Watching a couple of the kids get frustrated and quit the obstacle course, I decide to run it myself…but turn up the lethality of it as I make all the kids appear sitting and watching either in the bleachers or at the tables if they were already sitting at them.
"This course is designed for me, with it's lethality minimized from insanely lethal to a more minor injuries scale of bruises and broken bones. I want you all to see that this course isn't easy, not even for me…so that when you get frustrated and want to quit you understand that what I'm asking of you all isn't impossible. But it is a long term goal that needs dedication and perseverance and maybe a bit of thickheadedness. Not everyone is meant to be a Hunter whether it's their mentality, personality or if it's their body holding them back. With that said I have faith that all of you can do and become anything that you're willing to put the time, effort, blood, sweat and tears into becoming." I can feel everyone's rapt attention on my words as I pick up my kit which consists of a double bladed bastard sword, and two colt forty-five caliber pistols.
A major difference between the obstacle course for myself and the kids is that mine includes mock monsters that attack and fight with a rabid determination to see my entrails spill on the floor.
~- — — — — — — — — — — -~
Cassy can't take her eyes off him, Matthew the kids told her his name he's handsome and has this magnetism that makes everyone want to look and listen to him but up there on that death trap.
Seeing blood flying from wounds inflicted by fake yet so life-like monsters she can't help but feel terrified for him and her kids.
Maybe they're their kids. She saw how he was with Annabeth, the strange yet loveable little girl who just showed up one day and never left.
And then there's Danny who like most of the kids has no small amount of hero worship for the man, but is the most determined to become what he is…a Hunter of monsters.
Cassy chokes as Matthew gets pinned to the ground by a group of vampires…vampires like her ex-boyfriend and his daughter, she starts to shake, her breaths coming in gasps. Before they can devolve into a full on panic attack she feels a strong hug, looking down she finds Annabeth hugging her and giving her a million megawatt smile.
"Mr Matthew said he thinks he fell in love with you…you should have seen the way he was looking at you while you were helping Amy read the chapter on Wendigos." Cassy can't help it but a soft laugh bubbles up out of her.
"Hey believe me…I know how boys look at girls they like a lot and I know you can't stop looking at him either."
"Oh sweetheart…that well you'll understand when you're older and all the boys including Mr.Matthew can't stop looking at you, but it's not love Annabeth."
"No he wasn't looking at you like he wanted to rip your clothes off and have sex with you…though I'm pretty sure he wants that too. But he was looking at you like you were a mint 67 mustang gt Shelby 500 in his favorite color, his eyes were full of appreciation and he had a cute silly smile on his face."
Cassy, starting to feel embarrassed covers Annabeth's mouth with both hands, "Okay, okay I believe you…let's-let's just stop talking about this and watch him run through the course." The sound of metal clanging against metal makes Cassy jump in her seat, her head whipping back towards the obstacle course to see Matthew in a sword fight against five indistinct monsters.
"Heh, he needs better sword fighting training. His hand to hand is excellent though." Cassy hears Annabeth murmuring but mostly ignores, chalking Annabeth's reaction up to a defense mechanism used by a little girl to hide her worry over someone she has become rapidly attached to.
~- — — — — — — — — — — -~
Finishing the course my clothes shredded, my body bruised and bloody, I find myself on my knees and using my sword I thrust point first into the ground for support and just to look cool I make it so two werewolves ambush me once I and the kids think the course is over.
At the screams of surprise from the kids as I swing my sword behind me bisecting the mock werewolves in half.
"A Hunter that drops their guard, is a dead hunter. A Hunter must stay alert at all times even when all you want to do is curl into a ball and cry yourself to sleep because your day has just down right sucked, been exhausting or both." I say to the kids and all of them have horrified but enraptured expressions on their faces…except Annabeth who is looking at me like I'm telling her something she already knows.
'I like this girl, if she sticks with becoming a Hunter she's going to be a total badass I can already tell.' Snapping my fingers I return the course to a mostly safe course for the kids to run and force myself to my feet feeling a bone deep tiredness.
As I'm walking to the doors to leave Annabeth comes over to me, arms crossed over her chest, and I'll admit I'm a little miffed by how she's glaring at me.
"You're not halfbad but your sword work is sloppy like you were taught how to fight with a sword but saw no use for it so you neglected it." For some reason I can't help but see a cute little sister type expressing her worry for an adopted big brother so I reach down and ruffle her hair.
"Thanks for the advice Annabeth, I'll work on it."
"Hunph, you better!" Annabeth expresses in a very serious tone of voice before starting to move like she intended to give me a hug.
But then she seems to think better of it, probably because I'm covered in my own blood stops and returns to the table where Cassy Mercer is sitting.
The school teacher rapidly turned her head away from my direction but I'm almost certain that she had been staring at me rather intently as Annabeth talked down to me, the little concerned spitfire that she is.
Support my writing on Patreon
patreon.com/u109932335