Enjoy chapter 10, R & R ;)
You pick up the axe, lean forward and swing. That's all it takes to get a good shot.
I have been practicing with the axe all day now. Swinging it at the dummy. It turns out that one of the twins. Noah. The one from district 7, is really nice. He has shown me how to position my arms and where to place my body weight. He has spent his whole life swinging axes, since he could walk. He can throw the axe in the air and swing backwards, swing blindfolded. Swing backwards and blindfolded at the same time.
He also suggest I practice throwing knifes as it's the same kind of thing. They are just a bit smaller and are like darts. The sort I used to play with Rhodes at home. I have quite good aim and have managed to increase my throwing distance to about 8 meters.
I go to retrieve my knifes from the target, one fly's past my ear, making a gentle swooping sound and lands in the middle of the target with a thump. It could have hit me. I look round to see who the owner of the knife was. It's a boy I haven't seen before, he has dark hair and is not very tall, he wears a smirk and strides off.
"What a tosser." Jet comes up behind me.
"I know." He pulls out the knife from the target. "Throw for me, I want to see."
"Sure." I walk back to the marked line and line up for the 8 meter target. I haven't actually managed to hit this one yet. I have to get it. Noah stands next Jet and they both watch me.
So much pressure.
I lean forward and throw. It glides through the air and to my astonishment. Lands right in the centre.
They both clap.
"You are really talented." Noah smiles. "I have tried throwing knifes before but I can't control them. Knife throwing is a real skill."
Jet laughs. "I think you found your weapon."
I look around and see the training centre is practically empty, everyone must have finished for today. I am exhausted.
"Want to go back to the room?" I turn to Jet.
"Sure, let's get out of here."
"You go ahead, I am just coming." I say as Jet walks up the stairs. "Meet you there."
"Sure." He goes out of site.
I look at Noah; he brushes his coffee coloured hair out of his face. "Can we have a practice fight?"
"Sure, pick your weapon." He places his hand on the axes handle. His face burrows in concentration.
I place my hand on the smooth surface of the knife, its blade shining under the lights. The room is silent and outside is pitch black.
"3….2…..1" I mutter under my breath.
He swipes his axe at me, I quickly move to my left. I throw one of my knifes at him, he deflects it out of the way. His hair is in his face and his brown eyes look alive. I throw another knife at him, he tries to dodge but it scrapes the top of his forehead. The blood starts to trickle down. Fuck.
"Shit, sorry." I swipe the hair off his face.
He smiles. "It's ok, it's only a scratch."
What. A scratch. Its bleeding.
"Look it's just small, I can feel." He laughs. "Look at my arm."
He rolls up his sleeve and I look. His arm has a ugly scar reaching from his shoulder to the tip of his elbow. It's all bumpy and looks, aggressive.
"How did you do that?"
"Axe." He laughs "See it has been worse before." He wipes the blood off his face.
"I should get back now." I turn to walk away.
"Wait." He reaches out his hand, and smears the blood across my face.
I scream and run towards him, he catches me and picks me up.
"Save it for the area alright!" He laughs "Nutter!"
