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Chapter 8.1
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2024-10-29 19:42:56While wiping the thick fluid out of her eyes, Nyla heard the crowd laughing loudly. “Look at the killer now!”
Nyla stood there, unsure of what to do. Covered in blood from head to toe, she knew that her clothing was ruined. She stared silently at the crowd before her, who were all laughing and jeering at her. Something fiery and hot rose within her, and her hands balled into fists.
Don’t do anything. Don’t do anything.
The clatter of someone climbing down the ladder froze her tormentors. “Oh shit,” the leader called, turning and rushing down the stairs. The rest of his group quickly followed.
Nyla turned carefully in the puddle of blood and waited for Sarah or Eason to open the door. She could hear both of their voices bickering behind the wall. Their conversation ended when they swung the door open and saw her.
“Nyla!” Sarah screamed.
Eason rushed to her side, slipping on the bloody f
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The door opened, startling her. “Oh, there you are. Come in, come in.” Edmond ushered her inside. His tone was perfectly pleasant, no hint of anger remaining. The sudden change in him made Nyla uneasy. “Sit,” he directed her to the chair in front of his desk. Nyla sat.Without preamble, he said, “You did well today, Nyla.”Nyla stared at Edmond stunned, forgetting that he expected a reply. After several moments she hastily said, “Thank you.”With a great sigh, he settled himself into his chair. A self-satisfied grin appeared on his lips. “I’ve leaked the events today to the media. Your lack of response when attacked has garnered intense sympathy. One of the students took pictures, and we’ve been able to retrieve them and slip them to the media as well. My campaign has recovered from the backlash of your introduction, and the MRP approval rating has gone through the roof. In fact, my entire campaig
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Gunfire echoed around Nyla as she sprinted through the night. She didn’t pause as her platoon members called out to her.“Major!” she screamed, her voice hoarse from breathing in the smokey air.An enemy soldier emerged from the night and sprinted towards her. She sent him flying with one swipe of her arm. He hit one of the few trees in the town square with a sickening crunch before falling to the ground, dead. Nyla didn’t give the body a second glance.Out of the darkness, the labored breathing of hundreds of men rose, but Nyla sought only one: the Major’s. She knew his breathing better than she knew her own. Finally, the signal she had been waiting for appeared – she heard him whisper her name. In seconds she was by his side behind the half wall where he had taken refuge.There was blood soaking his front. “Major! What happened to you! Where are you shot?”
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Edmond insisted that Nyla return to school the next day, despite Veronica and Eason’s protests.“Really, Edmond? After what happened yesterday? Let the poor girl have a day of rest!” Veronica chastised.Eason added, “Seriously, Dad. I can go, but let Nyla stay home today.”“I can go,” Nyla piped up. She had been standing in the doorway unnoticed.“See, Nyla says she can go,” Edmond declared, finishing the argument.Walking towards the hovercar, Eason leaned over and whispered, “You don’t have to do this, no matter what Dad says. Mom will back you on this one.”“No, I want to go to school.” She added at his dubious glance, “I want everything to go back to normal. I don’t want to have to think about it anymore.”“If you say so.”To their surprise, Edmond got behind the wheel again. Exchanging glances, Eason and Nyla s
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“They’re not private enough for him,” he replied, watching the hologram greet Sarah.“Is something wrong, dear? Why are you calling me from school? Did another incident occur?” the little hologram woman asked.“No, Mom, nothing like that. I was calling to see if Eason and Nyla could come over after school.”The tiny figure froze for a moment before she started nodding her head, craning her neck as if trying to see them. “Eason Braun? And Nyla? Yes, of course, that wouldn’t be a problem. I’m meeting with the Governor in a few moments, do you want me to ask for them?”Sarah raised her head towards Eason, who nodded. “Yes, Mom, that’d be great. We’ll see you when we get home.”“Love you, sweetie. See you all later!” The call clicked off, and the hologram disappeared.“Well, that’s settled then,” Sarah sighed. “I should w
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Their conversation was interrupted by Sarah’s parents entering the room and sitting down next to their daughter. Earnestly, Sarah’s mother looked at Nyla. “Dear, would it be too much for you to tell us about the day you saved Dylan?” “Mom!” Dylan hissed. His cheeks tinged red. “Seriously, Mom, she's a guest,” Sarah added. “I don’t mind,” Nyla said, drawing everyone’s gaze. She looked back blandly. “Well, thank you,” Dylan’s father chimed in, solemn and serious. Nyla thought back to that night. She remembered it perfectly, just like
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Somehow the threat of expulsion from Alet Academy was enough to keep anyone else from attacking Nyla. The hallways were still fair game – the students were continually shoving and tripping her – but nothing worse seemed to be brewing. By the end of the first month, her bent hands were raw from catching herself when she fell, but Nyla felt safe with Sarah and Eason by her side.Mason was still on house arrest as she liked to remind everyone by screaming and crying every chance she got. Her animosity towards Nyla had only grown until it seemed like a living being inhabiting the house. Nyla avoided her as much as possible. The only time she couldn’t was at dinner, where they sat next to each other at Edmond’s command. They obeyed Edmond, but still pretended as if the other weren’t there.At one such meal, Edmond turned to Nyla. “Are you ready for your first campaign stop?”Caught off guard, Nyla asked, “It’s tim
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Traipsing downstairs and still yawning, Nyla found Edmond and Eason waiting for her. “Ready?” Edmond asked, glancing at his phone. Nyla nodded, and stepped down next to them. Edmond turned and strode up the hall, Eason and Nyla trailing in his shadow. Instead of walking next to her, Eason walked ahead. She could have easily caught up to him, but he was firmly planted in the middle of the hallway with no room on either side of him for Nyla. She found herself frowning. Whatever happened last night between us didn’t solve whatever problem he has. The thought unsettled her. How could she fix it if she didn’t understand? She just wanted her friend back. The five-hour car ride was silent. Edmond sat on his phone, typing away to invisible people. The moment Eason had settled into his seat, he had closed hi
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His speech then turned to Nyla and her accomplishments both on the battlefield and in the classroom. He motioned her forward, and Nyla realized that the crowd was silent again, engaged in his tales once more. I’m the main focus. I can turn the tide of their opinion. Without thinking, Nyla gestured for Edmond to stand aside so she could stand at the podium. He hesitated for only a moment before announcing, “And now I give Nyla the opportunity to speak on my behalf.” His hard eyes dug into the back of her skull. He’s scared of what I’m about to say, but he knows they aren’t buying his speech either. “First,” Nyla said, h
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The days in the James’ household fell into a pattern. Every morning she rose later than she ever had been allowed to before. She then traipsed downstairs to have a light breakfast with Madame James, who was delighted to have a young woman in the house after having raised only boys. The rest of her day was spent reading or exploring the mansion, which was old enough to have hidden rooms long forgotten. This morning Nyla rose the latest she had yet and headed downstairs still in her pajamas. Yawning, she entered the family dining room only to find two guests sitting with Madame James. “Sarah! Breanne!” The girls leaped up, squealing, and attacked Nyla with affection. They each squeezed Nyla tight enough to make her ribs crack. “Nyla!” Gazing over their heads, Nyla found Madame James smiling serenely while sipping on her tea. “What’s going on?” Nyla choked out. Sarah and Breanne let her go and backed up a step. “I was about to send someone up to wake you
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Nyla and her friends were sitting on their rooftop spot, avoiding the noise downstairs when Sarah turned to Eason. “Are you having the usual aging out party for your birthday?”“Birthday?” asked Nyla, her attention diverted from her sandwich, which was in the process of falling apart. “Your birthday is coming up?”Eason laughed. “Nyla, it’s next week. Where have you been?”In a dark, dark place.“But that means you’ll be eighteen and will graduate.” Panic started bubbling up in Nyla’s chest. She couldn’t handle school without Eason by her side.He seemed to know exactly where her thoughts had gone. “Calm down, Nyla. Sarah and Breanne will still be here with you. You’re eighteen next month anyway. You’ll only have to survive a little bit of time.”“We’ll be here for you,” Breanne tried to comfort Nyla.
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“Oh.” Eason turned round eyes to Nyla.“I’ve had excessive training on obstacle courses. I find them quite easy. But it’s been quite some time since I’ve practiced. Who knows how long it’ll take me,” lied Nyla. She walked over and stood before the peg wall, grabbing a peg in each hand. All she had to do was pull herself up the wall by placing a peg in one of the many holes going up, again and again, until she reached the top.Taking the peg in her right hand, she reached up and placed it in the highest hole she could reach. She followed with her left and then pulled herself up using just her arms. She froze with her feet off the ground, she counted to ten before removing the right peg and reaching up again, placing it in a higher hole. After counting to seven, she did the same with her left hand. Once both pegs were secure, she pulled herself up again. Repeating the pattern, Nyla inched her way up the wall, counting in be
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Nyla stayed in the hospital for an additional two days waiting for the wound to be completely healed and no longer tender. When she told Dr. Bunder she was ready to leave, the doctor told her, “We need to run some tests first, and then you’re free to go.”Automatically, Nyla’s mind went to the warning in her letter. She cast a glance at Eason, who was sitting by her bedside again. He met her eyes, a little crease forming between his eyebrows. “Are they really necessary? She says she’s feeling better, and Nyla would know best.”“I’m afraid they are. They’re the same tests you did last time you were here.” She paused, then continued, “You know how everything has to be documented because you’re a Menhit.” Seeing no way out of it, Nyla consented to the tests, praying nothing terrible would come of it. Perhaps th
