behind him.
She nodded in return.
“Hey, you’re the one
who pulled me inside, well one of the one’s, when we first got here and I had
collapsed,” he exclaimed snapping his fingers as if it would help him to
remember better.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re
used to the heat now,” Michelle offered.
He nodded. “Well, I
don’t know if anyone ever gets used to the heat here. I’m tolerant of it now,
at least.”
She nodded and gave him
a weak smile.
“It was a big change
for me. I had been stationed in the Earth Army on the space station before. It’s cold there you know. Guess they’re trying to thaw me
out here,” he grinned flashing a set of perfectly straight, bright white teeth.
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter really. Let’s get started. This is what’s
going to matter.”
She stepped forward as
he handed her a pair of combat gloves, a helmet, and a mouth guard. She took
the mouth guard out of its case and slipped it into her mouth. She shook the
dust off of the rest of the things.
“I’m T8924 or Bryce by
the way. I don’t know if I ever told you my name,” he offered as he put on his
own equipment.
“I’m A3343Z,
but just call me Michelle,” she replied. She was hesitant to tell him to call
her “Z” like Aaron did. It felt like something special that Aaron had reserved
just for her. Not that she was special to Aaron, he was with Kate. No, Aaron
was more like a big brother to her. She loved Kate and Aaron desperately. They
made this shitty planet somehow bearable.
She looked around the empty room. It was warm; she
wondered why it wasn’t as cool as the rest of the building. It was at least cooler than running in the
desert , she reminded herself.
“Just us today?” she
questioned as she looked around the otherwise empty room.
“Yeah, you’re good on
the running. The Commander said we got to start training for hand to hand combat.
Running first then combat,” he replied.
“Then what?” she
questioned trying to get more information.
“Then let’s start,” he
ordered.
He made his way to the
mat and Michelle followed. She got into a semi-crouched stance as he quickly
paced around on the balls of his feet. Michelle kept her hands balled into
fists close to her head. She watched as he quickly hopped around on the balls
of his feet, closer he came towards her, but she hopped backwards.
Always protect your face, your head, she could faintly hear Eric’s voice
still calling out to her.
What is wrong with me? Why is everything so fuzzy in
my head ?
Her thoughts ended up
abruptly as Bryce lunged forward at her throwing a punch. She ducked and stepped
back. He came at her again but she was quicker. He pulled back shuffling on his
feet from side to side. Michelle lunged at him quickly and threw an uppercut. He
tried to block but she hit first.
“You are good at this,”
he called out in a surprised tone.
They spared for a few
more minutes before he called time. He spit out his mouth guard and left the
room for a second.
Michelle took out her
mouth guard and waited for her racing heart to slow down. A good fight always
made her heart pound out of her chest.
“Says in your file you
practiced martial arts on Earth,” he said coming back in with water and what
looked like paperwork.
Michelle nodded and
took a sip of the water. It was warm and it had a distinct bitter taste to it. She could vaguely remember doing martial arts
on Earth. She could feel the feeling of anger and rage for some reason as well.
I had to protect myself there… but why? Why is
everything fuzzy? What is wrong with me?
“What about you?”
Michelle asked as her green eyes met his deep brown ones.
“I’ve always been a
fighter,” he replied proudly leaving it at that. It was such a simple
explanation but she understood it.
She nodded and wiped
the sweat
She nodded in return.
“Hey, you’re the one
who pulled me inside, well one of the one’s, when we first got here and I had
collapsed,” he exclaimed snapping his fingers as if it would help him to
remember better.
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re
used to the heat now,” Michelle offered.
He nodded. “Well, I
don’t know if anyone ever gets used to the heat here. I’m tolerant of it now,
at least.”
She nodded and gave him
a weak smile.
“It was a big change
for me. I had been stationed in the Earth Army on the space station before. It’s cold there you know. Guess they’re trying to thaw me
out here,” he grinned flashing a set of perfectly straight, bright white teeth.
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter really. Let’s get started. This is what’s
going to matter.”
She stepped forward as
he handed her a pair of combat gloves, a helmet, and a mouth guard. She took
the mouth guard out of its case and slipped it into her mouth. She shook the
dust off of the rest of the things.
“I’m T8924 or Bryce by
the way. I don’t know if I ever told you my name,” he offered as he put on his
own equipment.
“I’m A3343Z,
but just call me Michelle,” she replied. She was hesitant to tell him to call
her “Z” like Aaron did. It felt like something special that Aaron had reserved
just for her. Not that she was special to Aaron, he was with Kate. No, Aaron
was more like a big brother to her. She loved Kate and Aaron desperately. They
made this shitty planet somehow bearable.
She looked around the empty room. It was warm; she
wondered why it wasn’t as cool as the rest of the building. It was at least cooler than running in the
desert , she reminded herself.
“Just us today?” she
questioned as she looked around the otherwise empty room.
“Yeah, you’re good on
the running. The Commander said we got to start training for hand to hand combat.
Running first then combat,” he replied.
“Then what?” she
questioned trying to get more information.
“Then let’s start,” he
ordered.
He made his way to the
mat and Michelle followed. She got into a semi-crouched stance as he quickly
paced around on the balls of his feet. Michelle kept her hands balled into
fists close to her head. She watched as he quickly hopped around on the balls
of his feet, closer he came towards her, but she hopped backwards.
Always protect your face, your head, she could faintly hear Eric’s voice
still calling out to her.
What is wrong with me? Why is everything so fuzzy in
my head ?
Her thoughts ended up
abruptly as Bryce lunged forward at her throwing a punch. She ducked and stepped
back. He came at her again but she was quicker. He pulled back shuffling on his
feet from side to side. Michelle lunged at him quickly and threw an uppercut. He
tried to block but she hit first.
“You are good at this,”
he called out in a surprised tone.
They spared for a few
more minutes before he called time. He spit out his mouth guard and left the
room for a second.
Michelle took out her
mouth guard and waited for her racing heart to slow down. A good fight always
made her heart pound out of her chest.
“Says in your file you
practiced martial arts on Earth,” he said coming back in with water and what
looked like paperwork.
Michelle nodded and
took a sip of the water. It was warm and it had a distinct bitter taste to it. She could vaguely remember doing martial arts
on Earth. She could feel the feeling of anger and rage for some reason as well.
I had to protect myself there… but why? Why is
everything fuzzy? What is wrong with me?
“What about you?”
Michelle asked as her green eyes met his deep brown ones.
“I’ve always been a
fighter,” he replied proudly leaving it at that. It was such a simple
explanation but she understood it.
She nodded and wiped
the sweat
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