The next day I woke up before the sun hit the horizon. My body told me it was time to wake up to start the day. The sky was still dark and birds weren't up yet. If the early bird catches the warm then I would have caught tons before any woke up.
Sometimes in the night I had kicked off my blankets and took off my hat. I searched for my hat in my blanket pile. It wasn't there. It wasn't on the floor or under my pillow. If I couldn't find it my hat people would find out the truth.
A sigh left me when I found it in the wall.
My morning schedule started. I took a bath, fixed my bed; I was going to eat when I remembered having to stay low for a while so I skipped breakfast, and then I started my morning work out. That consisted of three parts: running, flexibility, and combat.
I started out running to avoid the heat that would come with the sun. I readied for running by stretching first. I stretched out my legs and did a few sprints back and forth to warm up. When I was done I was ready to run. I had started by the house first working my way into the forest. For a couple of yards I could just run straight until I hit a huge tree. After hitting the marker I'd turn left curving my way back to the pond. As once I hit the next marker I'd head towards a clearing not getting to close to it, then I headed back to the house. My total run took about an hour and a half. Long enough for the sun to start to peak over the land.
Flexibility came next and it was always difficult for me. It took me some time to be able to stretch out my muscles, back, and legs before I could get started. Since I hurt my body when I was young stretching my back has always been difficult.
My favorite part in the day's workout came next. Combat training. For some reason practicing techniques for hand-to-hand combat was exhilarating. Muscle memory helped give it a soothing, exciting feeling. I could have a tree in front of me and just hit it professionally with out thinking. It gave me time to think while staying fit, letting the sun come up.
My head came out of the clouds when I notices breathing coming from behind me. I turned suddenly fist flying when I realized it was Will. My fist stopped inches from his face. His eyes were wide and he was breathing hard while watching my fist. I dropped my arm letting it hang by my side.
"Never sneak up on me. You're lucky I caught myself in time. If you were another step my way you'd have a broken nose." My warning came out deadly fierce. Sighing deeply I went back to my workout.
I took me a few more minutes to get back into it knowing Will was behind me but eventually I got my muscles doing all the work again. I'd punch the tree a few times. Left, right, left, left, right, left, right. Slowly I would transition to kicking it. Left, right, right, spin kick. When my head was out of the work out my body would switch it up.
My rhythm broke with Will saying, "Could you teach me how to fight like that? I want to learn."
"No," I replied sharply.
"Why not? It will give you something to do," He explained.
"Last time I checked you have something to do. A little house work needs to be done and I don't see it getting done."
"Okay, you have a point but what about afterwards when I'm done?"
I took a second to think. "I'll find something for you to do," I simply stated.
"Fine. If you won't do if for me do it for yourself." His eyes pleaded with me.
"What could possible be in it for me?"
I got him stuck a second. He thought hard trying to figure out something that would change my state of mind. His expression changed suddenly when he figured out the answer.
"If you teach me I can go out with you and you don't have to worry about me." When he saw that that reason wasn't working he tried another, "If you teach me to fight I can have your back and I'll keep cleaning the area so you won't see me often. I could also go out by myself."
I initially was going to reply quickly when I thought of something. If I did teach him how to fight I could teach him how to be a thief. Since I needed to stay low for a while he could get food and supplies. I could also get a lot of time to myself to think of away to get behind the gate.
"Okay. I'll do it."
"Why won't you-" he stopped himself, "did you say you would do it?" He seemed surprised.
I nodded my head. Will looked like he would bounce off the walls with excitement. "One condition," his smile faded, "You have to do everything I say no complaints on how I have you do it or what you have to do. Got it?" This time it was his turn to nod.
"Since the sun is up I can't have you do so much. We'll start out with some stuff to get you in shape. Running is the only thing I can think of to do right now, considering you have a broken rib. Depending on how well you do we'll see if we do anything more."
After I got water I explained to Will about where we were running. I explained to him to keep a sharp eye out for certain plants that were harmful and which berries could be eaten and which couldn't. I took precaution be telling him if he got lost or we separated for him to stay where he was and don't move so I could find him. To be honest I didn't really think he paid any attention. He daydreamt while I explained.
"Got it all." I said louder. Quickly Will recovered and nodded. I let myself take a huge sigh. "Okay, follow me as we run. Tell me to go faster if I'm going too slow."
We set out a run. I headed for the woods on my usual route. At first we had a steady pace with Will keeping up. Gradually he started to slow down to his own pace. Reluctantly I slowed to his side matching him.
I gave him quick advice on his form. How he had to pump his arms with his knees lifted up not dragging. I told him how to time his breaths evenly so he inhaled the same amount he exhaled. He was sloppy and forgetful falling into his old pattern often but anytime I caught him I told him.
We ran to my first checkpoint at the birch tree only when Will got out of breath. I stopped at the tree to give Will a break to catch his breath. His breath slowed down to a normal pace. I turned back the way we came and started a slow steady jog back. Will followed behind me until he got back into his own pace. I had slowed down enough to keep an eye on him but stayed ahead of him. We made it back to the well in time for Will to collapse on the ground.
I fetched water for him as he tried to get his breath. I shoved the water at him to force him to sit up while drinking. He tried catching his breath. I jogged around to the front of the house so I could get new bandages for my knuckles. I had misplaced them when I did combat training and they were swelling and throbbing now telling me they needed to be bandaged.
After fetching the bandages I returned to the back of the house. The first thing I saw was Will's shirt laying on the ground in a mess. Next thing I saw was his shirtless body by the tree I practice on. He was fighting.
The muscles in his back moved with every swing he did. The scars danced with each movement he made. Everything worked together in one swift movement. Even when he tried swinging his left arm and winced did his scares still dance. I could see the muscle move under his bandage.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts I had and trained them on my bandages. I took a seat leaning on the wall to bandage. If I got any closer I'd say something to Will about his technique or something. He was in no shape to try to perfect his swing.
For the matter of fact he wasn't supposed to be swinging. I was sort of surprised on his tolerance of pain. He must be in so much with his broken rib. The memory of the scars on his back crossed my mind. If he could have those and still be alive of course he's have a threshold of pain. I shook my head of the thought and focused on the wrapping.
A hand waved in front of me. I ignored it guessing who it was. I waited to go back to my daydream. Next a pressure was on my arm. I snapped out of it seeing Will squatting in front of me stabbing me with his finger. I give him a confused, stern look. Apparently he didn't see my expression because he kept stabbing me with his finger.
"What do you want?" My annoyed voice rose.
"You were just staring and it was kind of making me uncomfortable sorry." I sighed and got up. He would do that to get my attention.
"Well I see you need new bandages." I sighed deeply. Will just stared. "Come on now sit down again just like last time."
Obediently he sat down crossed legged facing the forest. I pulled off the already lose bandages. They were still in good shape so I reused them not wanting to waste them. Considering I had a target on my back, gaining new ones wouldn't be easy. I started to bandage again.
Out of now where Will asked. "I didn't want to say anything yesterday because you seemed like you were not happy but where did you get the new clothes from?"
I accidentally pulled the bandage tight by the question. Will's whole body tightened by the new pressure I created. I quickly loosened up. So he did notice things.
"Yeah I found them abandoned hanging on a line all be themselves."
"So you stole them," he remarked blandly.
"No I consider it liberating," I answered. By then I was done wrapping so he got up and went back to the tree. "You know that your technique is all wrong and you might want to stop because I don't want to have to re- re wrap that again. Trust me you need that so you can heal correctly and faster."
Will stopped but he didn't seem like he wanted too. "Teach me something that I want to learn. I want to be able to fight as well as you do. Along side you. To have your back."
"I already told you yes but you have to listen to what I say. When I tell you that you need to heal I mean it."
"I'm so anxious to learn though. I can't think about anything else." He just looked at me giving me a pleading look. I thought.
Then I answered. "I'll teach you some essential things today but no complaints. Got that?"
He nodded not knowing he might regret that.