The cursed blessing

Drill coach Zecel

Aya

“Five more.”

“Four.”

“Come on Aya three more push- ups.”

“I can’t my arms feel like Jell-O.”

“How do you want to free your friends at the brothel without the muscle power in your arms. No excuses come on five more.”

“Wait what you said three more, not five.”

“Well now it’s ten more.”

Arguing with Zecel was useless so I said; “Yes sir” and tried my best to deliver ten more push ups before collapsing on the ground.

“Good, five-minute break.”

I trained every day for a minimum of five hours and Zecel even has handed me a timetable.

Three times a week it was material arts and combat training and three times a week I had to use my gift and develop strategies. At the end and the beginning of our sessions I had to do sit- ups, push- ups and some other exercises for my muscles and to strengthen my will as Zecel always said.

Once a week I was free to do whatever I wanted but I trained anyways because I had a clear goal. I wanted to become stronger and faster in order to help my friends. Zecel always tried to motivate me and it helped a lot. I still wasn’t able to win a battle against him, but he started sweating more and more when fighting  me. A little more, I thought I just needed a little more training and then I will see you all again.

Next on my timetable was combat with Zecel. There were rules: no fatal hits and no gifts were allowed. This training was about observation, technique, speed and muscle power.

Training with Petra in our old apartment helped a lot and the training with Zecel made me even stronger. Today was the day I could feel it in my bones. I will win. I have to win.

“Break is over. Come on it’s combat time.”

I stretched and started to attack Zecel with my feet. Left kick, right kick, double punch. I was fast but Zecel blocked my hits with his body and attacked me. Observation was key so I watched every single move and was able to dodge his attacks.

His eyes locked with mine as we punched each other. His attacks came quicker, and his punches were more powerful than before. He didn’t hold back at all.

I fought back with all I had and even landed one punch in his stomach but it wasn’t powerful enough to make him fall.

He grinned at me and I knew that he wanted to end this fight with his next move. He always grinned at me before knocking me to the ground, so I was prepared for what came next. He used his leg and wanted me to lose my balance, but I jumped over his leg and landed a powerful punch in his face. He didn’t see it coming as I used all my power to twist his arm around.

We both stood there. I was behind him twisting his arm to his back and he was laughing. Why the hell was he laughing? “Good job Aya, I am proud of you, I really am, but as always you forgot one thing.” With one swift motion he squirmed out of my grip and took me with him to the matt.

He was on top of me and his breathing was uneven. “You have to think about the stability of your stand Aya. If you had thought about it, it would have been nearly impossible for me to get out of your hold.”

I looked him in the eyes and my desire grew. His face was wet because of the sweat and his hair was hanging loosely around his face. He looked so handsome.

His eyes watched me intensely and got caught on my lips, which I nibbled on.

I wanted him to kiss me, but the kiss never came. He lifted himself up and reached for my hand to help me up. “I think you are ready to be part of the rescue mission for your brothel friends.”

 I didn’t know what to say and  pounced at him with my arms widely open. Hugging Zecel felt so nice and I couldn’t believe that he would help me free my friends.

“Thank you so much.”

“Don’t thank me too early I said you have to win against me, and you didn’t, which means that I want you to think about your stand more and improve on that matter. Understood?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good. I will form a team for this mission, and you will tell them everything you know about Castor, the brothel and draw them a plan of the building. Mark all exits and rooms.”

“Understood.”

I went straight to my room and started drawing the brothel. I remembered every single room, every corridor and niche. I always worked there and cleaned every centimetre, which made remembering the building really easy.

Thinking about my time there made me wistful. So many names were in my head but Lydias was the first one I thought about. She was there for me for years, in good and in bad. Sassa and Connie who were a lot older than me helped Lydia and me a lot.

 Lydia was fourteen when she became a prostitute, a few years older than me at the time. The others always protected me because sometimes there were paedophile clients who wanted to have me although I wasn’t even ten years old. Castor would have followed their sick wishes if it hadn’t been for my friends, who offered them to do whatever they wanted just to make the demons lose their interest in me and take Sassa, or Connie with them into the room. 

Lydia was new at the time and Connie always said: " The clients will ruin your life sooner or later anyways, but I prefere later. Stay away and let me take them into my room". Those two always looked after me and Lydia.They became my most valued friends. 

Petra entered the room. “Hey girl I am going to go with you on the mission. Sindra is coming as well. Together we will help you to rescue your friends.”

“Thank you, a hundred times.” We embraced each other and smiled.

My life wasn’t an easy one. Castor wanted to break me but failed. Zacel died and took a part of me with him. I have lost a lot but won even more.  I have a new family, friends and a purpose in life and maybe I will find love again. Who knows what the future will bring.