Ruin and Revival

Chapter 16: Bloodied Hands

COLE

The satisfying crunch of his nose is what keeps me going. He falls onto the ground, crying in pain as torrents of red blood stream down his face. I grin with sadistic satisfaction. What's happening to me?

The past two weeks has changed me. The first day, I was told everything.

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"A civilization has been living in secret under Patagonia in South America. They have a way to access water and have been thriving while the rest of the world slowly dehydrates to death. No one knows how or where they get their freshwater from. Recently, spies have reported areas of beautiful tropical plants humanity hasn't seen in decades. But if anyone gets too close, they are crushed by an invisible force and bled to death. We lost dozens of men before we finally learned our lesson to not approach," Purple eyes had told us, after we had changed into our uniforms.

"However, they have declared war on us. They want our territory, our land and they want us as their slaves. We will build an army so powerful with the people we have left and fight to save our world from thirst. And you are that army. In the next year, we will weed out the weak through strenuous physical and mental training activities. By the end, the top 100 will be sent to headquarters to join the elite squad while the rest is sent to the main army." A deadly grin had spread across his face that day. It had hit me too hard, too fast. I didn't even know what I was getting myself into.

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"Your form and accuracy is incredible, absolutely flawless. Are you sure you have never done karate before? Or even boxing?" The pretty coach told me from across the room. She had glowing olive skin, full lips, and gleaming black curls that was kept in check on the bun a top of her head. She seems somewhat out of place in this harsh environment, like a lone flower in a patch of dead grass. Guilt twinges inside of me as I thought of Arika and how much I missed her, craving for her fiery presence, her hand in mine. The coach walks over, the only female I had seen in months. What was a cute gal like her doing in a camp full of guys? Certainly wasn't very wise of her.

"Relax your shoulders a little and bend your knees a little more. Remember, fast and decisive. Don't put too much strength into your hits," Her hands travel to my waist, slightly adjusting them, lingering for a second too long. I take a deep breath and focus on jabbing at the dummy.

"Very impressive indeed. Physically, you are a prodigy. What a nightmare we could make out of you," A devious grin that sends chills down my spine spreads on her pleasant face.

"From now on," She eyes my pathetic name tag on my chest, "you will train with me, Cole," With that, she saunters away, hips swaying and teasing. I can't help but stare at her as raging emotions battle within me.

"What was that about?" Jake walks next to me, his forehead beaded in sweat. We have become closer than ever and without his friendship, I most likely would have gone insane.

"I...I don't know. She asked me to train under her I guess," I shrug and try to act nonchalant about it, but on the inside, my mind is racing. What is she going to do? What did she mean turn me into a nightmare?

"Practice with me, will ya? Your moves are insane," Jake and I had become some of the best fighters in our unit, each other the only competition left. My mind travels back to my first fight. It was a bloody, uncivilized mess.

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"Alright kiddos. Three days a week you are gonna spar with one another. Feel free to train and use our equipment in the free time," I stand alone on my side of the ring, facing my opponent. He had black, greasy matted hair that clung to his scalp and an ugly, hooked nose. He was huge with bulging arms and thick legs. His green eyes glow in aggression. We are the first two to fight. Guess they do want to get rid of me. I swallow back my fear and picture Arika's beautiful face telling me that I could win. I would win, for her. He charges abruptly, ramming towards me like a mindless bison. I sidestep as he passes me before I snatch his hair and force his head to the ground with all the strength I could muster. He stumbles before righting himself at shocking speed, swinging his enormous knuckles at me. I duck, but it's too late, his hand making contact with my ribs. I hear cracks and I see stars. Triumph fills his face. No, I cannot lose.

Unchecked fury now fills me and I direct it at this man who has never wronged me before this moment. I sprint at him, astonishment plainly written on his face. Broken from his daze, he swings another deadly punch but I dodge it. Perhaps it was all those years of basketball but somehow in that moment, clarity fills my mind. Everything slows as I side step and ram my elbow into the vulnerable part of his head. He gasps before collapsing to the floor, not before dragging me with him though. His hand is on my throat and he's choking me. The ceiling blurs in and out of my vision. I claw and bite until I taste the tang of blood in my mouth. Air fills my lungs and I am heaving as yelps of pain escape him. I spring up rapidly but he snatches at my foot, a desperate last resort. I kick his hand but as my boot connects with his jaw, I knew there was no turning back.

He lay still, his head twisted in an unnatural way. He took one last shuddering breath before he went silent, never to move again. An alien sound escapes me. I sink to my knees. I'm trembling. I'm trembling. My hands won't stop shaking. What have I done? What have I done?

"And that is how you kill, my friends. What a deadly one this one is, eh? Not the most graceful fighting but that's one way to win," Purple eyes taunt me, taunts me at what I have done. He relishes in my pain, my suffering. All I can think about was that horrifying snap, when I ended this poor man's life. He probably had a family who loved him. He didn't have to die. But it was because of my stupidity, my rashness that he perished. Is this what it's like to kill? I look down at my hands. Blood coats them, mine mixed with his.

I had dirtied them and I would live with that guilt forever.

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