Lunar Phases: Golden Eyes

Chapter 1: Training

"Keep your gaze fixed on the objective. Feel the knife's tip as an extension of your fingertips. Concentrate on what you're feeling, hearing, smelling, and seeing. Every strand of your being must be intertwined.", Hyacinth murmured quietly to herself.  

She envisaged a four-walled, windowless chamber with only one door. She tilted her head to the side, straining her hearing. She stepped out of the way as the air altered, but She was too slow to respond. A hit to her knee dislodged the bone, forcing her to kneel on the ground. She could only manage a gasp before another strike to her back between her shoulder blades knocked her face down on the ground, breathing the specks of dust. She let out a series of coughs as She climbed to her feet and strained her ears to locate Talina in the room.

"You're not even trying," Talina screamed.

Hyacinth rose to and balanced on one foot and extended the middle finger at Talina. Talina puffed angrily, which caused her to smile, suggesting that she was pointing in the right direction. As Hyacinth bashed her knee on the ground and snapped the joints back into place while she adjusted the blindfold, muttering in pain.

"You move quickly for an old lady," Hyacinth remarked.

She felt Talina reach behind her head and push her head towards her knees to break her nose. A cracking sound could be heard in the room.

"Damnit" Hyacinth exclaimed as she grabbed Talina's leg and yanked it up, tripping the other leg and dragging her to the ground, and wrapping her leg around Talina's body. Hyacinth took a big breath, smelling the blood pouring down from her nose and the dank stench of the room.

"You're not even trying, Cinth; take me seriously," she remarked fiercely.

"We all know this training would have concluded sooner if I had taken it seriously," Hyacinth chuckled. Hyacinth added solemnly, "You're the one who's holding back; you know I don't like to be underestimated, Auntie."

Aunt Talina said, "I'm not." Talina slipped a leg out of her grip and kicked her on the chest sending her flying three meters away.

"Then show me what you've got," Hyacinth said as she sprung to her feet and dashed towards the location where she believed Talina was. Talina launched a blow, which her fist deflected. She grabbed Talina's arm, turned her back on her, and used her arm to throw Talina's whole body to the ground.  Hyacinth did not release her grip on Talina's arm; instead, she twisted it until it dislocated. 

"An eye for an eye," Hyacinth whispered, recalling her previous dislocated knee.

Talina straightened up, breathing heavily, and grunted as she twisted her arm back to the proper position. 

Talina swung a high kick at her. She dove under Talina and wiped out Talina's leg on the ground. Talina collapsed but quickly threw her legs over  Hyacinth's neck, choking her with her legs. As she struggled to untangle her head from Talina's strong grip, the white blindfold that covered her eyes slipped down her neck. She scanned the area, hoping to reclaim her eyesight after hours of wearing the blindfold.

"Auntie, why do I have to have my face pressed up against your old wrinkly v****a?" She grumbled, attempting to avoid her legs from snapping her head off.

"Escape if you don't like it," Talina smirked.

 The moon bestows many benefits, one of which is youth. Talina may appear to look like in her mid-20s but she is truly in her 60s.

The metal door in front of me swung open quickly. Talina craned her neck to watch her partner enter the room.

"Honey, I'm supposed to be the only one in that compromising situation with you," he said as he closed the door and proceeded to the other side of the room where the towels were.

Hyacinth locked her gaze on Uncle Jerrico."You can replace me, grandfather, I'm not sure I'd want to die in this position,"  Hyacinth gasped out.

"You know we'd be living a thousand years longer before you start calling me Uncle," Jerry joked.

Talina released Hyacinth to hug her mate. She asked, "What exactly are you doing here?"

Hyacinth rose off the ground, undid the damp blindfold over her neck, and took the towel Uncle Jerry gave.

"What time do you suppose it is?" he said as he drew into a hug with her.

Instead, Hyacinth responded for her Aunt, who was busy kissing his Uncle's neck, "Four in the afternoon?"

Jerry opened the garage door and stared at her, saying, "No, it's 10 o'clock in the evening; both of you were in the basement for nine hours."

 When she walked out, she noticed it was dark and windy. The only sounds heard were the rustle of leaves and crickets. The surrounding houses have their lights turned on, and some are empty in preparation for tomorrow.

"You must be hungry; I made dinner," Jerry said as they approached the front door and the kitchen. When she looked at the clock on the wall, it was almost ten-thirty.

"You're the greatest," Talina said as she raced to set the table.

Hyacinth sat down and stared out the kitchen window, where the moon, obscured by clouds, was rising higher and higher.

For two seconds, her grey, nearly white eyes changed the hue to a sparkling rustic brown with golden specks surrounding them. She averted my gaze from the window and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes after a minute and saw her Aunt and Uncle whispering in the corner she knowingly well the topic of their conversation is about the full moon.  When they noticed that she was gazing at them, they stopped chatting. They sat down, and they all ate quietly.

"Darling-" Talina began, but Hyacinth interrupted her.

"I am aware; we discussed it this morning. You should not be concerned.", Hyacinth responded gently.

"But-," Talina went on. She reached for Hyacinth's hand but she slipped out of reach and onto her lap.

"You have to get ready with Uncle Jerry to arrive in the Cabin shortly, but I'll be alright," Hyacinth added, smiling.

She proceeded to the front entrance and opened it for Talina and Jerrico. It was already 12 a.m. She wrapped her brown wool cardigan closer to her breast as a gust of frigid wind hit them.

Talina reached into her handbag and gave Hyacinth a bundle of leaves. 

"How come you carry trash in your bag?"   Hyacinth asked, rather skeptically.

Talina looked at  Hyacinth and said, "Those aren't just dried leaves; they're a mixture of leaves designed to alleviate your discomfort."

"It is not just dried leaves. That is a combination of leaves to help you with the discomfort. A lot of women have taken that and it has helped them get through their heat. Other packs have even come out to me to ask for that." Talina emphasized.

"I doubt I'll need it, and we're not even sure if I'll get it tomorrow," Hyacinth responded. As she stared at the package, she was reminded of all the times as a youngster when Talina used her as a tester for all the concoctions she forced  Hyacinth to drink, most of which were less than delightful. Talina is the pack doctor, and she enjoys concocting odd mixtures and treatments. As a child, they were memories Hyacinth avoided thinking about because they gave her nightmares.

"Let's go, Honey!", Jerrico said as he slammed the trunk of the automobile shut.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to slam the friggin vehicle doors. You know we're stronger. If you wreck my car, I will slice you!" Talina said angrily.

Hyacinth hid the package of leaves next to the patios in the garbage bin, hoping Talina wouldn't notice. She watched them dispute and drove away before entering the house. Having all the house for herself, she decided to not retire to bed yet. She walked to the kitchen and fetched a tub of ice cream before going to the living room to look through the variety of new CDs Talina bought in town for her to watch in case she got bored.

She played the movie and sat on the couch with a tub of ice cream, completely oblivious to the upcoming event.