All Are Susceptible
Staring out the window with the breeze gently at her face, she closed her eyes and welcomed the freshness of it taking it in slow and
deep as she lay on her bed. From a distance she seemed peaceful enough, but in truth her mind was consumed. Busily she reflected on her latest epic failure during yesterday’s training class, she stubbornly opened her eyes and lifted her head from the crossed arms beneath as her posture straightened. I am high born. They can’t treat me like that. And just as quick as the ridiculous thought made it appearance, so did a weary smile and sigh cross her lips as she returned her head upon its original resting place.
This sucks, being trapped indoors to recover on such a warm and beautiful sunny day. But at least she had the song filled birds and funny little jittery squirrels to keep her entertained. They wouldn’t judge her or say hurtful things. In fact, Worlds within worlds, she realized watching high up in one of the trees just outside her window. A proud Blue Jay spreads his wings defending his mate and nest from another puffed-up intruder. All the while down below the very same tree, one fluffy brown squirrel hops and dances around another busy digging for its buried treasure.
The cut on her face was almost healed already but itched something fierce. At least they all look the same, she thought half jealous.
She reached up to rub the taunting spot, I hope mom’s right and it doesn’t scar… not that it matters anyway. I should’ve never picked up that chain.
Yesterday started off like any other training day. Before class began everyone gathered in their usual groups at the edge of
the clearing -- all but Thia who sat off to the side fidgeting with some weed or twig she found nearby. The boys showed off tossing a warn football around while the girls giggled and watched, always having something to whisper about.
Thia just rolled her eyes. For as long as she could remember she never fit in. Regardless of her status, or maybe because of it, anything unkind to be said, either started with or came back around to her.
Spurred by another split-second glance from one of the visiting twins, Caleb, Sasha, one of the most beautiful of their age, lead the mockery, “Caleb is only toying with her.”
One of the lesser perfect girls, Jenna gave her an incredulous look.
Sasha justified, “Seriously, what could he possibly see in her? She is small-chested, pale as death, and completely socially awkward. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if we find later she was adopted. She’s nothing like her mother. Truth be told, I wish she was my mother, not hers.”
Jenna laughed, accustomed to Sasha’s disrespect for her own mother, “You’re just mad because he’s not paying you any attention.”
Sasha refuted with a wicked smile, “Oh yes he does, especially when I pay special attention to Shai.”
Jenna just shook her head, “You do love playing your games. So tell me then, why does he keep looking at her?”
Sasha, the one never without an answer, was at a loss at this very point, “I honestly don’t know. There’s absolutely nothing special about her. She even wears the drabbest of clothing. I’m not even sure from where she digs up that stuff. I don’t get it.”
She used to tell herself, At least they are attacking me instead of someone who might actually care what they think, but everyone has their limits. Rapidly reaching hers Thia might have curled up into a ball, had she been half aardvark, but thankfully the teacher arrived finally to break up her much unwanted attention, “Alright class! Let’s get started.”
The weapons of choice for this session; the chain whip and a pair of Sais. The instructor walked through the group offering a choice of pristine metal items and demonstrating how to properly use each. Thia favored the fluid look of the chain whip best, so she snuck off to a shallow section of trees just off the clearing to try it out.
Thia has always been fascinated by the practice part of class and therefore caught on faster and better than the others, which didn’t
help her situation. So, she took to fake messing up often. But this time she didn’t feel the need once she’d confirmed no one was
looking.
She started off slow spinning the chain as shown, and instantly fell in love, watching the sliver links sparkle like glitter every time they crossed through each beam of broken-through morning sunlight. In an instant her studying and practicing with the chain, turned into a memorizing and natural dance, Thia’s favorite pass time to be sure, but this time with this new ribbon of metal.
She had the instrument looking like flowing liquid before long until she was interrupted by a deafening silence. When she turned concentrated horror washed over her.
Shocked and frozen by the unexpected full on attention of every single being in attendance, the chain broke from her control and
cracked into an old dry tree and sent an explosion of sharp chunks and shards of wood in all directions. Fortunately for the others, the distance Thia initially sought out placed her to be the only one at risk close enough to be affected, and she was. One fragment sliced open her upper cheek just missing her left eye, another punctured her arm but the biggest piece buried itself deep into her upper left thigh.
From then on she resolved to entertain herself without company…that is until the fateful day she meets her brothers, in the woods.
Copyright © 2012 by Shelia Weiss
deep as she lay on her bed. From a distance she seemed peaceful enough, but in truth her mind was consumed. Busily she reflected on her latest epic failure during yesterday’s training class, she stubbornly opened her eyes and lifted her head from the crossed arms beneath as her posture straightened. I am high born. They can’t treat me like that. And just as quick as the ridiculous thought made it appearance, so did a weary smile and sigh cross her lips as she returned her head upon its original resting place.
This sucks, being trapped indoors to recover on such a warm and beautiful sunny day. But at least she had the song filled birds and funny little jittery squirrels to keep her entertained. They wouldn’t judge her or say hurtful things. In fact, Worlds within worlds, she realized watching high up in one of the trees just outside her window. A proud Blue Jay spreads his wings defending his mate and nest from another puffed-up intruder. All the while down below the very same tree, one fluffy brown squirrel hops and dances around another busy digging for its buried treasure.
The cut on her face was almost healed already but itched something fierce. At least they all look the same, she thought half jealous.
She reached up to rub the taunting spot, I hope mom’s right and it doesn’t scar… not that it matters anyway. I should’ve never picked up that chain.
Yesterday started off like any other training day. Before class began everyone gathered in their usual groups at the edge of
the clearing -- all but Thia who sat off to the side fidgeting with some weed or twig she found nearby. The boys showed off tossing a warn football around while the girls giggled and watched, always having something to whisper about.
Thia just rolled her eyes. For as long as she could remember she never fit in. Regardless of her status, or maybe because of it, anything unkind to be said, either started with or came back around to her.
Spurred by another split-second glance from one of the visiting twins, Caleb, Sasha, one of the most beautiful of their age, lead the mockery, “Caleb is only toying with her.”
One of the lesser perfect girls, Jenna gave her an incredulous look.
Sasha justified, “Seriously, what could he possibly see in her? She is small-chested, pale as death, and completely socially awkward. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if we find later she was adopted. She’s nothing like her mother. Truth be told, I wish she was my mother, not hers.”
Jenna laughed, accustomed to Sasha’s disrespect for her own mother, “You’re just mad because he’s not paying you any attention.”
Sasha refuted with a wicked smile, “Oh yes he does, especially when I pay special attention to Shai.”
Jenna just shook her head, “You do love playing your games. So tell me then, why does he keep looking at her?”
Sasha, the one never without an answer, was at a loss at this very point, “I honestly don’t know. There’s absolutely nothing special about her. She even wears the drabbest of clothing. I’m not even sure from where she digs up that stuff. I don’t get it.”
She used to tell herself, At least they are attacking me instead of someone who might actually care what they think, but everyone has their limits. Rapidly reaching hers Thia might have curled up into a ball, had she been half aardvark, but thankfully the teacher arrived finally to break up her much unwanted attention, “Alright class! Let’s get started.”
The weapons of choice for this session; the chain whip and a pair of Sais. The instructor walked through the group offering a choice of pristine metal items and demonstrating how to properly use each. Thia favored the fluid look of the chain whip best, so she snuck off to a shallow section of trees just off the clearing to try it out.
Thia has always been fascinated by the practice part of class and therefore caught on faster and better than the others, which didn’t
help her situation. So, she took to fake messing up often. But this time she didn’t feel the need once she’d confirmed no one was
looking.
She started off slow spinning the chain as shown, and instantly fell in love, watching the sliver links sparkle like glitter every time they crossed through each beam of broken-through morning sunlight. In an instant her studying and practicing with the chain, turned into a memorizing and natural dance, Thia’s favorite pass time to be sure, but this time with this new ribbon of metal.
She had the instrument looking like flowing liquid before long until she was interrupted by a deafening silence. When she turned concentrated horror washed over her.
Shocked and frozen by the unexpected full on attention of every single being in attendance, the chain broke from her control and
cracked into an old dry tree and sent an explosion of sharp chunks and shards of wood in all directions. Fortunately for the others, the distance Thia initially sought out placed her to be the only one at risk close enough to be affected, and she was. One fragment sliced open her upper cheek just missing her left eye, another punctured her arm but the biggest piece buried itself deep into her upper left thigh.
From then on she resolved to entertain herself without company…that is until the fateful day she meets her brothers, in the woods.
Copyright © 2012 by Shelia Weiss