Chapter 10
Freak School
Once again, upon entering the stream, he felt a presence beside him. This time it seemed slightly more whole. He vaguely wondered, though, how only two memories could make the basis for a personality. But he answered his own question a moment later: the memories he was collecting were major ones, and all minor memories in between were building up on their own accord. This would form a strong base of memories. And, he assumed, he would gradually go from the first memory, which was in third person, to eventually being in Holly's perspective as the memories became more vivid and recent.
He 'turned' in the stream, and reached out with his mind to the presence beside him. Not unlike the tunnel from the Hybras, he knew he could communicate mentally. But this prescence, who was obviously the semi-assembled Holly, was unresponsive. As if she was a blank hard-drive. No thoughts. No emotions.
These colors swirling around him now changed from their depressing tones to a red, urgent rush. If there was any background music, he could have sworn it would be Beethoven's 5th. The relentless flow sucked him back in to the stream, and he soon found himself in a place that he had never been.
The view ahead seemed as if he were looking through a set of eyes, though the clarity was not the best. They seemed to be running, the ground jumping and jarring alarmingly. The barrel of a gun would occasionally jump into view, it's softly lit red tip lighting a small spot in the slight darkness of the dusk.
He suddenly felt constricted, as if he were moving through a very heavy atmosphere; everything felt painful, a burning sensation filled his 'lungs', a light headed feeling occupied his mind. A red haze settled over his eyes, and adrenaline coursed through his veins. Running, Jumping, shooting. Elves before him fell as their vest lit up, signifying they got shot. The hands that came up to hold the gun were most definitely feminine, and they wielded the gun like a pro.
Elf after elf fell, tumbling into the mud before Holly. She raced forward, legs pumping steadily, but there was obvious evidence of sweat rolling down her wrist. Only one elf stood standing yet, and as she advanced, the elf holstered his Neutrino. Holly did the same.
Soon, they were engaged in violent hand-to-hand combat, each panting hard, each swiftly blocking blows, sweeping legs, and each staring mercilessly into each other's eyes.
But one punch escaped Holly's notice, and came crashing down into her temple. Holly's vision reeled as she sank to the moist ground, the blue-black shadows of the grass crisscrossing the Neutrino that lay in front of her. She turned to see her adversary, and stared into the younger face of Trouble Kelp. A cynical twist of his lips revealed his displeasure for the woman
He kneeled down beside her, his gloved finger gently grazing her jaw bone in mock tenderness. Then, as he reached her chin, he grasped it roughly, turning her up to face him.
"You'll never make it to the LEP, sweetie. It's not possible. Not for a girl like you."
He slammed her head back down, rising to his feet, and he spat at her forehead, the saliva stinging the small split at her temple.
She couldn't turn her throbbing head. As the retreating from of the elf stayed in view, she could see the swaggering walk and the other elves, congratulating him on his 'victory.'
The pain was almost gone, and all Holly could feel was the heavy pumping of her heart slow down, but still obvious to her as she felt the heat of humiliation rise to her cheeks.
She lay there, on the cold, wet dirt, feeling her heart pump blood to her cheeks and the jeering stares of all the males in the school.
Thump Thump.
The only girl. She was a freak.
Thump Thump.
An announcement, painfully loud to Holly's hurt pride.
"Winner, by far, of the LEP Combat Division Competition: Trouble Kelp."
Thump Thump.
Artemis could feel his consciousness separating from Holly's. The vision blurred again, and the humiliation faded, turning into an enshrouding, welcome blackness.
Posting next chapter soon, 'cause I know it's short. I would make them longer, or just put them all in one, sectioned chapter, but I think that would ruin the effect. :)