Conquer

Chapter 10:

Training had went on for only a couple of days and everyone had shown great improvement.

For example, Katelyn is good with a gun and Will found out that he can throw a spear almost perfectly. Believe it or not, Faye can even aim a gun well; we tried our best to keep it from her though.

We had divided everyone into groups; Skill, Combat, and Speed were the main groups.

Skill had two groups within it, Timing and Planning. We used our smartest Conquerors to the best of our abilities to create elaborate plans.

Combat had a group for each weapon we possessed, including self combat. Defense was playing a great roll. The stronger the defense, the better chance we had.

And Speed just consisted of our quickest runners. It was the most important group we had. However, someone of the runners also played parts of other groups.

Jed and Katelyn set up the groups, while Will and I trained the groups. Training took most of the two days; we wanted to make sure we were our best compared to the Outsiders.

I had been sitting in my hammock, watching the prepping, when Faye spotted me. She was a little less than fifth-teen feet from me when she began her quickest sprint. Her wavey brown hair bouncing as she stepped.

"Jordyn Jordyn Jordyn!" she shouted as she approached me. I raised my eyebrows in response.

"I wanted to asked you something," said Faye, becoming serious, "I've been thinking... I don't want to see a Mutator... I'm afraid.

Can I stay here?"

I gave her a long stare. I had never really thought about it, but of course Faye would be scared. She's a little girl. She's just as mortal as I am.

I watched her baby face stare at me, searching my seniority for answers. She sat next to my legs, her head only reaching my knees.

"Turn around," I said as I began to braid her thin hair. "Faye, did you know that I would have never guessed that you would be afraid? It's true. And even if you are afraid, it's completely okay. Want to know why? Because I'm afraid too. Jedediah is afraid, Will is afraid, even Katelyn is afraid."

I finished braiding her hair and watched her stand, facing me. I could tell that she had become curious with my words. Her big blue eyes stared and waited for me to continue. And I did, I continued to do the only thing I could do, give her hope.

"Faye, I promise that I will not let you get hurt. I will protect you with my life. I need you to be brave for me. I need you to be the brave for all of us.

As much as I know you'd be safe here, I can't let you stay. It could be just as dangerous here as it could be out there." I spoke to her.

Her young mind seemed to think on it before replying.

"Like a superhero?" she asked randomly.

I had forgotten what a superhero was until she said it. Only, superheroes are not the makeshift of lab experiments. A true superhero was someone like Faye; brave, willing, and yet, young enough in the mind to see the good in everyone. Faye was a superhero.

"Yes, just like a superhero," I replied and a few minutes of thinking.

"Then I want to go with you!" she shouted.

"Where are you going?" asked Jed as he approached us. He rubbed Faye's head.

"I can't tell you!" shouted Faye in reponse.

Jed and I watched Faye run off. She giggled to herself as she ran, her braid hitting her back. I allowed myself to smile for the moment, not knowing when I would be able to again.