Born For Battle

Chapter Six

Luckily, the descent down was a lot easier and the biting cold got warmer and warmer as I headed down more.

I jumped away from the last few ruts and nearly crumpled my legs. It was as if my legs had forgotten what solid flat ground felt like. I went up to my legs and began limping towards the boulder which signalled my house.

I slowly went into a jog, then a run, then a sprint. Anything could happen in the several hours I was gone. My leg was cramping, but I imagined Dad's words, telling me to push farther. Soon, I got use to it, and I was at our front door, gasping for breath.

I pulled open the door and was immediately greeted by warm air. I smiled and stepped inside. "Daniel! I'm home!"

Silence.

I took a deep breath. "Daniel! I am home!"

Silence.

Maybe he was asleep. But this really got me scared.

"DANIEL!!! WAKE UP!!!" I yelled frantically.

Then my gaze went to the floor. I saw a young man with a tooth lodged in his temple, blood spilling out. The tooth belonged to Snuffy, who had a bloody cut on his side, whimpering.

"Snuffy!" I yelled. I knelt beside him and patted his head. "Where's Daniel?"

Snuffy whimpered. I grabbed a shirt and put it on Snuffy's side to stop the blood. "I'm sorry," I said. "Where's Daniel, Snuffy?"

Snuffy didn't answer.

If I couldn't have Daniel, I would have Snuffy.

I picked him up and set him near the fireplace. Then I took a jar of jam (some had unfortunately slipped out on the way down) and placed it in front of him. He slowly got up and licked it. He buried his head in there so far I was afraid it would get stuck. Pretty soon, he had devoured the whole jar.

I handed Snuffy a jar of pickles. I pulled 6 out and handed it to him. He ate them all up, and first blinking at how sour they were.

I knew I couldn't give him too much, and I already was regretting giving the fish to Yatuzaki. I handed another can of jam for Snuffy, and once he finished that, his face was covered in jelly. He sneezed.

I laughed so hard but immediately turned to a frightened frown. I desperately bolted up the stairs, to the third floor, searching every room. I screamed Daniel so loud probably everyone within a mile could hear me. I banged on the walls to try to wake him or alert him wherever he was.

I ran down the stairs, flipped over the dead man, and found a silver badge on his chest that said "SD".

A Steel Packer.

I had heard about them. They kidnapped people and brought them to a wrestling ring, only where it was a battle to the death and there were protruding spikes in each corner.

Daniel would surely die. I ran outside into the cold day, and saw thick tire tracks. They had captured Daniel. And I had been procrastinating for more than 5 minutes. They probably have gained more than a mile on me by now.

I yell in outrage, yell at everything. I yell at myself for being so stupid, I yell at Mom for not coming, I yell at Dad for joining the war, I yell at God for not stopping them, but most of all, I yell at the world for being a bitter, dying place.