first fight (jay)

The time was close now. I'd been hiding here for hours, waiting for the right moment. After I picked up the scent in the alleyway, it wasn't hard for me to trace it and buddy had real sharp eyes and was great at finding things. Together, it was easy to figure out where they were. We'd landed on top of a tall building and I'd left Buddy on the roof and told him to wait, just as I was waiting now. Then I'd climbed down a few levels and crept in through an open window. The room was dark and cold. There was a desk in the far corner, with a computer on it. Opposite that, with a door in between them, was what looked like a sort of electrical cage and next to that, a dark wooden door.

I stood very still, suddenly aware of how loud my breathing was. No doubt all the doors were locked, even though all the windows seemed to be open. Was it worth me trying? Even if it was, which door should I try first? The one opposite me looked like it led to the corridor outside, which would lead to more rooms, the one next to the cage looked like nothing more than a door to a store room or something. Then again, where better to hide little children than a small room that no one would suspect.

I sighed, suddenly realising how reckless this must seem. You fool. Why did you ever get out of bed? But it was too late to go back now. Whatever I did I couldn't stay stood here, with the light at my back and the door in front of me. If anyone came in, they were bound to see me long before I found a good enough hiding place.

So, I ran the length of the room and hid behind the desk. It must've been old. There was a gap in the middle where the chair would usually go. Behind it was a thin piece of wood, attached at the sides but with a gap at both the bottom and the top, as if it were wearing away. The one at the top was just big enough for me to peer though. I could hide here and wait. Wait and see if anyone came and to watch them if they did. If this was the right room, I was sure whoever they were would be back by morning. If not, then perhaps I would try the doors and search somewhere else.

I may have fallen asleep at some point but I was awake when they brought in the commander. There were two of them, a big fat one and a tall thin one. The fat one looked to be the strength out of the two but the thin one was clearly the brains.

With a jolt, I realised why Thia's dad must be here. Damn, did he come for me too. Is he here because of me? he begged to see his daughter and Thia must've heard. She answered from behind the large oak door next to the electric cage. She was there the whole time but even knowing that couldn't have helped. Now I was sure the door would've been locked, for she was banging on it hard, fighting to get out. When the commander heard her, he tried to bolt towards the door but the fat man had grabbed him before he could get there, punched him in the stomach and thrown him in the cage next to the door that held his only child.

"It would never have done you any good." The thin man told him. "That door is thick oaken wood. This is the only thing that could possibly open it."

He held up something small and shiny in his hand. with the light, I could see the glint of silver. The key I thought. I have to get the key.

After that came more waiting, only this time the two men stayed in the room with their prizes. I had to hold my breath at times, for fear they would hear me. They never checked behind the desk, never seemed to think that someone might've snuck in through the windows they left open. The thin man kept the key in his hand at all times, as if he feared if he put it down he would lose it, or someone would snatch it up. (Maybe he was right) all I could do was sit and watch and wait. wait for the right time, which was getting close.

At some point, the fat man left the room, leaving the door slightly open.

The two men still had some way of communicating when they were in different rooms. There seemed to be some trouble on the lower level. Suddenly, I became aware of another man, crouching next to the desk I was hiding under. He must've snuck in through the open door. I turned to look at him. He was utterly disgusting, covered in slimy orange scales with what looked like a second nose on the top of his forehead and he stunk, but he hadn't seen me, which was some small relief. In his hand was a disk. He looked around nervously, as if he too were trying to hide, then placed the disk in the hard drive of the computer. Then he turned and saw me. We both jumped and I backed up into the corner. The thin man seemed to have only just become aware of the open door and closed it, cursing. While this slimy one looked me up and down.

I gulped. I could almost tell what he was thinking in his stinky two nosed head. Only a boy. After a while, he looked at the thin man then back at me.

"I won't say anything about you, if you don't say anything about this. He pointed at the disk in the computer. I looked at it, at the thin man, then back at him.

"Fair enough." I whispered. I didn't know what that disk was, but it couldn't be more important than my Thia.

He then scurried off somewhere and I crept to the side of the desk, where he was crouching a moment before. Peering round the side, I could see the thin man standing there, with the key in his hand. All I needed was for him to be off guard, just for a moment, then I could run out and grab the key and unlock the door.

From the sound of it, the fat man wasn't doing very well down stairs, so I was sure I wouldn't have to wait much longer. I was right. The fat man came bursting back in through the door, screaming that they'd been found. Now's my chance, I thought. I ran up to the thin man, who was so tall (or it could've been me being so little) that I managed to sneak under and grab the small silver key before he even saw me. a small "hey!" from the thin man and a "what the!" from the fat man at the door was all they had time for before I reached the door, plunged the key into the lock and turned. Only then did they seem to try and stop me. One of them grabbed me from behind but my hand was still on the key so as he pulled me back, the door was pulled open. The one holding me then pulled me to the side to face the thin man

who looked at the desk, the door then at me, then surprisingly started to laugh.

"You were there the whole time and we didn't even know. How long was it, do you think?"

I stared at him. "Probably longer than you think."

That made him laugh even more. There was a dagger inside his metal boot, the hilt poking out, coming up his knee. He pulled it out now and walked towards me. I held my head up, trying to seem brave.

"You came all this way, snuck in in the middle of the night, and sat there hiding in wait for all that time—all for the love of a friend."

I lowered my eyes, thinking. Was it love, or just friend? The way he said it, they were both the same.

"Very well. Why should I deny two childhood friends...?"

For the first time since morning, I looked over at the commander. He was the girl's father and they'd denied it to him. I lost track of what they were saying but soon the thin man was walking towards the oak door. There was a tall dark-haired girl standing in the doorway. "Don't…" she started.

"Get out of the way, idiot girl."

She shook her head, looking scared but standing firm. "I won't let you hurt our princess."

Princess. That was the first I'd heard of it but still, it fit. Thia was beautiful, kind, smart, and brave and strong when she had to be. What anyone might expect of a true princess. The thin man held up his knife.

"Any foolish child who gets in the way, will find themselves dead before they can make it home to their mamas and papas"

"No!" a voice cried out "Rowan, you can't." I knew that voice anywhere, just proving what I was thinking.

I tried to turn around to see her but the big man kept me facing the door. I only got a glimpse of her, standing up, slowly walking in front of the older girl. I heard the thin man reach inside the room to drag her out and throw her onto the floor in front of me. only then did I see her fear. But still she stood back up and held her ground. The thin man walked towards her, holding up the knife in his hand.

"Are you afraid, little princess?"

She gave no answer, only stared at him, half in fear, half in anger. I fought to break free, to stand by her side and protect her.

"Of course you are. How could you not be? A girl so young and sweet to be thrown into a world like this one." He walked towards her, lifting up his knifeless hand. "Cruel, harsh, mean. War." Slowly, he stroked her cheek, teasing her with a gentle touch and a sharp blade.

"Stop it!" I cried. My voice sounded higher and more scared than I'd hoped.

Then the thin man turned on me and I stopped struggling. He took a few paces forwards. . .then the door burst open, with a crash that almost shook the building. I turned to look and to my relief I saw the face of James and the other guys. Thank the gods, they made it.

Everything was still and quiet for a moment. The thin man stood almost next to me. I looked down and saw that the fat me also had a dagger hidden in his boot, so I reached down, grabbed the hilt, and pulled it out. Not really paying attention to what I was doing with it, I sliced at the fat man's leg, by chance catching a joint that wasn't protected by mettle armour. He let me go and I ran to stand in front of Thia.

"Jay, stay out of this!" James called.

"I can help!" I called back.

Just then, the windows also smashed in and the rest of the guys came charging in to join the fight. I turned towards them, holding out an arm to protect Thia and we both flattened ourselves against the wall.

"This is no place for a child."

Hearing them call me that made me grit my teeth in anger.

"I'm not a child!!"

There was so much happening, for a moment I couldn't keep track. Even those stupid looking bots had joined in. Thia seemed even more scared than I felt. Both her hands were half raised and I felt her clutch under my shoulder. I stood there for a moment, with a knife in one hand and Thia grabbing at the other. Out of nowhere, someone came up beside us and grabbed my other shoulder. "Hey!" I protested but whoever it was didn't have time to talk back. My mind was racing. I didn't have time to think, so I just acted, lifting up the blade to collide with the flesh under his arm. It went straight through the gap in his armour and the top poked out of his shoulder.

There was a deafening cry of pain and after a moment I pulled it out and stood back. Only then did I see it was the thin man, now kneeling in agony with blood oozing from under his arm and his shoulder. There was blood on the knife too I realised, and on my fingers.

For a moment, I felt dizzy. Was this what it felt like to take a life, or was it the sight of blood making me feel this way. Whatever it was, it was gone when I saw James fighting those ridiculous robots and another one was sneaking up behind him. I took a small step forwards and tossed the knife, which hit the bot under the neck and pinned it to the opposite wall. After that, I went towards it to retrieve the dagger, James stood beside me.

"Not a child indeed. You'll make a soldier one day but for now, try to stay alive."

He said with a smile. I smiled too, and almost laughed.

After that he went to join the others I stayed and tried to pull out the knife. I suppose I thought it would be easy to pull a blade out from so much metal and brick. When it didn't come out the first time, I tried putting both hands on the hilt and started yanking. It only came out after I put my foot on the dead bot and pushed against it.

I heard a small cry beside me, just before the dagger broke free. I turned and saw the thin man had gotten back up, and was holding Thia up against the wall by the throat with his good arm. Horrified, I realised I'd been so preoccupied by the fight I'd forgotten to check on her. As he squeezed her neck it seemed I might also have made him angrier with that knife.

He looked as though he would squeeze the life right out of her. I stood, frozen to the spot. Did I dare throw the knife again? What if it just brushed off against his metal armour, or hit Thia instead? Did I trust myself to hit twice?

Turned out I didn't need to. Being lifted up by the throat, all Thia had to do was raise her knee hard against the unprotected area between his legs. He let her go and fell to his knees once more. She fell sideways and lay very still. I dropped the knife, forgetting all about it and ran to her. Her eyes were closed but her mouth was slightly open. I couldn't even tell if she was breathing.

"No. Thia, please."

Someone pushed me aside and knelt beside me. I didn't have to look to see who it was. Without a word he began pressing down on her chest, slow and hard. "Come on, Thia, breath." I heard him say. I don't know how long it went on for.

"Please…" I began to sob. "Please…Please…Please."

Until at last she opened her mouth wide and gasped in a breath full of air, touched her throat and coughed, then opened her eyes. When she saw her father kneeling over her, she smiled.

"Dad." she breathed.

And he reached down and took her in his arms.

"My girl, my big brave girl."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'll never stay late again."

I laughed at that. "Yeah right, you won't."

She pulled away and turned to look at me. We stared at each other for a minute then she grinned.

"Jay." She whispered, before flinging her arms over my shoulders. For a moment, I was too stunned to do anything then I grinned.

"You were so brave. Thank you. Thank you."

I closed my eyes and stroked her back, only just then realising that I was weeping.