Ch:05 A cat with twenty lives

"You must be robust. No matter the circumstances, no matter the odds against you, you are a warrior. 

You must never give up until death claims you. Once you are still breathing, you still have to hope. Listen to me attentively. 

Rey Reed: Even though fear, death, and failure will continue to echo all around you, they will not dare to move closer unless you allow them to. So, never give up." My mom admonished and lectured me at the same time.

"But mom, I'm uncomfortable. I can't feel myself again. " I tried to complain.

She spat in my face angrily, "You are a fool for saying those words. I regret ever giving birth to a weak and pathetic being like you." 

Her words hurt me to the soul, and I could feel my heart breaking into pieces as her words hurt me deeply. Sometimes, I always wonder if she is indeed my mother. She handled me with an iron hand, which I never ceased telling her that I was too young for.

"Mom, I just clocked 14 for God's sake. Don't you think you are pushing me too hard?" I managed to complain one day. "At least, you should have allowed me to reach 18 above before you made me go through all this hard military training of yours. " 

I couldn't finish my words when the slap landed on my face, making me wince in pain. "Shut up," she snapped at me. You are so vulnerable, just like your father. Don't worry, you will understand when you clock 16. " She will reply.

"Will you just stop talking about my daddy and let him rest in heaven?" I will always defend my dad.

"At least he had suffered enough on earth." So, kindly let him rest in peace. Will you? "

"I am preparing you for the future, Rey," she said with a low and calm voice. I am teaching you all this for self-defence. I am preparing you so you won't be deceived again.

"Mom, stop," I scream, not hearing any of her words. "I am too young for this, and I can't do it anymore," I yelled at her. 

Before I could spell Jack, another loud bang was heard, and that was how I knew that my mom had just hit me with a table. I touched the spot where she hit me with the table, and I could feel blood dripping from the wound. I went down instantly and became unconscious. 

I woke up 3 days later in a hospital. She was beside me, with her eyes blazing with anger and fury. Instead of her taking pity on me, she was mad at me. 

"I know you are being shaky just like your father." She rebuked me without caring if I had just come back to consciousness or not. "Despite how hard I am trying to help you and build you up, you are proving it otherwise." 

I felt hurt by her words, which makes me wonder if she was even my mom. Don't get me wrong, she is the most caring woman in her heart, and she is ready to go the extra length for her son. I could even remember a day when I was lost in the woods. I was wandering around when I mistakenly walked into a lion's den. 

All thanks to my mother. She arrived just in time to save me that day. When I asked her how she knew my location, she simply pointed to a golden wristwatch in my hand and said nothing again, which made me wonder how she got to find me through a wristwatch, but I shrugged the thought off. 

I could also remember a day when my school bullies kidnapped me and took me to an abandoned building. Just when I thought all hope was lost, my mom appeared again and saved the day again. I asked her how she found me, but she pointed to the wristwatch again. 

Since that day, she has insisted that I begin my training. Even though I try to tell people that I am just 14 years old. But my plea fell on deaf ears. That is how she began training me in various combat skills and methods for dealing with my opponent. Tears slipped down from my eyes as the memory fed away and was replaced with that of my father. 

Even though I didn't get to know more about him because I was just 5 years old when his business partner called him for a meeting in California. He was on his way when he had a plane crashed and died with the other passengers. 

"Your time isn't over, Rey Reed." He said to me "You are a fighter and a survivor who has survived in this hell for good 4 years."

"I'm sorry, Dad," I say, apologizing."I am tired of fighting for their achievement. I am tired of dancing to their tunes. " I complained bitterly. "Please let me come and join you."

"No," my father said, shaking his head to show that he meant it. "Your time isn't over; you have survived a more critical condition. This is just a minor one. You will surely scale through it. "

"Are you sure I can do it, Dad?" I requested it with uncertainty in my voice. I mean, there is no way I can escape from here. I don't even know where I am. I have no map or compass to lead me out. So tell me, how did you want me to escape? " I yell with anger in my voice.

"Trust me, Rey. You are a leader, a fighter, and your will to survive is very strong." He encouraged me. Now go back and fight for what is yours. Fight for your survival and your departure. Finally, fight for the one you love and your team. " He concluded, and a bright light started consuming him. 

I wanted him to stop. I wanted to hold him and ask him about my team. 

But it all ended in vain, and I could feel the tears pouring out of my eyes. Finally, I felt a strange magnetic force pulling me away from the spot where I was standing. I feel the magnetic field pulling me into a large river, making my body soaked with water. 

I screamed out, trying all my best to swim out of the large body of water, but it all ended in vain. Finally, I felt the water-consuming me and my body was drowning in the river.

"Wonderful, he is awake." I heard a strange female voice whispering in surprise. 

"He managed to survive the fatal accident. He is indeed a strong man. " I heard the female voice again.

"Can you please inform Ryan that our player is alive?" I heard another voice mumbling it again. 

"He is, in fact, a fighter, and I admire his will to survive." The second voice elucidated, and I could guess that it belonged to a male being. Not long after, I heard the door swing open, accompanied by footsteps.

"Did I just hear you say that he had woken up?" The man's voice, whose voice I hated with a passion, implored. "How is that possible?" He asked again, astonished.

"I don't know Ryan," the female voice replied truthfully. "Despite all the sharp metal and broken glass that covered his whole body, he was still alive."

"What about his companion?" Ryan asked.

"She was out of a coma three days ago," said the female voice." She didn't sustain much injury. It seems like the airbag did a lot of work to protect her, unlike him. " she clarified, and I could guess that he was pointing at me.

Slowly, I started to open my eyes. At first, it was blurry and I couldn't see anything for almost 10 minutes. Finally, it started to diversify to the environment as I felt my eyes staring at the ceiling painted in white. 

The scent of hydrogen peroxide and methylated spirit covers my nostrils, which makes me wonder where I am. I know the other arena ground didn't have any hospitals or medical laboratories. I was also glad of one thing. 

The fact that Kira was alive and my team managed to escape brought joy to my heart. I am sure that I will find my way out of here as soon as I am healthy. I tried moving my hands, but pain surged through my body, and I quickly withdrew them.

"Don't stress yourself too much, Rey," Ryan whispered in my ear, and I could feel the happiness in his voice. "I would love to release you and let you go, but I can't."

"Fools!" I spat at him. Even though my voice is hoarse, I still manage to let it go out loud and clear enough for him to hear. "Like I give a fuck about whatever you did."

"I know you will never let your pride down," Ryan said. "The same goes for the bitch you called mother; I wonder how you'll feel when you find out she was one of those who peddled you out."

"Don't speak ill of my mom," I yell at him, my voice now coming out strong and louder. "Call her any stupid name and watch as I slice your fucking throats. " I spat and managed to make it come out in a threatening tone so he could know that I meant everything I said.

"Did you know I could have you killed here without anybody to query me?" He whispered the words into my ear, and I could feel his hard breath and the odour of alcohol on his body. "I am still amazed at how you survived a collision that takes away the life of most of my strong men."

"That was because I am a cat with 20 lives," I replied with a smirk. "Let me tell you one more secret: the angels hate my soul. That is part of the reason they never let me cross the border." I said into his ear with a wide grin on my face. I felt his anger resurfacing, and he was clenching his fist while trying to control his temper. 

"Don't waste your energy, Mr Ryan." I elucidated again, stressing Ryan. "You can reserve your strength till I am strong enough, then watch as I will surely cut your tongue, which you always used to kiss my mom and those balls of yours that don't know their limit." 

I watch as Ryan channels all the anger in his body into his fist and punches me in the chest, which makes me cough out blood. He wanted to punch me again, but the female figure quickly stepped between us and held his fist, stopping him from hitting me. 

"Stop Ryan!" the woman yelled at him. "Don't you know he is trying to anger you so you could end up doing the worst things that you might end up regretting?"

"Don't worry, sweetheart," I said with a wink, but she shook her head in disgust. "Don't worry." I elucidated again when I saw that she wasn't giving me attention again. "The angel hates my fucking soul and I still have many spare lives to use just in case things go south, you know what I mean," I smirked and winked at the lady while blowing her a soft kiss.

"Dam you, Rey," Ryan barked at me, his eyes turning red and veins protruding out of his neck. "How dare you flatter my wife?"

"Oops!" I mocked. "So, you now have a wife to fuck with that tiny dick of yours." I mocked him and laughed at my dry joke. 

"Despite my mom's tightness, I never heard her make a single moan whenever you were fucking her, which means a carrot is worth more than your so-called dick. Now tell me," I illuminated while moving my gaze from Ryan's to the lady beside him. 

"How did you manage to get satisfied with his carrot dick?" I inquired with the girl.

"Rot in Hell, Rey Reed." Ryan barked at me angrily, while the lady also looked pissed. "I will kill you with my bare hand." He said while squeezing his hand to display his frustration. I am sure the reason why he didn't kill me was because of the lady that was holding him.

"Calm down, my love," the girl whispers to his ear while pecking him on the cheek, which prompts me to hiss in disgust.

"At least you could have got a room or better, used the toilet," I utter in revulsion.

"Just leave him and let us face the battle ahead." The girl said, and she was also scanning me dangerously. "You know, we can use him to acquire twice the money that we lost," the girl bellowed while using her hand to rub Ryan's bald head. 

I watched as a smile crept into Ryan's face, and I knew instantly that he was not up to anything good. 

"You are correct," he replied to the girl. Prepare him and the other girl by giving them the syrup." He moved closer to me and faced me with the evil smirk still plastered on his lips. "We shall see how your 20-live cat will survive the next arena with his silly girlfriend."

"Go and fuck your mama, carrot dick." I spat in his face. Then I heard a loud bang on my head, which sent me back to the land of the unconscious.

T.b.c