Split Worlds

Chapter 1

Hey so this is my first story so please go easy on me. This is a first draft of a book I am actually writing so it is a little sloppy. Also, I don't have a posting schedule but I will at least post each week. But here it is.
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The snow cracked under my boots as I waited for my ten thousandth fight in this training camp. Today I was fighting my good friend, Parker, people can't really be friends when they fight through. We have to focus on what we are training for. We would not go easy on each other.

He was getting better since I first met him, which was about twelve years ago. We have been going to the same camp for a long time and our town wasn't that big so we saw each other around town too. Four days a week for however long you stay. We have become quite good friends since then. We have had a light flirtation between us, but I don't think it means anything to him. We haven't gotten deep into whatever our relationship was.

For the twelve years I have been at the camp only about three girls joined. And then quit because they didn't want their nails to get dirty.
I took a look at his fighting stance, it was very good. One that might even be better than mine--but it wasn't.

"Begin!" The leader of the camp called.
And so we did. Parker's hunting knife was immediately in his hands. He lunged, but I moved aside just in time. Though I didn't have time to move a second time as Parker came at me once more. He got my upper arm, but the cut wasn't that bad. It was long down my arm, but it wasn't deep.

"Come on Indira!" The leader barked. "You are not going to beat a monster if you can't beat Parker!" Of course, he would say that. All kinds of beasts and monsters have been invading our territory for the past few centuries. I am only going here so when and if I encounter one, I will be ready. Our land was separated by a border centuries ago. The side of the monsters is called the far offside. Rumour has it that monsters started dwelling there and now they are coming here.

I flung myself at Parker. Not wanting to get out a weapon yet; I went for a tackle. Before he even got to touch me I felt a sharp pain on my lower leg. I tripped on the pain and my body hit Parkers in a harsh movement. He went down quicker than I expected him to. Leading me to stumble a step again, but I still was able to pin him down. He struggled to get up. He grunted and squirmed.

"Aww, can you not get up?" I mocked.

"Get. Off," he panted, then shoved me away.
He was getting stronger, but so was I.
He was standing now, gathering his breath. If I wanted to get him down again, it would have to be now. My own hunting knife glistened when I pulled it out of my dagger holder attached to my pants.
The crunching of the snow as I ran gave me away. When I aimed my knife to go straight into his cheek, he was ready. Instead of stabbing him, I got a deep wound on his other cheek. It wasn't a good hit, but better than what he got on my arm.

He yelped in pain as he hand went to clutch his face, "Gosh dang you Indira."

"Stop it, Parker! Get back at her!" Our leader was yelling yet again.

He put his hand down. Then he discarded his hunting knife. In my peripheral vision, I saw one of the girls that would soon quit, pick up his knife and blushed.

Good thing she's leaving soon.

Getting my head back into the fight, I also threw my knife to the side. We stared at each other for a long moment.

Three. . .Two. . .One. We lunged at each other. Down on the ground, we tackled one another. His fist landed on its target: my jaw. My foot, in return, went between his legs. Parker winced but kept fighting. We rolled down the hill. When we reached flat land he was on top of me. Not good. I couldn't let him win.

I flung Parker over with my feet. He cursed violently. I was on top. I was so distracted in my victory that I didn't see Parker's knee go up until it hit me. Then it was my turn to spit out a curse. He only chuckled. Parker scrambled on top of me, holding down my legs so I couldn't knee him. Smart move, he learned his lesson from last week. He also kept his arms pinned under mine.

The snow was so cold under me. The cold was starting to pinch my skin. The blood from the cut I gave him was dripping down on my face was the only thing warm. I could have sworn something stabbed at my arm, but since Parker hadn't moved, I shook it off.

His face came close to mine. "Stop struggling. You know you've lost," he whispered in my ear.
He was better off telling me to breathe underwater. I wouldn't stop--couldn't. Not when I had my family to think about. If anyone in our camp didn't win, they would have to stay for extra practice. I didn't have time to do that, after this, I will have to go hunting because my family can't and we have no more food. So I kept fighting, or struggling would be better to describe what I was doing.

My arms and legs have now gone numb from the cold, making it impossible to fight back.

"Parker!" Our leader called out. Both mine and Parker's head snapped to our leaders' direction. "Get up. You won," he said at last.