Invalid

Seven

I often needed a hero during my childhood, someone who would fight my battles for me. I never got a hero...  

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While training, the main strategy we were taught is to think quickly under pressure. Always make sure you find your opponent's Achilles heel, strike them when least expected. You must feel the earth beneath you, whether or not you can remain steady on such ground is very important in war. Take note of all your surroundings, decide if there's any potential weapons in the area that could be of use to you. 

Most importantly, be smart about what you learn in the short time before the attack. Don't take in information that won't help you reach you goal, and adding extra seconds onto that moment could both make or break you, it all depends on what exactly you discover.

Emotions have to be put aside. Fears, they had to leave completely. Your mind must be clear of everything besides for what's in front of you, threatening to destroy you. 

These rules were put in place to protect us during battle. Now, they will be put to the use of of saving a life besides for my own instead of killing him.

My eyes shot to the Officials, two well muscled guys, both of which seemed be a good foot or more taller than me. Their movements were fast and precise, cautious enough to make grabbing a young child simple. 

They had not yet seen Michael and I, both focused on what stood before them. The look on their faces sickened me, as if they were hunters and Wade was their first catch of the day. 

Taking a deep breath, I ran. My feet fell to the ground with each painstaking movement I was taking, my stomach flaring to life and surging heat through my body. The knife used for that gash was currently in my pocket, and with a quick swipe, I had a firm hold on it. 

Once I saw an Official yank Wade from behind, the kid thrashing about in fear, that was when I made my move. 

Knife throwing had never been my strong suit, but I was taught enough to be confident I wouldn't hit Wade when I hurled it. The blade lodged itself in the man's arm, his grip on Wade faltering for a moment, but then his own fighter side kicked in.

He pushed Wade aside, the other Official coming up from behind and holding him still. Part of me thought that the one coming at me was going to grab the gun in his right pocket, finish me off with one quick fire. Much to my relief, he didn't.

During this time, I contemplated why Michael had not yet moved from his place and attacked this Official who'd gotten in the way of saving Wade, but I made those thoughts go away the second they appeared.

Blood was gushing from his arm, the man gritting his teeth as he made his way toward me, not daring to take out the knife. In a situation like this, I contemplated jabbing him in the throat -my signature move- but his height was a huge factor in why I didn't, instead going for a fast kick in the air and in the direction on the weapons handle. This caused the knife to slice deeper into him and for his screams of pain to come forth. While distracted, I yanked the blade from its spot, it now covered in his blood and dripping onto my hand.

Meanwhile, Wade still sobbed, my head snapping to him as the other Official thought it a good idea to get a move on. Snot leaked out of Wade's nose and onto him, but he didn't seem to notice.

Finally, I saw Michael come up behind me. In that second, I bolted, this time not throwing the knife at this other guy and instead resorting to figuring it out once I got there. This was a bad move on my part, but he was holding Wade at an angle that forced me to hold back from throwing.

But then, Michael grabbed me, stopping any of my hopes at getting a kick or two in. One of his arms looped around my neck, cutting off the tiniest bit of air flow and making it hard to figure out my next move, the other arm firm around my waist and holding me back. His hand rest on my injury, the gash in my stomach firing to life once more and making me scream in pain as he dug his nails in to keep me in place. He was holding me back with all his power, suffering through the lame attempts I made at trying to free myself from his grasp. It was hard to fight an Invalid back, especially one that knew all the tricks you did.

"I'm sorry," I thought I had heard him mutter, but it was too soft to tell if I had imagined it. My eyes were welling with tears -both from the pain in my stomach and from Michael keeping me from saving Wade- and though I did everything I could to stop them, they just kept coming, each drop rolling down my face and falling off my chin and onto his arm.

Michael began groaning as I scratched at his arms and kicked his legs. This action led to my pants ripping even more, the tear of the fabric, though dull, invading my ears along with Wades cries. 

Finally, I found a weak point on him. His feet had become far apart in my struggle, giving me perfect access to bring him to the ground. My legs twisted under me, my head forcefully moving forward along with his as we fell to the ground. The impact of his body on my own formed a moment of shock, quickly replaced by me flipping him over and getting up before he tried anything else.

I didn't have time to be mad at him or yell at him, Wade needed my help. But I was too late anyway, the Official was no where in sight, and neither was Wade.

"No," I breathed out, stumbling over in the direction they had been in and struggling with my legs to get up. I couldn't regain my ability to think straight, my whole body becoming an uncoordinated mess.

This type of thing never happened to me during war, Wade must be affecting me more than I thought he would. He was opening parts of my mind i'd chosen to close off years ago. The last time I was this confused on how to work my brain was before I went into training, when they took Dekka from me and I never saw her again.

Letting the same thing happen to Wade would be something I would never be able to forgive myself for. I would not let then take him from me like they did my sister. I couldn't.

And yet, they had.

Rage building up in me, I wobbled over to the first Official, hoping to get something out of him. But it looks like he was bleeding out pretty bad now, and was unresponsive. I didn't have time for this, I had to get to Wade.

And Jane, she still needed help too.

I could have figured something out if this hadn't happened.

My head turned to Michael, my rage being transferred to him in that second. He had a crap ton of explaining to do.

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Thanks for reading! Sorry for not updating in forever. This might be the last update for awhile (i'm going on vacation and won't be able to get on the internet much over the next three weeks) but i'll be sure to update as much as I can once I get back :)