Light

by Adrienne Woods

  I wanted to cringe. Why, why, why do all my choices find a way to bite me in the ass? Even if I was good at it, I still didn’t like to fight.

  When he was done with the other hand too, I had to admit, my hands felt well protected but I still didn’t know if I was ready to fight against Max.

  “Just go—”

  His first punch was solid as it made contact with my face. I felt like one of those cartoon characters who got run over by a bus and started seeing stars floating around my head. I was slammed against the floor and grunted when my head touched the cold surface of the mat.

  “There is no taking it easy in this class! You will learn just like all the others did, Chas. Through fighting, the virtual lessons and weapons training.” He paced in front of me, like someone that was ready to tear me apart. “Again,” he said and came at me fast.

  I ducked and avoided one of his punches but another hit me right in the stomach. I let out another groan and clutched my stomach. It felt as if he’d smashed the air out of my lungs. Still the minute I could breathe again he came for me once more.

  I held my arms in front of my face, clenched my stomach muscles as hard as I could and just took each of his beatings. Back home, I was sure Mom would’ve flipped if we’d had classes like this, but this wasn’t a world like home. In this one you had to fight strange objects regularly if you wanted to survive. Then again I remembered Mom’s soft side and not the Shadow Caster side of her that was a platinum blonde with a reputation for being one of the nastiest Shadow Casters alive.

  The punches carried on for what felt like forever and when I couldn’t see through my left eye anymore the girl with the bright, golden brown curls took me to the nurse’s office.

  I felt defeated. There weren’t any stepping stones in this class. It was chuck an ass in the deep end and watch it either drown or make its way to the edge type of class.

  “You Guardians seriously don’t know the meaning of the term first day, do you?” The nurse asked. Her voice sounded sweet and apologetic, I wanted to look at her but I couldn’t see as my eye had swollen up so bad that it resembled the term beaten to a pulp. “Sit.” She led me to the bed, the soft surface made me want to lie down but I chose to sit up.

  Only when she pushed my body downwards did I follow her gesture. My head ached and I cringed as she started dabbing an ice cold ointment on my face.

  My lip pulsed and I flinched more as she dabbed some of it on there too. It carried a strong minty smell that burned my nostrils, but the deeper it entered my mind, the softer the pounding in my skull became.

  She lifted my shirt up and I ached everywhere. I knew I was covered with bruises and the only thing I could think about was that Max was going to pay dearly for this. I would make him pay.

  She rubbed some of it on my stomach and on the sides of my body. I winced every time she touched me and a part of me wished that I’d chosen another group, like the Designers. Then again, I would’ve sucked just as bad as a Designer.

  A part of me knew that Dingle would never let me leave the Guardians now. There weren’t many to begin with and I guess I knew the reason behind that now.

  “I think we’ve covered every bruise. Try to sleep,” the nurse said and I could hear her footsteps disappear.

  The girl that’d walked me to the infirmary was gone. Or so I hoped. Whatever the case, she didn’t make a peep.

  I dozed off quickly and found myself walking through a maze of hallways. The bright walls made me squint.

  There were students all around me, bumping against me as I tried to get to the other side of the hall, they seemed so real. But the faces belonged to strangers.

  A whistle at my side made me look up and I found Leigh with a backpack slung over his shoulder.

  I wanted to cry for making the stupid decision to become a Guardian.

  “Not what you thought it was is it?”

  I shook my head and rested my head against his shoulder. It was good to see one familiar face. “Please tell me that I’m still stuck somewhere in the Virtual Realm and that Guardian training is anything but this.”

  He chuckled. “I’m sorry to burst your bubble, Chas, but that was the real world.”

  I winced and gave an animated cry which made him chuckle. “Hey look on the bright side. One day you’re going to be able to kick Max’s butt for real.”

  “You can’t do it for me?”

  He laughed. “I do it on weekly, since the day he stepped into my world, but my punches have no effect on him whatsoever in reality. He wakes up unharmed.”

  I giggled. “That sucks so much.”

  “They aren’t bad people Chas, but remember what I told you about being careful who you trust. Geoff’s death…” He shook his head.

  “You think it’s the Shadow Casters?”

  “If it was, they’re getting really good at entering Revera.”

  “Do you think they’re here for me?”

  “Don’t think like that, okay? The Institute is safe. Too many Guardians are teachers here.”

  I nodded and remembered seeing Shades.

  “How did you know about the cat?”

  Leigh gave me a smile. “The things I know, would raise the hair on your arms.” He winked and started to walk in the opposite direction to the other kids.

  My stomach flipped at his small gesture, and a giggle escaped my lips.

  “See you later, Chas.”

  I woke up right before I could say ‘see you’ back and found myself still on the bed in the nurse’s office. I could see and squinted slightly as the white of the walls and other bed linen was too bright for my sight.

  Both my eyes were in mint condition again and when I touched my lip, I felt that the swelling had gone down. The crack Max left was also gone.

  “How do you feel?” the nurse whom I only heard before asked, as I got up. She was nearly a head shorter than I was and wore a white uniform with a little hat on her big red curly head.

  For some weird reason I didn’t ache as I had when I’d come in earlier.

  I lifted up my shirt, the bruises on my stomach and sides were gone, like the past hour had never happened. I hopped off the bed and found the nearest mirror. My face was back to normal and didn’t resemble a punching bag anymore.

  “Is this for real?”

  The nurse laughed.

  “It’s amazing stuff, isn’t it?”

  “I seriously need to get me some of that ointment.”

  She laughed at my reply but didn’t say anything, like where I could buy some. I don’t think she realized I was dead serious.

  “I think what Dingle does is breaking the rules but it’s for your own good. Nobody cares as much about you kids as Dingle does, especially when it comes to the Guardians. He isn’t a bad guy, you’ll see real soon.”

  I sighed and huffed, thinking it wasn’t so bad getting beaten up one minute and having this wonderful nurse, whose name I still needed to get, with her wonderful ointment, erase all the pain.

  “Okay. I’m Chastity, but everyone calls me Chas.”

  “I’m Leonara. I know it’s not the Domain and I know Revera is a lot to take in, but welcome home Chastity.”

  “Thanks, I guess.”

  She smiled and stroked my back softly just as a knock on the door came. Fox entered with concern lacing her features. “What the hell happened? It’s her first day and…”

  “Relax, I fell down a rope. I’m fine. Just a precaution,” I lied. I hated to lie but I promised discretion and that I wouldn’t mention Dingle’s methods.

  “You sure? I can always speak to Dingle and ask him to ease up.”

  “Hell no! I want to be a Guardian. The only way I’ll get there is to do whatever they are doing.”

  Fox shook her head. “Okay, whatever.”

  I laughed. “See you later Leonora.”

  “Please don’t say that Chas. You’re going to be careful tomorrow,” Fox said.

  “Bye Chas,” Leonara sang as she went back
to her paperwork.

  “So apart from falling down the rope, how was your first day?” Fox asked as we walked down the hall.

  “Selene is nice.” I still couldn’t believe she was the only Somnium, the one that kept order in Revera. “The rest was fun, really. Guardian training is not so bad.”

  I sort of believed that.

  We walked down the hall and just like in the dream; I had to squint as the bright yellow was hurting my eyes.

  Fox cleared her throat. “And Dingle?”

  “What about Dingle?”

  She gave me that look, the one where she knows I know exactly what she means. “What is he teaching you in that class?”

  “What Guardians should be taught.” I giggled and rolled my eyes slightly to the left.

  “I’m just worried about him being offered this position.”

  “Why?”

  “Chas.” She blew out some air and I knew that what she was going to say next could get her fired and I felt all the hair on the back of my neck rise. “There are rumors that he almost went to the dark side….”

  “So, Dingle was almost chucked out of Revera because….”

  “By choice,” Fox added before I could finish that thought.

  “What?” I followed her down the steps.

  “I wasn’t impressed when Selene told me the news, but she makes the decisions around here. Be careful, please.”

  “Okay,” I said. The thought about Dingle wanting to be dark kept playing around and around in my head as we walked.

  When we turned the corner the walls were covered with royal blue tapestries and after passing through a huge main door, we stepped onto the greenest patch of grass that I’d ever seen with lots and lots of trees.

  I had to admit, the scenery was something that could only exist inside a dream, with beautiful oak trees and blue open skies with no clouds blocking either sun.

  Cobblestones with small white and purple flowers growing everywhere led us past the trees. Once we cleared the trees, buildings were outlined against the horizon.

  About three to be exact.

  When we got closer, I realized the buildings weren’t buildings at all but mansions. Big, modern mansions with glass walls and plenty of space.

  When I looked back the hulking building of the Institute barely showed from the top of the trees.

  “So, we’re still on top of a mountain?” I had to know.

  “Yes, Chas,” she said and laughed. “Don’t worry, we are perfectly safe up here.”

  We walked to the mansion located on the far right and saw that there were about ten of these structures built inside a huge circle.

  There was a huge swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball hoops and even a volleyball pit, surrounded by a long running track in the middle.

  Fox gestured with her hand to follow her and we walked to the nearest house on our left.

  It was big, really beautiful and reminded me of one of the houses back home we could never afford. It had glass walls that ran three stories up.

  She stepped to the front door, which was actually a wooden door that had a huge welcome sign on the top, and a plate that read in Celtic letters, House of Lords.

  “Welcome to your new home, Chastity. This is the House of Lords,” Fox said. “I know it sounds cheesy, but hey, I didn’t pick the name.”

  I giggled again as I followed Fox inside.

  House of Lords. I liked it even if it sounded cheesy. At least I had a home now, and apart from all the people I’d had to say goodbye to, it was a beautiful home. House of Lords, oh my.

  THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE WAS ENORMOUS. THE

  walls were a soft beige and grey, lined with plenty of abstract paintings. The lobby had a huge chandelier hanging from the roof and a beautiful spiral staircase welcomed us.

  A lush, black carpet was strewn on the wooden floor hiding the knotting in the oak floor boards.

  “Your room is way at the top,” Fox said. “But let me show you the entire house first. I want you to feel welcome, Chas.”

  I smiled as I followed her down the hall and into a huge, open kitchen. There were so many cupboards and a big walk-in fridge on our left.

  At least three microwaves, from what I could see, were spread over the kitchen on top of beautiful granite countertops.

  In the middle was an island with the stove and pots and pans hanging from a rack mounted into the ceiling, dangling right above.

  As we passed through the kitchen Fox led me down two steps into the most beautiful open plan dining area I had ever seen. Complete with a huge glass table with soft semi-thrones that could seat almost twenty people.

  There were no traditional walls, and light streamed into the room through huge glass panels. It highlighted the most beautiful orange and soft brown décor I’d ever seen. Even the flowers were orange and they complimented the dining room beautifully.

  It was simply breathtaking.

  Against one wall there was a big rule board that read, In this house we forgive and forget, we support each other and think before we act. We give second chances and we never, ever have a dull moment.

  I smiled at the last part.

  “Breakfast is served around seven thirty, lunch, one and dinner is at six.”

  “Got that.”

  I followed her back the way we’d come, past the lobby and down another hall that led to a different part of the house. Frames of uplifting quotes about how to reach one’s dreams and how to treat each other lined the wall.

  I stepped down more steps and found myself in what appeared to be a lounge-slash-game room.

  “Here is what we call our entertaining area.”

  “It’s a play room.”

  “Okay fine, a play room then. It’s the Ping-Pong machines, right?”

  I giggled and nodded.

  “Oh, hi Natalie,” Fox said and I didn’t even see the girl who had taken me to the infirmary earlier hanging out in the lounge. She had her parrot lodged on her shoulder. “This is Chastity.”

  She waved. “We met, earlier in class.”

  I waved back.

  “And this is Charlie. He is her Anitule.”

  “Hi Charlie,” I said and I remembered what Henry was like.

  “Hallo,” Charlie said in a parrot voice. “Nice to meet you Chastity.”

  I giggled.

  “He understands?”

  “Yes, he does. He doesn’t greet everyone like that, so he must like you,” Natalie said and kissed him softly on the beak.

  The parrot closed his eyes as if he loved her kisses.

  My eyes caught the library through another set of double doors. It was huge and had books stacked right to the top.

  I walked over and started scanning all the titles, some were unknown while others were books I’d grown up reading.

  I found one open on a big round chair that could’ve easily been used as a bed.

  My curiosity got the better of me and I reached out to pick it up.

  “Chastity, don’t touch that,” Fox warned and I pulled my arm back as if it was a snake ready to strike.

  She let out a giggle. “Sorry, it’s just that books this side aren’t like the kind you are used to back home.”

  “They’re not?”

  She shook her head. “Sure there are words written and everything but someone is actually busy reading it and if you close it she won’t be able to get out.”

  I gasped. “Get out?”

  Natalie laughed too. “I have no idea how you guys experience books inside the Domain but here, we actually get sucked into the story, literally, and become one of the characters.”

  “What?!”

  “It’s fun, we don’t have to use our imagination but experience it on a much deeper level, the way the author meant it to be experienced.”

  “You’re shitting me, right?”

  “Language, Chas.” Fox had that raised eyebrow kind of glare.

  Natalie shook her head with a huge smile plastered on her face
, as I made my apologies to Fox.

  “So what you are saying, just to be on the same page, is if I open a book, I will literally go into the world the author created and become one of the characters?”

  “Yep, that pretty much sums it up,” Natalie said with a small giggle in her tone.

  I looked at the book lying on the couch again. “And someone is actually reading that one now?”

  They nodded again.

  The book started to glow suddenly. A figure flew out of it and plopped onto the couch.

  She was a brunette with shoulder length hair and big glasses resting on her nose.

  “That one is not for the faint hearted,” the girl said and saw me standing inches from the couch. “Oh, hi. I’m Sophia, you must be the new girl,” she said as if she’d been waiting for me to show up the entire afternoon. She got up and held her hand out to shake mine. No problem with her confidence either.

  I just stared at her with huge eyes.

  “Sorry, this is seriously one of the best novels I’ve ever read,” she said as she walked past me and put it onto the shelf again.

  “Chastity,” I finally said and couldn’t stop staring at the book she’d just been holding.

  “So, you’re the one from the Domain? For the past three days everyone has been chatting about you nonstop. I bet you never thought a place like Revera ever existed, right?”

  I shook my head.

  “Well, welcome home then. I hope you’re going to love it here.”

  “Thanks.”

  Sophie smiled, picked out another book, right next to the one she’d just put back and skipped right past us and out of the lounge.

  “Soph is a bit of a nerd but she is one of the smartest girls I know.” Natalie smiled with Charlie still lodged on her shoulder. A bit of a blabber too. “Good to know, then I know who to ask for help if I struggle with something.”

  “I have no idea what that was though.” Natalie pointed back at the direction Sophie had skipped. “She usually keeps to herself.”

  “It must be a really good book then.” Fox walked to the shelf and glanced at the title too.

  Natalie just giggled as Fox gave her the book. “You should read it, it’s really good.”

  “Maybe not, if it does that to Soph, I’m afraid you will not be able to live with me.”