Behind the Walls. NOVEL By Claire Darcy.

48. The First Fear.

ACE.

I was exhausted from arguing that morning, and I felt somewhat lightheaded because I hadn't eaten yet. I was also nervous.

"Ace," called the Instructor, "You're up." I jumped up from the bench and moved to the center of the room. "Remember what I said, use your elbows and knees. Move fast."

I nodded at the Instructor's directions and took my place. I wanted to act like I knew what I was doing, but I really didn't. I'd never fought like this before. I'd fought out of rage, and out of struggling to escape, and in the spur of the moment... but never like this; never to practice for the sake of it. Never for nothing.

This was what Weapons Training had become. There weren't even any weapons being used today. The games had long since passed, and we were now all competent with guns of all types; old and new. Now we gathered in a circle around the room and were called up one by one to fight a painfully physical holographic opponent.

A hologram that you could actually touch. A hologram that threw really hard punches.

Meanwhile, everyone else sat and observed.

"Three, two, one, fight," called the Instructor, without any enthusiasm. A glowing red square appeared before me, then was immediately replaced with the net shape of a human. The hologram hit first.

"Ah!" I yelled, tripping backward as I was kicked in the side. I got my bearings and ducked low, lunging quickly at the hologram with a punch to the stomach. It easily blocked me, flipping me onto the ground. I kicked its legs on the way up and gasped in a breath.

"Elbows and knees!" the Instructor yelled. He was right; I didn't have enough strength behind my punches. This hologram was a lot larger than me. I couldn't do this. I ducked a blow to the head and threw my arms up, latching them around the hologram's neck and dragging its head into my knee.

A robotic buzzer noise sounded, and the hologram's red grid-like appearance flashed for a couple of moments. Then it was back to fighting.

"What th~"

The back of my head connected with the ground before I knew what was happening. Another blur of red light and I was rolling across the floor, wheezing. I gasped for air, trying to push myself up, but my arms gave way and I slumped back down, my cheek hot on the cold ground.

"Ace, get up!" yelled the Instructor. I tried again, but couldn't.

Suddenly the hologram fighter was on me, twisting me onto my back and punching me in the face. Something between a groan and a scream tore through my throat, and I felt hot blood beside my eye. While it was still on top of me, I again grabbed the hologram by the neck. This time I hit it with a right hook, then swung my arm violently back so my elbow hit it with enough force to send it toppling off me.

I winced and staggered to my feet, the ground tilting as I tried to regain my focus on the hologram that was almost finished flashing. As it still processed the hit, I kicked it in the back and it fell flat on its stomach. More flashing. This time, when I tried to kick it again, it grabbed my foot and flung me to the floor, pounding the air out of my lungs. Black blurred my vision and pain shot through me. The hologram stood up, but its image wavered and swam across the roof of the training room. The walls swirled around me.

"Up, Ace! Up!" the Instructor yelled. I moaned in agony, trembling as I tried to at least sit up. I gasped and fell back down, stomach up to the ceiling, arms down by my sides; completely unprotected and helpless.

I felt like I was about to die. Surely this was what death felt like.

"I can't~" I croaked, my voice thick with pain. The Instructor didn't care.