Living In The Shadows

Chapter 2

After I told everything to Theo, I got taken away from him and shown where I would be staying, because I had told them that I was homeless. I was given a timetable and then left alone. I looked across the room. It looked like I was going to share with someone. I hoped it was someone I could easily get along with. I pinned up my timetable and notice something at the bottom. It read 'Sharing with Assassin #642'. "Where've I heard that before?" I quizzed myself. That's when I realised "That's Theo!" I yelled out. "That's right" Theo said back. I turned to see him leant across the threshold of the door. "Why are we sharing? I mean, surely I'd be bunking with another girl" I said. Well, apparently, we look like we'd make a good team, and good teams spend a lot of time together. The only time you'll be in here is for sleeping, and that doesn't last long, so we won't be in here that much anyway" Theo replied. I walked over the the bed that didn't look like a bomb had been dropped on it, assuming the other's was Theo's bed. "You need to come with me, by the way. You need to get a hood" Theo said, beckoning the way.

We walked down to a very dark room with a single woman in. "I'll need to take measurements for your hood, so. Theo, if you'd leave. You'll see her at mealtime. "See you later, kid" Theo said, before running off up the stairs we just came down. "Could you roll your sleeves down please?" The tailor asked me. "So, you work for the brotherhood then?" I asked the woman. "I used to, but there was a tragic accident once. I was attempting to help in the rescue mission of Jacob Hupley, one of our own, but I was brutally attacked and left without two legs and a cracked spine. I have prosthetic legs, but my back means I'm not able to keep up anymore" she replied. I looked down at her legs, and at the ankle of her trousers, you could just see the plastic skin of a prosthetic limb. "Does this happen a lot?" I asked again. "No, you're lucky, they're taking you in while you're young. You'll be the perfect assassin and you'll be the one to stop this endless, bitter war" she replied again. This is what I'm meant to do? I'm meant to stop a war by slaughtering the Templars. "Surely there's a better way to deal with this than assassinating all Templars. What's this war all about?" I asked. "The Apple Of Eden. Its said to have started way back with Cain and Abel. Cain killed Abel for his Apple Of Eden,making Cain the first Templar. The Apple of Eden is an all-powerful object that I don't know fully, but the Assassins are meant to have the Apple Of Eden while the Templars want it, creating a war that has being going on for thousands of years". She replied. I was quiet after this. I had to process what she said. First, this war has been going on since Cain and Able. Secondly, I'm meant to end this feud. "If you are to end this war, you must use the powers of the Apple to kill the Templars". This made me not want to talk at all. It felt like if I did end the war, I'd still go down in history as a monster.

After my fitting was finished, someone came to collect me to take me to a grand looking hall. I spotted Theo, who had a spare space next to him. I quickly made my way over and stood there. "I think that the Master Assassin is going to introduce you to the Brotherhood, so be prepared for noise" Theo whispered quietly into my ear. It was almost as if he'd seen so many of these inductions he knew what was happening. Sure enough, I was called up onto the platform at the front by the man in the office, who turned out to be the Master Assassin. "Today, we have a new brother. Someone who you shall all come to appreciate as one of our own, but she is a lot younger than most of you. This is Jamie Hopskins, 13 years old, and our newest assassin!" the Master Assassin yelled out to everyone. There were about 200 people at least. I was ushered off stage after this and we began to eat a basic meal of meat stew and buttered bread. But for me, this was a miracle. I'd spent the past month scrounging and begging and stealing because I couldn't keep my newspaper round job, which was the only thing paying for some clothes and food. I wolfed down the food like a bolt. "Let's hope you don't regret that later" theo said, in a laughing way.

After this, I had my first taste of training, which was weapons. I was taught the name of different weapons and what they did. I got to hold them all, but no real physical training as of yet. The bells sounded for all those that lived in the Brotherhood Castle to go to bed and the rest to go home. I had a map now, so I had to make my own way back. I found mine and Theos room. I knocked on the door to make sure Theo wasn't changing. "I'm in the bathroom, getting changed. There some pyjamas on your bed, get changed in there and I'll come in when you're ready. I did exactly that. I had a really soft nightgown to wear. I slipped it on and it felt like heaven compared to the stuff I was used to wearing. I jumped in my bed and said "You can come in now". Theo walked in, wearing some stripey pyjamas. He dove under his covers too and said "Night kid" I just said back "My name's Jamie, and goodnight". I heard silence, and then thought to myself "I finally have a place I belong in". I smiled and closed my eyes.

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Hey guys! How do you like the second installment? Please let me know, I want your opininions so you can feel like you've had input on the story. Also let me know if you'd like a part in this story. I had one person do this in my other story, Adopted By My Saviours, which I'm next updating on Thursday so I have a chance to write on Wednesday. I'll have Chapter 3 up on Friday! See you then!