Delmira: The Awakening

Warehouse, Continued

“Training simulation complete.

Execution time 25 minutes 27 seconds.”

The guards around us all groggily clap, the guards from the back make their way towards the front. The strongarm limps very slightly. He too hides his pain, grinning through it. A family trait I guess.

“Good job girls!” he says hugging us.

“Thanks Dad!” I say hugging him back. Hissing slightly as he squeezes my side.

“Our time could’ve been better.” Lenora remarks, her type A tendencies never cease.

“It’s ok. We are so Proud!” Our mom, the telepath, says hugging us each.

I see Dad is leaning on his good foot, his left shoe now tipped with red, red footsteps following him from the back.

“Sorry about your foot!” I say, looking down at it. Even though we all never pull punches during training, I can’t help but always feel bad after.

“Are you kidding?!” He exclaims, “you handled me perfectly! Besides, Rose will have it fixed up in no time.” He looks at my arm wrapped around my side, “How’s the rib?”

I chuckle, then wince at the action. “Let’s just say touche.” He leans down and kisses the top of my head, gingerly wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

Like I said, We all never pull punches. Our enemies don’t. We have to be prepared.

My cousin Rose makes her way towards the door, shaking out her hands- preparing herself for the line about to form. As the “hostage,'' she seemed so much frailer, but in the light she looks like I remember- hair pulled effortlessly into a braid, her skin flawless, despite some leftover grime. One of the trademarks tells of a healer, always looking put together. She’s the 3rd healer in 5 generations, and also the only one willing to come at 2AM on a Tuesday.

The warehouse around us begins to shake and groan, sheets of patch-worked metal sorting and reforming themselves in the air as my cousins Oren, the metalon from the back, and Tyrus a metalon from the perimeter patrol, reform the metal from the makeshift room back into lockers and put the pipes from the ceiling back in place. As puddles of magma leave the metal, Aiden- the magma lenora fought- goes around and extinguishes them, taking the rocks left behind and tossing them outside. The last locker reforms at the wall, it’s door comically slamming shut as it finds its place. We all change out of our gear, storing it and our weapons in the newly returned lockers. I peel my soaked undershirt off, greedily snatching a fresh one from my duffle, gingerly putting the fresh one on. Once I stow away my duffel I join the line trailing to Rose. Muffled hisses and gasps leave each person that sees her as bones snap back into place and cuts speedily close up. I see Lenora and my mom standing next to the door as the wait for my dad, who is a few people ahead of me, and I to finish up. My dad limps up to her when it’s his turn, her eyes glowing a pale lilac. She gently places a hand on his arm and closes her eyes, sensing for injuries, then gets to work.

He doesn't even flinch.

Showoff.

Fatigue sets in, making my mind blank and everything blur by. Before I know it it’s my turn.

“Hey Rose.” I smile, moving my hand from my side.

“Hey Kells.” She smiles back, putting a cool hand on my shoulder.

After she takes count of my injuries she moves to my side, places both her hands on the injured side. As she focuses on my rib, the cool from her hands seeps into my side, tingling like menthol. I try not to react as my rib moves back into place, but can’t help but wince. She smiles apologetically as it audibly pops.

She moves to my bruises and scrapes, leaving no visible signs of the fight. Lastly she puts her hands on my temples, I make my mind go blank, it's harder for her and more painful for me if I don't. I’ve learned that the hard way. She closes her eyes, calming cool pulsing into my head, fixing what she can from the mental war I went through. As the cool seeps in, my headache fades. The echoing of Lenora's scream disappears, replaced with cool quiet. Once she's finished, I meet my family at the door, all of us looking better than ever.

“So, seeing as we completed the mission, can we skip school tomorrow?” Lenora casually asks, My parents laugh.

“Like we told you, you still have to obey attendance laws. But if you're not missing anything that you can’t make up, I think you’ve earned it.”

Lenora and I happily high five, but we both know we won’t miss an entire day. It’s hard to justify missing school when it’s also your job to gather intel there.

I close the door to the car as I slide into the seat, and rejoice at the thought of my warm bed, welcoming the quiet calm of sleep as we make our way back home.