Thump.

It was the sound of me hitting the floor, but I didn't succumb to any injury, rather the exhaustion. I didn't have the energy to move, that's what my body told me by shutting itself down. We had only fought three times, though the last one couldn't be counted as a fight, more like a brutal beat down. I had nothing left to give and after the beating, the process of healing took what energy I had and threw it away.

As a result, I was reduced to nothing but a limp body on the floor. I felt something wrap around me.

"Come on, you did well for your first day."

"...Did I get stronger?"

"I don't know about that, but you sure as hell got tougher. Give it time, we're only human no matter how hard we push ourselves. That's the difference between them, and the two of us."

As I spoke with Jason I wasn't even able to raise my head, only mumbling to him with my head hanging.

We stopped abruptly after having been on the move for some time, I could hear Jason speaking to someone.

"Oh, don't worry we were just training, he's fine."

"Like I care, did I ask?"

"No, I guess not. It was just the look on your face. If you would like to come train with us it would be a great help to him and me."

"The hell would I want to train with y'all for?"

"That would be up to you, whatever your reason's I only wanted to let you know you could."

The sensation of falling covered me but I didn't have the energy to react.

"What the hell are you doing??"

I felt what I think was someone grabbing me, someone who felt like a brick wall. Once being caught by this person I didn't move an inch more, as if they had just caught a ball before it touched the ground.

"Oh, sorry. I guess It took more out of me than I thought. Don't worry we can just leave him here in the hall, I'm sure he'll be fine." Jason's voice seemed to get further away as he spoke until even the sound of his footsteps was gone. Contrary to what I had expected the person didn't put me down, rather we kept moving.

"You, which one was his room again?"

"Oh, Re--"

"Shut up and show me!"

"This one right here... is he alright?"

"Yes."

I felt the familiar stiffness that the uncomfortable beds here possessed and then nothing.

----------------------------------------

"(Bzzzz) Detainees you are now permitted to leave your rooms. The cafeteria has been opened." The recorded voice woke me up out of my deep sleep. While my body didn't ache, it did feel sluggish, as if I was running on fumes.

The door opened and Wayne came into my cell, "So, looks like you got some good training in, or you just got your ass kicked."

I smiled while I pushed myself up off of the bed, "Both. Let's get something to eat, I'm starving!"

"No, you should probably shower and change first, you're covered in blood."

Examining myself I was indeed covered in blood. My uniform was stained, the sheets had it smeared all over them, and I could feel the patches of dried blood all around my body but the majority was on, or near my face.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"You've got a point."

After finishing up in the showers we headed to the cafeteria. Wayne seemed to be happier than usual like he knew something I didn't.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Oh, nothing... I was thinking we could train together now that I'm all healed."

"Hmm, yeah we could lift and spar a little bit but you can't do the training Jason and I will be doing."

"That's fine, after seeing what you looked like afterward, I don't think I want to either."

As we stood in line to get food I notice quite a few people were staring at me. I'm not completely positive why but if I had to take a guess it would be the gladiatorial bouts Jason and I had yesterday. Yesterday? That's right I had slept all through the rest of the day and into this one. We got our food and sat down. Before Wayne could start talking I began to scarf down my food.

"I don't think eating it faster will help you any?"

Between chewing, I replied, "I, can't, not."

"Ha, alright then. I'm looking forward to out lifting you when I get back."

"Don't think just because your a little bigger than me you'll be able to--what do you mean when you get back?"

"I have a testing session today so I'll be gone until tomorrow."

"Testing session?"

"It's kinda like my version of ability training. Since I can't really use my ability while I'm near anyone I have to be transported out away from everybody so I can test my ability, and hopefully one day get control over it."

How far do they have to transport him if he's going to be gone for the rest of the day?

"You never did tell me your ability? Since I told you mine you owe me."

"Fine, I guess you've got me. Although I can't really fulfill that promise completely. They call my ability annihilation. I don't fully understand it, all I know is that when it happens everything around me disappears. There's no big explosion, no shockwave, no sound."

"That doesn't seem that bad?"

"No, I guess it wouldn't be if I could control the distance... But that's why I do these testing sessions, one day I hope to be able to control it."

"What's the distance?"

"It's... 6 miles. After it happens there's nothing left as far as I can see, just a big circle of absolute destruction."

"A 6-mile diameter??"

"No, a 6-mile radius, that's what it was the last time I used it. It's why I have to be transported out, or else I'd hurt more people. It didn't use to be this bad, but it's only gotten worse with the older I get. Thankfully I have control over the activation of it, but it's possible that it could activate by itself if I'm in an extreme enough circumstance. That's why I have to learn to control the distance."

"Why does it take so long to travel?"

"They take me out a lot farther than 6 miles just to be safe, and it's also a four-way trip. They have to fly me out, get out of the blast radius, then fly back to me, and fly me back here."

As we're talking an object flies into my view and my perception activates. I reach out catching the object before it can hit Wayne. As it contacts my hand bits of potato go flying everywhere. That's right it was a flying fucking potato, someone threw a potato at Wayne. Facing in the direction it came from I see Carnie.

"Good catch there, lover boy!"

As Wayne cleans up the bits of potato that he is now covered in I address the little demon, "What do you want now?"

"What? Me? I'm here for you."

"I doubt that."

"It's all thanks to Jason."

Oh, god. What did he do to me!

"I was over there botherin--I mean, talking to him and Veronica when he told me that since I had so much energy I should help you out. At first, I said no but then he explained to me what I'd be getting to do to you, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity!"

"Wayne, you said you wanted to train with me right?" I look towards Wayne for any ounce of help I could get, but all I saw was his back as he walked away.

"I think the warden just called me, it must be time for my testing session."

There had been no such announcement.

"Good, now that he's gone we can play "Mommy Beats Daddy because Daddy Fucked the Sitter!"

Where does she come up with this shit, and how can a little girl talk like that?????