SWNOVELS Chapter 21: Jay
Woods. Forest. Trees, surrounding me. Fire.
Running. Being carried. Sister. Father. Brother. Mother. Pain. Burning. Blackness.
“Jay? Earth to Jay?” I felt someone shaking me and I shook my head. I looked up; Sage and Corey were watching me, matching looks of concern on their faces. I realized that where I was sitting was starting to freeze around me. I remembered what I was thinking about and shivered, though not from the cold, and looked back out the window.
“I’m fine, guys, really.” My voice quivered, but I ignored it, hoping they didn’t notice. I stood up from my seat. I turned back towards them, neither looking convinced. I smiled at them. “Seriously guys, I’m fine.”
Sage watched me for a few moments. “You were having that dream again, weren’t you?” My smile fell and I looked out the window. I nodded.
This has happened before. Daydreams I don’t realize are happening. Dreams, usually about a family, the same family, running from something unknown. I used to have that nightmare when I was a kid. I would wake up screaming and in a cold sweat. They stopped when I got older, but they started happening again recently. They weren’t as scary as when I was a child, but they’re still frightening.
Sage took my hand and pulled me away from the window. “Come on, Corey and I were just about to go to the training room. Join us.” I hesitated, but Sage pouted at me and I gave in.
“Fine, I’ll come. But I better not get hurt.”
Corey laughed. “You won’t get hurt.” He looked at Sage and winked at me. “Much.”
I rolled my eyes and was jerked by Sage. “Come on, let’s go. Corey has extra clothes you can borrow so you won’t have to train in jeans. That wouldn’t be very comfortable.” Sage grabbed Corey’s hand with her free one and we went into the elevator to the top floor.
When the elevator opened I was expecting more of a gym, but that is not what I was greeted with. There were areas sectioned off that had different types of work out and combat, ranging from hand-to-hand, sword fighting, and archery.
Corey took me to the dressing room so I could change, then we went back over and greeted Sage by the swords.
“How about we test your skills,” Sage said, tossing two three-foot-long swords towards Corey. He caught them both with ease and turned to me. Sage turned and walked away, and Corey nodded his head toward her. I followed her, Corey behind me, until we got to a 6x6 foot mat. Corey jumped onto it and I followed him.
“Let’s duel.” Corey handed me one of the swords. Once he let go, it dropped to the ground; I, still holding onto the handle, was dragged down with it. Corey laughed and I glared at him, feeling my face flushing red. I stood up and lifted the sword off the ground, grunting.
“Get ready.” Sage smiled. Corey put his sword out in front of me, and I followed his example, creating an X with our blades. “Duel!”
When I opened my eyes I was on my back, sword across the mat and the tip of Corey’s sword hovering over my neck. I moved my eyes from left to right, wondering what happened. Corey pulled his sword away and reached his other hand down to help me up.
“Ouch,” I hissed, looking at my left forearm. There was a 3-inch long gash going lengthwise from my elbow down. “You told me I wouldn’t get hurt!”
Corey shook his head. “Oh, don’t be such a baby. It’s a little cut. You’ll be fine.” He looked over at Sage, who was already getting a first aid kit out and wrapping my arm in a bandage. “It doesn’t look deep. You’ll be fine.” He looked around the room, figuring out what other weapons he could beat me with. “Did you play any sports at your school?”
I nodded and moved my arm in circles once Sage was done wrapping it. “Baseball. Best pitcher on the team.”
Corey’s eyes locked on something and he smiled and nodded. “Then you’re good at throwing. I think I have just the thing for you.” He started walking away and I followed him. Corey took me to an area with targets and handed me some weapons.
“Knives? What do knives have to do with throwing?” Corey rolled his eyes and stood to face the target. He pulled his arm back and let the knife fly.
It hit the target, a row just above the bull’s eye. He crossed his arms and looked at me. I grabbed a knife and stared at it. I didn't like the feeling of being outdone twice in one day. “I could do better.”
Corey scoffed. “Yeah, right.” He moved out of the way, motioning towards the spot for me. I replaced him and stared at the target. I drew my arm back and threw the knife like I would a winning pitch.
Corey just rolled his eyes at me. “There is no way you could-” he cut his sentence short. I looked at him confused. He was staring at the target.
“What?” I questioned. I looked back at the target and realized I hit the bull’s eye.
Corey grabbed another knife. “Do that again.” I took the knife and threw it again, the knife landing next to its predecessor.
Sage rolled her eyes at us. “Boys,” she muttered. She turned around, her tail wrapping around Corey’s waist before she walked towards the climbing wall. He followed her with his eyes for a few moments before going back to me.
Corey and I practiced with different types of knives, and he told me how you throw them depending on the weight and shape of them, and taught me how to use throwing stars. Sage came back after a while, slightly bruised, and gave me a black belt. It looked like a normal belt from afar, but once I got closer to it I noticed it had small pockets and holes on it.
“These are enchanted with magic. If you need them, knives and stars will appear at will. If you don’t need the knives, they won’t be there, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally stabbing your leg.” Sage explained. I nodded. I touched her arm, where a bruise was forming. “Don’t worry, a little wrestling. I’m fine.”
“Jay!” I heard someone exclaim. I looked around the room, confused as to who was screaming my name, until I saw Tadashi jogging towards me. He stooped in front of me and doubled over, trying to catch his breath. “Jay...”
Corey pat his back and handed him a bottle of water. “Hey, Hot Shot. Jeans aren’t really clothes for training in.”
Tadashi shook his head and pushed the water away. “I’m not here to train.” Tadashi sat up and looked at me. I could see fear and worry in his eyes. I wondered what could make him look so scared. “Your sister is gone. We were eating at Applebee’s and she left to go to the bathroom. I heard something crash. When I went to see what happened there was a smashed mirror. I think Rogues took her.”
My face scrunched up in confusion when he said my sister, but I quickly realized who he meant. I felt my expression harden and the grip on my knife tightened. Sage put her arm on my shoulder, and I could see a look of confusion wash across her face. I shook her off me; ice started forming around the handle of my knife. I whipped towards the target and threw the knife before turning back to Tadashi, not even watching where the knife ended up. I heard it hit the target.
I glared at Tadashi for a few moments before I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I sighed, calming myself down, and ran my fingers through my hair. I looked coldly at Tadashi. “Okay. So, you’re telling me Rogues kidnapped Jakki. What’s your plan?”