The Ghosts

Chapter Three, Part Three

The run felt good, like it used to when I would run circles around the school. He hardly let me catch my breath as we went straight into training. He said it was endurance. I told him he was crazy. We kept it up all the way till lunch time, my muscles aching and felt like jelly by the time it was over. But my mind was distracted from everything that happened, trying to get me through the training he was putting me through.

“I think…” I tried to catch my breath “…I hate you.”

He laughed, looking completely normal. There wasn’t a bead of sweat anywhere.

“You don’t hate me.” He slapped me on the back in a friendly way. “I’m just working you harder than anyone ever has.”

“That’s the truth. Please tell me after lunch I’m just doing paperwork, running some errands for you. Maybe even polishing your stakes so I can sit down for longer than five seconds.”

“Oh no.” He smiled. “None of that mundane crap for you. You’re going out on assignment with some of the guys.”

“I can barely walk let alone defend myself. I would just be a risk to them.”

“Awe.” He made a pouty face. “Princess need a break?”

I slapped him upside the head. “Shut up. Not funny. At all.”

“I told you it would be intense. Maybe now you’ll believe me. You get an hour for lunch and then you’re off with David.”

“David? Who is David?”

“One of my guys. He’s very good at what he does.”

“And what’s that?”

“Training the newbies not to be reckless. We don’t want you to die before we even start to break you in.”

“I am not reckless. I’m the most cautious person you’ll ever meet. And I am broken in.”

“You’ll be surprised what kind of recklessness David can squeeze out of you. Now, go shower and eat. You smell.”

“And you think you smell like roses?” Truth was he smelled the same. I swear the man didn’t know how to sweat.

“Go.”

I jogged off and went back to my room. As soon as the door closed though…

“He’s right. You are reckless.”

I jumped and turned. Aidan stood on the other side of the door, leaning against the wall.

“You’re not real and I’m not talking to a hallucination. Go away.”

“Ana, come on. Don’t…”

“I’m going crazy. It’s official…” I ran my hands over my face. “It’s finally come down to this…”

“You’re not crazy.”

“I’m pretty sure I am. I’m seeing a manifestation of the boy I love. I have to be crazy.”

The corner of his mouth turned up. “You still love me? I thought after…”

“That’s so not the point right now. You’re not real so just…go.”

“You know what they say, right? People who are crazy don’t know that they are and people who think they are crazy, aren’t.”

“That’s so…contradictory.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s the truth. You’re not crazy. Your mind is just trying to help you cope.”

“By giving me you? Why not a kitten or a puppy?”