When he didn’t make the cut the first year he tested, and my dad did, he became very frustrated and started volunteering in one of the few mines on our mountain. They mine for Iron, gold, and different metals.
Morton finally tested out of training to become a Protector, shifting his focus to mining. When voting came up ten years ago, he and my dad were aiming for the same position. When dad won the vote, Morton became a recluse; no longer joining in on family gatherings or celebrating holidays with us. He’s always scowling from afar. He gives me the creeps.
Finally, after an hour of running and six miles down, we can cool down and head toward the arena to work on our weapons skills. Who knows, maybe I’ll see the mysterious girl at lunch today in the common area.
5
Tova
My mouth waters as I inhale the aroma of what can only be lasagna. I’m so flipping hungry. Skipping breakfast so I can run at the crack of dawn has my stomach growling so loudly that it sounds like the mating calls of beluga whales. I’m sure everyone in the cafeteria is staring at me right now.
Lining up, I grab my tray and slide it over the metal slate in front of the buffet. I plop a massive helping of lasagna, garlic bread, mashed potatoes, green beans, and corn on my tray as I make my way down the line. Settling into a seat at the far end of one of the long cafeteria tables, I take in my array of delicious goodness. Right before I take a bite, I hear, “Hungry, are we?” I tilt my head to my accuser only to find my best friends, Adelaide, Dani-Jo, and Cora, grinning from ear to ear down at me.
“Well, it’s good to see you too, trouble,” I sneer at Adelaide.
Adelaide, but we all call her Adi, only snickers as she positions herself to my right, her wavy brown hair bouncing as she walks over to me. As the miners say, dynamite comes in small packages. But what do you expect from a girl who was raised with four brothers? My firecracker of a best friend is petite in stature, loyal to the core, and has the most beautiful brown eyes. Cora and Dani-Jo sit directly across from us.
Adelaide proceeds, unphased by my snark, “Whatcha so hungry for? I only see you eat like this when it’s a holiday.”
“I skipped breakfast so I could run before the meatheads got to the track,” I admit.
“Hmm, so you’re running earlier and further. That can only mean those nightmares are still plaguing you,” she frowns.
“Yeah, they never really go away. I just keep pushing myself to the verge of collapse to get at least a few hours of shut-eye,” I drop my eyes and explain with a melancholy voice.
Answering Adi, I shift my body toward the entrance of the cafeteria, and to my surprise, he walks in. The scrunching of my brows must be less subtle than I hoped because they all, in unison, turn to look in the same direction.
Cora pipes up, “Looks like someone has captured Tova’s attention.”
I argue, “No, I mean, yes. Whatever. Do y’all know who he is? What’s his story? I mean, I’ve been wearing the twine ring when I run, but he doesn’t seem to care or notice every time he’s there. He’s been running at the track and today he manages to run right beside me. We glance at each other occasionally but as of today have only said, ‘Hey.’ And my God, when our eyes meet, it’s like a fire ignites my bones.”
“Um yeah, he’s kinda Elon’s son, one of the Supreme Seniors,” Cora laughs, “They live on the east side, on a farm near the protection wall several miles from here. I’m not surprised you’ve not seen him before since you live on the south side, quite a few miles in the opposite direction.” Pausing for a minute, she crosses her arms. “I noticed him a couple of weeks ago when he was talking to his brother, Kage. I overheard Kage tell him that their dad would be proud of him choosing to be a Protector and that he’s glad he got farming out of his system.”
I tap my finger to my mouth, one of my many unconscious mannerisms while deep in thought; Alright, that makes sense.
“What’s his name?” I ask.
“Pierce,” Cora replies.
I scoff, “Of course, it’s Pierce. Why wouldn’t it be? Sexy as all get out. His eyes pierce my soul each time I look into them. His name is only fitting.”
“Well, you seem to have captured his attention, too. By the way he hasn’t been able to tear his eyes away from you, it’s pretty clear you’re the only thing he’s interested in,” Dani-Jo acknowledges.
Adi chuckles, “Ha! He must be completely smitten if even the option of eating isn’t enough to steal his inquisitiveness. I know I could never coax Larson from his food after morning training, much less for a pretty girl.”
Larson is a couple of years older than Adi, but they’ve been connected at the hip since she was sixteen. He’s only ever had eyes for her. He’s a ferocious Protector, and no one in his age group has beaten him in the arena. His strength is superlative, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s a lingering effect of the Dust. We all knew he’d be fantastic at this profession, and he hasn’t proven us wrong yet.
“What are you thinking?” Andi asks, pulling me back from my wandering thoughts.
Squirming in my seat, I admit, “When he looks at me, I get...uncomfortable. Butterflies swarm in the pit of my stomach. I unquestionably feel fire, a burning deep inside almost consuming my every fiber. There’s an instant connection I’ve never felt before.”
“Well, well, well. I guess Miss ‘I’m going to be independent and live a solitary life’ might contribute to our increasing population after all,” Adi chides.
“Contrary to the opinion that we have a sparse existence, I feel like we have plenty of people,” I refute. “I admit, census numbers suggest we don’t. Compared to the population before the Extinction Event, we aren’t anywhere close to repopulating the world like it was. Even if it is only like eight hundred people, I don’t like crowds, jam-packed places, or the likes thereof. I like my peace and quiet, nature, animals, and simple living. I get it, I do. To make sure we aren’t near the brink of extinction is essential, but I really do love the simple way of living.”
Adi teases, “Ultimately, in the next fifty years, the goal is to have our population in this territory up to twelve-hundred-fifty. So, get that single-minded determination out of your head.”
Showing half-eaten food in my mouth and waving an empty fork at my friends, I mumble, “Humph, don’t hold your breath.” Continuing to chew the bite in my mouth, I point out, “I have no idea who this guy is, what his intentions are, and most importantly…if he even likes me. Anddddd, he has no idea what kind of baggage I carry.”
Cora cackles, “Real attractive, Tova. How about swallowing that mouth full before reprimanding us?”
“You have to let the notion go that you’re not worthy of love, Tova. None of the crap you’ve lived through is your fault. No one will judge you for your creep of a father or what he did to you,” Adi whispers so no one else can hear, but I don’t miss her stern look. I appreciate her honesty. She may be right, she may be wrong, but right now, I’m not trying to prove anything. But that comment still stings either way. These girls right here know me, know my entire story. Cladec made sure of that.
The girls were spending the night at our farmhouse on my tenth birthday, and surprise, surprise, he became violent in yet another drunken stupor. He went to swing his fist at my mama, and I screamed for him to stop. Deciding to turn his sadistic concentration to me, he gifted me with a swift backhand across the face that sent me flying back against the wall. Dazed from the blow, I slid to the floor, already feeling the split lip and growing black eye, and looked toward my room. All three of them cowered in a corner, whimpering and shaking in terror as they watched the scene in horror. Happy flippin’ birthday to me!
Shaking my head, I try to block that memory. In an attempt to change the subject, I ask my friends what tasks they will choose. All four of us are in the current batch of Deciders. I know my mom wants me to pick being a seamstress so she can spend more time with me. However, I’m leaning more toward Protector, but have contemplated Naturopath and f
armer as well. The desire to learn self-defense, use different weapons, and protect those who can’t defend themselves has become more and more overwhelming, though.
Adi is the first to answer, “Protector! I’ve always known that was my calling.”
“Good choice. Growing up with four brothers, you’ve already got the ‘kick-butt’ skill down pat. I’m going to choose Protector too. Not that the other professions aren’t worth looking into, I just know deep down that I can make more of a difference doing this,” Dani-Jo claims.
“I’m pretty sure I’m choosing Naturopath, but I’m considering Protector as well,” Cora affirms. “What about you?”
“Protector. No doubt.” I exclaim, slamming my fist down on the table. “Whew, and just like that, my mind is made up. I mean, I’m already fit. Now, I just need to develop my skills at weapons, learn self-defense, brush up on history, learn more about medicines, and how to tend injuries, and I’m set. I mean, how hard can all that be, right?”
“Oh no, I hope those aren’t your famous last words,” Cora teases.
We finish up our lunch and head to empty our trays in the trash. And wouldn’t you know it, my feet fumble over each other, causing me to trip right into the trash can. No, I don’t fall in, but I still stumble into it so hard the sound of my crashing causes everyone to stare at me. I’m pretty sure my face is redder than a ripe tomato.
“Are you hurt?” Adi rushes to my side.
Straightening my spine, I lower my head. “Not physically, just my pride. Can we get out of here? Y’all know I’m gravitationally challenged, but now so does everyone else in here.”
“Yeah, we know,” Dani-Jo smirks.
6
Pierce
“Well, looky there.” My brother nods in the girl’s direction, slapping me on the back as we walk into the cafeteria. Both of us notice she’s looking our way, and I swallow hard, holding her stare. Good God, did my heart just get the hiccups?! This girl has me under some sort of spell or something because I can’t look away. Maybe I don’t want to. I’ve never been one to be this intrigued by a female. Have I approached, pursued, and dated other girls? Absolutely. But not one of them has captivated me the way she does, and I don’t even know her name.
After she breaks our stare, I stuff my hands in the pockets of my jeans and meander toward the buffet, doing my best to redirect my attention to our lunch choices. Once I’ve made my half-hearted selections, not really paying attention to what I grab. I take my tray over to the table Kage and the other Protectors and trainees usually sit at. There will be six of us at this table: Jace, my lifelong friend, the twins, Kole and Kaden—our resident heartthrobs—, and Larson, a brute I met a couple of weeks ago. Larson is about to test out of Protector training, and Kage will be here once he fixes his tray. I’m pretty sure Larson is smitten with one of the girls in the mystery girl’s group because he keeps eyeing one of them.
Following his gaze, I notice the girls chatting about what I can only assume to be us because they keep glancing in our direction. Hopefully, that’s a good sign. The less than discrete actions between the girls and me doesn’t slip past Jace’s notice. Honestly, I would be disappointed if he didn’t catch on; it’s not like any of us are even attempting to be subtle in our little exchange. He’s a cool guy. With any luck, he won’t give me too much of a hard time. Disappointingly, the girls get up to leave shortly after we arrive. I guess we were too late getting to lunch, but we had to clean up. I mean, good God, we were sweaty, and I’m sure a skunk would have smelled better than us when we finished our training.
A loud crash makes me pause for a moment, and my first thought is, Shit, did she just tumble into the trash can? As soon as I heard the noise—How, I’ll never know—I just knew it was my little klutz. Before I am even fully aware of the movement, I jump up to head in her direction. Her friend is too swift though and helps escort her out of the cafeteria without a backward glance. Surprisingly, it appears she isn’t injured.
“Well, it looks like your new friend may have two left feet,” Kole teases.
“Ha! Not everyone can be as graceful as you, Kole,” Kaden chimes in.
Larson just shakes his head in silence.
“Okay, okay, pretty boys. We get it. Not all twins can be as cool as y’all,” Jace smirks. “Pierce, I think her girls have her covered. You can sit down now and eat. We can’t have you wasting away now, can we? Practice and training are kicking all our asses.”
“Fine,” I blurt, reluctantly sitting down to eat my hefty portion of lasagna, corn, green beans, and toast. I must have been hungrier than I thought because I devour my food in less than five minutes.
“Did you even taste your food? I’m pretty sure you just inhaled it.” Kaden points out as I finish.
“Growing boys gotta eat,” Kole chuckles.
“You two always have a comment, don’t ya?” I smirk, staring at the exit the girls just left out of. “Do any of y’all know who she is? What her name is? Is she really off the market? How old is she?” I glance at Larson because it’s hard not to notice his interest in someone from her group, hoping he has some answers for me. The guy only remains silent, staring down at what remains of his food.
Kage sits down in front of me, placing his tray on the table. “Man of a million questions, aren’t you? I’m pretty sure she and her friends are Deciders. I think they are up for their pick in the next week or so since I’ve only noticed them the past few weeks eating in here with us,” Kage explains. Pointing his spoon at me, he continues, “Now, your girl...I’ve seen her for the past year or so at the track. None of the guys have caught her name, as far as I know, because she always blows them off. However, she only started wearing that twine ring a few weeks ago. I’ve never seen her with anyone other than her girlfriends. She’s usually at the track alone. If I had to guess, the ring is just a deterrent for guys, but I could be wrong.”
It didn’t go unnoticed that Kage referred to her as my girl. It sounds damn good to hear her referred to as mine. I’ve got to find out who she is, either that or get her off my mind until I can introduce myself and ask her personally. Getting up to leave, I announce, “As soon as you all are done eating, you can find me at the instructional facility.”
I swing open one of the exit doors and travel up the hill toward the instructional facility, the building where we receive all of our book and practical training. I make my way to the library at the back of the complex, needing to find something, anything, to keep my mind off her for a little while. Walking down the science section’s aisle, I overhear my name whispered by a group of girls in the next row over. Curiosity gets the best of me, and I peer through the books and see that it’s her friends. She’s not with them, but that doesn’t matter because I want to hear what they’re saying about me.
“You know, she thinks he’s cute, or she wouldn’t have been so fixated on him the entire time at lunch,” the blonde explains, exasperation clear in her tone.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We all know she’s been through some crap, and she’s not going to just let herself ‘like’ someone. He’s going to have to build her trust, and you know that will not be easy. If he likes her, he’s definitely got his work cut out for him. And Lord knows he’d better be patient,” the girl with the tiny frame bites.
“Tova is a strong-willed, tough cookie, but she has a soft side. If he can get her walls to come down, he just might have a chance to see it. God willing, he may actually have a shot, and maybe, just maybe, she’ll actually learn to let go and let herself love and be loved,” the other brunette says with a wide smile.
“We can only hope,” the small one affirms.
So, her name is Tova, like the goddess of thunder! Good thing I’m not afraid of a challenge.
7
Tova
Each step is careful, deliberate, matching the first shadow footstep for footstep. The second silhouette mirrors the first. In the silence, I only hear the pounding of my heart and the blood ru
shing in my ears. The two figures are now hovering above me in my bed, one holding a rope and the other holding a machete. As the first one reaches for me with the rope, the second one with the blade rears back, aiming for my chest.
“Tova! Tova, wake up! You’re thrashing in your bed.” Adi shakes me until I’m awake.
I’m barely able to open my lids that feel like they’re weighted down with lead. Finally, when I’m able to peek at Adi she crawls in the bed behind me and wraps me in a gentle hug as I tremble against her slight frame. My eyes are burning as I try to keep my tears at bay.
“I’m here, Tova. No need to be afraid,” Adi soothes as she strokes my shaking arm.
“Thank you, Adi. I’m sorry I couldn’t shake this nightmare.” Popping up out of her embrace, I throw my legs over the side of the bed and cover my mouth. I muffle, “Sorry, Adi, but I think I’m going to be sick.”
Rushing to the bathroom, I empty the contents of my belly into the toilet. Eventually, when I’m able to stand, I grip the rim of the porcelain sink as I try to steady my shaky hands so I can wash up. Looking in the mirror, all I see are blood-shot, droopy eyes staring back at me.
This getting to the track early with no breakfast thing is getting old. I’m so hungry. Oh well, if I must make sacrifices to maintain my inner peace, then so be it. At least that family of deer is here again to greet me and keep me company.
Seven miles down, only three more to go. This run is different; it feels so good to lose myself to it, knowing I already solidified my decision and no longer need to worry over it. My mind is made up. I’m choosing Protector next Friday. The crisp mountain air, fresh smell of dew on the pines, is simply breathtaking. I close my eyes to inhale, only to have my peaceful thoughts drowned out by the sounds of raucous men.
Protecting Tova (Iron Mountain Book 1) Page 3
