The hunter

Chapter 16

Wow he’s defiantly a charmer not, stepping out my room and locking the door I followed him, after leaving the house we were now at the front porch instead of turning left we went right and hidden by the side of the house was a massive out house building. I had to give it to the grounds the land mass till took me by surprise. The building itself had ivy running up the walls and moss so it blended in so well it was like it was wearing its own camouflage protecting it from predators. Retrieving a key from his pocket he unlocked the door and went in following him I walked further into the darkness, and I could hear my footsteps reverberate through the room. In the blink of the eye the room was awash with light whilst there was several clicking noises where Elliot had switched the lights on.

The room was massive and looked of that of the pe gymnasiums at school, the floor was littered with those blue foam crash mats and even had the smell of stale sweat like it did when at school.

I then heard the door close shut and could hear him approaching me, this screamed of some horror film the poor innocent girl being locked in the room with someone of authority who turns out to be a sadistic killer and I got that queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

“Riley, I appreciate this may be new to you but whilst you’re training with me I need you to pay attention so whatever your day dreaming about snap out of it”.

Turning around looking him head on “Huh, I was only looking at the room”.

This man was not an easy read whatsoever, but I suppose I had been given fair warning that he was tough at training and oh joys I get to be taught by him, though still better than Chris doing it.

“Like I was saying a few moments ago, given your lack of experience with your heritage we are best starting off with defensive moves, so take your jumper of and then if you would march over onto the mats, I think it’s best not to waste any more time and get to the matter at hand”. Doing as instructed I went onto the blue pads walking further into the room itself wanting to make sure that I was surrounded by a sea of blue foam pads. Elliot came and joined me “right so do you know anything about self-defence” he looked at what was clearly my blank expression “yeah just as I thought, well time to sink or swim then, what I will do is attack from In front of you then from behind and see ow you respond one word of advice never drop your guard and always have one foot positioned as an anchor”. Clapping his hands together as if he was a teacher, I felt instant dread. He walked further up past me then spun on his heels and started charging at me, doing as instructed I tried to make one foot an anchor to the ground but whist focusing on just that one small effort I was knocked flat on my back “Come on you didn’t even try, don’t over think it” I got up and before I could even think I was knocked to the floor from behind. Trying to get myself back on my feet I felt stiff “Riley concentrate for crying out loud now try it again but this time I want you to look and listen”. I so wanted to tell him to back off and storm out but I knew I had to stay, I wanted to prove that I’m not useless and that I can do this.

So, taking heed of the advice just given I watched as Elliot starting run at me again and just focused on this, and I noticed this time my foot naturally locked onto a supportive stance. All the time watching him noticing he then bent almost as if he was about to do a rugby tackle the closer, he got to me I then put my hands out to try and push him back.

He connected with me but this time I rocked on my feet and tried to shove him backwards and I could see I had made him lose his footing. Then he tried to ram me with his shoulder so without even realising it I slightly crouched and then rammed he with my left shoulder blade, what I didn’t realise that I had put a lot of force into it, and I made him fall backwards, where the hell did that come from. “Much better, good to see you at least listen” are you kidding me what the hell was his issue I’m trying my hardest here. Jumping to his feet “right now I want to guide you this time and show you where to land blows so pay attention, I really don’t want to have to tell you twice”.

Why do I get the feeling this is going to be one long day full of his wisdom It looked like I was back at school, and he now made me feel like I was indeed back at school fun times not. “Riley focus, you can daydream later”. Elliot was suddenly right in front of me I didn’t even see him get up “as I have just said stop daydreaming and pay attention” geez “don’t roll your eyes either, you need to pay attention otherwise you drop your guard out there then you’re dead and nothing will bring you back”. “Okay, okay geez I didn’t realise I had”. He was then grabbing my hands “right Riley, like I said earlier move your left foot and lock it in place almost if anchoring you in place” doing just he had said. “Perfect right now what you need to do is not use your hands themselves as you could be holding your weapons, so hold them in fists for now pretending you are actually holding them”. Elliot had now let go of my hands and I did as I was instructed, he face was so serious and hard pressed. “So what I want is for you to jab up at my torso, and I mean actually wind me, if you can do that then raise your other fist and connect with my shoulder, if you do it right you should bring me to my knees”

Wow that was very specific, he then walked away for me holding his hands out as if instructing a dog to stay and not move an inch. Pulling myself from my inner thoughts I watched him as he came charging at me as if he was a bull that was being taunted with the red cape. I refused to make any sudden movement and waited for him to be in my personal space, as soon as in hands length or I suppose in this instance fists length reach. I used my right fist to connect with his stomach however the man was rock solid and as much as it knocked him slightly, he was still standing and then rammed me to the ground, despite the padding from the protective mats my back was starting to protest. The pain from my injury was starting to announce its presence. He reached his hand out and pulled me to my feet as if I weighed nothing whatsoever. “You need to hit me harder than that, I have all day to do this with you and all night, so if I where you I would buck my ideas up and actually put real effort in instead of half arsing it”. He then walked back down so I put myself back into the stance and within seconds I was knocked on my back again. We repeated this pattern the pain in my back gradually increasing in intensity and I was starting to get hacked off on the twenty first attempt I could feel my nose scrunch and this time I smacked him hard enough that on that move instead of winding him I sent him on his ass. Was I hallucinating from the pain as for a second it almost looked as if was just as shocked as I felt. I mean did I really just do that I just stood on the spot unable to comprehend what I had just done, standing up he almost looked pleased “about bloody time, what where you feeling when you did that as you need to harness that and use it moving forward”.

“I don’t know, I was pretty much getting pissed off being honest and I really just wanted to knock you on your ass”. “See so aside from the pissed of aspect you were dead set on wanting to knock me over that’s what you need to use focus on that and what you want to do, and you will be able to make it happen, it’s all mind over matter”.

Clapping his hands together as if delighted by the fact I just knocked him on his back “Right let’s get to work, and actually get to proper training” feeling gobsmacked by this remark “I thought that was what we had been doing” he roared with laughter “I don’t think so we needed to find your trigger first”. I couldn’t help but think to myself what the actual f**k! The guy was infuriating but he was walking away from me, and he was now no longer in my peripheral vision. But I could heat his footfalls from behind they were so quiet but there was a beat there in his movement I waited for the pause. Noticing that the beat was slowly altering I spun on my heel, instinctively I bought my arm out and balling my right hand into a fist and slammed him hard in the stomach, I could feel the air being taken out of him. He then doubled down, and I aimed for his left shoulder slamming hard down that he face planted the floor. However, before I could bask in my victorious moment my foot was suddenly swiped at knocking me onto my back. “Riley pay attention, we are not stop starting, let’s start again”. Getting myself back up every joint screaming out begging for a reprieve even if for just five minutes I was not going to give Elliot the satisfaction. “Think of it as a dance Riley, always be ready for the next step”, “yeah slight problem with that helpful suggestion I haven’t danced ever” I was not going to admit defeat as I bet Elliot would love that and would gloat as he always seems to be hot and cold with me but also looks at me in a such weird way. He doesn’t know me, so I have no idea what his problem was not that he ever showed disgust at me, but he just acted odd and was so hard to pinpoint why.

Going back to my recent defensive stance we started of the same, and I followed through and knocked him flat to the floor, but then trained my eyes down and watched as he tried to swipe at my legs but this time, I jumped backwards to avoid it and he pushed himself up I went for his stomach again. He managed to recover quickly enough but I then went for his back, this made him lurch forward. Instincts then took back over, and I wasn’t even thinking as I acted, I bought my knee up at the same time as I slammed my arm down into him hitting him in two different locations and then put my wrist down and bought it down to the nape of his neck. Elliot then grabbing at my legs bringing me crashing down to the floor, I then kicked up into his chest with the heel of my foot with all the strength I could muster which then propelled him backwards. I then went into a crouch position watching as he came charging at me, as he bent down to try and knock me down, I righted myself and slammed into his chest this time forcing him to take several steps backwards.

However, he rocked himself and with his arms shoved me forward but instead of falling down I held my feet fast so I was only driven to my knees and slammed my fist into his stomach once again and bringing my left elbow down into his back whilst taking a step backwards so that he could not take me with him. Whilst he momentarily tried catching his breath, I stupidly dropped my guard and then before I knew it he slammed me to the ground and whilst he was on top of me so using my left wrist I delivered a smack to his midsection which raised him up enough so that I was able to pull me knee to my chest. Then pushing him up as much as I could I did the same with my other knee and then kicked up at his lower stomach which sent him backwards.

Holding his hand up as if drawing my attention “Right, break for a moment, stay here I will get some water. Resting my hands on my knees not wanting to move to much where muscles ached that I never knew existed. The pain still registering from my healing wounds, a water bottle was waved in my face “drink up and let’s check your shoulder from your injury” allowing him to do so “good news it’s pretty much healed but it will feel a bit sore especially where you’re working out”. He then proceeded to sit down and patted the matt as if indicating for me to follow suit, so I did as instructed.

“Well, I have to give it to you Riley, when you really focus you can hold your own shame that you daydream, but I have had worse people to train”. Opening my water and nearly downing half the bottle not realising how thirsty I was. “Wow, thanks I think Elliot” it was almost like he was smiling at me for a second but then maybe I was mistaken “Riley, you have not been in this world for that long and as much as you may have the physical attributes you need to learn how to unlock and harness them many kids that grow up start there training from the age of ten”. I was shocked at ten they are being forced to grow up “that’s a bit harsh don’t you think, what happened to kids being kids”. “You may not understand it, but it’s the way it’s always been with the Hunters, these children have to grow up faster, whilst normal children are growing up believing that the world is a safe place, we have to make them aware of the act that there are real dangers that exist, but if it means they are prepared for life they are actually been given a massive advantage instead”. Well, I suppose that was one way of looking at it “I know you may not understand that Riley, but you see so may work shy people, people wo are addicts in your world they do not appreciate that how special a gift life truly is, at least we do”. “Elliot, I get what you’re saying I really do, it’s just your normal is so different form mine”. Again, there was this almost smile on his face and his eyes looked like they were lighting up “ah Riley, but have you ever thought that there is no normal but more how we as a person perceive things, anyway enough back to training”. Oh, joy I was then pulled back up to my feet “now instead let’s change the pace a bit I’m going to switch of the lights and I’m just going to attack in various ways and let’s see how you can handle it. So, for the rest of the morning and afternoon I was pushed to my limits we trained throughout lunch. By the end I was pretty much lying dead on the blue mats. When there was a knock at the door followed by it be opening “Elliot, please say you have finished her off as I need her to be alive as I have a fun morning tomorrow planned for her. To Tired to talk I instead settled for sign language to let Josh know what I was thinking and lifted my hand flipping him off “oh the enthusiasm Riley”.

“Can I call in sick for tomorrow, Josh, same with you Elliot I can’t do training with you I will be dying in bed”. In unison they both replied, “no chance”, ugh the pair of them are just plain mean.

Forcing to sit myself up “does that mean that we are now finished for the day as I’m tired and starving”. Josh replied, “ah well you will have to wait for a couple more hours but if you want, go upstairs have a hot shower for the muscles and I will bring a snack up to you, but first I need to find out how the student did”. “Fine I will go to my room, but you better bring some chocolate, or I will have a full on hissy fit”. Making my way out the room after collecting my hoody every muscle was hurting so I took my sweet time making my way inside and to my bedroom. After closing and locking the door I went and grabbed my towel and ran a hot shower the pain relenting to the soothing hot water. Stepping out and picking my dirty clothes up I went and put them in the dirty laundry basket, and then went and got a clean pair of jeans and a black very top and grabbed a new hoody throwing them on the bed. There was a knock at the door unlocking the door it was the last person I expected to see. Clutching my towel tighter “Chris, whatever you want go away you bother me” before I could slam the door on him, he but he forced it back. “Easy there girl, how about you let me in, and I will give you a second chance at accepting my offer for a workout”, trying to move the door to no avail I just glared at him “get bent, now move your hand”.

Instead, he started to come closer before I even realised, he was being dragged back out the room and threw against the wall by the person I least expected to see. “Right, you little s**t, you and I are going to have to have a problem now f**k off”.

I looked over at Elliot and he threw one of the pouches of baccy at me “this fell out your top thought you’d want it back” before I could speak the silence was broken with Josh laughing.

“Aww Douche lord did Elliot just put you on your ass again, I would offer you my hand, but I wouldn’t watch to catch anything you have”. Instead, Elliot grabbed Chris by the arm “right you little punk your ging to room and get changed into your workout gear, me and the other members think you could do with a brush up after your lacking performance of late” Chris was then literally dragged to his end of the hallway “oh and I’m going to wait outside and personally escort you down so that you won’t forget”.

Josh still laughing waved the treats he was holding in his hands a massive bag of popcorn and chocolate with two cans of soft drinks “Josh, my hero you got the chocolate come inside and lock the door I will go in my bathroom and get changed.

I then walked back into my room grabbed my clothes and proceeded to the bathroom closing the door and started to dress. “Riles you all good, ignore Douchey mcdoucheton but if it helps, I’m pretty sure Elliot will give him hell”.

I had just pulled myself into my jeans and was halfway pulling my t-shirt on “yeah I’m all good why?”

“Well because you had this scared look on your face, if you want, I will gladly knock him on his ass”, brushing my hair with the hairbrush on the sink “thanks I might take you up on that offer, and I’m good honest just caught off guard that’s all”.