Siren

Escape

Siren

Life has an odd way of showing you a new path and for most it could be a great big reveal and for others it could be a tragedy. For me, it's the feeling of betrayal. I felt betrayed by Baranov. Maybe I got attached, maybe I expected too much but it admittedly did not feel right.

I had a plan, a very flawed one that could lead me close to death. I drove back to the academy in the morning but I made a quick detour, to a place that I want to believe is special to me. It is where Amara and I met. It is where we spent most of our time and it is where we made love for the first time. Maybe she might have ended up hating it but deep down, I knew it meant something to her as much as it does for me.

The place was hidden away from the academy and obviously too far from my home. If I could call it that. I liked driving around there because no one ever occupies the place, even though the tugging in my chest made it hard. I still drove there.

I arrive at the academy, it is morning and I know most of them are having breakfast. I wanted to challenge River in front of the academy because I know he won't refuse it. Public challenges are never refused. It will also force Baranov's hand. Even if he can disapprove the challenge, he won't be able to since I will be trying to take my place like he had always told us to.

I enter the cafeteria to eyes on me. It's not uncommon for me to get attention, it follows me every where. I don't know whether it's the fact that I'm so mysterious to these people or what but they always have to stare at me and whisper. I know none of them can say shit to my face and I'm well aware how some fear me. I feed into the fear.

My attention locks on a particular table with a raven haired boy surrounded by what he calls his friends whose names I couldn't give two shits about. They are so engrossed in their conversation and so happy like their lives are simple.

I know River's kind. From the movies and shows I used to watch when I was a child, before I was trapped here. I picked up a lot of things and especially at the age prior to my teen years in middle school. There was a certain social hierarchy and the ones that excelled the most were usually the ones at the top. They were called popular.

They have the most attention, the good kind of attention. They exceed in almost everything. People kiss their asses and so do their superiors or sometimes it's the other way around. But what I do know is, eighty percent of them earn that popularity in a non genuine way. Not that this place is any genuine considering what we are, what we train to be.

Ruthless.

Merciless.

Killers.

My legs move on their own, my adrenaline spiking once my head makes out what I want and the need to see him bleed. Bleed by my hands and no weapons but at this particular moment, a weapon is what I need to escape this god forsaken place.

Of course I can choose to leave but I know Baranov will never let me roam around the world unscathed and if I want to escape here, either I die or pretend to die. The anger that comes with the fact I will have to give River the satisfaction of thinking he killed me makes it that much fun when I roughly hit his big head on the table earning me the attention I need.

"What the fuck!" He seethes getting on his feet.

Everyone stops with what they are doing to pay attention to the scene before them. River towers over me, his hands balled on either side of his body as his eyes resemble a dark flare of pure anger. Truth be told I've never had River as an opponent in the field and I'll admit I don't know how it would turn out.

He's taller than me by almost a foot and his body is broader than mine. The tattoo on his arm that marks the warrior of Drakon is on full display while mine is hidden by the jacket I am wearing. He's also two years older than me and two years more experienced than me in training but it doesn't mean he is better than me. I could have had three years of training and I would still beat the shit out of him.