Of Solar And Dark (2018)

13 [S]

Sebestian Knight

"I reserved one of the training rooms so that we can get to work privately." Martha pushes open one of the doors, revealing a spacious area. To the left, punching bags hang from the ceiling, sealed with a thick material and boxing gloves attached.

There is a thin fence that runs down that area, splitting the room. Towards the corner, there are metal bars and gleaming poles that are connected to the wall, some of them twisted out of proportion and slanted at an angle. Below the poles where one plummets to the ground lies thick rubber mats. Curving my finger inwards, I try to direct the fear away from my mind.

"Are we going to do all of this?" Edward's voice wavers as he speaks. The fear in his eyes is crystal and there's a steady amount of sweat that begins to bead the slant of his neck. He's as nervous as I am.

Martha throws her head back and a steady stream of laughter flows across the room, "Are you scared?"

"All this just looks really daunting, that's all." Edward quickly defends but the way his voice sounds like it is being squezeed through his airways only highlights the pressure that he's cracking under.

"It's Salvation Training 101. If you even want to accomplish the most basic distraction, you have got to master these smoke and mirrors act." Martha smirks at us, our remarks bouncing off her like beams of sunlight against a mirror.

"Smoke and mirrors? Last time I checked, we weren't planning on leaping off walls of the art gallery." I reply swiftly.

"You two are cowards. You do know that if the Resistance members who are guarding the prophecy plan to go on offence if our stratergy is detered, we need to be able to eacep smoothly, right?"

"But-" Edward trys to throw in one more excuse but it's futile. Martha raises a hand, causing his words to tremble to silence.

"I don't want to hear it. Climb the ladder and show me what you got."

The ladder, propped against a structure with a metal platform where all the poles allign and connect, gleams almost menacingly under the panels of ceiling lights installed overhead. I glance at Edward the same moment he shoots me a look of doubt. The panic on his face is evident- the muscles of his jaw are stiff and his hands are clenched with a stubborness to defy Martha.

"I'll go first." I start for the ladder and begin my ascend. Under me, the plates of steel creak with my weight, sending my heart racing. My fingers tighten along the side rail as my breaths ricochet along the chambers of my lungs. Blinking furiously, I summon what little courage there is left inside of me and heave my body onto the platform. The ceiling of the underground bunkers are surprisingly high from the ground and my head barely scarfs the surface of it.

"What do you want me to do?" I call out to Martha, praying that the distance will make the fear present in my tone less distinct.

"I want you to practise swinging from the poles and leaping down. You need to land confidently on your feet and do it in a balanced manner." Martha replies, watching from the sidelines. Her arms are eased into a bored cross over her chest while she leans against the fence that creaks slightly with the pressure her body exerts. Staring at me with wide eyes beside her is Edward. From up here, I am able to notice every detail about him- the way he shakes, constantly thumping the side of his thighs with his fist- probably to ease off the nerves.

His eyes are a brilliant shade of blue, one that belongs to the Solar system's sky. At the moment, they are filled with fresh panic, bursting with a nervousment and tracking my every move. Watching me watch him.

I never would have guessed that such a bright hue of blue could look so interesting before.

Quickly shaking that thought out of my head, I glance at the narrow beams propped along the metal platform. They're tightrope thin and none of them offers a secure purchase should my legs slip. Drawing in a ball of air, I make my way towards a beam that I estimate will have the most friction between my shoes and the surface.