Into the Flames [Watty Awards 2012]

Chapter 21

The knife station was packed. The six of us careers were there along with Willow, Woody, Moose and another girl and boy. Ethelreda stared them down. When she wasn’t looking I whispered to Willow, “You should leave or you might be her first kill, trust me.” She nodded right before Ethelreda turned around. Willow gathered her allies and they left for the bow and arrows.

“Waterlily, are you paying attention?” Ethelreda’s eyes bored into me.

“Yes, sorry.” I watched everything she did. I may not like her and she may not like me, but she was good and she knew how to train us. As we walked through the stations learning everything as well and as quick as we could, I noticed one thing. Ethelreda hated us. She was training us to be body guards to her. She knew some of the others would try to get her out first. She was using us. At lunch I told River to meet me in our living room after are after dinner training session. He seemed confused, but he nodded.

We went through almost every station, throwing multiple items: Arrows, axes, hammers, giant balls, and things I couldn’t even tell were real weapons. We swept through lunch like a dead leaf in the hurricane. I couldn’t believe our training was almost complete. It went by so fast, yet I had learned so much. Even though I didn’t like Ethelreda, I kind of did. She was mean, but she taught me more about survival then the station leaders would have. She has not only taught me how to survive though, she has taught me to kill.