The Ruins Part 2 (Sequel to The Ruins)

Chapter 2

"I am a fast man, like the wind I can take out my enemy," declared Killeen. "And I am so going to-"

Rin battled his wooden spear aside and whacked him on the head.

"Ow!" he yelled.

"Yes, you're truly frightening," she said. "I'm going to fall down and faint."

"Ow," he said louder, to emphasize the point in case anyone missed it.

Johan and Max sat on the bench. AJ is perched with Vix as he was chatting a storm. Lalon leaned against the cars that Lugh's working on the engine. Mal sat on the mats, doing about thirty crunches now, needed to do a hundred. They were all laughing. At him.

"Oh sure, laugh," he growled, shaking his wooden spear at them. "She hit me when I wasn't looking."

"So... look," suggested Max.

Johan pretended to cough into her hand but said, "Loser."

"A little focus would be useful," said Mal. "I mean... since we are going and you never know that we may be split up and you are training to save your life. To survive, you have to be smart and be brave. It's okay to be scared but don't panic."

Mal had always drilled them so relentlessly in the survival program that at first the kids were considering disowning her, ignoring since they already know.

Although it changed when they finally understood, especially for Max who made the grave decisions of defending his friends by killing a man. Mal had a discussion for him over a full night, talking about to kill is to protect the ones you care and love, that's why we kill. And how it can haunt us but only if they deserve it the ghosts won't harm them.

Three months, close to the first winter season, it felt like midsummer and Killeen was wearing only a sweat-soaked T-shirt and cut-offs. The months of training had hardened all the kids and packed muscle onto Killeen's arms ad shoulders. He squared those shoulders and gave Rin a steely stare.

Rin raised her wooden spear and in a loud clear voice announced, "I. Am. Going. To. Swing. My. Sword. Now."

"Hilarious," said Killeen through gritted teeth. He brought his spear up, elbows and knees bent at the perfect angles, weight shifted into the balls of his feet, the tip of the spear level with his eyes, his body angled for the best use of muscle in attack and the least display of vulnerabilities for defense. He could feel the power in his arms. With a loud, ferocious yell that would have frozen the heart of an enemy on the battlefields of the knight era, he charged, brining his spear up as down with perfect precision.

Rin batted his spear aside and whacked him on the head.

Again.

Killeen said, "Ow."

"That's not how you do it," said Lalon, trying not to chuckle to hard.

Killeen rubbed his head. "No, really?" He said. "I'm no supposed to block with my head?"

"Unless you have a helmet."

"Thanks, Lalon," Killeen said. "I'll make sure I remember that."

He nodded. Killeen turned back to Rin. "Want to try it again? I'll block better this time."

"Ah... so you're going to try the 'smart' part of 'brave and smart'?" Observed Johan. "Very wise."

Mal finished her workout, ending them into a stretch and smiled at Killeen.

He did block better, though.

Not that it did him much good.

"Ow!" He yelled three seconds later.